Its been a while!

[gungfudan]

Hey fellow Ranger owners!

First let me say that I wish I was driving my Ranger right now. Last year my rebuilt 2.0L 4cyl 1988 Ranger engine that had been rebuilt lost compression
1 year and 3 months later, so it was three months out of warranty!!!
So the engine rebuilders wouldn't do squat for me.

So my question do these 4cyl engines have issues, was it the luck of the draw for me, or did they just not rebuild it right? I think it was the latter.
I have had so many people tell me that these engines are bullet proof and it does not seem like it to me.

thanks for your replies.

 

[Mark_88]

Hi Dan,

Did you find out why it lost compression? If the rebuilder used cheap parts like a set of rings that are prone to failure then I would say it falls back on them and their choice of parts/suppliers. But how would you prove that?

They can typically go forever if taken care of and not taxed constantly, but they do suffer wear and tear like any other engine. So, yes, they are usually bullet proof and should last at least 200,000 miles before even showing signs of wear and tear.

I doubt that you put more miles on the engine so it would be considered premature failure in my mind...unless you were constantly hauling heavy loads, let the oil go too long between changes, or if your carb was setup wrong allowing excessive fuel to be dumped into the cylinders...that would dilute the oil and cause the rings to wear faster than they normally would.

 

[gungfudan]

Hi Dan,

Did you find out why it lost compression? If the rebuilder used cheap parts like a set of rings that are prone to failure then I would say it falls back on them and their choice of parts/suppliers. But how would you prove that?

They can typically go forever if taken care of and not taxed constantly, but they do suffer wear and tear like any other engine. So, yes, they are usually bullet proof and should last at least 200,000 miles before even showing signs of wear and tear.

I doubt that you put more miles on the engine so it would be considered premature failure in my mind...unless you were constantly hauling heavy loads, let the oil go too long between changes, or if your carb was setup wrong allowing excessive fuel to be dumped into the cylinders...that would dilute the oil and cause the rings to wear faster than they normally would.

I took my ranger to the mechanic that did the warranty work and told them I was putting a quart of oil a week in it and they said nothing was wrong with it then this happened. I also think they used cheap parts too. I referred my friend to them before the engine lost compression and the didn't lap the valves nor did the put in the correct cam on his Chevy.

 

[tomw]

If the engine was consuming a quart of oil a week, then it was likely over acceptable limits.
Ford used to allow a quart per 700 miles driven as 'acceptable'. Unless you really piled the miles on weekly, you were likely above Fords limit.
When did it start using that much oil? If it was within the warranty of 1 year, then I'd be on the 'mechanics' that did the work, or the supplier that provided the rebuilt. I'm not sure if you got a different engine from a supplier or your mechanic did the work on yours, but either way, if you were using that much oil weekly, it was failed at that point in time. If you had documents, such as fuel/oil/mileage records, or perhaps the receipts from your credit card or statements that indicated all that use, you have paper 'proof', and might win a judgment in small claims... or not.
Try working with the 'mechanic', and point out all the work you've sent their way, and how you really really really want to be able to tell your friends how they stood up when their product was faulty. I am not a lawyer, so don't bet your paycheck.
Were it me, I would have gone for a 2300 vs a 2.0 as externally they are the same, but you'd have a bit more power. I think the 2.0 is underpowered in the Ranger, personally. The difference between the two is the diameter of the bore & piston. The 2.5 has a longer stroke, FWIW.
If you paid a pile of dough, over $1k, for the work, I'd be on the shop without relenting. They should stand by their workmanship, or should be able to get on their supplier, if needed. IMO.
tom

 

[gungfudan]

If the engine was consuming a quart of oil a week, then it was likely over acceptable limits.
Ford used to allow a quart per 700 miles driven as 'acceptable'. Unless you really piled the miles on weekly, you were likely above Fords limit.
When did it start using that much oil? If it was within the warranty of 1 year, then I'd be on the 'mechanics' that did the work, or the supplier that provided the rebuilt. I'm not sure if you got a different engine from a supplier or your mechanic did the work on yours, but either way, if you were using that much oil weekly, it was failed at that point in time. If you had documents, such as fuel/oil/mileage records, or perhaps the receipts from your credit card or statements that indicated all that use, you have paper 'proof', and might win a judgment in small claims... or not.
Try working with the 'mechanic', and point out all the work you've sent their way, and how you really really really want to be able to tell your friends how they stood up when their product was faulty. I am not a lawyer, so don't bet your paycheck.
Were it me, I would have gone for a 2300 vs a 2.0 as externally they are the same, but you'd have a bit more power. I think the 2.0 is underpowered in the Ranger, personally. The difference between the two is the diameter of the bore & piston. The 2.5 has a longer stroke, FWIW.
If you paid a pile of dough, over $1k, for the work, I'd be on the shop without relenting. They should stand by their workmanship, or should be able to get on their supplier, if needed. IMO.
tom

I am just cutting my losses. The truck has been sitting for months. I got pretty ticked off that this is the second engine I have put in it and it hasn't ran correctly. I only drove it about 40 miles a day for work probably 6 days out o the week.

 

[gungfudan]

So from what I am reading from the replies it was rebuilt wrong or with cheap parts.

 

[hoosier1104]

Or a combination of both.

 

[tomw]

I don't know if I answered your original question, so here goes.

The Lima 2.3 has a reputation of being a long-lived engine if kept cool and fed an oil change now and again. There are reports of many going to 300,000 miles with little problems, and still going.

Your particular engine oil use and finally loss of compression is an indication to me of incompetent mechanics, or use of inferior parts & supplies.

I don't know the condition now, but removing the cylinder head, pulling the pistons, and replacing the rings with good, and likely using a 'ball hone'(deglazer) in the bores would allow you to get back on the road at minimal cost. If you don't mind oil dripping now on your face now and again, you can accomplish this from underneath the truck, and reaching into the engine compartment. The oil pan might be problematic to remove, needing the engine mounts loosed, and the nose of the crankshaft raised to allow removal, but that's the 'worst' part.
I have done $30 ring jobs overnight on a Chevy stovebolt that was burning more oil than gasoline. It ran a lot better, and didn't use nearly as much oil. That was back when I was not so old, however.
If you want, you can do your own work. A basic tool set, some Torkx bits, and a torque wrench are necessary. A garage is nice, too. Portable lighting, and a stack of old newspapers to lie on make under vehicle access more comfortable.
A quicker recipe for getting back on the road is to find a used engine with reasonable miles and swap that into place. You can easily go to a 2.3 as I think they are easier to find than the 2.0 version. A whole lot of years will swap in, but the easiest would be one with the same fuel and ignition systems. They are for sale on c-list for $350-400 ballpark. Check car dash part dot com for locally available parts.
tom