It's Official: I'm joining the 3.0 side in the 2.9 / 3.0 debate!

[heptofite]

yeah, but the actual curve is more important than just the peaks.

 

[PaleBlue90]

the 3.0 is ok on power...i just have not had the greatest luck with mine....better luck with the 2.9.....but hey lets all just say that the 4.0s are better

see i have the same opinion as you, just on the 4.0's ive had 2. my frist one had 115K when i bought it and only lasted 25K it failed big time. cracked the block.

the second one i just junked, had 93K it only lasted 7K and it threw a rod out the side of the block. didnt knock, conpression was good before this, had oil in it,etc. granted yes; they had pretty good power. but my 2.9 in my old 89 ranger was awesome. my 4.0's didnt like holding 75 mph and hitting hills. both had 3.73's,L/S's, and one had 31's the other had stock size tires. my ranger with 31's 3.73's and a L/S could pull a hill at 5th gear at 75mph oh how i miss my 2.9

 

[ronclark]

it would be cool to see what the curve is between the two are.
anyone got some curves thy can post?

yeah, but the actual curve is more important than just the peaks.

 

[koda6966]

honestly i don't know, i ran from the 01 truck fast as i could, payment was about three times what it was worth.

My brother's rockin a 4x4 01 Edge with the 3.0 and an auto tranny. I think he got it for around 4 or 5k and he's paying 80 a month. Where did you get your loan from? They must be sharks.

But then again, he has amazing credit from about 8 different $1-5000 loans.

 

[Ranger44]

3L ALL the WAY.

 

[creepinjeepster]

anyone got some curves thy can post?

Don't actually have any curves to post, but I would take the 3.0 over the 2.9.

I own a 90 2.9 supercab and a 91 3.0 supercab. The 3.0 will outperform the 2.9 every time.

After seeing this thread, my dad and I went out and tried a chain pull with the two trucks. Oh yeah, they're both 2wd too. Same gears in the rear and same tranny's. Only difference besides colors and year is the engine's. The 2.9 couldn't even hold its ground let alone try and drag the 3.0.

Will that work for your power curve?

 

[03ranger4x4]

I like the 2.9L better then the 3.0L, one reason, without the 2.9L we wouldnt have the 4.0,which was based off the 2.9L, And i like the 4.0L alot better then the 3.0L....thats my reason, hahaha


Another thing, we torture tested a 3.0 that was destain for the junkyard in my friends old taurus wagon, and the motor was DEAD after two overheats ( we didnt just floor it in nuetral, we drove it without coolant) so even though the 2.9s heads crack when overheated, the 3.0 isnt exactly bullet proof in extreme conditions....someone else from another forum, said he entered a tuarus in a demo derby figure 8 thing, with a 3.0, and the same thing, overheated, stalled...cooled down, ran fine again, overheated, was completely dead after that. I guess the 3.0 has a second life or something lol

 

[Jspafford]

Don't actually have any curves to post, but I would take the 3.0 over the 2.9.

I own a 90 2.9 supercab and a 91 3.0 supercab. The 3.0 will outperform the 2.9 every time.

After seeing this thread, my dad and I went out and tried a chain pull with the two trucks. Oh yeah, they're both 2wd too. Same gears in the rear and same tranny's. Only difference besides colors and year is the engine's. The 2.9 couldn't even hold its ground let alone try and drag the 3.0.

Will that work for your power curve?

Naw... We can't see the condition of the vehicles... I am stickin with the 2.9 no matter what yall say...

Naner naner naner....

 

[stegomon]

my ranger has spunk dont get me wrong...it is nice in the higher rpms.....but i always need 4 low if i am pulling my trailer up a hill from a dead stop...for the 2.9 just put her in first and up she creeps

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Wow back from the dead thread!!!!

The fact that I am gathering from this thread is that different people have completely different experiences with the same engine. My 2.9 crapped out early, I lost money on it, and I was pissed. Some of you have had the same awesome luck with your 2.9 as I've had with my 2.3 and 4.0, while some of you have had 3.0's and 4.0's crap out early. I guess it just proves that stereotypes don't work with RBV engines.

 

[Will]

Don't actually have any curves to post, but I would take the 3.0 over the 2.9.

I own a 90 2.9 supercab and a 91 3.0 supercab. The 3.0 will outperform the 2.9 every time.

After seeing this thread, my dad and I went out and tried a chain pull with the two trucks. Oh yeah, they're both 2wd too. Same gears in the rear and same tranny's. Only difference besides colors and year is the engine's. The 2.9 couldn't even hold its ground let alone try and drag the 3.0.

Will that work for your power curve?

My Bobcat loader with a 16hp lawn mower engine will pull a 2wd Ranger around with ease. The only thing you guys proved is that you took wood-shop instead of physics in 10th grade.

Anyway, there can't be too much difference in a 2.9-3.0. I believe the 3.0 has a longer stroke--though I don't care enough to look it up. They are the same technology so the curves are going to look similar. I'd be extremely suprised if anyone could tell the difference set up in identical vehicles.

 

[adsm08]

personally, I've seen too many 3.0s blow up. I beat the living crap out of my 186K 2.9L and my dad spent 12 years before me doing the same thing. She runs better than she did off the assembly line. doesn't always like the DD work some days, but dang if she doesn't haul when I load her down or just lay that pedal on the floor. my only problem is that I can't ever seem to get her revved above 3K after 2nd gear. That and now, for some reason if I don't run 14 degrees timing she has no power.

 

[Chevelle Kid]

2.9 All the way. I beat the piss out of mine daily and she's running great. I want to rebuild it and see how well she runs after that.

Ben

 

[Chance]

I've seen plenty of 3.0's let go, and plenty of 2.9's as well. I'll rock what ever is in the truck I own till it blows, then swap a decent engine in.

I do actually like my 3.0 though... kinda.

 

[ryan2035]

gotta go with the 2.9s more reliable and easier to work on. i do love my 4.0L that i have now though.