Looking to buy ranger

[MaicoDoug]

That 2.8 if you can find one has a dual power band. More like a 2 stroke dirt bike. When you punch it in 3rd gear (5 sp manual -hand shaker) the tires spin. Makes the 2.9 seem like a 4.0, which ain't bad.

The main reason I re-purchased a Ranger is mainly because I saw an off road level 2 / FX-4 yellow submarine. With some off road tires, hey others always have something to say, like do you want to sell it?? And it's stock. Off road, it's just like a fun machine. So look at the situation like this. Yea, it may need new tires, yea it may require some new stuff hear & there. I say that with a decent stock paint job, which most still have going for them, it will be a blank pallet for your doing, and it will look good in the driveway. Which should keep the wife & neighbors, cops included off your butt. A good place to start. I just installed a Atoto S8 7 inch stereo radio. (very nice) so i'm in love more..... And it left a hefty oil spill exactly where I parked it to do the new radio install. It's that loose 10mm oil pan bolt....again. Need to use a swivel socket up in there. As they say in Texas "up in there".! Get something that will spark your motorvation. - Doug

 

[d2freak82]

From what I've read from you guys, I like the sound of the 2.9, I found a 1985 ext cab ranger 4x4 with manual on marketplace that I can afford - it's a bit rough but it looks like a good start platform. I read a bit on the 2.9 FAQ it looks like there is some fun to be had with it as far as the motor goes. I mean I want a little zip, my car has 110hp lol, so 2-300hp seems reasonable or so I hope? Is this a bad year?

 

[bobbywalter]

awesome perspectives.


i would have to say...the best most cost effective power to 350 hp is absolutely the lima platform. it is the toughest and simplest and dumbest most forgiving engine in the group.

the mazda L in ford trim can take more power stock and i do like them specifically for their technological power potential and overall weight....and the later processor types once you find a tuner really cleans them up and adding boost makes for some stellar results. but they do have some quirks.

but..the bad thing..

..my two modern favorite ford engines....the mazda L and cyclone....that in their n/a forms are extremely under rated and under appreciated and capable of ridiculous power... are also the two engines i hate to work on the most.....they are extremely difficult and complicated in the dumbest ways for base stuff. so...yeah...its complicated right?

plus they need to be taken care of. they have to have clean oil in them. they require quite a bit of computer and actuator capacity...so totally violate the k.i.s.s. principal in every regard. where the lima......your just trying to keep most of the sand and pond water out of it....



today..
building a fresh old school ranger based truck that was an all arounder....

i would consider first... swap in a modern ecoboost from a stang or modern ranger. still a very expensive proposition...

or an L/S platform. a not so expensive proposition.

with some of the tuning i have seen recently....a boosted 4.8 can put down good numbers and get ok fuel economy. i would rather have a 6 liter...but there is a thirst there...

the ring tone of the v8 is what i prefer... but the modern 2.3 platform with bolt ons makes ridiculous wheel torque and horsepower....and similar fuel economy. not cheap by any means...but the big cooler, turbo, and downpipe added to them puts down 400's reliably....at the tire. a 400 whp 302 is in block splitting territory and will require some fuel.

of course....theres the k 24 swap guys out there really ripping up the options.


the 2.8.......i would toss in a dumpster...

the 2.9 would have to be in pristine shape in every way..wiring especially and engine processor.....i would run it till it got cantankerous....and lovingly toss it in the dumpster...

same thing with the 4.0.

these things are ragged out...and old in ways hard to maintain.

with the bronco 2...the 4.0 is really well matched. it is a combination i can live with long term.

but i use my truck to do truck stuff....and none of the oem offerings until the current ranger came out ever met my requirements....and i always swap the engines out.

it is what i do.

if you want to work with the 2.9 engine long term consider the ms3....megasquirt stuff. convert it to edis and you will have a fun little monster.

 

[d2freak82]

What is the 2.3 offered in? So I can try and find one - I found the 2.9, for that matter is it hard to swap that 2.3 for the 2.9? Or something I should get the 2.3 in to start with?

 

[Blmpkn]

What is the 2.3 offered in? So I can try and find one - I found the 2.9, for that matter is it hard to swap that 2.3 for the 2.9? Or something I should get the 2.3 in to start with?

I'm with Bobby on getting a 2.3.. either lima or duratec.

You'd probably be best off finding a truck that came with a 2.3 in it... rather than having to find a truck, then a motor to swap, then the trans.. so on and so forth..

 

[bobbywalter]

yeah...the lima trucks went to late 90's....iirc the 93-96 have good stuff to start with as they are edis and the eecv is somewhat more tunable ect. there are tons of mustang and forums for 2.3 lima turbo builds and books....esslinger is the big daddy of em all.

and like the 2.9...i suggest going aftermarket for the ecm.

 

[Blmpkn]

Boport makes a bunch of lima stuff too... looking at one of his cams for my truck actually.

 

[bobbywalter]

yes bopart and stinger... the last few years that i have gone to the races or test n tunes these engines are becoming more and more common. that is saying something. i have seen one in a gremlin...

 

[Chapap]

Plus the Lima is nye un-over-heatable. I've read that they are used for demo derby cars... folks fill the water passages with concrete and they make it through a match just fine. From my experience, I don't think that's hyperbole. I can't get my heater to work if it's <50F. I assume that's advantageous if you want to triple the power.

 

[d2freak82]

I really like the interior of the late 80's rangers - and I like what I'm reading from yall about the 2.3 lima. I found a couple different ones on marketplace a 96, and 88. Although - neither are 4x4, not sure that's a good or bad thing for me.
Can the good stuffs you mention from 93-96 version be swapped over ? The 96 I saw has the interior of the 97 f150 type, not my favorite thing in the world...

 

[Lefty]

I bought a 2003 Ranger that wasn't too badly rusted out, especially the frame. I paid a few thousand to paint it and the frame as well.

I bought new wheels and tires, replaced anything old or worn, put in a winch, shocks, uprated sway bars, James Duff traction bars, an e fan, dual exhausts, leather seats. a custom front grill and an oak pickup bed. Next week will be fog lights on a bumper bar.

It's got a plain Jane 3.0 with an automatic that runs just fine. I'm going to leave the drive train alone for a while and have a new limited slip installed.

I've spent a lot but basically I have a new truck for plenty less than if I bought new.

That's the joy of buying an older Ranger. It doesn't really matter to me if it was less than ideal. Just restore. Modify. And run it like you stole it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I really like the interior of the late 80's rangers - and I like what I'm reading from yall about the 2.3 lima. I found a couple different ones on marketplace a 96, and 88. Although - neither are 4x4, not sure that's a good or bad thing for me.
Can the good stuffs you mention from 93-96 version be swapped over ? The 96 I saw has the interior of the 97 f150 type, not my favorite thing in the world...

Starting in '95ish (through the last year of the 2.3L in '97) they got OBD II and smaller valve stems and lighter valvetrain which is likely what Bobby is talking about, about the same as the 2.5L in '98-01 Rangers, same basic rig other than 3" longer cab in regular cab and different front suspension. The dash was the same from '89-94 and '95-01 for the Lima years... (don't get nit picky, there's differences here and there over those year ranges, just stating looks at this moment...) even though the body styling changed in those years.

I have a turbo 2.3L, it's all stock junk, my last engine ran better than this one but I literally assembled it from the best of the parts I found in my garage in 2 months with a random turbo I found at work... I do have ARP rod bolts now though, even though I'm pretty sure I must have missed a torque on one on the previous engine... that was like 8 years ago, it pings, I turn up the stereo and keep going, the forged pistons could apparently care less... of course my build is fairly mild using all stock computer and mild turbo at 14psi with a ported head, probably 225hp, it's a good time, drives kinda like a 2 stroke where it's dead at the bottom but wakes up over 3k...

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

My favorite was my 92 ranger ex cab 4.0 with a 5 speed. Absolutely loved that truck!

 

[Josh B]

What is the difference between the 92 and 93 other than being different editions?
Was the 92 an extended cab while the 93 was a super cab? Were they not almost the same dimentions ?

I'm beginning to think they may could had more differences than one could number?

 

[Angry Possum]

I really love my 93 Ranger XLT 4x4 SC, it has the 4.0L. I purchased it 2 years ago for $5k in Pennsylvania. It's the first Ranger I ever owned. It had only 130k miles on it. It has 142k on it now. I don't use it too much apparently.The AC still works amazing as well as all the original equipment. Glad it had the 4.0L. It came with the bed cap too.