Maximum 'safe' RPM?

[RangerFella]

Okay, just out of curiosity, on my 97 ranger (2.3L manual) that's got 70.8K miles on it, what's the maximum "safe" RPM to run it at in Neutral? Like, for a quick burst? According to my tachy when I hit 4k, the engine sounds like shit, but I think it's just exhaust noise. It runs SMOOTH as BUTTER at that speed...no vibration out of the norm...it just sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Maybe I'm used to big V8's and I'm not used to the higher RPM sound of a 4 banger.

At 70-73mph is when the tach hits 3k RPM in 5th gear. Is that about normal? I drive over 100 miles without stopping last year with it doing 75mph on the interstate. I didn't have a tach at the time, so I had no idea what the motor was spinning. 3k RPM for an extended period of time isn't gonna trash the motor after time is it?? I hope not

Also, it's happened more than once (until recently when I got the time to get a new set of mats), I've floored it to try and make a light or get on the freeway, and the pedal (accelerator) has gotten stuck on my mat. It's only happened once since I installed my tach but...I looked down at it right as I was shutting the engine down (via the key) and it looked like it was going past 6k RPM. Doesn't the ECM/PCM have a built in rev limiter? If it does I've never heard it hit the rev limiter before....

Lastly, what do you guys do to make your truck run smoother in general? What parts do you clean? MAF? Oxy? what else?

 

[RangerFella]

Heh, I accidentally revved it up to ~5100 RPM at a drive-through and about shit myself. I pulled over and popped the hood to make sure I hadn't blown the motor. Yeah, I'm like that. I guess what I'm asking for here is for reassurance that a few times isn't going to hurt it. I've had a Hyundai Excel (that was trash anyway, over 230k miles on it) running for over 5 minutes in Neutral and nothing happened to its internals. I guess if a cheap Hyundai 4banger can handle that, surely the infamous Lima can take a few seconds of 6k...

 

[RangerFella]

What I meant was full throttle in neutral for over 5 minutes.**

 

[Hahnsb2]

It'll do short bursts of 5500-6k RPMs no problem (my dads 2.3 ranger sure sounds bad up there but if you can overcome the noise it's not really a big deal), I hit 6200 in my 2.9 a few times, cruising along at 3k isnt going to hurt anything, I'd pull long hills in 3rd in my 2.9 and dads 2.3 at 3700-4200 RPMs for 3-5 minutes straight.

 

[RangerFella]

Ohhh...

So maybe I'm shifting a little soon? I've been shifting at 3k RPM...

 

[RangerFella]

I don't know how accurate the thing is though...I mean it should be but 3k RPM (according to my tach) sounds pretty damn high in terms of noise. It reads 600-700 RPM for the idle speed which seems about normal....

 

[rickcdewitt]

your truck should have a rev limiter,when i got 4.10's and some other stuff from a parts 2.3l 90 ranger i threw a brick on the gas pedal and it bounced off the rev limiter for about 2 or 3 minutes before a lack of coolant brought it to an end. kind of fun but i was dissapointed that nothing came out of the block when it stopped.plus for the price the bastards sold it to me for i wasen't going to give it back to the yard with a good motor.

i think the limiter is 6 or 6500

 

[RangerFella]

Oh wow...yeah I've never heard it hit the rev limiter before. Pretty distinct sound though right? Almost like it's 'clipping' like when you do audio recording? The needle bounces around a lot right?

 

[Derek The Great]

Ever play video games?? Try playin any of the grand turismo games; buy a car, rev it up, they sound just like that. wah! wah! wah! wah!

 

[Mutant Pony]

The motor in the Mutant pony has sat at 6k for long periods of time. It has taken "bumps" to 7k. I blew one motor up with about the third bump to 8k.

 

[marvilusone]

I've got alot of friends that race mini stocks w/ 2.3's. They run junkyard bottom ends 100% stock with plenty of miles on them and get about 3 seasons of racing out of them before they need a rebuild and they're running 7500-7800 going into the corners. I've got a decent racing cam in my Ranger with 175K on the whole motor and mine is built to shift at 6800 and I haven't had a single problem yet. The only new internals are dual valvesprings, followers and the cam. This is a DD.

 

[gotmudd]

i wouldn't worry too much, i've never owned a ranger, although i have drove a couple with 5 speeds[ friends trucks ] and i gotta say for only a 4 sputter putter ,i was impressed. back to point every 4 cylinder that i have owned though , seems to like high rpm shifting. seemed best to me when i'd run it up to 3500-3800 RPM's before shifting and when my friend drove he regularly ran it up past 4 grand before shifting.

 

[tylerh]

i drive my 96 2.3l like i want to kill it i have had it bouncing of 6000 rpm many times and no problems as for the 3000 rpm at 75 miles per hour if 75mph is equal to 140kms per hour than i guess it would be normal as that is what mine has done since new............................. but on another note does anyone know if a complete throttle body with iac and tps off of a 99 2.5 is the same as my 96 2.3 as i have got it band new in the box for free and my is going for the shits sensors wise any info would help thanks

 

[Mutant Pony]

i wouldn't worry too much, i've never owned a ranger, although i have drove a couple with 5 speeds[ friends trucks ] and i gotta say for only a 4 sputter putter ,i was impressed. back to point every 4 cylinder that i have owned though , seems to like high rpm shifting. seemed best to me when i'd run it up to 3500-3800 RPM's before shifting and when my friend drove he regularly ran it up past 4 grand before shifting.

That is a good point, 2300s come to life at 3000 rpms. Below that they are pretty doggy. Opened up exhaust raises that rpm a little.

 

[DesertStorm]

rev limiter cuts the 2.3 out at 6250. On a gen 3.