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Most popular engine in our trucks


Was the 3.0 the most popular (meaning more trucks were built with and not necessarily ordered with that engine than any other engine)?



The word you are looking for isn't "popular", but "Common"

Popular implies "choice" and I don't believe anyone with a functioning brain would actually choose a 3.0.

The 3.0 was first offered in 1991 in 2wd Rangers.

I have FOUR dead rangers sitting in my yard, a 1992 2wd Longbox. a 1993 4x4 supercab, a 1996 2wd supercab and a 1999 4x4 supercab.

three out of the four are "dead" because of a 3.0 engine failure.

The 1992 simply seized, the 1993 has a "soft" Rod knock, but
the 1996 has atleast two rods that are making noises that
say LOUD & Clear that "I want outa here!"

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If nobody "chose" to buy the 3.0, Ford wouldn't have been putting the 3.0 in trucks as long as they did.

I know the parent's '02 Explorer has a timing chain that sounds like it wants out too... :annoyed:
 
I dunno about you guys, but it seems pretty even to me. I see almost an even amount of 4 bangers, 3.0s, and 4.0s. But the 3.0s and 4.0s are mostly in 4x4 trim and the 4 bangers obviously 2wd.
 
and 4 different Colognes, lol. It's a shame the Vulcan didn't get the power increases over the years that the GM 60deg did, at it's final years the 3100 was up to 175hp.


What were the 4 different Colognes? 2.8L 2.9L 4.0L OHV and 4.0L SOHC ? Are these different (Like the 4.0L and 3.0L are different) or just updated versions of each other?
 
What were the 4 different Colognes? 2.8L 2.9L 4.0L OHV and 4.0L SOHC ? Are these different (Like the 4.0L and 3.0L are different) or just updated versions of each other?

As far as I know the only similarities between those motors are bellhousing patterns and engine mount locations. the 4.0 OHV is basically a bored out version of the 2.9 which in itself came from a 2.8. The 4.0 SOHC is more similar to the 4.0 OHV as it is loosely based on that motor as the camshaft in the block is replaced by a jack shaft that drives the cams in each head.
 
As far as I know the only similarities between those motors are bellhousing patterns and engine mount locations. the 4.0 OHV is basically a bored out version of the 2.9 which in itself came from a 2.8. The 4.0 SOHC is more similar to the 4.0 OHV as it is loosely based on that motor as the camshaft in the block is replaced by a jack shaft that drives the cams in each head.

And they all root back to a 1.2L V4 :icon_twisted:
 
And they all root back to a 1.2L V4 :icon_twisted:

Really? That's pretty cool! Just read the Wikipedia article about it. Sounds like an interesting engine.

The 3.0 Vulcan was in a class all by itself.

The Vulcan was a brand new motor introduced with the Taurus/Sable back in 1986. It found it's way into the Ford Probe and Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz. And eventually into the Ranger.

Another cool fact if you did not know, the Cologne and Vulcan engines are both 60 degree V6 motors.
 
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The Vulcan was a brand new motor introduced with the Taurus/Sable back in 1986. It found it's way into the Ford Probe and Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz. And eventually into the Ranger.
Don't forget the Aerostar! Another interesting fact: for 1987, the Vulcan was made standard in the Sable.
 
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Did you know that the Aerostar also used the same M5OD-R1 used in our trucks during it's earlier years? That's right, a manual minivan.
 
Did you know that the Aerostar also used the same M5OD-R1 used in our trucks during it's earlier years? That's right, a manual minivan.
Not much of a surprise really, the Aerostar was also a RBV. A friend of mine had a red one, 89 I believe with the 3.0. It was a cargo van, no windows and had the 2 doors in the back instead of a hatch. the Dodge minivans could have a manual trans as well (and like the short-lived Taurus MT-5, it could only be had with the I4), but not a cargo version like the Aerostar, actual passenger vans could have it!
 
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I believe there is someone on here with a lifted Aerostar he built so he could take the family off roading
 

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