Question

[AwesomeRanger1]

I have a 1991 Ford Ranger XLT with a 4 banger 2.3 L engine in it with 163,000 miles. The engine is just the standard factory engine The truck runs great. What I am wondering is how fast do y'all think that it could be safely capable of? I'm wanting to drive it on the interstate and would like to be able to do 70 to 75 with no problem. I just want to see what others think/ have experienced with having driven similar rangers.

 

[adsm08]

Well, a lot of that depends on the overall condition of the truck. When she was new 70 to 75 would be no problem, if you were on a trip long enough to get it going that fast.

Assuming the engine runs well, and the trans is in good shape, and nothing is loose in the front end, tires are OK, it should make it. All you should really need at that point is the patience to get it up to speed and maybe a long down hill grade.


FWIW, my truck is in good shape, mechanically speaking, and I don't much care to take her much over 65. She is capable of that and more, but she just doesn't ride nicely at that speed.

 

[Ledphoot]

I've buzzed many miles at 75+ mph on the interstate in a 4 banger 89 ranger and many other yr models from 84 up with over 200k on many of them. Some trips out west were over 1500 miles one way. Good oil, keep the fuel system clean, keep the suspension tight , good tires and let her roll!

 

[AwesomeRanger1]

Alright Thanks. It rolls good and the front end is nice and tight. I would only be driving at 70 for about 80 miles one way is all.

 

[Mark_88]

My 2¢ worth...don't...

If you don't have blow-by now you may end up having it doing that speed over that distance...unless you can use 5th gear most of the way to keep the rpm's down...and keep checking the oil like every 40 kms or so to make sure you are not pushing it out of every possible opening (valve cover especially and dipstick).

I can tell you this...if I keep my baffed out motor at or below 90 Km/hr it uses way less oil...

If you've owned it since new and are very familiar with the oil consumption (meaning that you know it doesn't burn or blow oil) then it may be OK...but if you are using more than a quart between oil changes then keep the speed/revs down as much as possible.

 

[AwesomeRanger1]

I wouldn't think about doing it if I didn't know my Ranger. It uses a 1/4 or less of a quart every three thousand miles. It is a five speed manual and I will be able to use the 5th gear mainly.

 

[Mark_88]

That's pretty good oil retention...

The nice thing about these engines is they are very durable. I have been nursing mine along through two years of excessive oil consumption by adding heavier oil...about a litre every 200 kms...that's excessive...and with the price of oil going up the way it has in the last year I could probably have replaced the engine twice over with what I've spent on oil alone...

The 2.3 loves to run high and hard...and that's how I drove mine when I first got it...and after the first head rebuild I drove it even harder and faster...winding out shifts way past the recommended shift pattern on the speedometer (don't have a tach) and it just kept going strong...

Then one very frigid night I found the oil was gone completely on the way home...-35...topped it up and managed to get home...next day I took it out for a spin and heard the the "death zipper rattle" and the truck died but I was able to drive it home...

Freakin' amazing little engines...and if you treat them right they will last a long, long time...

 

[brother rat]

i've done a 1200 mile round trip at 70-75 mph in my '94 2.3 auto with 175k, no problem. But I've had it since '97 and it doesn't use a drop of oil.

 

[cammeddrz]

my '93 2.3l 2wd does 75 every day on the way to work just fine....95? not so easy. but 75 is fine

 

[Mikel89us]

My lifted 89 4x4 cruises at 75-80 well

 

[Hagan]

These engines are very durable.

When my 2.3 was turbo'd I wasn't running any kind of fan (it was freezing at the time) and I left it idling for about 15 minutes. I got back in it and it over heated. It blew a head gasket between 3rd and 4th cylinders. I drove it 60 miles home. It ran awful. I took the head off, slapped a new gasket on, and she ran again. Didn't even have the head resurfaced. Point is these engines are tough.

 

[vstar650ca]

my '93 2.3l 2wd does 75 every day on the way to work just fine....95? not so easy. but 75 is fine

Yep 95mph can be scary in my truck.It has no airbag in it,unless I take my mother in law up to the grocery store.

 

[YungICY]

I was driving home from work a few weeks ago in my 85. I was racing one of my coworkers down the highway. The next day he told me that at one point he looked down and was doing 105 and I was still pulling away "like a raped ape". And my motor is on its way out. I have 3.08 final drive and the metric equivalent of 30" tires. So I have a really high gearing (soon to change). But all of my chassis, suspension, etc is in really good shape. I can let go of the wheel driving down the highway and she tracks straight and narrow.


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