Refurb, rebuild, or used?

[pacstud]

The 2.5 Lima is a pretty robust and simple engine. If you can get the replacement refurbished and built, you should be good for a long time. There is a reason that engine got used in a lot of commercial equipment.

$1,000 seems steep but it has been more than 14 years since I replaced the engine in the 1998 that I had for $300 at about the same number of miles. So, prices are going to go up, whether I/we like it or not.

If I use the junkyard search engine, blocks go as low as $250, but that's just with a grade, no mileage, and they generally aren't pulled, much less shipped. It is steep, but "bring a trailer" rust heaps are being listed at 2-3K!!!

I am going to check the big city of Lincoln this Friday on the off chance they have a 2.5 Lima. What's hilarious, is there are three things I really want:

Extended cab
Manual transmission
2.5

My coworker has his "Red Rocket" 2000 Ranger with....extended cab, stick shift, 2.5. Only 190K miles.

He won't sell

 

[scotts90ranger]

In those years I would probably open up to the Duratec 2.3, it jumps almost 10 horsepower and like 4mpg from what most say... it's not a bad engine, definitely different and more complicated but also reliable... but that gets into finding one that's affordable again...

 

[sgtsandman]

In those years I would probably open up to the Duratec 2.3, it jumps almost 10 horsepower and like 4mpg from what most say... it's not a bad engine, definitely different and more complicated but also reliable... but that gets into finding one that's affordable again...

The mpg is probably all from losing the cast iron blockand head and going to aluminum. LOL

 

[pacstud]

In those years I would probably open up to the Duratec 2.3, it jumps almost 10 horsepower and like 4mpg from what most say... it's not a bad engine, definitely different and more complicated but also reliable... but that gets into finding one that's affordable again...

If I tried to use a different engine (I'm a noob remember), don't I have to switch out computers, sensors, etc?

PS; my daughter's 2003 focus uses that engine lol...thing zips around pretty good.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If I use the junkyard search engine, blocks go as low as $250, but that's just with a grade, no mileage, and they generally aren't pulled, much less shipped. It is steep, but "bring a trailer" rust heaps are being listed at 2-3K!!!

I am going to check the big city of Lincoln this Friday on the off chance they have a 2.5 Lima. What's hilarious, is there are three things I really want:

Good yard, they usually have more older stuff than either Omaha yard.

 

[scotts90ranger]

If I tried to use a different engine (I'm a noob remember), don't I have to switch out computers, sensors, etc?

PS; my daughter's 2003 focus uses that engine lol...thing zips around pretty good.

Oh, swapping engines would be a disaster (doable, but they're integrated to things like the body module, have chip key and such...), it seemed like you were daydreaming about finding a different Ranger...

My brothers escape has the 2.5L version of it, it's decent to work on at least in that... When I was looking for a new daily driver I wanted some boxes checked, I'd considered the Duratec but wanted I beam front suspension and ended up finding a good deal on my '97... kinda wanted a '92 but OBD II got me into the 3rd gen instead... I mean when you find a fixable '97 with 142k on it for $450 that just needed a suspension beam, rear window, drivers door and some tinkering it's hard to pass up, I think I had $700 in it by the time it was driving...

 

[pacstud]

Oh, swapping engines would be a disaster (doable, but they're integrated to things like the body module, have chip key and such...), it seemed like you were daydreaming about finding a different Ranger...

My brothers escape has the 2.5L version of it, it's decent to work on at least in that... When I was looking for a new daily driver I wanted some boxes checked, I'd considered the Duratec but wanted I beam front suspension and ended up finding a good deal on my '97... kinda wanted a '92 but OBD II got me into the 3rd gen instead... I mean when you find a fixable '97 with 142k on it for $450 that just needed a suspension beam, rear window, drivers door and some tinkering it's hard to pass up, I think I had $700 in it by the time it was driving...

I see. I am open to a 94-97 if it's checking my boxes, but still hard to find at a price that's realistic relative to just fixing mine.