Should I rebuild?

[tandangerranger]

My truck has over 200k miles on it with the original motor. I have noticed a great loss in low end power, and drop in mpg. Is it worth my time and money to rebuild the motor, or should I buy an used running motor?

 

[Bennybooster]

re-build the one you have, another engine is going to be just as old and need re-built as well

 

[tandangerranger]

I was thinking about buying a motor from the jyard and rebuilding it so I can still drive my truck. They are pretty cheap at pull a part.

 

[squealingtires]

You should expect to spend around $450 for a machine shop to clean the block, bore & hone it and install cam bearings and to press the new pistons onto the rods and polish the crank. From there expect to spend a minimum of $500 on internals to do it right (pistons, rings, bearings, oil-pump, timing set, full gasket set with bolts) Add another $200 to replace your rocker arms & pushrods and another $250 for new lifters. Add $70 to have your injectors reverse flushed and sonic cleaned. I did all of the above and added the Comp 410 cam and the Comp 988 springs for about $350. I upgraded to Clevite bearings and the Melling 328 high volume oil pump for a few dollars more and then added a set of Titanium-Ceramic coated JBA headers. I spent more than I had anticipated but I got some experience rebuilding an engine that will last a long time.


Lessons learned. Because I have OCD when it comes to "doing it right", I don't think I would rebuild a Ranger engine again for myself. If you really think about it you will come to the conclusion that the Ranger is a real turd of a truck when you compare it to a full-size. Fuel economy, towing & payload, comfort, utility, etc. Unless your truck is sentimental or causing you trouble I'd just keep driving it. You'll probably never pay for the cost of a proper rebuild with fuel savings alone (your 18 year old truck only has averaged 11k miles per year. It probably make about 12-13 mpg now if I had to guess. If you improved that number to 16mpg at the cost of $1,300 paying $3.30/gallon of gas you will save $ 525/year. If you don't drive it that much then it will take you a lot longer to recoup the cost. You'll have to face the fact that you have an 18year old truck that might have other issues going on and the fact that rebuilding the motor won't add much resale value either.

I will say I'm in about $3k which includes some other repairs but I intend to continue to use the truck. I wish I would have spent less but I'm happy with what I've got.

 

[4.0B2]

i say pick one up from a junkyard and do a breakdown and inspect on it... rebuild w/ whatever it needs. all new gaskets, lifters, things like that. all the good stuff... ya know.

 

[tandangerranger]

i say pick one up from a junkyard and do a breakdown and inspect on it... rebuild w/ whatever it needs. all new gaskets, lifters, things like that. all the good stuff... ya know.

Thats what I was thinking. I don't want to spend alot of money. My truck is an offroad truck not a show truck.

 

[4.0B2]

it won't be cheap... lifters alone are expensive but its worth the money IMO. i'm kicking myself ALL THE TIME for not replacing my lifters when i had the motor out.

 

[squealingtires]

it won't be cheap... lifters alone are expensive but its worth the money IMO. i'm kicking myself ALL THE TIME for not replacing my lifters when i had the motor out.

Everything about that motor is like that. At 200k miles your rings and piston ring groves are worn out. you shouldn't spend $90 on a set of rings to put into worn groves nor should you put new pistons and rings into worn out bores. Bearings are cheap so you may as well do that. On the matter of lifters if you figure the cost of gaskets and bolts plus time to do the job twice you're pretty close to cost of a new set of lifters. It seams to be an all or nothing motor because if you don't do it right the first time it'll cost you more than twice as much.

 

[tandangerranger]

I agree. I will just hold off on it for now, and plan to do a full rebuild this spring as I save up all the parts.

 

[squealingtires]

Some more advice: Factor in costs for EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING that could or should be replaced plus machine shop quotes and ask yourself if you're willing to spend that much? Murphy's Law always comes into play and you'll find stuff that you've had zero trouble with yet your inspection will make you wonder if you should replace it up front so don't forget things like all new belts, hoses, radiator, O2 sensors. Anticipate buying new heads if they show signes of being cracked (something you may not realized until you inspect them which leaves you with the decision to put bad heads back on or spend the $600 for a new set.

 

[kryptonitecb]

If you use it for the trails and not the street then get a 302. More overall costs to get a 302 and rebuild it however you get a better power band out of a 302. I'm personally waiting for my engine to give me a reason to put a 302 in it.

 

[ElleShooTiger]

Try to find a lower-mileage engine, then give it a tune-up and replace all gaskets, water pump, etc.

No engine is ever as good as when it was first made, I usually trust a used engine before any rebuilt engine.