TO trade or not to trade... Opinions?

[Exploder_Chick]

Well.... Someone just called me with a couple options. I listed my truck on CL for sale or trade and I got these up for options...

1988 2wd standard cab ranger. 5 spd. Mustang 4cyl engine. Emaculate interior. has a/c but needs new clutch. He uses it as a daily driver.

1990 Toyota camry. Power everything. 6cyl. Automatic. Just needs licensed.


Opinions? This is all I know about the vehicles. He'd rather get rid of the car but I want something with a bed and half as many cylinders as my truck. Too bad it's 2wd.... I don't remember what or if he said what year mustang the engine came out of but I guess it's got alot of new stuff on the motor so if he's a pretty good mechanic, then it sounds like a reliable vehicle.

 

[feellnfroggy]

ranger.....duh

 

[Exploder_Chick]

Yea I know. I want it but thats the guys daily driver and he might want some cash with the trade... and I don't have any, lol. I NEED a truck befor October 17. Thats OPENING DAY!!!! GAH! lol..

 

[Southern_Trendkill]

Why are you getting rid of the truck?

 

[RedneckSTX]

Go for the Ranger if you can.

 

[LearjetMinako]

I would say "No go". You know the running condition of your truck, but not his. If you do any trades, check out the vehicle FIRST! before trading or buying.

 

[Exploder_Chick]

I looked at it last night. It's actually REALLY clean on the inside. It's a little rough on the body, but not bad. It runs pretty good. Everything works. The only concern is the oil pan. My BF crawled undernieth to take a quick look and said that the oil pan leaks. So now he is iffy because the guy said it wasn't like that befor and Nick said it has been like that a while. The oil is caked on it pretty good. The guy put in an 89 mustang motor with 60k on it and it looks decent. He drives it everyday and everything but the A/C works.
My question is, how hard would it be to replace that oil pan gasket? He says he was going to tighten the oil pan bolts and my bf seems skeptical of that.
The reason I'm getting rid of mine is I just can't afford the gas. 8 miles to the gallon will not work for me plus the things that need to fixed and replaced. I just don't have the time and money to dump into it. The ranger just needs the oil pan gasket. I'm not worried about the A/C... It's winter, lol.
Opinions?
Oh yea, screw the camry, lol.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

The "mustang engine" means nothing. It may very well be from a mustang, but it's the exact same thing the ranger came with from the factory (mustangs and rangers shared the 2.3 4 cylinder for several years).

The oil leak is probably nothing major and not worth worrying about, unless you care about your driveway or it leaks so fast that keeping it full of oil becomes a significant expense. If you do decide to fix the oil leak, you'll have to pull the engine to get the pan off. Make sure to clean/replace the oil pump pickup screen if you take the oil pan off. Also keep in mind the oil leak could be from somewhere else and just showing up on the pan (a rear main seal, possibly, which would be easy to replace when you've got the clutch out).

If you're going to pull the engine to fix the oil leak, just put a new clutch on then, and save yourself the trouble of having to pull the transmission. Pulling a 2.3 out of a ranger is not a big deal, really. Granted mine didn't have A/C, but it only took me about 1 hour to get from opening the hood to having the engine on a stand.

The 2.3 is a great engine and they last a really long time if you keep 'em full of fresh oil and coolant. If you can get a decent trade deal worked out, I say go for it.

 

[Blackdog455]

The "mustang engine" means nothing. It may very well be from a mustang, but it's the exact same thing the ranger came with from the factory (mustangs and rangers shared the 2.3 4 cylinder for several years).

The oil leak is probably nothing major and not worth worrying about, unless you care about your driveway or it leaks so fast that keeping it full of oil becomes a significant expense. If you do decide to fix the oil leak, you'll have to pull the engine to get the pan off. Make sure to clean/replace the oil pump pickup screen if you take the oil pan off. Also keep in mind the oil leak could be from somewhere else and just showing up on the pan (a rear main seal, possibly, which would be easy to replace when you've got the clutch out).

If you're going to pull the engine to fix the oil leak, just put a new clutch on then, and save yourself the trouble of having to pull the transmission. Pulling a 2.3 out of a ranger is not a big deal, really. Granted mine didn't have A/C, but it only took me about 1 hour to get from opening the hood to having the engine on a stand.

The 2.3 is a great engine and they last a really long time if you keep 'em full of fresh oil and coolant. If you can get a decent trade deal worked out, I say go for it.

umm, i dont think you will have to pull the engine to take off the oil pan. If you have enough clearance under the truck, you can probably get away with just draining the oil and taking off the oil pan from under the truck. Just my opinion. Worked with my dads scout, youd think it would work with anything else.

 

[loneranger48]

could very well be a rear main seal and there is once obvious charecteristic of that and that is the clutch will be COVERED in oil and that will tell you right there if its a rear main seal leak.and in my toyota i just loosened the motor mounts and lifted the engine up a little bit but if it was me i would take the motor out and clean all of that oil off of the motor and spiff it up=)

 

[Kingoverace]

You take that ranger and you'll laugh when you hear ppl complain about gas prices. and yes...look harder, is it really leaking from the gasket(simple fix 30min) or is it the main seal? uggh, that might be a few hours. and I'm assuming its the 351 your selling? lol 78 one the greates trucks of all time, fair trade? or is he making away like a bandit? gl with your decision!!

 

[CJREX]

umm, i dont think you will have to pull the engine to take off the oil pan. If you have enough clearance under the truck, you can probably get away with just draining the oil and taking off the oil pan from under the truck. Just my opinion. Worked with my dads scout, youd think it would work with anything else.

Not likely to work on the Ranger.

There won't be enough clearance to lower the pan enough to get past the oil pickup tube.

 

[Southern_Trendkill]

I looked at it last night. It's actually REALLY clean on the inside. It's a little rough on the body, but not bad. It runs pretty good. Everything works. The only concern is the oil pan. My BF crawled undernieth to take a quick look and said that the oil pan leaks. So now he is iffy because the guy said it wasn't like that befor and Nick said it has been like that a while. The oil is caked on it pretty good. The guy put in an 89 mustang motor with 60k on it and it looks decent. He drives it everyday and everything but the A/C works.
My question is, how hard would it be to replace that oil pan gasket? He says he was going to tighten the oil pan bolts and my bf seems skeptical of that.
The reason I'm getting rid of mine is I just can't afford the gas. 8 miles to the gallon will not work for me plus the things that need to fixed and replaced. I just don't have the time and money to dump into it. The ranger just needs the oil pan gasket. I'm not worried about the A/C... It's winter, lol.
Opinions?
Oh yea, screw the camry, lol.

Too bad I'm not in Washington anymore, I'd buy that thing in a heartbeat.

 

[predator]

The reason I'm getting rid of mine is I just can't afford the gas. 8 miles to the gallon will not work

then you need to do some maintenence, i had a 78 f150 in high school, 400m, 4spd, holley 650, headers, 35's and 17MPG

my dad has a 79 f150 with a rebuilt 351 cleveland, rv cam, 650 holley, headers, 33 inch all terrains, 4spd and he is getting 19mpg if he babies it...

my 76 f250 with 400hp got 14mpg when i drove it decent, 9mpg on a friday night.....the only problems you have is that your truck needs a tuneup, you dont need to get rid of it, you havent had that truck long enough to get rid of it, if you can't afford the gas than you should have thought about that before you bought it....so give it a decent tuneup and keep it or trade it off and possibly get something even worse and lose your ass on the deal.....i vote keep it and work on it, parts for these trucks are common and cheap....

 

[Exploder_Chick]

then you need to do some maintenence, i had a 78 f150 in high school, 400m, 4spd, holley 650, headers, 35's and 17MPG

my dad has a 79 f150 with a rebuilt 351 cleveland, rv cam, 650 holley, headers, 33 inch all terrains, 4spd and he is getting 19mpg if he babies it...

my 76 f250 with 400hp got 14mpg when i drove it decent, 9mpg on a friday night.....the only problems you have is that your truck needs a tuneup, you dont need to get rid of it, you havent had that truck long enough to get rid of it, if you can't afford the gas than you should have thought about that before you bought it....so give it a decent tuneup and keep it or trade it off and possibly get something even worse and lose your ass on the deal.....i vote keep it and work on it, parts for these trucks are common and cheap....

Ok i'm sorry, i don't know what magic parts you use but this truck to me is NOT worth fixing and will never get more than 10 mpg.... I got it because i thought it was a simple fix for ME and for its towing and hauling capabilities. I'm not going to take it apart. I don't have the experience or the money to dump into this truck. I have $12 till fricken friday. I did not expect my hours to drop. I did not expect to dump as much money as I have and will HAVE to to get this thing running right. For one thing, it has the dana 60 rear end. It is not a highway truck and guess what. I have to drive highway to work. Since I got this truck, I've been living from paycheck to paycheck and I don't enjoy living like this again. You have not seen this truck or know the condition of the engine. It is screwed. If this guy wants it to fix it up, then let him do it. Not me. I'll take the truck that runs and drives RIGHT NOW with half as many cylinders so I can save my money.