'Upgrade' from '98 XLT 4.0 OHV down to '97 XLT 3.0

[Thulsa Doom]

Yeah I know it doesn't seem like much of an upgrade moving to an older truck with a smaller engine.
A couple of years ago I bought a 2wd '98 XLT supercab OHV 4.0 that had been neglected but not abused. I fixed it up, cleaned and polished and fixed/replaced all kinds of crazy stuff in the process. My son has been driving it ever since. It still has some issues with random dash lights but it runs good and serves him well driving to school and to work. It has ~98K miles.
Tomorrow we will be taking possession of his grandfather's 2wd '97 XLT supercab 3.0. Aside from some body damage on the bed it's a cream puff. Always well maintained etc. It has ~ 90K miles.
The hope is that the years of pampering and and professional maintenance on the '97 will pay off in the form of a more reliable truck for the future as my son will be starting college this fall and we need it to last for 6 years or longer if possible.
Also that 4.0 OHV is tough on gas. Here's hoping the 3.0 is less thirsty.

 

[straycat]

The wire harness/trans is different for the 4.0 and the 3.0. More trouble than it is worth. Keep the 4.0. Don't lead foot it. I have a '99 Ranger 2wd with the 4.0 running a 4.10 gear and 33x12.5 tires. I get 24mpg on the highway with a roof rack.

 

[Thulsa Doom]

I'm not swapping engines, we're changing trucks.
I'm taking my FIL's pampered '97 Ranger with 3.0 for my son and selling the '98 with 4.0 in hopes that it's an upgrade in reliability and fuel economy. Its a gamble jumping to an older truck. Hoping we don't regret it.

 

[tmcalavy]

You'll like it, but your son the driver won't...compared to the 4.0 at any rate. If granddad pampered the truck it should outlast his college years...barring any encounters with other drivers. My 93 is 21 years old, just like the one you got, and is still going strong...except for the headliner.

 

[adsm08]

Also that 4.0 OHV is tough on gas. Here's hoping the 3.0 is less thirsty.

Keep hoping. The 3.0 is a car engine. In something as heavy as a Ranger it gets thirsty too.