2.3L ('02-'11) upgrading from 2.5L lima to 2.3L duratech truck.

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

Hey, ive had my 00ranger damn near 20years of various abuse and neglect and i would like to swap it out for a newer 01-11 ranger for higher mpg and overall better efficiency from lack of abuse.

1. where is my best bet for finding a *low* milage (75-150kmi) that hasnt been worked hard and has been consistently maintained? city worker truck? facebook marketplace grandpa truck?

2. what year is best? i heard it took from 01-04 to work some kinks out of the duratech engine and then i just hear in general vehicles 08 and later have increased complexity in electronics and emssions systems. is there a year when rangers start getting significantly more complicated than need be? im a fan on manual transmissions and manual roll up doors.

3. any advice on what to look out for when buying a 2.3l duratech ranger? i hear inconsistent oil changes significantly affect timing gear, so that would be something to look out for. where the heck can i find a perfectly serviced 20year old truck??

 

[pjtoledo]

oil pumps in Duratecs run off a chain.
my2005 had 370,000+ on it when swapped out a few years ago.
2005 does not have PATS.
I would avoid 2001-2003 because of the flapper style intake manifold and funky heated thermostat.
manuals have 3.73 gears, autos 4.10

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

would "PATS" be an electronic system i would want to avoid? good or bad?

 

[pjtoledo]

Passive Anti Theft System
it's good. involves using a chip key that matches the computer. no key = no start.
only down side is loosing the keys, or trying to swap out the computer.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

dang, so now ill have a bulkier key, aye?
how much is a replacement key? i like to have lots of copies of my key. are duplicates $20 or $120?
any other invasive tech like seatbelt dinging and what not?

 

[pjtoledo]

dang, so now ill have a bulkier key, aye?
how much is a replacement key? i like to have lots of copies of my key. are duplicates $20 or $120?
any other invasive tech like seatbelt dinging and what not?

well, since you mentioned seatbelts,,,,,,,,
did you know there is a small bomb under the seat that pre-tensions the seat belt in a collision?
it's ,,uh,, directly under what you sit on.

small explosive charges are about the only practical way to activate something during the milli seconds of a crash.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

UPDATE:

I found a three owner 2002 i4 ranger from some yuppie island neighborhood on the west coast. It looks like the truck was driven a bunch of miles up until 2017ish or so, then it was sold to someone who put low miles on it for a few years and then i believe the next owner had it for a few years also with low milages, less than 10kyr. it was an island truck, i suppose.

I hear i must avoid 2001-2003 rangers becuase the intake manifolds go bad. also it seems there are no replacement intake manifolds available for purchase online AND i cannot swap intake manifolds from a later 2004-2012 model becuase there would be some sort of issue with ECU compatibility, could anyone shed some light on this?

from what i understand i should listen for cold start chattering from timing belt area and i should listen for some sort of noise coming from 'butterfly flaps' in the intake manifold.
anything else highly recommended to check on this truck? any seals known for leaking?

any other advice? do i really need to avoid 2001-2003, or are they just a slight hassle more to deal with?. bout to go drive 1000miles in the prius to check this thing out :0 gonna have to sell the prius

 

[pjtoledo]

I'm in northern Ohio/southern Michigan. cold start chattering was never an issue.
these engines do have "mechanical lifters" so they always sound a bit noisy.
the actuating shaft & bushings wear for the flappers. my 2005 doesn't have flappers so I'm not familiar with the fixes.
leaks are about the same or less than any engine, no big deal for me.

a couple years ago I replaced my original 2005 engine with a 2002. had to convert it to the 2005 manifold & thermostat.
the engines didn't have any issues with changing parts, but your 2002 computer may not be so forgiving.

there was a thread on here recently about a "flapper" model that needed a new manifold.

 

[SenorNoob]

Didn't that thread use the newer style intake and just let the flap solenoid hang out?