When to call it quits

[John Manoulian Jr.]

My son has a 2004XLT ranger 4x4 4 LTR.
The timing chain crapped out at 165,000 miles on it .
The truck is in pretty good shape ,for being in Michigan all of its life .
Trans works OK. brakes are good ,no issues with stopping.
In 4 wheel it makes noises . Not sure if 4x4 is working or not .
We replaced tie-rod ends ,and noticed the lower ball joints are a little sloppy
not dangerous,,yet.

My question is : Should he get it repaired ?
Should he get a re manufactured engine ?
OR , do you think it is time to look for another Mode.?

I respect everyone's opinion , and look forward to your comments .
Thanks , and to all members , Have a safe and wonderful Holiday season.

John M

 

[RonD]

Its all about the cost per month IMO(in my opinion)

At 165k miles I would expect another 100k miles at least, at 12k a year thats 8 years
But lets say 5 years, 60 months
If you were to invest $3,000 that would be $50 month over the next 5 years, to have a running vehicle, hard to get a running vehicle that you KNOW for $50/month, lol
If it only needs $2,000 then its $33/month

If the frame and body are not rusted out its worth repairing IMO

 

[19Walt93]

I'd look closely at the frame and underside of the truck for rust. Ranger rear spring hangers and shackles are fairly easy and inexpensive to replace, frame rails and crossmembers are not. That engine was used through 2011 in Rangers and 2010 in Explorers so you may be able to find a used one with reasonable mileage if a reman is more than you want to spend. Someone on this site could tell you what external parts need to be swapped when using a later engine.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

If its not wrecked, burned, or broke in half fix it.

 

[Don Tweaker]

I just rebuilt my 4.0 because the timing chain spring steel supports under the plastic guides went down to the crank, some made it past the stud girdle into the lower pan but noticed a crack in one piston skirt. metal was ground off guides but all the bearings looked great oil filter did its job. Ball joints are easy.

 

[Rick W]

Just a thought, but most folks look at the cost of repair, and not the cost to salvage it as is or more importantly the salvage value if you decide to get rid of it later. Most trucks that don’t run sell for pennies on the dollar. If you put a used or rebuilt engine in it, what would the value of the truck be then? What kind of life could you expect out of it? And then if you got rid of it in a year or two or three, what could you get for it then? A lot of my decisions on the inexpensive broken down vehicles are based on what I could get for it later when I’m tired of it.

if you can only get $500 as is, but put $1300 in it to put a used engine in it and then it’s worth 2500, and then you can sell it in a couple of years for $2000...

Made up numbers, but you get the idea...

my 2 cents, hope it helps

 

[mikkelstuff]

As long as you and son can do it and you like the truck, then fix it up yourselves! Ball joints are not all that hard to change (replaced those in my 2002 Ranger). Take your engine to a good local rebuilder if you know one.

Every time I put money into my 2002 4WD XLT I just think of it as one monthly payment on a new Ranger - and likely no more than once a year. What do they cost? $25K and up and then only with a 2.3L 4-cylinder engine!

 

[rumblecloud]

Agree with mikkelstuff

When the costs of repairs start to outweigh the monthly payment of a new(er)
vehicle....of course that only applies if there is no sentimental value attached to said vehicle. If there is then...well then logic goes on vacation and f@#k it. Fix it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Being in Michigan check the frame over very carefully, the frames on the later trucks do not age well in climates with treated roads.

 

[sgtsandman]

My new truck payment is $768 a month on a $40,000 Ranger. How’s that for incentive to keep what you got?

 

[Curious Hound]

My new truck payment is $768 a month on a $40,000 Ranger. How’s that for incentive to keep what you got?

Works for me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My new truck payment is $768 a month on a $40,000 Ranger. How’s that for incentive to keep what you got?

But... when was the last time you got a chunk of rust in your eye?

I opened the passenger door of my '150 the other day and a 8" long chunk of the bottom of the door fell out, landed on the nerf bar, broke in half and then fell on the ground. That explains why I have been smelling gravel dust anyway...

Day before yesterday I got in it wrong, caught the rocker panel with the toe of my boot and broke a chunk of that off.

I am losing ground fast

 

[sgtsandman]

But... when was the last time you got a chunk of rust in your eye?

I opened the passenger door of my '150 the other day and a 8" long chunk of the bottom of the door fell out, landed on the nerf bar, broke in half and then fell on the ground. That explains why I have been smelling gravel dust anyway...

Day before yesterday I got in it wrong, caught the rocker panel with the toe of my boot and broke a chunk of that off.

I am losing ground fast

Working under the 2011. The Fluid Film has loosened up quite a bit of the existing rust from before I treated it. I get rust and dirt in the face all the time.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I love where I live, don't have to deal with any of that rust garbage, there's a little surface rust on the '97 but just surface rust on the frame and stuff...

That said I gave up on the '94 Geo Tracker I have that was my daily driver for years but that drivetrain is very light duty (the transmission components are cute!), I loved driving the thing being 2400lb with driver if I remember right it was a gokart with 5.13 gears stock and I upsized to 27" tires so the engine was screaming doing anything. After rebuilding the engine once, transmission twice then the head cracking I parked it until I got to it and the drive wasn't there anymore. But being a cheaparse I'm stubborn and still have it (been sitting 3 years now, rebuilt a head for it a year ago though) because it is worth double if it is running. At this point it likely needs injectors and a battery. I drove a V8 explorer for a couple years but a year ago switched to a '97 Ranger because I know the drivetrain well and know it is WAY heavier duty... at 155k miles on the 2.3L/M5OD combo it has many years left at 20k/year

Being very handy I can limp almost anything along, but there has to be drive for me. We sold the wife's 1999 Rav4 a couple years ago because it was worth more than the '98 V8 Explorer and we were going on a cruise so needed some cash but she was kinda over the Rav too and it was at around 300k on the clock I think...

It really depends if it makes you happy and is worth it as a driver, if not, move on.

 

[Tahoe303]

My new truck payment is $768 a month on a $40,000 Ranger. How’s that for incentive to keep what you got?

Amen to that!

I received BACK from our daughter her 1998 4x4 ext cab XLT stepside. We gave it to her while she was in high school ( year2000 with 21,000 miles on it), got her through two colleges and medical residency, now has 140,000 miles on it. When she bought her new car this year she didn't have the heart to sell or trade it in so I volunteered to take it back.
Needs a little TLC but runs fine.

The 4x4 isn't engaging nor shifting when I turn the switch, no noise or action anywhere. This is my top concern right now, bad switch????

Dash lights randomly come on: HI and LO 4x4, door open when you make a right hand turn.

The A/C is colder than my 2004 F150 (good for being in New Mexico) but engages when you turn the control knob to the right to direct air flow through dash on dash and Floor or Defroster. Will NOT engage, as it shouldn't, when you rotate the knob to the left to direct air to the floor, weird.

Has small fluid leak, and need front shocks.
I told her "Mr. Ranger" will be my lifeboat when the F 150 craps out.
Got to find a great Ranger mechanic