What's your favorite?

@Ifitaintbroke
On the Ranger I am looking at does that mean that oil gauge is reading correctly? None at idle and some at throttle? There was no oil light on the dash. I assume the OG gauge doesn't work as it had a aftermarket on on it. If you happen to know, that may same me a big problem lol! I may just have to look more at it. That 472 probably makes a lot of power. How much? Also what truck is it in?

@Brianator
What gave up on your Mazda? That would be the Cologne 4.0 right?

> On the Ranger I am looking at does that mean that oil gauge is reading correctly?

Depends, there are two types of senders, big fat one, little 1" one. One is proportional, one is on/off. Using the wrong one gives bad readings. If sludge builds up on the sender, little ball bearing detent, it can produce false readings or worse, prevent the vehicle from starting. Which happened to me once with a 2.9L. Plus, on the 2.8L series engines, it is right next to the fuel pump and with the big sender it makes it just about impossible to remove the fuel pump.

Many times the problem lies in the little elbow connector, loose, sloppy, fills with crud. Better off with an eyelet, lock washer, and small boot cover.

Many times I totally disconnect my sender and just replace it with a plug so if I have to change the fuel pump in the middle of nowhere, I do not have to worry about sourcing the sender I just destroyed.

@Slipperz Yes sir the 4.0 pushrod V6, it dieseled it's way to life one day and started misfiring like crazy, then it progressed to the point that it would run until it was warmed up then shut down. I think either the head(s) or block cracked, I did a bunch of work to it but still couldn't get it right so I pushed it to the side and now I have another so I'm done with it. I actually cut the upper corner of the cab out of it to repair the rot on my '09 too! Lol. It will live on as a wicked little A frame trailer though. I'll definitely hold on to the 5 speed trans, BW 1356 manual transfer case and driveshafts in case I decide to manual swap the '09.

Slipperz wrote:

@Ifitaintbroke
On the Ranger I am looking at does that mean that oil gauge is reading correctly? None at idle and some at throttle? There was no oil light on the dash. I assume the OG gauge doesn't work as it had a aftermarket on on it. If you happen to know, that may same me a big problem lol! I may just have to look more at it. That 472 probably makes a lot of power. How much? Also what truck is it in?

@Brianator
What gave up on your Mazda? That would be the Cologne 4.0 right?

No, that gauge should always read dead in the middle if the engine is running. It may not have an oil light, since it has a gauge, but I'm not sure. Also, are you referring to the stock gauge or the aftermarket gauge? Some pics would help.

The 460 is in an 86 F250 4x4 5-speed, makes 425hp 500 ft-lbs of torque.

@Slipperz In regards to oil pressure, if you were at zero at idle you'd hear alot of racket so the gauge or pressure sending unit is probably faulty. For most engines anything below 10 psi at idle is not good, and running down the road you should be seeing at least 40 psi but those numbers are actually on the low worn out motor side. 20 at idle and 50-60 driving are fairly decent numbers. Try running thicker oil (like 10w40) or add some Lucas oil stabilizer and see it it improves, if so then there's alot of wear and excessive clearances between the bearings/journals. If no change it could be a faulty gauge, bad sending unit, clogged oil pickup screen, clogged oil filter or bad oil pump. You can actually use a compression tester (screw in style) to test your oil pressure if you have or can find the right fitting to do so. If it has an electric sending unit, with a little research you should be able to find out the values it's supposed to read and test it out.

@Brianator That is too bad about that ranger. Cool that it will live on in some way tho!


@Ifitaintbroke
Yes I am talking about the aftermarket gauge. I haven't seen the truck in quite a few months but if I remember right the original gauge read 0 all the time doesn't even move at all when the key is turned. And yea at idle the engine is nice and quiet so I didn't think to much of it at the time. So from what I have learned from you guys is most likely the sender has failed and the motor is still making pressure. Yay

Brianator wrote:

I actually cut the upper corner of the cab out of it to repair the rot on my '09 too!

Thats dedication right there.
Thats a project my truck will need, but its going to need quite a bit more that that little corner. Id probably be further ahead to find a cab with a good roof and rotted out floor.
Its a shame, the rest of the cab really isnt bad.

> They're pretty rare these days.

Wow, I am surprised! Only about a year ago there few more then a few Aerostars, none there is none, not even in parts. The only two on FB are way over priced and one is beat and 262k miles. Ranger Supercabs seemed to have evaporated too.

Found an Aerostar:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2441287762671271

JB_4x4 wrote:

> They're pretty rare these days.

Wow, I am surprised!  Only about a year ago there few more then a few Aerostars, none there is none, not even in parts.  The only two on FB are way over priced and one is beat and 262k miles.  Ranger Supercabs seemed to have evaporated too.

Found an Aerostar:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2441287762671271

Amazingly enough, I happened upon a 1996 3.0 yesterday 15 miles from my place. Trying to find out who owns it.

JB_4x4 wrote:

> I'm currently trying to find an Aerostar.

Go to CL Atlanta and search all the surrounding cities in the vehicle section, general, barter, and auto parts sections. Set ATL to 100 miles.

Try to get the 4.0L AWD 1995-1997.

Stay the HELL away from a 4.0 or the older 2.9

My 94 4wd 5 speed ranger with the 4.0 OHV is a steaming pile of garbage and my buddy’s was too. His got a 5.0 and mine is getting sold. They crack heads, blow head gaskets, stupid fuel rail design (mine eats injectors like you wouldn’t believe), steel valve covers rust through and no one makes replacements (anything in a junkyard is also rusted). Just…no. Both engines went nuclear at only 135k. The 4.0 SOHC is terrible too.

My 3.0 ranger however, that thing lived on limiter and burned whatever oil I dumped in that week, including (but not limited to): 75-140 gear oil, atf, 20-50, 15-40, 5-30, 10-30, etc etc. 340k on that motor and finally “died” …that truck is getting a 5.0 and keeping the 5 speed and 4wd.

The 2.3/2.5 Lima engines are great, but slow. Fords version of the 22re but a timing belt and non interference valvetrain. If it breaks, slap a belt on it and you’re mint.

Current daily driver is a 2020 Silverado single cab long bed 4x4 with the 5.3 and a 6L80E. I overpaid, but it’s nice to have something shiny.

My backup daily is the 96 2.3 5 speed 2wd ranger. It’s getting sold when the tags expire. Good truck, just have too many.

My 94 c1500 4.3 5 speed will be replacing the ranger as backup daily/work truck. I’ve got WAY more money tied up in it and the 88-98’s are going up in value. Just can’t afford to register and insure everything all at once. It gets the same mileage, equally as slow, but more space as the ranger.

The green 94 ranger is getting the 5.0 hopefully this summer, and will see a fair bit of time with my rooftop tent and go on lots of mower trips. I’d like to see 500k on that truck.

My white 94 ranger (FK that truck) is getting sold. Bye bye see ya never. I’m over it.

My 2000 3.8 swapped impala is staying parked until I feel like playing whack-a-mole with it again.

My 1999 GMC suburban (5.7 auto 4wd) needs the 14 bolt axle but under the back (lil bro blew up the 10 bolt in a month with the 35’s), and needs an actual lift kit put on the front that gets the geometry right. The torsion bar crank is good for proof of concept but I can tell that front end is STRESSED. It’s the only thing I’ve got with a back seat besides the impala, everything else is a single cab

My 89 5.3 swapped 5 speed c1500 needs a new wheel and tire setup and needs a new engine sometime soon. Lots of metal in the oil from a bad lifter eating the cam. But damn is it fun to drive!!

Uhh…I think that’s all the relevant ones lol. Ford for out of the box ready to work, Chevy if ya wanna mix and match and build something cool. Dodge…well we don’t talk about dodge

@CraftsmanQuad19 can't argue with the OHV 4.0, mine was great while it lasted but the heads cracking between the valves is definitely a common issue with them and the good replacement heads are all but obsolete now.

The SOHC can have timing chain tensioner issues and they're a nightmare to access but I find it's a pretty solid engine, I couldn't picture my 4x4 with anything less than then it. I'm not really a fan of the 3.0 myself, way too gutless for the displacement although pretty reliable, doesn't have much for aftermarket support that I've seen either.

Yeah, the 3.0 definitely lacked power, hence the 5.0 swap instead of another 3.0 which would be much easier. And as an 18 year old I was definitely scouting for header options, cams, you name it lol. But what it lacks in power and aftermarket it definitely makes up for in durability.

Yeah the SOHC is great until it’s time for chains and then throw the whole thing away basically. There’s no timing marks, access is horrible (even with the engine removed), 5 chains total, all so ford could use the same head casting on both sides. Ford doesn’t even make a timing tool for them to lock the cams. They either assumed they wouldn’t fail or assumed people would just throw them away.

Apparently the 2000/01 Explorer 5.0 is one of the best because of the GT40 heads and I'm pretty sure you can get a aftermarket manifold for a carb for it too. I almost bought a 2002 3.0 with a automatic and wanted to do a 5.0/5 speed swap, what I learned was you want the 5 speed from a 2001ish F150 with the 4.2l V6 because it's basically the only one that bolts up and will put the shifter in the proper location (almost) plus it can handle V8 power. Apparently the Mustang 5 speed puts the shifter so far back you might as well drive from the back seat! Lol.

97-03 f150, 4.2 v6 4x4. The exact transmission my buddy and I are both using. He is daily driving his with the swap right now, used a 98 mountaineer as the donor. I’m using a 96 explorer as my donor

Sweet! I'd love to find a (2002ish) regular cab 2wd to do a 5.0/5 speed swap one day. I already have the 8.8 rear end from my B4000 and other accessories for it, I think it would look nice beside my '09 4x4.

Anymore of this and we're going to have to start a Ford Ranger thread! Lol

> Both engines went nuclear at only 135k.

Exact opposite of my experience in my reality for both personal trucks and customer's at the dealerships of the X code 160 HP 4.0L. I would agree on avoiding the 2.9L, though I am a fan of the geared 2.8L at it's ground shaking 110 HP ;-)

Wonder what kind of tractor I could build with that !

Brianator wrote:

Sweet! I'd love to find a (2002ish) regular cab 2wd to do a 5.0/5 speed swap one day. I already have the 8.8 rear end from my B4000 and other accessories for it, I think it would look nice beside my '09 4x4.

Anymore of this and we're going to have to start a Ford Ranger thread! Lol

I'll say it again, Rangers are the best thing ever put on 4 wheels. Should we maybe have a Ranger thread?

BTW, I think that @ranch_king_pro_08 should get a Ranger when he's old enough to drive.

Perhaps you guys should make a ranger thread! That would be sweet!
Also @CraftsmanQuad19
You say you have a 94 Chevy with a 4.3, do you ever feel it is super gutless or just meh. Gets the job done kinda deal? When I bought my Chevy with a 5.0 I was super worried it would be so down on power but its not really. Not that its a power house but she has enough power for herself.

The Vortex engines are rockets and yes even the 4.3L as long as they're properly maintained. The non Vortex ones not so much, I've had both and wasn't shy to push them.

Slipperz wrote:

Perhaps you guys should make a ranger thread! That would be sweet!
Also @CraftsmanQuad19
You say you have a 94 Chevy with a 4.3, do you ever feel it is super gutless or just meh. Gets the job done kinda deal? When I bought my Chevy with a 5.0 I was super worried it would be so down on power but its not really. Not that its a power house but she has enough power for herself.  

Eh, it tows okay and will cruise at 75-80 no problem when empty. It gets the job done but won’t do anything quick. For those wondering, it’s the TBI version with the swirl port heads, not the spider injected Vortec version. That didn’t come out till 96.

I’ve got a 4.8 sitting around that idk what to do with, so it may find its way into ol green eventually. Nothing wrong with the 4.3 I just live v8 noises. Should get about the same mileage and more power so that’s an all around win. But the truck is just a baby at 156,000 miles