i can get a 96 ranger for 800. its got a 4 cyl 5 speed in it, straght body no rust but 208k. i mean i know the 4.0 v6 ohv lasts a long time, whats the displacement on this engine 2.3 or 2.5? and whats its longevity?

 

The engine is the 2.3 Liter, also known as the Lima engine. Properly maintained, its good for 400 k miles. The key is proper maintenance.

 

Well 800 is pretty cheap if the truck is in good shape, i know a lot of ppl including me have to sell there stuff reallllly cheap right now,, so it could be a good deal, what would u use it for

 

800? buy it! and then post pics please

 

lol i can probably get it for 500. and ill be usin it as a commuter, beater truck to save on gas. im trading my cummins for an IDI 4x4 and it should be good on fuel, but the ranger is a little better lol and np ill be postin pics if i pick it up.

 

well sounds good then, because that truck dosnt have that much more life to it, but if u got other rigs then ur good

 

could i swap a 4.0 into it? would the trannies match up?

 

it porbly would,, but if ur useing it as a commuter, then leave in the 4 banger, because i got a 4.0 and i get *****y MPG like 18 at best and i got the tail gate net, exhause and intake, but mine is 4x4 with suto tranny

 

I am not so sure about the bell housings bolting right up between the 2.3-2.5 and the 4.0. I kind of remember they were different. If you want to be sure, check with car dash parts dot com on the web to see what will fit. As in, would the same 5-speed be usable in both.
tom

 

hhmm you know now that i think about it, I dont think it will work, becasue they made 4 motors for this truck two 4 bangers and 2 v6s, so it was a 6v swaped with a bigger v6 it would work same with the 4 bangers, but to put a bigger v6 on a trany thats ment for a smaller 4 cylinder yeah im sher the bells would be different

 

i'd say its a great idea. i got mine for 2700 bucks with 117k on it, original owner.
one of the smartest moves i ever made.
i was driving my big f100 around everywhere and needed a little putt putt vehicle.
so it sounds to me like you are a similar person who likes practicality and working on his own stuff.
just keep in mind theres work youre going to have to do. taking on a used vehicle involves just that, work! if you dont have a garage or a suitable area to do it then it could turn out to be a nightmare. mine is in decent shape, but even little things like doing a fuel filter out on the driveway with the truck only raised 15" in the air, takes its toll on my body. book says every 30k miles to do it...its never been changed! neither have the o2 sensors, shocks, brakes, etc.....and its the little things like that can haunt you. prettymuch the oil is the only thing the previous owner ever touched
what you will find out is there are some people who sign on the dotted line for a new car, beat the **** out of it, dont do a lick of maintenance, then once it starts acting up, they dump their problems on someone else! so inspect it thoroughly or you could be flushing 800 bucks down the toilet.

 

i'd say go for it! i've heard good things about them and my 87 was easy to maintain. i just picked up a 96 2wd for $300 to use as a college commuter. gotta get plates and insurance on it and then i'll be ready to rock! the 2.3's aren't exactly hotrod motors, but they do get the job done and efficiently! is the one you're looking at a standard cab short bed?

 

yep standard cab short bed. damn guy hasnt emailed me back. lol hope he does or ill keep trollin around lookin for a ranger

 

that thing must weigh close to nothing! i know the one i just bought does and it's the standard cab short bed. i swear, the cap weighs more than the truck does haha

 

lol i picked the back end of my buddys up the other day and im 5'9 145. lol kinda helps that i bench 260 but thats besides the point lol