VW Jetta TDI: 100 Horsepower, 177 lb./ft. Torque.

Ford Ranger 4.0: 207 Horsepower, 238 lb./ft. Torque.

I met one of these at a stoplight at lunch and needed to get out ahead of him to change lanes. When it turned green he smoked me. What's up with that???

Every day that goes by I wish I had my "old" pushrod 4.0 back

 

Built Ford tough......Not Ford quick

 

I know what you mean. The difference between my mom's new '04 Trailblazer and my '92 explorer with the pushrod 4.0L is night and day. The Explorer has torque at pretty much any RPM, until it redlines at 4900 RPM. At that speed, it's just starting to run out of wind. The trailblazer, you have to rev it to the moon to get any power out of it. But when you do, you go. I really think my Explorer would take the Trailblazer.

You got took because VW Jetta = Light tin can. Not much there to move. Actually, I think it even qualifies in the Aluminum can weight...

Now who would win in a head on collision?

 

Yeah, my '99 OHV 4.0 smoked a 2003 Corolla with 50 more horsepower than that Jetta TDI has. So I thought it would be no problem to pull in front of the guy and change lanes when the light turned green. Boy was I wrong. I guess he knew what I was up to and decided to mess with me a little.

I know those cars are lightweight. But come on, I have 107 horsepower over on him, right? Oh wait...this is an OHC engine and I never drive around at 5500 RPM, so I was probably only getting 140 horsepower out of it. I forgot.

 

The sad thing is that the Jetta TDI weighs in at over 3100 lbs and your Ranger is proabably around the 3800 pound mark. Also the jetta TDI is only a 90 HP engine. Are you sure your ranger doesn't have a bum engine. I recently test drove an 03 FX4 Off Road Super Cab, Auto and it was a lot quicker than my curretn ranger, especially in the upper RPM's. It made mine feel slow and I thought it was quick before I drove the 03. I just don't see how that car could have smoked you that bad unless it was the gas turbo, those are pretty quick.

 

I drove three other Rangers before I bought this one. Two autos. and a manual...all had the SOHC 4.0. All of them were noticeably weaker than my former OHV 4.0 in the low-mid RPMs. So I don't think I got a bum engine, I just think these SOHC 4.0s are dogs. Oh well...I paid too much $$$ for it, I have to drive it until the wheels fall off now.

 

i know with my moms 2003 exploder sport with the 4.0L SOHC v-6 it lacks ***** off the line so bad but about 4G it really hauls. normal around town driving it feels sluggish, goin up hills forget it. i mean it keeps its speed and doesnt bog down but u need to floor it to get movin. and i cant even power brake it or break em loose (not that i try ) . now my truck on the other hand, its like a rocket off the line...so i know what u mean, kinda disappointing. i never drove a 5.4 but i hope they arent the same way or i'll never buy a new effie (cept lightning)...

 

Its about the truth you don't have 207 horsepower from idle all the way to 5500 but i still think you got schooled.

 

This is real disappointing to hear. I just bought a new 2003 4.0 Ranger. And now you're telling me that Jetta's are going to blow my doors off. Does the lemon law apply to something like this?

 

Well, it's not that anyone should be racing or that trucks are made to race in the first place. I am just saying that it's pretty sad how Ford is boasting this 207 HP engine and I couldn't even pull ahead of a 99 horsepower diesel powered Volkswagen. SAD. But hey, that's what it's coming to these days. Overhead cams are going in every engine you can buy and the result is you have no power until you wind it up like a NASCAR.

Oh well, it's still a nice truck. Would rather have my old engine back, but this is still a nice truck. Don't intend to make it sound like I hate the truck as a whole.

 

Whats Up? I felt the same way about my FX4 level II. But then I realized If I wanted a race car I got the wrong vehicle. The Fx4 was not made to explode off the line, but what it can do OFF-ROAD is no less than Amazing!!!
Be kind to your Ranger and use it for what it was made to do, and that is not Race.
I picked a load of hay up the other day ( 15 bales at 50 lbs per bale) and had to drive it through the horse paddocks which were about 2 feet deep in mud, the truck never blinked, or when the logging road washed out on the way home the other day and the FX4 went through the washout like it wasn't even there. The 4.10 Rear end is made for pushing or pulling this Tank through mud holes or up steep hills and over Rocks and logs. It's a Trade-off, Speed off the line or go anywhere. I'll take going anywhere.

 

Had a 98 4wd 4.0 old style.(stick).That thing was indestructible..You wouldnt believe the loads I pulled with it sometimes.Have pics to prove it also.But the part that made it a great engine was its low end pull..I think its one of the best engines Ford has ever made.Too bad they didnt have that figured out.The Kawasaki sytle 4.0 doesnt hold a candle to it unless your in the twiligt zone..And I still wonder if they will last as long as the OHV ones..Some around here(OHV) have 300 thousand on them and are still going..Only problem I have heard of was a bad intake manifold gasket which will make it look like its burning oil,,but it just needs a new intake gasket...great engine..

 

Never underestimate what light weight, lower starting gearing, and turbochargers can do from a standing start.

Next time you see a Jetta pulling a 4000 lb. trailer up a mountain pass...sack him!

BobJonesSpecial

 

Well, it was discouraging to get dusted by the Jetta. But when it snows about a foot this winter I'll wave at him when I drive by.

 

Are you sure it was a Jetta TDI? Go out and run a search on Volkswagon Jetta TDI "0 to 60" and read the reviews. The TDI runs 0 to 60 in the 12-14 second range. My 96 Ranger with the 2.3 that I just sold went 0 to 60 in around 10-11 seconds.

Now if you look at the other Jettas (not the TDI) they are running 0 to 60 in 6.5 to 8 seconds which is very quick. Of cours these are not the 90 HP engines either. I

I know you were there and you saw the car but I suspect it was not a TDI or it was not a stock TDI or you were not running as hard as the SOHC can run. I did a similar search on the Ford Ranger 4.0 SOHC "0 to 60" and found an article that puts in the 8.6 second range 0 to 60 which is very respectable.

I don't think you are as bad off as you might think. If all else fails stuff a good old 5.0 between the fender wells.

Regards,

Eric