I rate my 98 ranger xlt supercab offroad with tow package 3.0 aod and 4.10 gears a (9) ! I pull a 15' trailer with 4 4wheelers and one go cart in the box and no touble of course I don't use overdrive when towing! My 3.0 has more than enough power thanks to all my mods and especialy my SCT programer! I have about $2000 in engine upgrades but I paid $4000 less than book value when I bought it!
I Like my 3.0 Ranger, I give it an 8. Extremely reliable, looks great, decent ride and handling for a small truck and power is fine for me. I mean, come on, if you wanted lots of room and power, they make something called an F-150.
What modifications? I have not heard of anyone modifing the 3.0, but it would certainly be a good engine for it given it's durability.
Completely went through the entire engine. Had the crank offset ground .025" to give it 0" deck height and 10-1 compression, gasket matched all ports, polished exhaust runners, p&p'd lower intake, built my own custom upper intake w/equal length runners and a 60mm tb from a 5.0, sent cam to Camcraft for their "hp" grind (210/210 and .470" at the valve) and JBA cat forward headers.
'99 F150XLT 4 door ext cab 4.2 auto Flareside
Windstar e-fans, FRPP 3.73's w/LSD & Royal Purple Max Gear Lube, MAC intake with stainless heat shield, Raptor muff in stock pipe
Sniper Tuned
Well I just bought every aftermarket part I could find for the 3.0! Here is my list (Jba headers, underdrive pulleys, cold air intake, K&N air filter, mass air flow sensor, throtle body spacer, cam, SCT computer programer, tornado intake insert, electric fan,). I pulled off the original fan and fan clutch to free up some hp, and I put true dual exhaust from the headers I just put one cat on each side so they both are still leagal! I also am using a 60mm tb off a 5.0 and I had a local machine shop port out my heads a little for more flow! The SCT programer has three different performance levels based on octane levels one for 87, 90, 93! It also changes the shift points of the trans and has much firmer shifts!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3Lstroker
What modifications? I have not heard of anyone modifing the 3.0, but it would certainly be a good engine for it given it's durability.
Completely went through the entire engine. Had the crank offset ground .025" to give it 0" deck height and 10-1 compression, gasket matched all ports, polished exhaust runners, p&p'd lower intake, built my own custom upper intake w/equal length runners and a 60mm tb from a 5.0, sent cam to Camcraft for their "hp" grind (210/210 and .470" at the valve) and JBA cat forward headers.
I had a '91 w/ the 3.0. did everything I asked it to do, ie...I towed 7000# with it +3 people in the cab! got 22 MPG consistently. have a '94 w/a 4 cylinder isnt half the truck as the '91 was. my rating of the '91? a 10. had 228,000 when I sold it still running good! I miss it.
I rate the truck a 6, looks good, too small and no where to put anything. the engine a 4, no power and bad gas milage. Do you think Ford cares?
I am going to up the rating for my 04 Ranger to, 8 for the truck still too small, but solid. and, 6 for the engine, never makes a sound, and I leave it for sometimes a month or so. Power is geting better with break in. Went to Oregon from LA and got 23 mpg at 80 mph. Pulled my 2000 lb boat only ten miles, but cant tell it is there. Wish it had door pockets, or places to put things, behind seat looks like a bomb went off. Have fun, Dave
166000mi with few problems (speed sensor @88000).
It looks great for being a work truck all its life
20mi per gal avg. Its a small truck for a reason .. it was built that way.
I have owned and still own big/small, foreign/domestic trucks, and this truck by far is the best truck for its intended purpose bar none.
1999 quad cab flex fuel rating 9.5 (if I can get 300000mi 10)
As for the looks of my '98 4x4 I'd have to give it a "10". To me it's the best looking small pick-up out there. Out of all the problems that I have had with it, I would have to give it a "4". The problems that I have now are pinging issues, speedometer doesn't always work, door ajar light sometimes stays on along with the dome light, the clutch makes noise when the clutch pedal is pushed in or out, and the a/c has a bad leak in it. I'm slowly working on fixing all of these problems myself. This is my $0.02 on this truck.
02 supercab xlt flex,truck gets a 8 ,could use a little more room. engine gets a 7 , but to be a 10 it has to out do my 85 I-6 4.9 f-150 w/ 217000. and if you want power and room F-150!!!. primer
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1951 F-1 , one day it will run
1985 f150 longbed I-6 six in a row makes it go.
2002 ranger xlt xtracab , at least its a ford
OK I have to up my rating, AGAIN. I took it on a remote trail in Utah with a warning at the beginning telling you I needed a 4 wheel drive, wash outs. I should have taken there advice but my boys egged me on. I will tell you it took me 3+ hours to go 28 mi, and there were a few places for rock climbing I would give a 6 out of ten. The truck took all of it without a hint of grief, I just left the clutch out and that little 3.0 just pulled the hills like it had track for tread. I twisted the cab so much it was creaking the headliner, they call it an EDGE and I got near a lot of edges. I have to give the engine a "10" I don't like to go so high but I thought I would kill the thing pulling so low in rpm but not once. I will give truck a 9 it still needs more room, but if it was any bigger on the trail I was on it might not make the turns. I got worked over by the dealer here in California, so it was hard to like the thing, it should be gold plated for what I payed for it, but it is a good tuck. Have fun, Dave
PS: I got 24mpg at 80mph highway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by daedgar
I am going to up the rating for my 04 Ranger to, 8 for the truck still too small, but solid. and, 6 for the engine, never makes a sound, and I leave it for sometimes a month or so. Power is geting better with break in. Went to Oregon from LA and got 23 mpg at 80 mph. Pulled my 2000 lb boat only ten miles, but cant tell it is there. Wish it had door pockets, or places to put things, behind seat looks like a bomb went off. Have fun, Dave
I'd rate my 93 Ranger a 9, and the 3.0 a 9 as well. The major thing that's missing would have to be air conditioning, but it's not necessary. I think the room in the cab is just fine for me (6-2, 240), and for all the miles, it's in good shape. I bought it last fall from my cousin, and it did need some work. I replaced the tie-rod ends, the exhaust, and did a tune-up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and PCV), it runs great, and there are very few squeaks and rattles in it. As for the motor, I consistently get 23-24 mpg, even during winter, with a high of 26 on one trip. I think it has sufficient power for the size of the truck. My mom had a 94 with the 2.3, and as far as I'm concerned there's no comparison. Mom's truck did get 30+ mpg, though. All in all, this truck has been excellent for what it was intended for. If I need to do any heavy hauling or towing, I have my F150 for that.
I have a 96 with a 3.0 stick. I would say its alot better than a old S-10 I had more room power and traction. I give the truck a overall 8, engine 8, ride 7, looks 8. I like it that the original owner bought the trac lok with the truck when new. After having that I dont think I would own a small truck without it. I get 26-28 MPG and 25 with the trailer.
Bought an '01 Edge new (3.0 5-speed), drove it about 60,000 miles and just couldn't stand it anymore. I gave it to my Dad and brought the '94 XLT (2.3 5-speed) out of retirement.
As for the 01 Edge and its 3.0:
Pros
Plenty of power (compared to the 2.3)
Much less shifting on hills
Cons
Terrible mileage
Roughest ride I've ever had in a 2WD vehicle (and I've run many farm trucks)
Almost everything in the cab rattles
Cab leaks (poorly designed cab seams and window rubbers, particularly the back window.)
I'll keep the 94 and find one similar when I have to replace it. I don't think I'll have another 3.0.
2000 Ranger 4x4 Sport - SuperCab - 4dr.- Flareside
3.0 w/auto and 4.10 gears
Looks. . . really great. Rated 9+!
I bought this truck 2 yrs ago. It had almost 62,000 miles on it, then.
Went head to head w/John Force at the WinterNationals and tore him up!!! John said that he was gonna have to go into semi-retirement because of the spanking I gave him with my Ranger!!! He's spent a fortune to go fast, and I spent less than 12Gs to do it!
O.K. I'm not asleep and dreaming, now. I'm awake.
Man, that was a GREAT dream I was having.
Power - I rate it a 4.5 to 5.0 Yes, the 3.0 is not that powerful, but, I didn't buy this truck to pull stumps outta the ground with.
I needed a truck that I could throw a lawnmower in, and go cut my dear old Dad's grass with, or, pull a trailer to and from my kid(s) house(s) and let the wife get flowers for her garden with.
I have pulled a 5 x 9 trailer loaded with furniture. Was it fast?
Heck no. Did it do the job as I intended? Absolutely.
Granted, I went from a Dodge Dakota w/ 4.7L V-8 that was extremely powerful and fast, compared to this 3.0 (3.slow as one person called it).
BUT. . . it got 10 mpg even when babied.
Gas mileage - 16 - 20 mpg. depending on how hard I push the 'go pedal'.
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