Hi. I'm looking for a used Ranger from '96 to about '03. Which engines have timing belts and which have timing chains? It looks like the 2.3 and 2.4 have belts. What about the little 3.0 V6? I'm pretty sure the 4.0 V6 has a chain.

I thought they all had either chains or gears. Now I'm not sure what I was reading.

One interesting thing I found was a chart showing gas mileage--it has been getting steadily worse over the years. Maybe I should be looking for the oldest Ranger. What was the first year? California makes you get a smog test for anything '77 or newer.

 

2.3l and 2.5l (thru '01) have belts, also the older 2.0l. The 3.0l has a chain, it's short because it's a pushrod engine. I'm not even sure about the Duratec ('01 and up 2.3l), but it seems like they have a belt as well. BTW, the first year of the small ranger was '83.

 

2.5 and not 2.4 eh? It looks like I got some misinformation from reading old posts. Plus I get mixed up because I have a Mighty Max with a 2.6L which is actually a 2.55L and I have a Nissan with a 2.X 4 cyl and I'm not even sure what they call it because so far I haven't had to do hardly anything to it (180K miles on it or thereabouts).

 

The Duratech (16valve) 2.3 has a timing chain.

 

Ah, good to know!

 

Everything on the 01+ 2.3 is chain driven. Cams and oil pump

 

I had looked up the engines and *thought* they were all chain-driven so it looks like that must just be for the newer ones. Any problems with the cam chains/tensioners like they had on the 4.0 SOHC several years ago?

I like the gas mileage of the 4 cylinder engine (if it's a regular cab and regular bed) and it's usually very easy to get to spark plugs and most components but I also have grown to prefer OHC engines on general principles for durability.

Any opinions on which is the better engine, the 3.0 OHV or the 2.3 which I take it is a OHC? Currently I have a Nissan Frontier (got crashed) with the little 4 cyl with about 180K on it and it has had no problems at all. I also have an '88 Mitsubishi Mighty Max with the 4.6 4 cyl with 240K on it. Both have timing chains. The Mighty Max was abandoned on top of a hill for several years with the hood open. The engine (and carb) was froze. I got it unfroze and it still runs pretty good.

 

duratec has belt, but is belt brakes, you get broken valves... old 2.3 was non-contact engine, newer DOHC unfortunatly.... ouh, change belt every 60K and be sure all driven with belt components are ok every time you change a belt.

3.0 is much more reliable then four banger. The weak points are gaskets and heads. But heads fail in case of really serious overheating.

old lima 2.3 is reliable too, but if you haul a lot its torque is to low, especially with auto. So 4-cyl engine is good with manual tranny.

 

The duratec 2.3 has a chain, it's been used in the ranger since 01. They have a 2.5 version of the duratec used in the escape this year and it also has a chain. The old lima 4 cylinder had the belt. The only problem with the tensioners were on the 4.0 sohc, nothing else.

 

i may be wrong. ford may call duratec different engines. they call duratec made in Cologne plant engines here. so I see 4 cyl engines by ford with chain and with belt.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't say your wrong, just mistaken. Our duratec since it's introduction into the ranger in 01 is chain driven. Before that it was a belt in what we call the lima the 4 cylinder because of it's city of origin, lima ohio. The lima was used in ford products from the early 70's untill 01.

 

Thanks guys for all the helpful info. I'm looking for a Ranger for my daughter and I don't expect her to be hauling much or towing anything so it sounds like '01 or newer for a 4 cyl or just get the 3.0. There seems to be moslty 3.0s available anyway.

I have a tendency to keep my Ford trucks so I'd rather get one that'll probably last longer. Timing belts sound like a PITA. At least head gaskets don't usually need to be replaced every 60K.

 

lima 2.3 and eu 2.3 are a bit different. Lima had made of cust iron head, EU 2.3 - made of aluminium head.

It is like when ford started GAZ in Russia, GAZ redesigned US engine and made it of aluminium.

My fried swaped engine in his '86 aero. Had 2.3 lima, now he has 2.5L4 Cologne. Both are with belt driven cam.

well, about duratec: Ford Duratec engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I'd prefere old good 3.0

 

Thanks for the link but now I'm confused. Is the 3.0 V6 also called a Duratec? It looks like there is also a 2.5 V6 but I'm not sure if they put them in Rangers or not. So now if I see an ad that says "V6" I'm not sure which engine it has.