3.0L the better of the V6's in a ranger?

Sounds To me that you never have drove 3.0l and 4.0l ranger with the same rolling chassies.

Both are fine motors, (and long life btw) but there is no comparison in power, especially rolling a 4x4 system.

 

Ive never drivin or ridden in an S-10 but my friend owned one and after breaking a couple engine mounts and smoking more than a oil refinery, he decided to get rid of that worthless truck. Im guessing that the 10 doesnt stand for the number of years the truck is expected to run.

 

Ummm, actually ....

I've been shopping Rangers for a while now and there are two distinct FX4 packages for it. The base FX4 comes with skid plates, 16" wheels, stump hangers (step bars) and (usually) Goodyear Wrangler tires. The Level II comes with the 31" BFGs, 15" Alcoa wheels, Torsen rear end and Bilstein shocks. The Level II also gets stainless steel front tow hooks, instead of the black tow loops on other Rangers.

 

I ahve owned a s10 blazer with the 2.8 an 700r4 and also a 1991 ranger . Every time i pulled with the blazer i broke someting but with the ranger pulled twice as much . The ranger then was sold to a friend of mine where he put 25000 miles in one year 14 speeding tickets 3 major wrecks and over 200,000 miles it still ran good when he scraped it except for a clutch. I knew another guy who had a 94 ranger drove the mess out of the truck had 330000 miles when he retired it on the original motor tranny smoked but still ran real good. The s10 is good up to 100000 miles but the reanger who knows.

 

I own a 1992 GMC Sonoma with 200,000 miles. I find it hard to say anything bad about the truck. I have overloaded the truck both hauling and pulling and it never complained or broke. I have two complaints about it. First complaint, GM alternators stink. I am on my 4th alternator. Second complaint, when is GM going to build an interior that stays together. I have had to fix just about every switch and handle on the interior.

However, all good things must come to an end...so that better things can start.

FOR SALE 1992 GMC SONOMA

WANTED 2004 FORD F150 LARIAT SCREW w/ 5.4 LTR TRITON V8.

 

The 4wd systems on S-Series trucks suck! Everything is vacuum actuated, I have two friends who both owned 4x4 S10 Blazers; the 4x4 barely ever worked. We managed to make them work by installing a manual cable to the front axle disconnect switch on both trucks. Any time we drove through deep water the stinkin damn 4wd would go out, and we'd get stuck. A girl I dated a year or so back had an 88 Ranger 4x4( smart girl), those little pickups are set up just like there bigger brothers the F-Series. They have lock out hubs ( some had auto hubs just swap em out) and a regular manual transfer case ( some push button). Anytime you need 4wd just lock the hubs, pull the lever and you got 4wd now; no backing up or fighting with a grinding transfer case lever. Ranger 4x4s are definately better than "Stuck in the mud"-series

 

i had an 85 S-10 exteded cab and every time i tried to tow something it broke, i perty much gave it away it was a piece. My luv on the other hand is retinly overloaded(i put 2,000lbs of pelets for the stove it all the time) and it does fine, lb for lb i think isuzu trucks are some of the best out there, but i havent driven a ranger but i have seen them do that same.

 

A guy moved in next to me about two years ago and has a decent looking '99 S-10 that he ordered from the factory. So as an icebreaker, I introduced myself and told him that if he ever got stuck he could just call me and I would come get him with my Ranger. At the time we both laughed about it. Well, since that time I know for a fact that he has been stranded at least 3 different times for completely different reasons. On each occasion it followed that I didn't see his truck for almost a week while it sat at the dealership. And I know he's had some other bugs.

We get along good but he's a proud kinda guy so he won't accept any of my offers to help him out. I notice that he prefers not to engage in "truck talk" with me. And he won't call me for a tow, either.

 

I have to say that Rangers are a more comfortable truck to drive than S10s. I am 6ft 2 in and I have a hard time getting in and otu of my friend's S10s...that's why I only buy F- Series!

 

did you guys forgett about the Ranger STX. i have a 94 and it has everything that the fx4 level II has. i have the 4.0 v6, 31X10.50's on 15" explorer style aluminum wheels, skid plates out the #$$, and big old round fog lights that i can drive with just those on at night and see fine. the only thing i dont have is the floor mounted shifter butttt was readily availible. 3.73 l/s, the level II come with 4.10's i believe thats the only other difference. i have the sport bucket seats with push button lumber and lower side bulster(butt support) supports. i hate the push button and auto locking hubs. i had to the replace the shift motor and swapped to warn hubs and know it runs like a champ. if you guys check out the 4.0 forums you'll find guys on there with an easy 250k-300k on the 4.0. and yes they are ball less under about 2500 RPM but once you wind em out a little they move right long. the 5 speed and 3.73s help alot. i still get better milage then some of the new 6.0's are reporting. i can average 18 or better when i drive it right and thats a mix of highway/city/back country roads. i have been able to get past a fair share of cars/trucks but have also had my butt handed to me.

 

Just as long as you realize that Izuzu Pickups are to Chevy S10s as Mazda P/U's are to Rangers.

(Hasn't always been that way, just wanted to make sure you knew the new ones are..)

 

I have yet to see a blown 4.0 V6 but I have seen several 4.3s with snapped cranks and camshafts. I love 2.9 nearly the same size as the GM 2.8 but not even close to comparable. Although I must say the old 2.5 "Iron Duke" is a very hard engine to kill. The old 2300 SOHC I4 from Ford is a very durable and reliable little workhorse.

 

I think this was said before, but maybe not. The '02 FX4 was all there was; '03 was when they added the Level II distinction. My '02 FX4 has everything the '03 Level II has. Also, the 4.0's are the SOHC 4.0's that are found in the Explorers. Not sure if they're any different from the pushrod 4.0's (except for the OHC), but there is a bit of a distinction. On a side note, I'm not sure if the ZR2 S-dimes are running on 31's or 33's, but they need a 2 inch lift from the factory to fit them in, or maybe just to make them look tougher. I've always been more a fan or fender trimming opposed to a body lift, but that's my $ .02.
PS I LOVE my floor shifter. Makes a great koolie-cup holder, as my right foot and 31 AT's (soon to be MT's) can usually compensate for any loss of traction.

 

ZR2s hmm... yep they run 31s with either 3.73 or 4.10 gears and LS is optional on both. Oh a quick story now that you mention the ZR2 S dime. Back when I was in high school my 84 F150 became a part time wrecker service vehicle. Any ways some yuppy kid got a brand new s dime ZR2 xcab sb, nice truck ( Thanks Mom and Dad). I was coming back from my vocational welding class when I see these two kids running down the street completely soaked and muddy. Yeah guess who right! This kid comes running up to me all shook up and shivering. Turns out the young lad decided to take his new pickup out joy riding in the fruit orchard during lunch hour and got stuck. When we got out to the orchard I looked out there and the whole field was flooded. I got out locked the hubs pulled it in 4wd and proceeded into water that started to enter the cab. The kid started freaking out, telling me I was gonna get stuck. I just said it's Ford It aint gettin stuck. I came to discover the lil s dime up it's headlights in water. Turns out the water not only shorted out the shift motor for his 4wd, but the starter got fried too. Needless to say the lil truck wouldn't start and I ended up towing the truck to his house. Oh later that week me and a girlfriend of mine took her 88 Ranger 4wd out there and went through the same hole and didn't get stuck, oh she only had 235/75 all season tires, but her 4wd didn't short out either! Manual shift with hubs!

 

I don't own a Ranger, but an Explorer is close enough isn't it? I am in love with my truck. It has almost 100K miles on it, and it has the 5-speed auto (5R55E) and the 4.0 SOHC combo. This truck will haul serious butt. I pull off consistant 8.0 0-60s and have beaten an N/A 300ZX, IS300 Lexus (Auto-stick, guy was stupid), and yes, the 4.3 Chevrolets can't touch me. Anybody that tells me the Chevy 4.3 is better than the Cologne SOHC 4.0 is full of BS

I'm not trying to sound like the Explorer is high and mighty, because it certainly has lost before (Damn V-8 Dakota...) but the 4.0 engine is one of my favorite motors of all time. Don't under-estimate the power of the Colognes. I intend to keep this Explorer around for a long time, because it has yet to let me down. It hasn't seen a repair shop or dealer once. I'd like to see a Chevrolet truck do that. The Ranger/Explorer in my eyes has no competition in the world that can offer the incredible mix of power, comfort, reliability, looks, and price.