How far can it go!
New User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Industry US
How far can it go!
Hi all
I have a 1986 Ranger 2.9 5 spd which just turned 285,000 miles.
Since the last oil change 1800 miles ago, the oil has gone down 1/8".
Total maintenance costs so far has been a little over $4800, and this includes everything.
The truck looks terrible, but runs excellent. Starts at the touch of the key, hot or cold.
Runs smooth and quiet, and uses very little gas. This truck is not driven easy, in fact borders on abuse.
Most of the time there is a load of several hundred pounds or more.
The question is, can this truck be trusted for 3000 mile trips much longer?
Any one have any experience with high mile Rangers?
Someone please tell me the things run for half a million before anything breaks.<G>
Lew
I have a 1986 Ranger 2.9 5 spd which just turned 285,000 miles.
Since the last oil change 1800 miles ago, the oil has gone down 1/8".
Total maintenance costs so far has been a little over $4800, and this includes everything.
The truck looks terrible, but runs excellent. Starts at the touch of the key, hot or cold.
Runs smooth and quiet, and uses very little gas. This truck is not driven easy, in fact borders on abuse.
Most of the time there is a load of several hundred pounds or more.
The question is, can this truck be trusted for 3000 mile trips much longer?
Any one have any experience with high mile Rangers?
Someone please tell me the things run for half a million before anything breaks.<G>
Lew
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,562
Likes: 4
From: South Jersey
How far can it go!
2.9s can run a long time but you are getting up there. The main faults with the 2.9 is noisy lifters and cracking heads due to overheating. WIth anything that old you never know if a minor or major part will fail on a long trip.
New User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
How far can it go!
My old 89 2.9 was flawless, except for 1 bad thing: that darn japanese made transmission. (5 speed manual) I had it in the shop at 30K and again at 50K. (at 50K the whole thing literally exploded. took a week to get a new one.) The truck was driven very hard. Lots of stop and go, and some heavy delivery stuff. (also many highway miles too.)
Other than that darn tranny, and 1 seat belt retractor and a funny A/C switch, the truck was flawless till I sold it.
If I where you, I'd have the tranny pulled and completely gone thru. maybe even a new trans. Look very closely at the gears. Look at the base of the teeth for little black dots. That's what we saw at the 30K tranny work and didn't know what they were. The dealership guy said it was "normal."
Wrong. I have another friend that works on heavy deisel trucks and when I asked what they were he called them fatigue spots. 20K later, he turned out to be right, as the whole tranny let loose. (I even had the original clutch in it when the tranny went!)
Other than that darn tranny, and 1 seat belt retractor and a funny A/C switch, the truck was flawless till I sold it.
If I where you, I'd have the tranny pulled and completely gone thru. maybe even a new trans. Look very closely at the gears. Look at the base of the teeth for little black dots. That's what we saw at the 30K tranny work and didn't know what they were. The dealership guy said it was "normal."
Wrong. I have another friend that works on heavy deisel trucks and when I asked what they were he called them fatigue spots. 20K later, he turned out to be right, as the whole tranny let loose. (I even had the original clutch in it when the tranny went!)
