1999 ranger 4x4 3.0. I believe my belt has jumped time.I was coming I-75 and stopped at the top of the exit ramp when I noticed a bad vibration in the truck.The temp. gauge also started to fluctuate,getting close to hot then dropping back to normal.I had the truck towed to my house from fear of making things worse,although the truck still seemed to run but when I came to red lights it was vibrating and running very ruff.Any input would be appreciated!

 

You do not have a timing belt. The Vulcan has a standard timing chain and gearset. It should last a couple hundred thousand miles if there is oil in the engine. Then, it *might* jump a tooth. Both gears are metal, so it is unlikely to fall apart like the plastic toothed gears.
I would check the coolant level, and make sure the various vacuum lines are still connected under the hood. Also check the small manifold near the power brake booster, which itself could leak and cause rough idle.
tom

 

The truck has 192,000 miles on it.I keep the oil changed on a regular basis.I will check the coolant level again and change the thermostat.Thanks for the info.

 

It could be a sensor. Did your check engine light come on. If you drive to Advance Auto Parts they will read your codes for you free and then hope to sell you the sensor, if needed.

 

The check engine light never came on,and I haven not found any vacuum lines broken other than the heater valve control vacuum line and fixing that one did not help with the rough idle and vibration.I also noticed the truck smoked like it wood if it were really cold outside when I cranked it yesterday.

 

Well, the last bit, about smoking like it would when it was cold, makes me think that you may have either a cracked cylinder head or a blown head gasket. If you are using cooland and get copious amounts of vapor out the exhaust, the above is likely.
You checked the coolant level. Did you check the radiator tank or the expansion tank level? Was it low?
The last check is to remove the spark plugs and check compression. If one or more cylinders is significantly lower than the remainder, it is a pretty good sign that you have a leak. Two adjacent cylinders low sometimes indicates a blown head gasket between the cylinders. Have fun.

tom

 

The radiator was low but the expansion tank was full and had overflowed.

 

Check the oil. If it reads too high on the dipstick, or if it looks milky, you have head gasket trouble, and you have coolant mixed in the oil.

 

Quote:The radiator was low but the expansion tank was full and had overflowed.

Guess how that happens. The leaky or cracked head is allowing combustion pressure to push the coolant out of the radiator into the expansion tank when it gets warmed up fully. If you are lucky, you won't get hydro-locked, where the coolant leaks into the cylinder as the engine cools, and then when you go to start up, the piston clangs into the un-compressible liquid and cracks or bends the connecting rod. Lots of 4.2 v-6 Fords have ended up that way due to, I think, an original defective gasket design. Get a lopey idle, and funny compression readings, but it runs... 5 of 6 doing original HP, and one laggard...
tom

 

Hey Tomw if you are out there what would you do in this situation?1999 3.0 would you repair the the engine or replace it,the truck has 192000 miles on it.Just looking for advice and I appreciate all the input you and others have given.

 

At 192k, I would not 'repair' the head problem unless the engine ran very well, used no oil, had no knocks nor rattles, etc etc. In other words, it has worked its life, and need to be rebuilt or replaced.
Depending on the condition of the truck, and how long you plan to keep it would dictate whether to do a re-man or a used engine.
Given that you could/can get used 3.0 vulcans for around $500 from what I was told, and those from Taurus/Sable bolt right in, it doesn't make sense to spend a thou in parts and labor for a re-man given that you can get a decent used for about half that. Of course prices probably are different coast to coast, north to south, but labor rates will track with boneyard engine prices. At least, they should.
Yours may have suffered cylinder wall damage, and possibly piston & ring damage if coolant washed the oil off.
My short take is see what it would cost for re-building the engine, see what a decent used engine would cost, and compare the out the door cost, and the risk that a used engine represents. Most shops that re-build locally will guarantee their work, just as most wrecking yards will guarantee the engines they sell.
If you have a 'pick-your-part', you can possibly cherry pick [like the pun...??] a good engine for ~$150 ballpark. From what I remember, all engines were a fixed price. You have to check them out yourself. What do I know? Me and my brothers loved to walk around old junkyards looking for parts and commenting on this and that. We still do.
tom

 

Yep, it sounds like ah head may have given out, or at least head gasket.

 

Tomw thanks for the input,I have a cousin who has a salvage yard in north Ga. He is pulling a engine out of a 2002 ranger he is scraping for parts.If it will work in my 1999 I will go route,it has 68,000 miles on it.