1968 Ford Ranger / Swapping out the engine.
<hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225); background-color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> I have come into possession of a 1968 Ford <nobr style="color: darkgreen; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%;" id="itxt_nobr_1_0">Ranger</nobr>, and I intend to restore it.

I want to swap out the engine for a newer, more efficient one. I don't want or need a ton of power, I'm more concerned with getting good gas mileage. Any advice on what to look for or how to proceed?

Thanks!

 

Welcome to FTE

What 'good gas mileage' do you expect to get with a truck of this vintage?

You can spend a grand or ten grand, but all you are doing is wasting your money. And all the money spent attempting to improve MPG will buy one heck of a lot of gasoline.

Even if you went with a EFI 300 I-6, your city MPG will be the same (8-12). You might get 18-20 MPG on the highway IF you drive 60 MPH.

These trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick. A gallon of regular gas was 20-25 cents when they were new. Back then...no one gave a hoot about MPG.

 

ND is correct. If you want to save gas, but not money, consider:

--240 CID six

--Mazda M5OD trans. with a 3.25 rear axle ratio OR T18/NP435 with 3.00 or 2.75 ratio.

Equip your 240 with a long-tube header, and a properly tuned stock 1bbl and intake.

Use a stock sized tire, something like a 225 - 75 x 15.

You should be able to get 20 mpg at 55mph that way.

 

The newer Fuel Injected engines seem to get better mileage, mostly because they are always in a good state of tune. These old trucks, when tuned properly, can get around 15 mpg if driven nicely, but very rarely will you see any better than that. Even if you swap in a newer FI 351W or 5.0, you won't see much better mileage. You will get much better drivablility, and won't have to worry about filing the points on the side of the road, though.

 

i personally vouch for 15 mpg with a 390 but then again i get given the bird by miss daisy for my slow speed and now i have biger tires and am not a low rider any more problibly will never see 15 again except mabey down hill with a tail wind.

lots of guys with six bangers will claim 18 mpg tops w/ gentle driving.

as stated above just drive gentle and keep your truck in shape don't worry about mpgs.
instead worry about monthly gas consumption.
who cares if you are getting 15 or 50 as long as a tank of gas lasts most of a week right? even hondas need a full tank once a week

 

i just looked at your name and i think mabey this is a "mother earth" issue about polution not about money savings.

if it is a polution issue and money is not the root of this then.
you could convert to lpg
slap in a diesle *a new one* that is set to run biodiesle
convert to e85


if you can't afford any of those you could always drop in 1 - 2 gallons per tank some white lightning or denatured alkie

 

if you do a 03 crown vic swap then that should drop some lbs
meaning cut out the old front end look at carcrafters build he gets 31 mpgs

 

It sounds to me like you are asking for the impossible. If you are going to restore it, then do so. If you want good gas mileage, go get a car with good gas mileage.

Trucks aren't intended to get great gas mileage, they are designed to serve other uses.