What year of the Ranger has the roller cam in it? Is one year more reliable or better than the other? Thanks, as I plan on spending Monday at U Pull It.
Are you talking the 2.8 V6? I know that my '84 Bronco II had a 2.8 V6 and car people in general looked at it as being a cruddy engine. However, Ford used a 2.9 Mazda engine in its Bronco IIs starting in '87 (maybe '86?) that was supposed to be far superior.
So I'd say look for an '87 and up Ranger/Bronco II if you're looking for the V6.
i believe he is talking the 2.3. it's the same as the mustangs with the 2.3s and so are the heads. I was told to take the whole head if i could, just because it would be easier, and faster. I believe and mustang with a 2.3 had it, and any rangers with the 2.3 had it, i'm not positive about the ranger though.
Just make sure it's a 4 spark plug head and not a 8 plug head.
Guess I should have stated 2.3 for the record. I could take the time to look at the motor but the place I usually go has the year grease penciled on it which would make it easier. I do plan on pulling the entire head. Thanks folks!
Get a 97 ranger roller cam.
Quote from: Poison Pinto on July 14, 2004, 02:58:20 PM
Are you talking the 2.8 V6? I know that my '84 Bronco II had a 2.8 V6 and car people in general looked at it as being a cruddy engine. However, Ford used a 2.9 Mazda engine in its Bronco IIs starting in '87 (maybe '86?) that was supposed to be far superior.
So I'd say look for an '87 and up Ranger/Bronco II if you're looking for the V6.
Actualy, the 2.8 v6 and 2.9 are pretty much the same ford engine. The 2.9 had evenly spaced exhaust/intake ports, efi, and hydraulic lifters. Other than that, everything else pretty much stayed the same. BUT...
the only way the 2.9 is better than the 2.8 is the power. The 2.9's have a habbit of leaky valvecovers, Lifter ticks from poor upper oiling, and the heads will crack if you look at them wrong. Many a 2.9 has gone to the scrap heap with 30,000 miles because it got a little warm at a stoplight with the ac on.
-Harry
That sounds just like the 2.8 I had in my Bronco. Especially the part about lifter tick. I never got much into the 2.8...the only thing I ever did with it was swap in a new distributor (a major pain in the firewall, btw). Anyway, I was told by a couple mechanics that the lifter tick was part of the design of the 2.8.
All I know is that the 2.8 in a light truck was a dog. I had one in my Mustang II and never had any problems with it. But it did have lifter tick (I'm almost positive it wasn't the original 2.8, though).
the 2.8's had solid lifters i believe (that would explain the tick)
my 88 Bronco II had the 2.9 auto had 195K miles on it when I sold it. Had the valve cover leak but didn't smoke or burn oil. I was a 4X4 auto too!
Ah, yes, I do remember me now. Yes, the "solid lifter" is what the mechanic types refered to when they said it was normal for a 2.8.