My son has a 2000 Ford Ranger, 4WD Ext can 6 cyl, about 130K. A few years back the heater core went out. Since he was headed to Florida I just bypassed it. Estimates to repair were either side of a grand, very labor intensive. He wasn't going to need it for a while so I kicked that candont the road.

He came back home with the truck this spring. Had it run through the shop before he left for the long trip home. Brakes had been recently done front and back, cooling system had some work so it should have been good to go. Just before leaving it was slow to start, cranking more than usual. He had the shop check that out at that time and they replaced plugs and wires. Still slow to start after that but no time to take it back to them before we left. We pulled a UHaul trailer back on the 1,500 mile trip and it did ok. Not long after getting back it would barely start, if at all. Got it to my mechanic who I trust implicitly and he told me the #5 cylinder has no compression.

So now at this point the truck needs both a heater core and either an engine or a rebuild. For me that's $2500 (low side) - $3000 in repairs. Not sure I want to stick that kind of money into it.

Fixing it myself is not an option. I don't have the time, knowledge or facilities for either of those projects. I found a used engine online with 78k on it, 5 year warranty for $1,230 (plus install, $500 I'm sure) or one from a local junk yard for $600.

So I have the choice of dumping $2-3K into it or sell it with full disclosure as a mechanics special. Not sure what I'd get for that, $1,000? More? I'm sure a shade tree mechanic could put some blood and sweat into it and turn it.

Anyone have any useful input?

I’d do it, if you’re going to keep it. 130K isn’t that much for an 18 y/o pickup. The little Rangers are fairly tough for their size.

Trust or not, get a second opinion.

+1
I'd get it fixed. It's 4WD. And those little pickups are handy as a pocket on a shirt. It will be difficult to replace it with anything likely to be better for the money the repairs will cost.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arfmel,

If you like the truck and the body/frame are in good shape I'd fix it. I'd put that used engine with a warranty in it (if your mechanic concurs).

Unless you can buy something fairly new, I'd rather put money into a vehicle you know the history of and compared to replacing it with another used similar vehicle.

That's my 2 cents.

Check advance auto or other major parts house for a rebuilt engine, shold be found for $1100 or so, you get a shop to replace it ($500-$1000) and you get another 15 years out if the truck.

So long as the road salt hasn't eaten the frame and body away, it's probably cheaper to put the money in.

Long time family friend has had two rangers of similar vintage run to 300K with mostly maintenance. - One needed a trans rebuild and the other I think needed a timing set and head gaskets at 225K, both cologne v6 4x4s

So what were the compression readings and was the carb wide open??
Sounds like you have a bad starter or/and a weak battery.

i have a 98 Ranger that is still going strong. It has about 190k. I've kept it up with regular maintenance, but put a rebuilt tranny in it a year ago. Burns almost no oil (half quart between oil changes), simple, string, great box frame, tough as nails, goes when you press the gas and stops when you press the breaks. The AC works good, it's a damn tough little truck. I don't drive it anymore, one of my children has it, but I still service it and keep it maintained. I'll keep it running as long as it rolls. Believe it or not, I run full synthetic oil, and it doesn't leak. When the tranny shop put in the rebuilt tranny, I think they replaced the real main oil seal, which means I may be able to see this little truck just keep on truckin. It has old crank windows, and those things can't break or wear out, so the rain will always stay outside of the cab, ha ! I'll just junk it when it tells me it's time to go, it's up to the truck not me.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
So what were the compression readings and was the carb wide open??
Sounds like you have a bad starter or/and a weak battery.

I didn't get the compression readings from him but I'm certain this is not a battery or starter issue.

quote:

Originally posted by BRL:

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
So what were the compression readings and was the carb wide open??
Sounds like you have a bad starter or/and a weak battery.

I didn't get the compression readings from him but I'm certain this is not a battery or starter issue.

I have had cars with low compression and never had a problem starting. All were within 10 percent but the compression was around 90 to 100 versus 150 psi new.

When taking compression readings, you need to prop the carb wide open or you will get a low reading.

Kind of a tough call. $3000 is getting pretty close to more than it is worth, but is also what, four or five payments on a new truck? How is the rest of it? If severely rusted, particularly on the frame, I'd say no. Also, which V6 does it have? The 3.0 and 4.0 pushrod engines are fine, but the 4.0 SOHC is a POS.

Thats a tough choice. Those trucks are good but that a good chunk to drop all at once into an older truck.

I'm suppressed it will not start with bad compression on one cylinder. Also that it drove fine and is now dead without hearing/feeling anything when driving.

I had a four cylinder was burning oil in one cylinder. Then one day when driving it made a noise and lost a good bit of power. I was able to drive it home but knew something was wrong.

Did a few test including a compression test. One cylinder wouldn't hold anything. Took the engine apart and one of the valves was broken on that cylinder. Replace all the valves on that cylinder and the piston rings as I believed they where the original problem with oil bypassing.

It was fairly inexpensive since I did it myself but took like two month since I didn't have time.

If the engine turns over ok(it must to do a compression test), still has oil and things look ok I would expect it to start. Run rough but start.

I had a tranny (salvaged from a wreck) put in my Nissan Frontier when it was 14 years old, to the tune of $1000. It's still running four years later, with nothing buy routine maintenance since then. I saved a hell of a lot of money by spending that $1000. If the body and frame are in good shape, I'd say replace the engine and keep on trucking. (pun intended!)

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
So what were the compression readings and was the carb wide open??
Sounds like you have a bad starter or/and a weak battery.

Carb?

I'm fairly certain every engine Ford put in the 2000 Rangers have fuel injection, not carburetors.

IIRC, the Rangers had FI as far back as the early 90s, possibly the late 80s.

quote:

IIRC, the Rangers had FI as far back as the early 90s, possibly the late 80s.

My '85 had it...2.3L multi-port EFI...updated Pinto engine...tough as nails.

If it were mine, I’d lean heavily to fix, if no rust. My Ranger hauls all the work I wanna do at a time, on the 2.3L 4, 2wd, with 114k miles.

Not familiar with that engine but...
I tend to lean towards rebuilding, that way I know what I have.

That thing should have been noticeably missing.
Zero compression on no 5! None at all?

That's not that many miles...
When I had a similar issue I had a mechanic Scope the cyl in question and do a leak down test to help determine where the problem was. Found two badly burnt valves. Pulled the head got a valve job and she was good to go.

I'd probably look into getting a short block from Jasper or similar. Also, the heater core should be quite a bit easier (less $) with the engine out. If you put in a new/rebuilt engine at least you know you have that going forward (plus you retain the stuff from the recent tune up, brakes and cooling system fixes). If you sell it for cheap and buy something else, you're just getting something with a bunch of unknowns.

As the poster above me said, you really need to have the mechanic figure out why it has low/no compression. It's either ring or valve related. Getting a new short block won't help you if it's head/valve related. Simply pulling a rocker cover might show you if it's valve related. If it's rings, a short block might be your best option. If it's valve related, it might just need head work. No need to do both if you can figure which it is.

quote:

Originally posted by BRL:
Got it to my mechanic who I trust implicitly and he told me the #5 cylinder has no compression.

Not sure if your engine is an I6, and this may be a long shot at one problem. The Toyota 2F engine (FJ-40, FJ-60) exhibited this problem with #5 cylinder due to a vacuum leak. This is because the vacuum outlet from the intake manifold to the brake booster was located right above #5 cylinder on the intake. When it leaked, it seriously leaned out the air-fuel mixture right above #5, and damage ensued.
 
There may be several other problems going on, but one thing to check is for a leak in that hose or in the booster itself. Many 2F's pulled exhibited that typical damage on #5.
 
Good luck.