One of my younger brothers is getting 2 of these Rangers handed to him at no charge. He is a highschool student and will be a senior this coming fall, so this will be his first vehicle. One of the trucks has been a daily driver for a LONG time, the guy that owns it still drives it daily...in fact I saw it this morning. The other one will be used for parts if needed. I know nothing about these trucks, I do know that is has a 4 banger and a manual, but thats it. So if any of you have any info to share I would love to hear it! Also, I must ask the obligatory question, what oil and filter should I run on it? Ill post pics when he gets them, shouldn't be any later than a month from now.
1988-1992 Ford Ranger...info needed
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Nick1994
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Are both of them 4 cylinder manuals? I don't think the 2.9L V6 engines were very good. I had a 1986 Ranger with the 2.9L and automatic. The truck was total junk but I'm sure it depends on each individual vehicle. They're extremely easy to work on, plenty of room under the hood to change stuff like alternators and radiators.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Are both of them 4 cylinder manuals? I don't think the 2.9L V6 engines were very good. I had a 1986 Ranger with the 2.9L and automatic. The truck was total junk but I'm sure it depends on each individual vehicle. They're extremely easy to work on, plenty of room under the hood to change stuff like alternators and radiators.
I know they both have manuals, and I know at least 1 (the daily driver) has a 4 cylinder.
Are both of them 4 cylinder manuals? I don't think the 2.9L V6 engines were very good. I had a 1986 Ranger with the 2.9L and automatic. The truck was total junk but I'm sure it depends on each individual vehicle. They're extremely easy to work on, plenty of room under the hood to change stuff like alternators and radiators.
I know they both have manuals, and I know at least 1 (the daily driver) has a 4 cylinder.
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
There's not much to tell. They're easy to work on. Like any car, they like fresh fluids. Try to get him to drive responsibly. Don't run to amsoil.com and get $300 worth of fluids for a $500 truck.
Lol, thanks for the advice but I am not into Amsoil. It will probably get PYB or a quality OTC HM oil. Guessing it takes 5w30? Does anybody know what size filter it takes?
There's not much to tell. They're easy to work on. Like any car, they like fresh fluids. Try to get him to drive responsibly. Don't run to amsoil.com and get $300 worth of fluids for a $500 truck.
Lol, thanks for the advice but I am not into Amsoil. It will probably get PYB or a quality OTC HM oil. Guessing it takes 5w30? Does anybody know what size filter it takes?
I know the 2.3 takes the big FL1A filter. Only one I've dealt with was a friends 1994 and it was a rock solid little truck. He was terrible with maintenance I remember draining less than a quart out of it multiple times and it never complained. When I changed his it usually got supertec 10w-30 and a FL1A. His had the dual spark plug motor. not sure if they were this way in the earlier trucks or not.. I think it will be a good first car.
I had an 1986 Ranger that I actually liked and a 1991 that I used for commuting. The 1991 had the 4 banger. It had eight spark plugs and no distributor. The manual transmission was a Mazda and it was easy to change fluids in it. The suspension actually had grease fittings. It was not exactly reliable because it always had something failing, but the drive train was problem free. I had problems with the electrical, AC, suspension, and clutch issues.
Easy to work on though.
Easy to work on though.
Best info on the net I've found is FRF (fordrangerforum.com)---sign up and search, search, search!
Those were good little trucks - especially with the 5 speed. Change that timing belt, though! Not an interference engine, but from what my cousin tells me, changing the timing belt on the side of the road isn't as fun as it sounds.
He had two and ran them both to ridiculous mileage for NYS before they died of rust.
He had two and ran them both to ridiculous mileage for NYS before they died of rust.
The '88 will probably only be useful as a parts vehicle if it has the same engine and transmission as the '92, or if you need something like a door or tailgate. Ford was frequently updating and changing things on the Ranger during this time. Lights, trim, interior, etc. will all be different between 1988 and 1992. 1989 was a major update, as was 1993. Therangerstation.com is probably the most comprehensive website for older Rangers, but is geared more towards the off road crowd (though there are tons of resources there for all old Rangers).
Most I4s after 1987 have the Mazda M5OD manual, but the Mitsubishi and Toyo Kogyo manuals were used in some applications up to 1991/2. The transmissions are pretty easy to distinguish visually. Mitsubishi transmissions have an oil pan, Mazda ones don't. Most importantly, the Mitsu/TK transmissions used gear oil, and the Mazda used ATF (or a manual transmission specific fluid if you choose). I use GM Synchromesh in mine. The Mazda transmissions are known to leak from the rubber plugs behind the shifter, so check for signs of leaks near the top of the transmission. They also leak from the inner shifter boot plate that caps off the bushings. Dorman has a kit to replace the shifter bushings that includes a new boot/plate for around $20. M5ODs last a long time if the fluid level and condition are maintained.
The 2.3L went to the dual spark plug head sometime in the early 1990s, but I don't know what year specifically. Both versions are reliable engines, but the one with just four plugs is obviously half (or less) the work and half the parts to do a tune up on. The dual spark plug models had a slight HP/TQ advantage, but it was mostly done for emissions.
Generally speaking, most care and maintenance on these trucks is very easy. I can change the fluid in both diffs, the t-case, and trans in my 1994 in under an hour, and the most time consuming part is pumping in new fluid. There are lots of easy little maintenance things you can do under the hood like cleaning the IAC and throttle body.
Make sure the air intake duct doesn't have any holes and the rubber rings around the clamps are in usable shape. Also make sure the air filter box seals up and both of the push in nuts on the bottom half are still there. The air filter setup in these trucks is actually very simple and easy to clean/service, but simply due to their age and the number of hands that have been on them at quick lubes and the like, many are mangled up or not sealed well.
Check the suspension out to make sure everything is right with it. Look for cracks in the radius arm bushings (on frame below doors). Check the tires for unusual wear. If there's lots of negative camber it will eat tires quickly. A well sorted TIB suspension is tough as nails and actually drives pretty nice. One that is neglected or damaged might have a serious tire appetite. The steering linkage is all greaseable through 1997.
There's really not much to these trucks. They just use the cheapest normal fluids you can get at any parts store or Wal-Mart, and a fluid extractor will make any fluid change a piece of cake. Change the fluids, make sure the a/f and its duct work are good, check the brakes and wheel bearings, check and replace the hoses if old/original, and go from there. Rockauto is not surprisingly a great place to get Ranger parts...have found $4 Motorcraft coolant temp sensors, $66 Motorcraft reman MAFs, $8 Prestolite plug wire sets, etc. LMC Truck has a pretty comprehensive restoration/reproduction catalog for the Ranger, and NPD carries some reproduction body panels, bumpers, etc.
IMO, 1989-1994 is sort of an ideal year range for these trucks. They had very modern engine management for the time (MAF sensor, EEC-IV on most models), but were still very simple and easy to work on. For example, the heater core can be replaced on a 1994 model in well under an hour with basic tools. On a 1995 model, the book time is around 8 hours and the known short cuts don't knock a whole lot off that. While my newer truck is my daily driver, it's not for reliability reasons, the newer truck is just more comfortable and doesn't have mud tires on it.
Good luck with it and have fun. As for oil and filter, a '92 Ranger is about as non-picky as it gets.
Most I4s after 1987 have the Mazda M5OD manual, but the Mitsubishi and Toyo Kogyo manuals were used in some applications up to 1991/2. The transmissions are pretty easy to distinguish visually. Mitsubishi transmissions have an oil pan, Mazda ones don't. Most importantly, the Mitsu/TK transmissions used gear oil, and the Mazda used ATF (or a manual transmission specific fluid if you choose). I use GM Synchromesh in mine. The Mazda transmissions are known to leak from the rubber plugs behind the shifter, so check for signs of leaks near the top of the transmission. They also leak from the inner shifter boot plate that caps off the bushings. Dorman has a kit to replace the shifter bushings that includes a new boot/plate for around $20. M5ODs last a long time if the fluid level and condition are maintained.
The 2.3L went to the dual spark plug head sometime in the early 1990s, but I don't know what year specifically. Both versions are reliable engines, but the one with just four plugs is obviously half (or less) the work and half the parts to do a tune up on. The dual spark plug models had a slight HP/TQ advantage, but it was mostly done for emissions.
Generally speaking, most care and maintenance on these trucks is very easy. I can change the fluid in both diffs, the t-case, and trans in my 1994 in under an hour, and the most time consuming part is pumping in new fluid. There are lots of easy little maintenance things you can do under the hood like cleaning the IAC and throttle body.
Make sure the air intake duct doesn't have any holes and the rubber rings around the clamps are in usable shape. Also make sure the air filter box seals up and both of the push in nuts on the bottom half are still there. The air filter setup in these trucks is actually very simple and easy to clean/service, but simply due to their age and the number of hands that have been on them at quick lubes and the like, many are mangled up or not sealed well.
Check the suspension out to make sure everything is right with it. Look for cracks in the radius arm bushings (on frame below doors). Check the tires for unusual wear. If there's lots of negative camber it will eat tires quickly. A well sorted TIB suspension is tough as nails and actually drives pretty nice. One that is neglected or damaged might have a serious tire appetite. The steering linkage is all greaseable through 1997.
There's really not much to these trucks. They just use the cheapest normal fluids you can get at any parts store or Wal-Mart, and a fluid extractor will make any fluid change a piece of cake. Change the fluids, make sure the a/f and its duct work are good, check the brakes and wheel bearings, check and replace the hoses if old/original, and go from there. Rockauto is not surprisingly a great place to get Ranger parts...have found $4 Motorcraft coolant temp sensors, $66 Motorcraft reman MAFs, $8 Prestolite plug wire sets, etc. LMC Truck has a pretty comprehensive restoration/reproduction catalog for the Ranger, and NPD carries some reproduction body panels, bumpers, etc.
IMO, 1989-1994 is sort of an ideal year range for these trucks. They had very modern engine management for the time (MAF sensor, EEC-IV on most models), but were still very simple and easy to work on. For example, the heater core can be replaced on a 1994 model in well under an hour with basic tools. On a 1995 model, the book time is around 8 hours and the known short cuts don't knock a whole lot off that. While my newer truck is my daily driver, it's not for reliability reasons, the newer truck is just more comfortable and doesn't have mud tires on it.
Good luck with it and have fun. As for oil and filter, a '92 Ranger is about as non-picky as it gets.
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