driftin_EmOiata

Ok, so I recently swapped my 84 GSL-SE RX7 for a 97 2.3 ranger. I'm very happy with the truck in all aspects as I just needed something a little bit bigger and more piratical. The only issue I had with the trade was the mileage, it had 272k on her, and the owner said it was the original motor and everything. A/C blew cold, doesn't leak, smoke, shifts great. I also did a compression check and all the numbers came back to almost perfect, like I just got it off the lot. Is this normal for the 2.3? I plan on pulling the drive train out of my buds 84.5 SVO and dropping it in the ranger .

Will it last me another 6 months? I don't know much about Fords, my grand father retired from Ford and he always told me to stay away and buy some Jap Crap as they are more reliable *this was also back when if a car lasted 60k, it was a good car lol*

Hurstmeister

Impossible to say. Its not uncommon for modern V8 engines to reach 300k. The vast majority of 5.0 Mustangs on the road today are in excess of 200k miles and many others are over 300k despite what the owners believe to be original mileage. The average 2v 4.6 Mustang today are between 150 - 250k. With proper routine maintenance a well cared for vehicle will last a long time. Extended oil changes of 5000 miles or more will eventually take their toll,.. despite claims of synthetic oils being able to last 5000 miles between changes. I'm a firm advocate of 3000 miles or 3 months which ever comes first.

275k on a 2.3 could be a ticking time bomb or could last another 100k. Impossible to say.

Hurst

harold harper

my 92 f150 with 300 I6 has 208,000 miles.runs like a champ.no problems what so ever.i have heard of people putting 400,ooo miles on those 2.3.just keep the oil changed and check you timing belt.

st pete chad

[quote=harold harper;8367363]my 92 f150 with 300 I6 has 208,000 miles.runs like a champ.no problems what so ever.i have heard of people putting 400,ooo miles on those 2.3.just keep the oil changed and check you timing belt.[/quote shit simons 2.3 coupe has over 350,000 miles fucker keeps going

Hurstmeister

That 300 inline 6 is as legendary for longevity as the Chrysler slant 6. Both are great motors that have been known to exceed 400k - 500k miles.

My brother bought a brand new 1990 Ford E150 Mark III conversion van and converted it for handicap use. It had a EFI 302 in it. I forget the model transmission it was.. but it wasnt an AOD. It was a little larger than the AOD but it did have OD. He sold the van last year with 412,000 on it.

I am the only one who ever did any mechanical work on it. The engine was never touched. I changed the oil ever 3000 or 3 months, I used mainly motorcraft or Fram filters and mainly used Valvoline 10w30 conventional oil it. I serviced the transmission every 30,000 miles flushing the fluid and putting in a new filter. To date the motor had never been touched. It went through 1 starter, 2 alternators, 1 AC compressor, 2 TFI modules, A few vacuum lines dry rotted and needed to be replaced. The front brake soft lines swelled and needed to be replaced. Went through 2 sets of front rotors and 1 set of calipers. The rear drums were only replaced once. I flushed and replaced the rear end fluid twice and replaced the outter seals and bearings once. Last I heard the guy who bought it is using it for his AC repair business. The only reason we sold it was because it was rusting apart. We brought it down from up north and the salty roads from the many winters up there took their toll on that poor van.

I had a funny episode with a ricers at Advanced Auto once. I bring in the calipers for cores to buy new ones. The the guy behind the counter says yeah,.. those Fords are common for having problems with those brakes. Told me I should look into upgrading them like he did on his Honda Civic. I said look dude,.. these calipers are 16 yrs old and have 375,000 miles on them. Let me know how your calipers are if they even last 200k. He just gave me a dumbfounded speechless look. The same guy tried to give me another schpeal when I came in to get brake pads for my wife's Cobra. How I should upgrade the brakes. Said he likes to stop. I said dude,.. this is for a 96 Cobra. My front rotors are 13" and the rear rotors are 11". I can see where driving a Honda you would need to upgrade the brake. This is a Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. It has 4 wheel discs with ABS. It will stop from 150mph quicker than your car will from 100 and wont experience any brake fade. Can you say the same? Again,.. dumbfounded speechless look,.. LOL

Anyway,..

I'm a firm believer in proper and routine maintenance for a daily driver. Any vehicle today will last a long time if you take care of it. I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado, I bought it with 46k and I'm up to 114K already. I plan to keep it well past 200k.

I think its funny when people advertise a car for sale and say lady own and pampered when driven. I know how my ex wife was with maintenance. Put gas in it and go. Popping the hood meant looking at something she had no idea what was there. So when ever I see a car for sale advertising as being owned or driven by a woman,. I skip right past it. Odds are the motor had never seen daylight except when something broke.

Hurst

Stealth Mode

Keep oil in the 300-I6/I6 Chrysler and they run longer than you will live.

Tiffiny

I had an 88 turbo coupe i personally put 230 thousand plus miles on over 10 years.

fastforward

My parents had a 302 V8 LTD back in the 80's. We sold it to a family friend. It had well over 500,000 miles on it by the time he got rid of it. Original motor, never rebuilt. My pop also had a 4.0 liter Explorer in the early 90's. He sold it years ago with 375,000 on the clock. And he pulled car trailers pretty regularly with it. LAst I heard its still currently on the road as a currier vehicle for a business. Original motor.

I've since personally have/had 3 other Fords, all with pretty high miles.
I scoff at anyone that thinks Fords are less than others. I see no reason why that little anemic 2.3 liter can't still be strong all these years later.

Here's a Ford that's been driven hard its whole life and currently has 1.2 million miles on the odo.
Home

Just Dave

A friend of mine has an 87 Ranger with over 400k miles on it. The thing is actually in pretty good shape. The 2.3 won't rev high enough to break internal parts, and it doesn't make enough HP to tear up driveline stuff.

Keep in mind the turbo motors are very strong, but don't expect 300k out of one of those.

figment

my dad put 650k on his f150 302, rebuilt the tranny and put a rear in it but the 302 was never touched, the guy that bought it off my dad is still driving it.