Purchasing: '02 Ranger

[Halfnuts]

The Vitals: 57 thousand miles on the clock, with a 3.0L V-6. It is a 4WD "Edge Plus" according to the dealership website...
Help me out, here, guys! What do I need to watch out for on this truck in terms of notorious gremlins!? How many Transmission options were there? Are any of those Trans's bad? Are there known issues with the 4WD system? Transfer case? Hubs? What about the engine, is the 3.0 a sound motor that'll be good past 100k miles? 150k?
There's no question I need a vehicle ASAP, but we all know how it turns out when you buy too quickly!
Thank you all!
~Ken

 

[chbtech]

I have an older Ranger but just browsing the posts in this forum I spotted the following problems that seem to be common:

- Slip yoke binding, last post 02-19-2007, 3:34pm

- faulty fuel pump/sensor, last post 01-28-2007, 11:14am

- 4x4 & Hub problems, last post 01-27-2007, 12:03am and 01-20-2007, 12:01pm

The guys that drive one can fill you in much more of course, but this might get you started on a research path.

 

[Red FX4]

There are a couple items that can be potential problems on the 02 Ranger. The clutch master and slave cylinders seem to have a high failure rate although many do not have problems with them. The slip joint has been reported to be somewhat problematic but I have no problems with mine in 70,000 miles. There is also an easy fix for the slip joint problem, lube it with a good quality grease. I have never heard of a problem in the fuel pump area.

There are basically only two transmissions for the 3.0 engine, 5 spd manual and 5 spd automatic. I have heard a lot of complaints about the automatic but many have no problems with it. The transfer case seems to be a good one.

There are no locking hubs on the 02 Ranger. It has a live axle and the front drive-train is engaged all the time but you can disengage the power to it so you will be in 2WD. This system seems to be very reliable and only reduces the gas mileage by 0.3 mpg according to Ford engineers.

The 3.0 engine is a very durable one. Some complain it is low on power but should last well over 200,000 miles with good maintenance and little abuse.

 

[Halfnuts]

well, the scenario has changed, and it looks like I'll be trading the X for an '03 ranger FX4 with a 4.0 SOHC and automatic... 73k miles
Any issues out there with this combo??

 

[KLW]

I wouldn't touch a 4.0sohc with a 10ft pole! Maybe the problems have been ironed out b 03. I worked on one sohc and that's the last one! Back to the 02 Ranger 3.0. Somewhere in those yrs there was a problem with valves eating into the heads. The repair was to replace the heads. I performed this job on a customer's with I believe around 130,000 miles. I would like to get one with a bad engine and fix myself. 3.0's were great engines but somewhere someone goofed on a few yrs in there. The full size Dodge 5.2 and or 5.9's had the same problems.

 

[dkchrist]

many have not had many problems with 4.0 sohc it is a good engine with many on the forum having more than 120,000 miles and not many reportable problems. I personally have one in a 03 ranger and love it. it has enough power to do just about whatever and still not to shabby on fuel

 

[Red FX4]

I have had no problems at all with my 4.0 SOHC engine with 70,000 miles on it. The biggest complaint I have heard about it is timing chain rattle. It seems to be more of a problem on pre-02 Rangers but I heard some complaints on 02 and later years.

I think the 4.0 SOHC engine is great. Plenty of power for what I do and I tow a race car a lot. I get around 15.5 to 16 mpg city and that is slightly better than the 89 2.9L 4WD ranger that I had.

I don't now much about the automatic transmission.

The 03 has larger front brake rotors and that is something I think was a needed improvement. It also has thicer windows which ads a little weight but reduces noise.

 

[KLW]

I would hope that the chains last 70k miles! Just look out for the repair bill when they do need work. Like I said, the earlier ones did indeed have problems but I'm not sure if or when they were corrected.

 

[Red FX4]

The vehicles that had a problem with timing chain rattle usually had it at low mileage. Then they seemed to continue to have problems even after the repair. From what I have seen, the engines that did not have problems early in there life were good to go for a long time.

The chains themselves were not the problem, it was the chain tensioner guide or something in that area that were defective.