Hi there

Im currently thinking about a 2010 Ranger 4cyl with 5speed (regular cab).

The regular cab has a 3.73 rear end but the 4cyl extra cab has a 4.10 rear end?

I'm going for ultimate economy and I'm only going to be hauling light loads (Atv / motorcycles etc...) . so I would like to get the Revs down on the highway.

Can the 3.55 from the V6? be swapped into the 4cyl 5speed?
Has anyone done this? / do you know what it drops the revs to on the highway? / is it a labour&parts intensive swap?

thanks

Will

 

the best advice i can give you is DONT BUY A NEW TRUCK! look for a lightly used or older vehicle. new vehicles are priced ridiculously high and the money you save from buying used is totally worth it.

 

x2 on that. you save soo much money if you look for a gently used one. im still kicking myself for buying my brand new.

 

gearing isnt as simple as that. going to a higher rear gear wont always get you better MPG. If the engine spends all its time lugging your MPG goes out the door.

I would check the MPG ratings of trucks with different engine/rear gear combos. you might be suprised.

 

keeping the revolutions down on the highway isnt always good. you have to have good rpm to keep the engine at a good smooth operation range to get optimum fuel mileage.

you will not want 3.55s with a 4cyl unless you gut the truck to make it weigh even less.

 

Um

here is my perspective.

-The dealer will give me a fair price for my trade(about what I've been offered privately), and by trading in a car worth more than the ranger I'm not going to pay tax on the ranger (paid it already on the first car) thats a savings of 13% (which I would pay on a used car) = + 1 for new truck

-2010 has standard Vehicle Stability Control and Tire Pressure Monitoring (did 2009 and older have this???)

-2010 has full manufacturers warranty coverage

-2010 hasn't been raped by someone / used as a delivery truck or otherwise abused

Most importantly, Ford Canada is offering $2500 off the new Ranger, AND they have a deal with COSTCO that gives another $1000 off.

Factor in the tax savings by trading in my car, and the $3500 off and I'm going to be getting a brand new 2010 for less than the dealer is advertising used 2007's

I'm even getting it a couple thousand less than in the United States (retail)

Just so you know the final price

I'm talking $12,900 on the road for a regular cab or $13,700 on the road for an extended cab 4 cylinder

At those prices, with the added features of a 2010 / nobody has ever touched it before / its got full factory warranty etc..etc.... I'm crazy not to buy new.

Sure there are some local Rangers used for around $10,000 (Canadian) but they all have around 100,000km

 

the 4cyl 5 speed that I test drove had the 3.73 rear end (it was a regular cab) and it seemed to be able to pull it no problem

it felt like it could pull a lower gear and not be lugging.

 

I totally agree that there is such thing as having the engine go to low (outside of its useful power band)

I didn't think going from the 3.73 to the 3.55 would be drastic enough to cause problems.

I figured it would only drop it around 300-500rpm which would be fine with me.

 

I went through the same thing when looking at new vs used. I got my 09 4.0L supercab Sport for just over $16K. The only ones in that price range used weren't what i wanted.

09s did have the Tire pressure minotoring (at least US trucks)

stability control, rear discs and side airbags are new for '10.

Do they offer a Sport with the 4 banger? They supposedly all come with a console and buckets now. Might be fun.

BTW at 65/70 mph in my truck I'm around 2250 rpms on the freeway. with the 4.0L. I dont know if the OD gearing is the same with the 4cyl but its it shoudlnt be too far off. my milage has never been that great with this truck though. I get typically 17.7-18.5 mpg out of it (average). My old 3.0L with a stick (with the same size tires) got on average 19.5.

 

Honestly, the mileage (or kilometerage? kiloage? lol) numbers being pulled out of a 2.3L are outstanding as it is. They're geared correctly from the factory to deliver both good performance, good economy, and keep the engine in it's powerband in stock form(stock tires). 4 bangers like rpms. You may see a DROP in mileage because of 3.55 gears if they're swapped in.

From the factory: 4.10 for xcab because of the added weight. Reg cab 5spds are 3.73....reg cab autos are 4.10 because of the power sucked up by the trans.

 

For what its worth (since you're talking reg cab and duratech motor), my 97 2.3 extended cab has 4.10s (checked the diff and door) and sometimes on the highway I wish it had even more gear just to hold speed against a strong gust of wind lol. But I have to agree with others, my Lima would lug with any taller gear, and the 22-25 mpg it returns at 2800 rpm on the highway is darn impressive. If it were me I'd leave the 3.73 or even put 4.10s in there, it would probably still beat my trucks mpg by a good margin.

 

^^Remember....130ft/lb(when new) engine(the 2.3L lima) compared to a 154ft/lb engine(2.3 Duratec).

Lima 2.3/2.5's torque curve is nice and down low...in the 2500 range. Duratec's is up at 3750rpms. Basically....duratechs LOVE rpms and they're more efficient turning fast and not lugging. PLus....they're screamers compared to the Lima's. 3.73 reg cab and 4.10 xcab with the Dura is probably the best as it can be on stock sized tires.

 

I totally forgot about the side airbags and rear discs for 2010. I know the 4cyl has the airbags but I'm not certain about the rear discs, in one spot the brochure says rear discs but in another spot I think it said rear drums?

maybe the value leader base model regular cab has rear drums?

I think you can get the sport with the 4cyl(in the extended cab), but honestly thats not what I care about. To me a truck is a truck (not a car) if its got a crappy interior (which it does), I'm okay with it because its to be expected.

As for rpms - I think the 4cyl 5spd I drove was closer to 3000rpm at around 65mph

 

All, are valid points I just felt like the 4cyl 5speed regular cab base model that I drove, could have handled a little lower revs on the highway without being stressed.

 

whats all of this Lima / Duratec talk?

presumably the base engine (4cyl) changed within the last little while? (to a Duratec)

now I'm thinking more of the base 4cyl 5speed regular cab instead of the 4cyl 5spd extra cab, just because of the slightly lower weight? / and the 3.73 instead of the 4.10(thats in the extra cab)

W

 

I bought new and i dont regret it . my 2.3 auto with 4.10s gets between 22-26 city and 32-35 highway. it has Tpms. wish i had all wheel disc brakes from factory.

 

i went to the dealed to price out a new one yesterday and they are $6000 off for february with another $1000 off for costco members AND another $1000 off if you have a junker GM or chrysler vehicle. the deals are even better for a new F150. it was going to be cheaper for me to buy a brand new 2010 extended cab 4x4 than the 2008 2wd sitting on the lot

 

it was the same situation for me, that the used Trucks weren't even a consideration

Seemed stupid.

At one point the salesman at the Stealership was trying to pitch me on a used 2007 (now 3 years old) without discs / without side airbags / without TPMS or Stability control

for within a $1000 of the Brand new one (which also has full warranty!!!)

Granted the used one had a cap and a set of snow tires, but I don't want a cap and I can get snow tires for a couple hundred.

 

Yeah. 01.5+ trucks are powered by the same 2.3L DOHC Duratec that you're looking at getting. The poster I was replying to has the older, alot less powered 4cyl OHV Lima engine. They're two totally different engines. I was just pointing out the differences.