Why is it that the 96 model has a 2.3 liter engine, then from 97 to 01, it was a 2.5L then at some point they went back to using a 2.3? Kind of a random question but I'm curious what the reasoning behind it is

 

The two 2.3L's aren't the same motor... same displacement but the newer one is a DOHC engine.

 

I see, so why did they ever use the 2.5? Sorry if these are dumb questions but I'm trying to educate myself

 

No prob! Not sure exactly why... may have been cheaper to build them at the time, or better economy/power. Hard to say!

 

the 2.5 is actually the 2.3 engine with some different internals..... maybe a lil bigger bore and a lil different stroke..... the 2.3 IIRC is 140 ci and the 2.5 is 150-153 ci.......

 

Yeah, it's just weird that they switched 2 times in such a short span.

Also, why do you have an auto dim mirror with 5 percents? lol

 

I want to know why they're getting rid of the truck in the U.S. without ATLEAST trying to improve the damn thing like Dodge did with the Dakota and Chevy with the Colorado (obvious improvement over the S-10.)

 

^because the dont want to come anywhere close to messing with the f150 sales...if they would bring it up to the size of a tacoma they would sell more rangers than f150s...i know at work we sell A LOT more tacos than tundras

 

i have the auto dim with the 5% because i wantd the auto light function and during the summer i drive around with my rear slider open......

 

You'd think they'd want profits no matter what sells better. The Ranger has been the best seller in its class for a LONG time.. You can't go anywhere without seeing one. I wish Ford would have changed the truck with the times though. It's really stupid that GM and Chrysler was able to come out with small trucks with Crew Cabs and V8's but Ford never would.

 

actually the dakota, colorado, tacoma and frontier are considered midsize not small trucks and ford didnt want to update the ranger to compete in the midsize catagory

 

Well yeah, I meant that they were small trucks at one point, I look at Dakotas, Rangers, and S-10's from the early 90's and they all look the same size.. It's a shame Ford wouldn't improve on the truck. Maybe they'll bring it back one day like they did the Taurus.

 

regardless, Ranger > any other truck thats not fullsized.

 

idk about that...i think my next truck is gonna be a tacoma...factory e-locker on the off road pkg, full crew cab and more power...drive them all the time at work