I currently own an 02 3.0L. My son likes the Rangers so I am looking into a 4 cylinder to get him started. I used to own a 90 4 cylinder that pinged like crazy unless I ran premium gas in it ( not an option with today's prices). Has the engine technology improved to where this is not a problem anymore, or does the same old problem still persist with the 4. Thanks.

 

u shoudl be able to run 87 on the n/a lima motor. I'm not sure what the problem would be though.

 

if your looking into one of the newer 4cycl ranger's I have nothing but good to say about my duratec thus far and I always use 87

 

your 90 probly had some issues with it causing the pinging because the 3.0 is known to ping a ton more than the lima 4-bangers (lima 4-bangers being the ones from 83 to 2000) so I wouldn't worry about any of them pinging, and if it does then there are things to be done to it to get it running properly. using premium gas is not a solution to pinging, only a band-aid that hides the problem.

 

Since he's asking about a FUTURE PURCHASE referencing an OLD TRUCK he NO LONGER OWNS, he's not asking how to fix the problem.

I have a 2000, and it pings. It only does it under a load on real hot and humid days, but it'll do it if I load the bed, turn on the A/C, and take off quickly. There's Seafoam treatment methods to fix this problem with my particular engine (Lima 2.5). I Seafoamed mine and cleaned the MAF with LectraMotive and the pinging vanished. It's not anything to worry about.