Recently i was on craigslist and saw an add for a 03 ranger with a 302 in it, i offered to trade my ranger for his and he seems interested. This is the link to the truck 03 ranger 302 , my only concern is that it is a carbed v8 and i dont know if this will be a reliable engine, basically im looking for insight as to whether this would be a wise choice.
This is HIS truck


This is MY truck

 

If your asking if a Carbed engine can be reliable, the answer is yes. But there is way too many variables to know if the engine that guy built is a good engine. I'd just talk to him. See if he's had any problems with it.

 

What are your smog laws? If its anything like CA then that truck won't pass.

 

A carbed truck can be reliable, they were for many decades, and you always have the choice of converting it to EFI down the road if you really wanted to. Try and get more info on the motor and post it up.

 

and take your DC-1s with you!!!

 

personally for the value amount of your truck vs. the value of his truck, you could easily put that into V8 yourself. V8 and all, I wouldnt do it.

 

Me personally i wouldent trade l like the body style you got, which looks like my 02 edge, but i would buy and rebuild and drop my own 302 if i put so much time, money and care into my truck then buy someone elses truck but thats just me

 

DONT do it. Your truck is way better IMO. If you want a 302, swap one in yourself out of a exploder. Don't go carbed, yeah it can be reliable, but putting a carbed engine in a 2003 truck is just dumb to me. If you ever need to pass emissions, you WILL fail. Period. Besides, I imagine nothing works in the truck, no gauges, no cruise, no AC, etc... Keep your truck.

 

DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Billabong,
How has this turned out ?
This is post may be late...

That is a sharp truck on e-bay, I like the short bed, it has the 302 already in and it is a year newer from what is being said.
From the pics the guy takes care of his vehicle.
No way to tell what has been done to the engine except as stated ask him, the engine is clean though.

I would do it, the conversion is completed and running, all that is needed down the road is EFI conversion; intake and cam shaft.

Find out if it is a roller cam block, 5.0L block or a standard card version, small differences. Did the original engine come with a Carb ?