I have a 2002 Edge, 3.0L, automatic. When accelerating hard, it feels like I am destroying the engine, it whines so loud, like I'm towing a 40 foot camper. Like I'm in 1st gear at 60. When I tell the cruise to resume, it resumes slowly till the last 5 mph, then it slams hard, snaps my neck back like I floored it, revs stupid loud. 15mpg. Can I have this thing geared higher or something to relieve this? I don't know anything about how this works, but I was told it was pretty simple to have done.

 

2002 Ranger
3.0l engine
Assuming automatic?

3.0l OHV Vulcan engine is a HIGH RPM engine by design
Most engines make best power/torque at 2,500 to 2,900rpm
3.0l makes best power/torque at 3,500 to 3,900rpm
So it NEEDS higher RPM for best power by DESIGN

Have you ever seen the OD OFF light on the dash flash while driving?
If so then transmission has a problem
In any case I would have the OBD2 codes read, WRITE THEM DOWN, not the definition, just the CODE NUMBER
Many auto parts stores will do this for free, but ask them specifically if their reader can see transmission codes, many readers CAN NOT see transmission codes, p0701 to p0803

It could be your torque converter is not locking up because of a problem with the TCC solenoid so its constantly slipping, this will cause higher than normal RPMs and sudden changes in RPMs if it unlocks when it should be locked

In any case it doesn't read like an engine issue or cruise issue

 

Sorry, yes, I updated my post.
No, no lights flashing and no codes, just too much roaring when accelerating. Feels like the engine is gonna explode, it's working so hard. Maybe that's great for power, but most of the time a truck like this doesn't need power, it just needs to cruise. Quietly. And efficiently. This can't be efficient, explaining the horrible 15mpg.

 

How long have you had this Ranger?

You should be pushing 18MPG

Check the Fan clutch
Cold engine, open the hood and spin the fan, should be hard to spin, i.e. will move but won't spin, its Cold Locked
Start engine, should hear roar of fan blades then it will lessen after 5 to 15 seconds, shut off engine
Try to spin fan again, should spin/move easily, fan clutch is now unlocked
If its still locked, hard to spin then replace fan clutch, this is causing a lot of the noise you hear and lower MPG



Fan clutch allows the fan to spin freely when its not needed to cool the engine or radiator, which is better for MPG since horse power is not being used to power the fan blades
On the front of the fan clutch is a bi-metal spring that is heated up by the radiator, so as the radiator gets hot the fan clutch slowly engages causing fan to pull in more air thru radiator and blow it across the engine to cool things down
The warmer radiator gets the more the fan is engaged, very simple system
But it has a Fail safe mode, like a thermostat, if the fan clutch starts to fail it LOCKS UP full time, to prevent over heating, so it "fails safe"
Thermostats should fail OPEN, so they no longer close and engine can't over heat, but also never warms up fully, so "fails safe" but still need to be replaced

 

Inherited it from my dad a few months ago. It has 80+K miles on it, but a new engine with only 10K miles on it.

The fan spins freely when cold without doing any of that.

 

When you accelerate when above 30MPH do the engine RPMs match the acceleration?
Or do the engine RPMs seem to go up faster than the speed, so trans or torque converter is slipping

 

Nope, rpms are steady and consistent. About 3000 when accelerating, 3500 accelerating hard, 2500 cruising.

 

Took it to my mechanic, he said it was the fan clutch. Changed it. Still roaring like I'm hauling houses. That was a waste of money and I still don't understand how he thought that was the issue.