Hello, my name is Don Mills. I have a red 2003 ranger with the boat anchor 2.5L. I hear quite a bit about the 2.3 duratech, and even from some hardcore ranger enthusiasts ive been told the 2.5l is nothing more than a hunk of junk, perfectly suited for scrap metal. Since my ranger gets roughly 15 mpg and is pretty anemic, i have to agree so far. My brother bought it from clanton alabama in 05-06. Its bright red, completely stock minus the K&N FIPK CAI he installed in hopes of better mpg and power. It has been used as a work truck ever since my brother bought his hyundai and he gave it to my stepdad, who then got tired of it and handed it off to me. As of right now, it sits under a a tree and has a dead battery. these are my current scenarios for the ranger...

1. sell it
2. sell it
3. bag it...and sell it
4. bag it, v8 swap, and maybe keep it
5. strip it down to bare essentials and drag race it.
6. strip it down to bare essentials, slam it and drop a 13b turbo in it.

My daily driver is my 97 Mazda Miata(yes ive been called gay for driving one...lol?) I used to build nothing but muscle cars, but after the staggering price climb on not only acquiring one but building one as well, i decided to build something a little more practical. I know people who have turbos in their 1.8l miatas that have over 500hp to the wheels, weigh in at 2300 lbs and STILL get 30 mpg as a daily. The particular guy im talking about can easily get over 600hp to the wheels but he enjoys his smaller quick spooling turbos. In fact he owns the record dyno for that particular trim turbo. I dont really care about straight line power as i no longer get a thrill at going fast in a straight line, i prefer corner carving beasts. However this is a ranger forum, not a miata forum lol

 

Welcome to the site!

 

in my own opinion, the 4cyl is a motor built for short, flat trips that can possibly in some universe save gas. but it depends on what you want to use it for. now if you are going to use it as a work truck then i would swap out the gears for a 4.10 or higher. that is if your not planning on going 75 or above all the time as it will rev high. that will give it power in hills. personally im not a fan of slamming trucks. but its your truck you do whhat you want. i know people that wheel, drive, work, and save gas with a 4cyl. but it depends on what you do to it. but welcome to the forum.

 

Welcome to the site man. I'm up on the north end in huntsville.

I'm guessing you got the year wrong on the ranger. If it is a 4cyl and an 03 it has the 2.3 duratec and it is actually a great motor. Power/mileage is great in it

Get some pictures up of both. I'd love to have a miata to mess around with, but I think it would be a tight fit for me lol.

 

well played, i never even thought of that fact. true talk right here^^

 

Welcome to the site! Like said above the 2.5L was only in the 98-00 year trucks.

 

Welcome to RF!

In my opinion, if you are not liking the truck....then sell it and use the money on the miata.

Thats what I would do.

 

It carried over into the 01's also for the first half of the year. So with a 01 you could get the 2.5 lima or the 2.3dtec depending on when it was made.