Truck Newbie. Loving my ranger
#1
02-15-2019
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Truck Newbie. Loving my ranger
hey y’all I’ve never been too into cars but always wanted a lil ford ranger so I went out and picked me up al ole 1995 3.0l v6 standard cab with 110k miles on it. Runs great but
Needs some TLC. Got some new wheels and tires on it thus far.
Looking to to do a full tune up, replace the vacuum hoses, install a new rear bumper and headlights as well as Plasti Dip the grill and emblems black.
Been browsing around the boards and love the community here so decided to start a page to kill some time at work and get this project truck up to my liking.
Not it too savvy with cars so hopefully no big repair issues come up, but that’s of course why I went with the ranger for it’s reliable reputation and am hoping to get a solid fun relatively stress free 5+ years out of this bad boy!
Thanks yall
-captain grumpo
Needs some TLC. Got some new wheels and tires on it thus far.
Looking to to do a full tune up, replace the vacuum hoses, install a new rear bumper and headlights as well as Plasti Dip the grill and emblems black.
Been browsing around the boards and love the community here so decided to start a page to kill some time at work and get this project truck up to my liking.
Not it too savvy with cars so hopefully no big repair issues come up, but that’s of course why I went with the ranger for it’s reliable reputation and am hoping to get a solid fun relatively stress free 5+ years out of this bad boy!
Thanks yall
-captain grumpo
#2
02-15-2019
Welcome to the forum
1995 Ranger was the first year of the new computer, EEC-V, Ford calls computers PCMs, powertrain control modules, it is OBD2
You have a 3.0l Vulcan engine, used by Ford from 1986 to thru 2008, in Rangers from 1991 to thru 2008
Good reliable V6 engine
But it is a HIGH RPM engine
Most engines make best torque/power at 2,500RPMs, the Vulcan makes best power ABOVE 3,500RPMs, in 1995 it was 3.600rpm for peak torque, 5,000rpms for peak horse power
So they are DESIGNED for higher RPMs, if you drive them like a "regular" engine, they will seem gutless, it only has 145HP so not a powerhouse to begin with, but to get best power AND best MPG, keep the RPMs high
Which is hard if you have an automatic trans, 4R44E in 1995, this was a bad pairing because the shift points are all wrong for this engine, Vulcan needed a manual trans, lol
1995 Ranger was the first year of the new computer, EEC-V, Ford calls computers PCMs, powertrain control modules, it is OBD2
You have a 3.0l Vulcan engine, used by Ford from 1986 to thru 2008, in Rangers from 1991 to thru 2008
Good reliable V6 engine
But it is a HIGH RPM engine
Most engines make best torque/power at 2,500RPMs, the Vulcan makes best power ABOVE 3,500RPMs, in 1995 it was 3.600rpm for peak torque, 5,000rpms for peak horse power
So they are DESIGNED for higher RPMs, if you drive them like a "regular" engine, they will seem gutless, it only has 145HP so not a powerhouse to begin with, but to get best power AND best MPG, keep the RPMs high
Which is hard if you have an automatic trans, 4R44E in 1995, this was a bad pairing because the shift points are all wrong for this engine, Vulcan needed a manual trans, lol
#3
02-16-2019
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow that’s really cool to know. So is there anyway I should drive to bettter suit the engine?
Ive got the automatic v6 3l engine. I have noticed that it shifts to the next gear much later, and a bit harder than my other car. But I am of course used to driving a 2015 civic.
Had me worried about the transmission, but the truck drives great and I just figured it’s cause it is 23 years old lol
Ive got the automatic v6 3l engine. I have noticed that it shifts to the next gear much later, and a bit harder than my other car. But I am of course used to driving a 2015 civic.
Had me worried about the transmission, but the truck drives great and I just figured it’s cause it is 23 years old lol
#4
02-16-2019
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Welcome to the forum
1995 Ranger was the first year of the new computer, EEC-V, Ford calls computers PCMs, powertrain control modules, it is OBD2
You have a 3.0l Vulcan engine, used by Ford from 1986 to thru 2008, in Rangers from 1991 to thru 2008
Good reliable V6 engine
But it is a HIGH RPM engine
Most engines make best torque/power at 2,500RPMs, the Vulcan makes best power ABOVE 3,500RPMs, in 1995 it was 3.600rpm for peak torque, 5,000rpms for peak horse power
So they are DESIGNED for higher RPMs, if you drive them like a "regular" engine, they will seem gutless, it only has 145HP so not a powerhouse to begin with, but to get best power AND best MPG, keep the RPMs high
Which is hard if you have an automatic trans, 4R44E in 1995, this was a bad pairing because the shift points are all wrong for this engine, Vulcan needed a manual trans, lol
1995 Ranger was the first year of the new computer, EEC-V, Ford calls computers PCMs, powertrain control modules, it is OBD2
You have a 3.0l Vulcan engine, used by Ford from 1986 to thru 2008, in Rangers from 1991 to thru 2008
Good reliable V6 engine
But it is a HIGH RPM engine
Most engines make best torque/power at 2,500RPMs, the Vulcan makes best power ABOVE 3,500RPMs, in 1995 it was 3.600rpm for peak torque, 5,000rpms for peak horse power
So they are DESIGNED for higher RPMs, if you drive them like a "regular" engine, they will seem gutless, it only has 145HP so not a powerhouse to begin with, but to get best power AND best MPG, keep the RPMs high
Which is hard if you have an automatic trans, 4R44E in 1995, this was a bad pairing because the shift points are all wrong for this engine, Vulcan needed a manual trans, lol
#5
02-16-2019
#6
02-16-2019
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thank you for the pointers! It doesn’t seem like I’m going to have much control over this given that it is an automatic. Anything else to look out for with this model?
#7
02-16-2019
The 3.0l did have a poor design on the water pump/engine front cover which could leak at the front cover, just a pain to fix, not much you can do about that as far as maintenance
4R44E automatic needs regular service just like ALL automatics, no better or worse than any other
What KILLS most automatic, before their time is HEAT, transmission fluid should not run hotter than 200degF, problem with Factory setup and the transmission cooler in the radiator is that when engine is running hotter from a load then transmission is ALSO running hotter from same load, lol.
So less cooling for transmission
$65 2nd trans cooler is about the best money you can spend on any vehicle with an automatic
Clutches and bands(brakes) in an automatic wear out just like clutches on manual trans and brake on the wheels, the reason they do NOT wear out as fast is because of transmission fluid cooling them off constantly, which is why keeping the heat down helps alot.
Check out the rear axle leaf spring hangers, they tend to rust out on any pickup truck
Ford column shifters have a common issue of getting loose, screws loosen up under the dash, easy to fix
Google: ford ranger loose column shifter
1995 was first year for electric speedometer/odometer, so they each have an electric motor in the dash, odometer has a worm gear that was a problem
Signal comes from a VSS(vehicle speed sensor) on the transmission's tailshaft which still uses a Driven Gear that can be changed if you change tire size
4R44E automatic needs regular service just like ALL automatics, no better or worse than any other
What KILLS most automatic, before their time is HEAT, transmission fluid should not run hotter than 200degF, problem with Factory setup and the transmission cooler in the radiator is that when engine is running hotter from a load then transmission is ALSO running hotter from same load, lol.
So less cooling for transmission
$65 2nd trans cooler is about the best money you can spend on any vehicle with an automatic
Clutches and bands(brakes) in an automatic wear out just like clutches on manual trans and brake on the wheels, the reason they do NOT wear out as fast is because of transmission fluid cooling them off constantly, which is why keeping the heat down helps alot.
Check out the rear axle leaf spring hangers, they tend to rust out on any pickup truck
Ford column shifters have a common issue of getting loose, screws loosen up under the dash, easy to fix
Google: ford ranger loose column shifter
1995 was first year for electric speedometer/odometer, so they each have an electric motor in the dash, odometer has a worm gear that was a problem
Signal comes from a VSS(vehicle speed sensor) on the transmission's tailshaft which still uses a Driven Gear that can be changed if you change tire size
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
