help me buy a new (used) truck - Page 2

the carb cleaner was meant to use to clean the o2 sensor i think. just spray it down and wipe with paper towel and reinstall.

also for vacuum leaks keep a fire extinguisher handy if parinoid about doing it but run motor and spraycarb or brake cleaner on the lines. if it runs higher rpm or drops you found the leak. this will also help find intake gasket leaks. has to be flamible spray such as carb / brake cleaner or ether / starting fluid to work.



as for bad tune up, check stuff out. not difficult to inspect and if you got sadistic sense of humor have a buddy hold spark plug while connected and turn motor over. if he drops or twitches its good... but seriously should have visible ark against ground when cranked.

chevy s10 with 4.3l backed by 5 speed or auto (700r4) is great truck and can do weight and milage what you need and more. they run them in full sized trucks if you doubt the longitivity for intended use.

Originally Posted by bluemeate

So I got my 2wd, 2.5l, manual yr2000 ford ranger at 120,000 from my uncle 5 years ago and rode it and rode it and rode it, at 192,000miles its still going... weak. i used to hit 75mph just fine but now on just an incline, i struggle to get 60.

I still want a small economy truck as my loads usually come in under 1/2ton and most my miles are freeway miles with usually less than 200lbs of stuff in the cab/bed. so yeah, maybe you guys could help me find something.
-Im thinking an older simpler truck would be swell as well that way i could learn to work on it, I have two good buddies who know toyotas inside and out and i hear those are the easiest to work on... I also like the box-ier, retro look of older trucks too
-manual is a must, and id like to be getting at least 25mpg on the freeway (i accelerate and drive slowly, id like to think im light on my engine)
-ideally, id like a little more power than what the 2.5l has to offer, although i still would like to run a 4cyl engine for the fuel savings.
-something I could put a tow hitch on for a little 1/2 to 1ton trailer?.
-I live in the city so a short truck is great although if the bed of my truck got any smaller (4x6.5ft), i feel like thatd be a problem
-also lower is better
-I realllly reallly want a bench seat cuase my girl doesnt like to ride on the raised middle seat cuase it makes her taller than me

currently my truck needs
-new ball joints, front and rear suspension,(any idea how much that will run me for parts and labor?)
replacement of two tires
-my check engine light just turned on for an 02 sensor
-the throttle starts randomly guzzling down gas when my foot is off the pedal since i first got the truck 70k miles ago
and well the engine is weak as hell. if i slam down on the gas my engine starts knocking, its been doing this since about 150k miles but has been slowly getting worse and worse, ill be in 3rd gear on the freeway just cuase my engine cant handle a regular old hill (mass airflow sensor is all wonked out)
-drivers seat blew a spring and sits crooked
-and it needs a full inspection cuase im sure theres a bunch more things wrong with it
Im thinking this may be the ideal time to sell it and get something new!

Alright Blue, first my credentials. I am an ASE certified technician for 7 of the 8 categories. I've been to the DI class GM had going for a while when the new ecotec engines were coming out (LNF, LDK ecotec3 v8s and so on). Let me give you a run down of my thoughts.

First, sight unseen I can tell you there are a few things that will improve your power, mileage and longevity.

First, replace your oxygen sensor, If when you do, find the tip covered in oil, go ahead and stop right there, you have bigger problems. Second, clean your throttle body with b12 chemtool and a rag. If possible take it off and really clean it. Next you want to visually inspect for vacuum leaks while idling. Tug on the vacuum hoses to see if you can hear hissing and in general see if one of them is collapsed. After this, seafoam. For an older very high mileage engine I would use MOST of the can. Pull a small vacuum hose while it is running then allow it to suck up a small amount of the seafoam while someone holds the throttle just above idle. It's important the engine stay running during this phase and that it be warm. Once it has consumed the can immediately shut it off. Wait however long the can tells you to, then start it up. It's going to smoke like crazy, this is the part where you kind of beat on the truck to clear out the now softened carbon deposits. At this point sticky rings will start to rotate in their bores again and you might notice even LESS power. This is ok, we will get to that.

Your next step is a complete spark plug and wire change. There are I believe 8 plugs on the 2.3 4 banger. 4 are no problem to get to and 4 are nearly impossible. Some people think they can skip the ones that are hard to get to. (this is dependent on year so yours might be ok to get to). YOU MUST CHANGE ALL THE PLUGS or it's pointless and it will get very bad mileage and misfire and knock and behave exactly as you describe. So change those plugs at a minimum, don't forget to use dielectric grease to keep out moisture.

Finally an oil change. Fresh oil and filter. This is important because you're going to beat the literal carbon build up out of the truck for about 40 miles. Drive it as hard as you dare. You are doing this to reseat your piston rings in the bores. When they get stuck, over time the buildup causes microscopic uneven wear on them and...when cleaned power goes down because there is no longer build up to take up slack. Once your satisfied you've beat your baby accordingly, fill up with gas and record your mileage tank to tank for the next two or three months. Drive as you always do. You may note the mileage start off the same and slowly go up a mile or two with every fill up for the next two months. For sure you will notice more power unless you have mechanical problems.

Lastly if your truck has a catalytic converter you may have an 02 sensor code associated with low catalyst performance in which case still do the above, but that's why you have low power and mileage.

I personally have worked on rangers with 550K and more miles. CP railroad has rangers with 2 million miles on them, original 2.3.

Now my take on a replacement.

Step up, 2wd silverado 1500 with a 5.3 vortec made between 2000 and 2003. This particular engine had the least association with piston slap and low oil pressure issues. Some of them have had knock sensor issues but by now if the check engine light hasn't come on it won't. Their only other issue is a vent solenoid issue in the evap system. It requires replacement with a solenoid and filter combination.

I have seen trucks like these for 2500 in good working order. Skip the 4.3 2wd, the 5.3 has taller gearing and seems to get same if not slightly better mileage overall. I have seen a few getting 22-23 mpg with 5.3/auto 2wd.

I also second dodge dakotas. Personally I would avoid the 4.7 v8 and stick with the 3.9 OR 5.2 depending on what year and submodel you get. The trans is a 5 speed not a six speed aka 545rfe. It's a good transmission, much better than the 44/46re as it has no bands to adjust and thus is relatively easy to take care of. problems you may have, computer issues including no bus error messages on the dash and your radio not working. This is a ground issue, not really a big deal but there are fixes posted on youtube. S10s should be avoided, at this "age" the factory 4l60e is a ticking timebomb of 2000 dollar expense if it hasnt already gone out. Also the 7.5 rear end of the 2wd is pretty sloppy even brand new. I see scrappers with s10s all the time and most of the guys say their great trucks until they buy a dakota or a ranger...then their the guy that tells everyone not to buy an s10. I need not remind anyone just how bad the front end is on s10s, terribly designed, terrible longevity and expensive to replace ball joints and idler arms.

I drive a dodge, I haul over gvwr all the time, it is what it is. I take care of my ride, it performs well for me.

F150 have hauled over 6000lbs to yard.........THat made me a little nervous but it got there.........Only time it didn't make it was trying to haul a dump trailer full of shingles up a steep incline with gravel for the road.........Caught the battery on fire....LOL.......I thought I had caught motor on fire I was freaking out adding up in my head how much it was gonna cost to fix..........Opened hood and battery was literally on fire............Replaced battery and back to work I went

i talked to the mechanic im taking it too and he said just to stick with a tune-up.
said no point in a compression test or leaktest unless im really having troubles like misfiring or something

he said something about compression test could damage it if there isnt anything already wrong with the engine??