Carnage!!

[Got302ci]

Ok so a little back story:

Bought the ranger off CR for $400, it had a blown HG between #3 & #4 cylinders.

I pulled the head and replaced the HG, checked the head, was flat and I replaced all the head bolts with brand new ones.

So about 2000 miles later it started running rough, only at idle though.

First thing I did was check the compression, all were good except #4, it only had like 30psi, a leakdown test revealed it was leaking into the crankcase.

It wasnt rings cause it wasnt burning oil so I figured it had to be leaking into the crankcase via one of the head oil drain passages and a blown HG.

But it still ran and I needed it to get to school and back so I continued to drive it.




Well soon after this happened, I noticed chocolate milk in the crankcase (I check my oil when i get gas)

So determined to continue driving it, I changed the oil as soon as I got home and put some of that HG sealant in the cooling system as per the instructions.



So that worked for about 3 weeks, I however noticed the engine starting to get kinda noisy upon acceleration.



Well one day on the way home from school (20 miles one way) I was in the left lane of the expressway doing like 70mph in traffic and the oil pressure gauge started to flutter and then just straight up dropped to L!!!


So I knew I had about 1 min untill it catastrophicly failed, so as fast as i could I tried to make it through rush hour traffic to get to the shoulder on the right side.


Well about 1 min into this my engine started to sound like my old Cummins Ram I used to own (NOT GOOD!!!)

I made it to the right lane and the knocking was REALLY REALLY bad and then BANG!!!

Something let loose and the knocking stopped but the engine was starting to seize and I was only able to make it onto the shoulder from my momentum.

The engine seized and I had to de-clutch to prevent the rear wheels from locking up lmao!




So I finally tore the engine out of the damn ranger and pulled the pan to see what failed.

Here Ya Go:

I can only imagine how much force it took to do that!!

The other end of the con rod lol

The number 3 con rod end, the bearing is sorta oozing out LMFAO!!



I am replacing the 2.3L and its 5 speed manual with a EFI 302 out of a 1988 Lincoln Town Car and using its AOD trans (My ranger is only 2 wheel drive)

More pics on the swap to follow in the v8 section

 

[RangerFabWorks]

thats even worse then what i did to mine. i just tuned it up, im on the freeway, winding out the gears, hit like 70 in secong revving to like 5500, and i start slowing down, i look behind me, huge trail of blue smoke. so i pull over and its running on 3 cylinders. so i limp it home over 20 miles away. no compression in the number 2 cylinder. so i park it for the night, go to move it the next day, no oil pressure. so i tear the block apart and found the number 2 piston blew straight through. that baby was grenaded. oh well. atleast speedwagon is using my head. and i recycled the block and trans.

 

[big91explorer]

You probably would have saved it if you just fixed your low compression problem in the first place, when you oil is milky it does not lubricate properly. You probably trashed the rod bearings, and then snapped a rod.

 

[Got302ci]

I didnt wanna save it, that 4 pooper is a complete and total piece of shit, it had zero power, got horrendus mileage and pissed me off.

I wanted to make it last only because the only other vehicle I have doesnt have A/C and this ranger did.

I needed a good excuse to swap in a EFI 302 and now I got it

 

[dangerranger83]

So you blew up your motor to have an excuse to put in a EFI 302? Ill admit, they dont have much power. But putting A EFI 302 isnt going to yield any better mileage.

 

[Got302ci]

No I didnt blow it up, I just didnt bother fixing it knowing it was on its way out, BTW it had 160K on it so it was not by any means new anyway.And I dont mind bad mileage as long as it is accompanied by power, but this ****in POS of an engine had no power and got horrible mileage!!

 

[dangerranger83]

All 2.3 liters dont have power. They are economy engines when they get good milage.

If I had seen my oil look like chocolate milk, it wouldnt have been on the road driving until I fixed it. And 160K is not much milage for a 4 banger. Ive seen them do 200K+ miles. My brother-in-laws has 215K on it and may get its oil changed evrey 10,000 miles, that doesnt include an oil filter. Hes tried to blow it up and cant. The only problems hes had is a timing belt break and a head gasket blow. And he drives the truck like he stole it.

 

[Bear_Slayer]

I wish my oil pan looked that good... rust wise I mean.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

so whats the big deal. kid wants to join the rest and put a v8 in his ranger. he has another truck to drive. its not like the 2.3 lima is a rare engine theres thousands of em. if he wanted an excuse to put a v8 in it, let him. its his truck. if its a stupid move on his part. he will find that out on his own just like the rest of us.

 

[dangerranger83]

Not that I can stop him or would want to. I'd put a v-8 in too if I could. I wouldnt have an excuse, I would just do it.

 

[Got302ci]

Its not so much that I needed an excuse, but I knew it was ****ed the moment I saw that milkshake in there, and I didnt like the lack of power or bad mileage so I just continued to drive it for the lone fact that it had AC and my tercel (other ride) didnt.

The body and frame are in awesome shape on the ranger and being 2wd any car engine would easilly fit (such as the one from the lincoln I just started to disassemble)


BTW here are some pics of that lol:

Original grampa miles lol

 

[dangerranger83]

Nice find how much was it? That will make the ranger scream down the road. Had a family member with one of those cars, whiplash on take off.

 

[Got302ci]

$500 Lol

 

[88gt]

oooo, isnt that just fancy!