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I’m looking to change the engine in a 2003 Ford Ranger with a 4.0 Liter SOHC.
The two best candidates are:
1) An engine with 135K on it $800. The downside is that the engine is not fresh. It was covered with leaves as someone had taken the stock hood partly covered the front of it but left the back where the coil packs are out to the elements. I also noted that someone had written in marker on the hood manifold what size oil filter is required. That signals to me farmer or old man. I’m not sure if writing things on your truck is a sign of good maintenance or a careless attitude towards the vehicle. Vehicle damage was a rollover.
2) An engine with 173K for $600. The engine is covered by a fitting hood and is fairly clean. It has a current oil change sticker in the window. Seems to be a better engine by appearance but looks can be deceiving.
Both engines run… Is the 135K engine worth the $200 extra especially given the time sitting? Is the Ford 4.0 SOHC a solid enough engine that I don’t need to be all that worried about the miles on a donor engine?
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[quote=”DoorBreaker” post=124575]Another clue besides all the above. Look for an engine from a wrecked vehicle. Why? If you walk up to a vehicle that is not wrecked or rotted out, Why is it in a salvage yard? Usually the answer is bad trans/engine. But a wreck usually means it was running just before it came to the yard. Then it comes down to, look inside a valve cover for sludge/crud suggestive of poor maintenance, Compression test and leak down can tell you some things but bring an oil can along to do both tests dry and wet.[/quote]
That’s probably one of the best pieces of information if you can see the car. If they rolled it they might have been maintaining it.
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