Ok guys, this is going to seem a bit strange, but I need to clear up some confusion, and I figure that coming to the experts on here is the best way to go. I just bought a 1994 Ford Ranger XLT. It's a 5 sp. manual, 2WD, short bed, standard cab. Pretty decent shape, I think I got a good deal on it for $1900. Anyway, believe it or not I am not completely sure which engine I have! The used car dealer claimed that it was the 2.3L 4 cyl. However, when I looked under the hood I saw 6 spark plugs on the coil pack (instead of 8 like the 4 cyl would have) so I knew (or at least I think I knew) that it was a V6. I didn't say anything to him since I thought he might ask more for the bigger engine model. Additionally, I ran the VIN in Carfax, and Carfax claims that it is a 4.0L V6. However, when I go to edmunds.com (where I usually research cars) they do not have a 4.0L V6 as even being an option, only the 3.0L V6. Furthermore, they only have that option on the STX or Splash models, not the XLT. Does Edmunds just have a typo here or what? Other websites are also giving me conflicting information. From researching the engines, I orignally wanted the 4cyl because of the gas mileage, but from what I've read the difference in gas mileage between the 3.0L V6 and the 2.3L 4cyl is only like 2-3 mpg, so if that is the case then I would probably rather have the increased horsepower.

Sorry that was so long, hopefully somebody knows what is going on. I've attached a picture of the truck, and also a good one of the engine. Thanks!

http://www.msu.edu/~leonar40/Ranger%201.jpg
http://www.msu.edu/~leonar40/Ranger%205.jpg
http://www.msu.edu/~leonar40/Ranger%206.jpg

 

I had a '94 Scab XLT 4x4 prior to my '05 F150. I factory ordered the Ranger and it did have a 4.0 V6. It was a wonderful!! truck and I'd kill to have it back. Kept it for 11 years and it was the BEST vehicle I had owned in 45 years of vehicle ownership.

 

Ranger pilot had a 94 reg-cab xlt with the 4.0, manual trans and short bed, so they made them.

 

If you have only 1 coil pack with 6 plug wires going to it > it is a 4.0

The 4 cyl engines besides being smaller and haveing a timeing belt have 2 coil packs with 4 plug wires going to each.

I believe the 3.0 used a distributor in the back of the engine in 94.

 

That , sir is the big daddy, the 4 o!

 

LOL the Big Daddy. To be honest I'm kinda pissed about it because my whole purpose of getting an old Ranger was to haul a few small things and to get a car that would get "good" gas mileage, which to me is near 30mpg highway. It's still so new to me that I haven't run a full tank yet, but I'll probably only get something like 20mpg with the big V6, don't you think? Oh well, most people would probably tell me that I was lucky because I bought the 4.0L V6 at a 2.3L 4cyl price...

 

Too bad there isn't a way to turn off two cylinders when I don't need the extra power...

 

yep.. looks like my 4.0...

 

if you run it at 55-60 you will get some better milage, its all in the right foot! Seriously I get 20-22 running at 75 on the highway, with the price of gas now I have slowed a little and I have gotten a few more miles, about a .9 mpg for the same milage as before the slowdown. when I say I slowed down I am still running 70+ not 75+. So if I get ambitious and start out for work at 0500 instead of 0540 I could try the slower speed to see what it does. Soon as the weather warms start riding the bike (72 miles 1 way!).

 

Thanks for the advice. Turns out that my commute is about 28 miles one way down a country road, which I go 55-60 mph, so it sounds like that would be pretty much optimal to get the best gas mileage possible from this engine. I read some on here about keeping this particular engine between 2 and 3K rpm's, even when cruising to get the best gas mileage. That seems counter-intuitive to me, because I figure if you are cruising along you should shift into 5th to pull the least amount of rpm's possible to easy keep up the same speed. Of course you don't want to shift down so low that you are bogging the engine down. What do you guys think?

 

My 4.0 will pull 5th very easily at 45 mph. I run at approx 2200-2400 for the speeds I indicated. cose to 2k seems to be the best for fuel economy. you will also need to know your final drive ratio. mine is 3:08. It can be found in the code on the drivers door jam.

you can also put a bed cover on it and that will improve the milage somewhat also. I have a free flow 2.5in exhaust all the way through, it was made up at a performance shop, as straight as possible with minimized bends. The cat and muffler are the same size as the exhaust and I run a free flow intake with it. The intake is supposed to be for a 97 but it fit anyhow with only 1 modification (strap to rad support to hold it all steady). Other than these the system is stock. currently have 258000 on it.

 

Hey guys. We'll, I got the first tank through, and I got 21 mpg, so that isn't too bad! It was about 2/3 country road at 55-60mph, and 1/3 city driving.

 

Ok, lets settle what engine you have, what is the 8th digit on the vin.
U is a 3.0L V6, X is a 4.0L V6

 

That 21 mpg should improve a little once the weather warms, that's exactly what I'm getting now too. You got a great truck for a great deal imo. Only thing you'll wish you had is the scab. I feel too cooped up in a regular cab!

 

It's the 4.0 for sure. 8th digit is an X. I would have liked the extended cab too, but my other car is a Miata, so I am used to a small cockpit.