A guy at work has a regular cab, short bed, 4x4 Mazda pickup that he wants to sell. The thing is straight as it can be and clean as a pin on the inside. It's a 2000 or a 2001 model (I think) with a 3.0 5 speed stick and 100,000 miles on it.

Is the 3.0 a good engine and what should I look for? I especially want to hear from Ian, our Ranger expert.

Whoa whoa whoa... I thought you said it was a 90! Or something early 90s. Thats why I kept talkin' about 'pushrod this' and 'pushrod that'. Ehhh, I'm confused now

To tell you the truth I don't know what year it is. It's the current Ranger body style and yes it is a 3.0. I believe the 3.0 is still a pushrod engine even today. The truck is nice enough looking that I've admired it and yesterday I found out from another fellow worker he was wanting to sell it. I never asked the owner what year it was so I'm taking a guess what year it is in the current bodystyle. Ian might know the year that this bodystyle started.

Is this it?

If you're not going to work it, the 3.0 is ok. Its a good car engine, not much for use in a truck. It has a tendency to leak oil, and is a bit underpowered.

I just want it to drive to work and maybe a part time grocery gitter.

Blue Goose said:

I just want it to drive to work and maybe a part time grocery gitter.

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It should be fine. Just pay attention to the rear main seal.

Thanks Vince...

Bob knows the 3.0 better than I do... Good motor from what I've heard- not the fastest or the most fuel efficient, but tough and dependable.

That generation has torsion bar suspension...it's supposed to ride better than the old TTB front end.

From '98 to mid-'01, Ford used a front hub design called PVH (Pulse Vacuum Hubs) that are obscenely expensive to replace. There were some home-made fixes floating around, and last I heard, a company called AVM finally was importing a replacement manual locking hub. In mid-'01, they switched to a design where the front hubs are constantly locked. (Don't quote me on the 4x4 stuff...been a few years since I really looked into it.)

The 5-speed (Mazda M5OD-R1) is somewhat prone to leaking at the shift rail plugs up on top- they dry out and shrink, but most of the leakage is while driving, so it's easy to miss that there's a problem until it's too late. If it's not a problem (check the fluid level and run your hand across the top of the tranny at the back), it's just an extra thing to check every time you service it- my original transmission never leaked; input shaft bearing got pretty noisy at 220k and the synchros/blocking rings were pretty well gone, so I had a rebuilt unit installed at that time. Clutch hydraulics can be a nightmare, too- concentric slave and the master cylinder is a pain to bleed. I'm a die-hard stick-shifter, but the manual transmissions are the weakest link in these trucks, IMO. Not to where I'd buy an auto, though (I'd buy an Chevy before an auto...).

(Vince please correct, or disagree with any of the above as necessary, I'm sure you know way more than I do...)

All that being said, I'm crazy about my Ranger, and will more than likely buy another one when I get out of school. They're so small enough to go anywhere easily, tough as nails, and you can get parts for them at any parts store in the country.

*One other thing- mine's an extended cab, but a friend has a '00 single cab. I find it a little cramped- I think he's got stuff behind the seat, and if I removed it, I'd have all the room I want, but I'm only 6'... Not sure how tall you are, but make sure you fit comfortable in the seat. They're not real roomy cabs.

You're pretty much spot on! They produced zillions of 'em. I'm just not in love with the 3.0 in a truck.

Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted when I get closer and more info about the truck.

blacksnapon said:

You're pretty much spot on! They produced zillions of 'em. I'm just not in love with the 3.0 in a truck.

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The 4 cyl (mostly available in a 2WD) was the one that got the gas mileage, the 4.0 (especially the later ones) seem to be pretty bulletproof over 000,000's of miles. The 3.0 get's the same gas mileage as the 4.0, but has about the same power as the 3.0.

All that being said, I guess it boils down to price.

It's funny- most everything I've read seems to agree with the above on the 3.0, but I mentioned that to a friend one time- he and his wife have an '86 Aerostar with the 3.0, 4.10s and an automatic. It's just a rusty old farm van now, but back when it was younger, he pulled some pretty heavy trailers (long distances, too- Maine to South Dakota on one trip, I know) with it and was very impressed with how it did. (And that's a professional opinion- he drove truck for many years.)

*From what I've seen on forums, and certainly backed up by my experience, the 4-bangers run at least as long as the 4.0s...