1999 Ford Ranger xls 4 cylinder engine: timing belt needs replacement

1999 Ford Ranger xls 4 cylinder engine: timing belt needs replacement. What kind of expenses can I expect? What related repairs are likely needed?

Should be just a timing belt and tensioner. Even if it broke, the 2.3 is not an interference engine. You do want to make sure something didn’t cause the belt to fail prematurely, like a thermostat gasket leak. Those will leak into the timing cover and cause premature belt failure if left unattended, so if that is leaking, get it fixed as well. There really isn’t too much labor involved in doing this job, maybe 3.0 book time? I don’t remember, but it is one of the easiest timing belts out there. If you’re doing it yourself, it’s a good one to start out with, being easy to do, no special tools required, and little risk of engine damage from botching the job.

I guess that was still the Pinto engine, right? I replaced a timing belt on one of those in a parking lot in Buffalo one summer. The only expense would be a timing belt unless you uncover something else wrong.

Not sure what was in the Pinto. The 2.3L four cylinder in the OP’s Ranger is the SOHC dual-plug engine in use since at least the early 1980’s. The first timing belt on one of these I did was in a fox-body Mustang.

I am pretty sure it it the venerable, reliable Pinto/lima/EAO/OHC/T88/… stroked to 2.5 l. Lots of things were changed on that engine including head (more than once), the first EECIV injection and turbos. After nearly 20 years in new cars, Ford still sells a version of it as an industrial engine. You didn’t have a turbo/intercooled SVO did you? Some of those were rated over 200 hp. How difficult was it to change in later versions? The OP seems to be long gone, but I am curious.

Mine was in a 1976 actual PINTO (stallion package). I now remember the experience fondly. I was living in Buffalo for a few weeks. I was too dumb to take out the spark plugs at first, and I thought I was in over my head. I guess I was lucky that I got “… one of the easiest timing belts out there.” I certainly did not have the money to have someone else fix it.

I got it buttoned up, checked it with the borrowed timing light and found the timing spot-on. The car would have run until after the body rusted through three or more times.