Ford Galaxie Pricing and Specs

A modern car like the Ranger has a heap of sensors that warn the on-board computer of something that’s getting too hot, causing the car to enter limp home mode to avoid further damaging itself. That means you could be looking at a problem as varied as the condition of the radiator and its plumbing, the intercooler, coolant pump, the EGR valve and more. Perhaps it’s a simple case of low coolant triggering the limp home. Certainly, these engines can lose coolant if the EGR valve is damaged or leaking.

But then you can also move along to the driveline, because a too-hot transmission will also trigger a limp-home situation. Is the transmission cooler working properly? Does the transmission have the correct quantity of fluid in it?

Start with the basics and don’t be afraid to give the car an electronic scan as the fault codes it has logged could be a big clue in what component is causing the grief.

I'd say you're looking at two different problems here, neither one of which involves the actual fuel tank (which is, indeed, 55 litres). The first problem is more likely to be the calibration of your fuel gauge that is out. If the gauge isn't reading accurately, it will tell you the tank is emptier (or fuller) than it really is. Your car is actually doing what most fuel gauges do, which is to be a bit pessimistic, suggesting there's not as much fuel still in the tank as there really is. You could have the gauge recalibrated, or simply know that even when the needle is at empty, you've still got a buffer zone of fuel remaining.

The fuel consumption, meanwhile, is another issue and it's true to say that 20 litres for 140km of driving is too thirsty. A basic tune up might help, starting with fuel filters, air cleaners and spark plugs. But don't ignore things like correct tyres pressures and whether there's a roof rack fitted; these things will affect fuel economy more than you might imagine. And never under-estimate the affect driving style has on fuel use. A driver who smashes the throttle from every green light will soon start using more fuel every kilometre.

The original vane-type oil pump fitted to the 2.2 and 3.2-litre PX Ranger engines was a source of great misery for some owners with failures and a peculiar oil-changing regime forced upon owners. If the gear-driven style pump you've replaced it with is a good quality item, it should last the remainder of the vehicle's service life.