not VW but

[ilikevwdiesel]

the 83-84 NA models used a mazda NA diesel engine with a mazda trans, the later Mitsu TD units used the mitsu trans as well.

[R.O.R-2.0]

the 83-84 NA models used a mazda NA diesel engine with a mazda trans, the later Mitsu TD units used the mitsu trans as well.

ok, that totally makes sense..

[Syncroincity]

and it says they use a MAZDA trans in the diesels..

weird..

Nah, not so weird; Ford and Mazda go way back... the original Rangers were rebadged Mazda pickups, minus the rotary engine, until Ford got their own bodies worked up. They still share designs on the midsize SUVs, the Explorer 2-door is sold as a Mazda.

[R.O.R-2.0]

and it says they use a MAZDA trans in the diesels..

weird..

Nah, not so weird; Ford and Mazda go way back... the original Rangers were rebadged Mazda pickups, minus the rotary engine, until Ford got their own bodies worked up. They still share designs on the midsize SUVs, the Explorer 2-door is sold as a Mazda.

i knew that ford/mazda have been sleeping in the same bed for YEARS..

i just thought it was weird that they would use a Mitsu engine, Mazda trans, and ford everything else..

[bajacalal]

Ford hasn't made manual transmissions in a long time afaik. They were sourced from Mazda or ZF (in Germany). I don't know what they're doing now.

This is really tempting... but without the ranger to put it in I'm worried that I will need a lot of stuff like a transmission or brackets that can only come from a 2.3TD diesel Ranger.

[ilikevwdiesel]

dude I don't even know if the complete engine is any good or not. and the turbo is in pieces. I wouldn't do it unless you had a complete ranger truck with a bad engine. even  then I'd have to pull the head off this to be sure it was good before shipping it.