Can't run high octane in the twin ignition Rangers, they'll "blow up". Ditto fuel treatments. And spray cleaners or soak in treatments will cook the TPS pick-up.

I'm leaning towards a sticking/stuck thermostat. Top hose gets the equivalent of white hot within a couple miles...

Overdrive? I don't generally bother, can bury the needle in 4th. Rarely get on the freeway, truck tops out around 80, nowhere near enough top end for Memphis traffic.

I would look at a FI Savage if they could make it as good a performer as the FI Boulevard C50.

I would guess a large percentage of people would say yes to that question about buying a 65 MPG car!  There is a small 2 cylinder diesel car in france that gets 80 MPG.  Here we have fat hogs that weigh 900 lbs or more and get 30 mpg.  Thanks bushy and big oil!!

I've read the whole list of links you provided, and many related links... over an hour poring over interviews, releases, figures etc.

My conclusion is that Ford (and GM) thinktanks are still convinced we are in the '60s, when USA would buy American and South America would "See, Seῆor" in Speedy Gonzales style to the Yankee salesman anytime the latter waved something under their nose.

With global markets showing the consumer what can be achieved, and with nobody bowing with a Speedy Gonzales accent anymore, Ford and GM had better get their act together before it's too late.

Ford sells the Ranger here in Italy with a wonderful 2.5 liter 143hp TDi; for those who want to save a few bucks, its clone is also sold as the Mazda [something], they're both built in Thailand.
http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicles/Ranger

Else, there's :

Nissan
http://www.nissan.co.uk/#vehicles/4x4/navara

Toyota
http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/generic_editorial.jsp?navRoot=toyot...

In Argentina, when GM shut down shop, Italian FIAT and Indian TATA were quick to create a joint venture and gobbled up the entire organization, with plants, machinery etc. still standing and requiring only some adjustemns to the tooling to convert from producing GM cars to Italian sedans and Indian 4x4s
"Latin American Operations
Tata Motors has taken its alliance with Fiat to produce a new one-tonne pick-up truck, for Latin American markets from Fiat's facility in Argentina. This arrangement will also see Tata Motors forming a joint venture with a subsidiary of Iveco, the commercial vehicle division on Fiat, to set up a distribution network. "
This is their pickup, with a 2.2 liter 140hp TDi

"The Xenon is powered by newly developed 2.2L common rail turbodiesel 140 PS (103 kW) engine (DICOR)[i.e. Direct injection Common Rail]. It also features the extended cab (X-Tend cab) for the first time to selected markets. The Xenon is assembled in Thailand by Tata-Thonburi JV, and in Argentina by Tata-Fiat JV."

So, get ready Ford and GM, the market is ripe and ready for diesel light trucks, SUVs and family cars !!!



Now, back to biking ...  

I think the end of carburetors may be the Big Event the Mayans were seeing on the calendar.