Motor has 176,000 miles, am going to have a rebuild done, tow a 1,500lb Pop-Up Camper from time to time, would like advice on adding a bit of pull to it if possible. Not looking to make it a Hot Rod, looking more for pull, I realize I,ll be giving up fuel mileage but can live with that within reason. All in All, stock replacement if I have to settle, truck has never seen snow so it's solid.
Thanks.

 

Have you considered swapping in a diff with a lower gear ratio? What do you have now?

 

Get rid of the 2.3 if your going to be towing anything with your ranger, or just buy a cheap 1/2 ton.

 

I have to agree. Having driven a Lima 2.3 for the past 11 years, it's excellent in terms of efficiency but no good for much anything else. Mine really struggles when pulling any kind of trailer load. Your money for a complete rebuild might be better spent on a bigger engine or truck as suggested.

 

The diff gear change is an idea I haven't thought of, the Ranger tows the camper fine, I don't ask too much of it other than after 176,000 miles I can feel it beginning to get tired. I've made the decision to hang on to her and at some point the rebuild comes into play. I'm not going down the road of full blown performance, I was thinking along the lines of a cam substitute. Quite possibly someone on here has experience at this, all my friends involved in dirt racing have suggestions but, seem a bit to radical, I'm just looking to see if there's a bit to coax out of the 2.3 without going overboard. The rear end is stock, Automatic and I've had a tranny cooler as large as the radiator on it since about 50,000 miles, Thanks.

 

If you are having a rebuild done any way why not add a turbo? With forged pistons and rods and the turbo, all of which can be found used, and a few other changes you could have a fair amount more horsepower. Do a google search for turbo 2.3 Rangers.

 

If you have done nothing, and have the original exhaust, replacing the factory muffler with an aftermarket will make a noticeable difference in performance. The original was a bit undersized, it seems to me. The one I got for an 85 was also spec'd for replacement use in the V8 Maverick, so it should handle 1/2 the displacement with no problem. I just cut the old one out, and later replaced the exhaust pipe as it had rusted out.
I used to tow a hard-sided pop-up camper to Lake Don Pedro in the foothills in CA. It wasn't the fastest thing on the road, but it got there without overload. That camper had electric brakes, so you know it had some mass.
tom

 

Don't have much knowledge concerning Turbos, do they have any negatives? The exhaust I believe is stock, has been replaced several times at a local muffler shop. Do I also get into modifying the air cleaner. I have no issues with these ideas as long as I get it right. Thanks.

 

Firstly other than aggressive cams and stuff, there is nothing you can do to a stock 2.3L that will make it produce much more than stock as a naturally aspirated engine. Anything that will make it produce more power in NA form will kill whatever low end torque the motor has, which it needs desperately to be any good on the street.

But before we go on any wild tangents, have you done a leakdown test. You say the motor feels tired, but if you haven't done a leakdown test or a compression test, then we are just guessing here. I think it is important to do said test because your bottom end is probably just fine, and no point rebuilding a motor that is just fine.

The leakdown test will tell you where the motor is loosing compression. If its going through the rings, then yes, the motor is getting tired and needs new rings, new hone, and might as well replace everything else while its apart. My guess is that it will be leaking at the valves. If it is, then new valve seats and valvework will restore the engine without having to mess with anything else.

If you want to pursue the turbo idea, there is a forum dedicated to turbocharging Rangers, particularly the 2.3L. I'll let you know right up front some of what you are getting into, so you know the downsides in advance.

You need dished turbo pistons. These can be sourced from an older 2.3L turbo motor so long as you keep the stock bore size. You can buy new ones from Bo-Port which are stronger than stock turbo pistons and are available in stock and oversize. Don't bore out more than you absolutely have too, keeping close to the stock bore maintains better block strength. You also need stronger rods, '95 and later Rangers have weak rods. If you are not planning on producing more than 400 hp, then you can use rods off a 2.3L turbo motor or any Ranger older than '94. You would also need the crank off the donor motor as well. You can also buy new rods that will work with your crank or a turbo crank. The new rods will break past the 400 hp limit.

Next you will also need larger injectors. For 200 hp - 280 hp, the 36# turbo injectors work fine, can be sourced off any '85 or later 2.3L turbo motor and will have brown tops. The earlier green injectors are 30# injectors and are more limiting.

You will also need a turbo, a stock 2.3L turbo will put you to either 250 hp or 300 hp depending on which motor, or you can use a T3/T4 hybrid as large as a 50 trim compressor and a .63 exhaust. Do not buy a cheap chinese turbo. Get a genuine Garret, Turbonetics, Precision, etc. A good turbo will cost about $650-$700 new.

You will need a Lighting MAF, or a standalone computer than uses speed density. And you need a way to tune the computer for the different sensors and larger injectors. SCT XCal3 is the most popular option for reprogramming the stock computer. Megasquirt or Microsquirt is the most popular option for standalone. The Megasquirt based system uses a MAP sensor to adjust fuel parameters based on vacuum/boost, while the stock computer uses a MAF to determine mass of air entering the engine.

If you want to keep heat or AC, a guy on the turboranger forum makes flip flanges that let you use a turbo E6 manifold upside down. This moves the turbo forward to clear the airbox stuff.

Run 3" mandrel bent exhaust (most muffler shops make crush or wrinkle bends that kill flow.), with a 3" straight through muffler. On the intake side, you can do without, but it works best with an intercooler and the related tubing.

You do this right, the 2.3L turbos have way more power than any V6 Ranger, and they threaten V8s.

the big benefit about the turbo is:
Major power gains over stock 2.3Ls, while still having enough bottom end power to be street friendly.
Only minor penalties to fuel economy. My '87 T-bird 2.3L turbo can push 30 mpg while having enough power to take on a late 90's Mustang GT.
Better returns in the form of horsepower for the cost involved.
Greater peak power output, NA reaches its limits based on RPM while the turbo is limited by boost.

You will only gain about 1hp per $100 spent with NA, while with turbocharging the return is closer to 4 hp per $100 spent when buying full price retail parts. With used turbo parts, the return is much better, a $300 turbo motor gets you a turbo, pistons, rods, crank, manifold, and injectors, plus a $400 tuner or standalone computer, costs under $100 and raises you from your stock 110 hp to about 200. Add a $15 manual boost controller, and that gets stepped up to around 230 hp. You need custom exhaust whether you go NA or turbo, but a 3" exhaust nets you a 30-40 hp gain on turbo, and a 3 hp gain on a NA. An intercooler is recommended, and that can easily run several hundred, but tends to raise the power output at the same boost level about 20 hp, and raises the boost limit without detonation. Trow in larger ports, larger valves, port matching, polishing, the gains are more significant on a turbo motor than on a NA motor.

 

Looks like some Great Info^^

SO they really get 300 Horse WOW

That's up there with a 7.3L Diesel Stock LOL

 

Or you could just spend the money you would have spent on a performance rebuild to buy something that will tow MUCH better in factory trim then any ranger.

Bottom line is no matter how much power your freshly rebuilt 2.3 puts out, it's still in a truck with tiny brakes, a short wheelbase and narrow track width.

 

And this is true......but who doesn't want a 300hp Ranger?

 

Wow, a lot to digest. To be honest, I have a 1997 Pop Up that weighs in at 1349 lbs, and my 97 Ranger that were paired together last summer. On the highway I can do the 65 mph speed limit comfortably, I do lag on the hills, the truck seems to be capable as long as you don't push it. Small brakes, yes, I replaced the front and rear complete. Stopping isn't an issue although the new drums in the rear were a noticeable improvement. I get 15 miles per gallon which I can live with and it's all paid for. The gearing is going to get some consideration but first I believe I'll have the leakdown test done and see about the valves. I've always changed the oil, flushed the transmission and radiator regularly about 50,000 miles. Maybe I'm jumping the gun on a rebuild but if that's where I'm headed here we go.