I have a 96 2.3 Ranger with a 5 speed, I use this truck to pull a small open trailer with a mower on back for work. It's been a good truck to say the least. It is how ever lacking on power, 4 gear pinned to the floor on a slight hill it will only do 40 mph dropping from 55. I know this motor is a dog and every one says buy a bigger truck but I like my little truck. I put a lot of miles on it cutting grass and MPG are decent even when ******* the poor thing. I just bought 4.56 gears that are getting installed next weekend and I'm looking at a cam next. I have done some research and every one says the exhaust side of the head is the real issue, the intake is okay. I was thinking of a copy of the Ford Motorsport A237 cam. I've heard these in trucks and they have a really good lope to them at idle. I have a spare head laying in the shop that I was going to street port and polish, mill .50 off, and stick this cam in. I already have a good 2.5" exhaust on the truck. Specs are @.050 226/234 .420" lift 112 LSA. Rpm range is 1400-4600. I figure about the time the truck gets rolling with the 4.56 it will be on the cam until I shift and I should be able to pull hill alot easier. If my truck would pull 70 mph and hold it, I would be tickled pink. I know a lopey cam doesn't do much for low end and can actually hurt, but I've also read that this cam does pull harder than the stock Ranger cam. So does any one have any experience with this cam? Crane and Walsh both make copies of the original A237, though the Walsh is cheaper.

 

I am not familiar with the A237 cam, but I know the 4.56 axle ratio. In 4th gear at 70 MPH you will be turning almost 4000 RPM.

 

Is your 2.5 in good tune? My 2.3 can hold 70 mph with some pedal to spare, and that's with factory 3.45s. What size tire are you running?

 

How many miles on the truck/engine? How many miles on the spark plugs and wires? When did you first notice this lack of power?

My '91 had the same engine/axle set-up as Garthneddy and occasionally, on a moderate grade, I would have to drop down to 4th but after installing Autolite double platinum plugs and Motorcraft wires, I was able to pull that same grade in 5th and hold 70 mph.

This Lima engine is fussy about plugs and wires. any other brand doesn't do the job.

 

The tires are 215/70R15, had 14" tires and wheels but just looked small under the fender wells. I also had 3.45's originally but switch out the rear for one with 3.73's. The truck does great empty but loaded with the trailer, forget about it. I figured the RPM's using a calculator, 3.73 4th gear at 70 would be 3201 rpm's, about the same as 4.56 5th gear at 70 would be 3092 rpm's. As far as the engine goes, it's probably got 250,000 miles on it, no smoke uses about a quart every 3,000 miles (hard miles) then gets changed with Rotella 15-40. Plugs were changed about 6,000 miles ago with platinum motorcraft plugs and wires. I've always heard Fords were fussy about the plugs and wires. It's always been a little sluggish on hills, but the worst is when you stop on a hill at a 4 way and have to take off, no one likes the smell of clutch, especially when it's your clutch. I was just curious about the cam really. I've had this truck since I was 15 and it's always been the turd of the bunch. Really like to make it thump and still have some power to go with it if you know what I mean. I've also read that an adjustable timing gear is great to have to advance the cam 4 degrees, that would bring the "hit" in at about 1200 rpms. Should be okay with the gears right?

 

Also forgot to clarify the engine is a 2.3, not a 2.5, yet!

 

That rpm range doesn't match the cam specs.. it's got to have 270-280 degrees total duration which means it's a 3000-6000rpm cam. IMO what's wrong with this motor is the same thing that's wrong will all Ford truck motors of this vintage.. the stock heads are restrictive yes but more significantly the stock cam barely opens the valves enough to allow internal combustion. I don't think you need that much cam to get meaningful gains I think a cam with about 260deg total duration(200-210@0.050") and as much lift as the valve springs will tolerate will do the trick. And if you're gonna have a custom cam ground then all you need to do is measure the stock cam to find your starting point.

 

I just went off the specs I found on crane cams site, whats this world coming to when we cant trust cam companies.

 

What is the weight of the trailer and load? It sounds like you need a Ranger with the 4.0 L engine or at least that is level of performance you are expecting. If you have to slip the clutch that much to get the load started, its not so much that the engine is underpowered buy rather the engine is overloaded.

In my opinion, you have an unreasonable expectation for your truck.

 

I dont really know the weight of the trailer, its a 6x12 single axle trailer, the mower weighs about 950lbs. As for the cam specs, I thought the specs at .050 lift were the specs you based your selection from

 

I have a 97 ranger, had stock 373 in it and I switched to 410s and gained mpg and cruising power. 456 will be awesome, I completely agree with your choice.
If your head is the same as my dual plug head, having round intake ports and not the d shaped ones, there isn't much for porting you can do. I'd suggest cleaning up casting on intake side, and polish the runners, but biggest flaw with ford is their seat area under the valve. You can clean that up nicely once you remove the valves. Exhaust side needs some straightening but be careful.

Before you start porting, research the user "boport" He has done lots of porting and flow testing of the 2.3 heads.

Next, I'd suggest a turbo. My ranger got a turbo coupe manifold and super60, and it loved it. Ran it 3 years with zero tuning, and it finally gave up. Need to check though, my truck had 30lb red top injectors from factory and yours may not. I never ran out of fuel according to my wideband. It wasn't the best a/f but I ran 7psi in the 12.5-13.2 range.
TC manifold requires cutting heater box. I'd suggest buying a center mount or forward mount manifold.

 

Right, I mean it's a great truck no doubt. I would love to turbo it but funds just ain't there. I tried out 4.10 gears by changing my wheels and tires to 14" with a 60 series tire and it was better but I was left wanting more. I think the 4.56 will be spot on for my needs. No they wont be for everyone, especially if you don't tow, but for me, I think I'm going to be happy with them. But I really started the post for info on the camshaft. There are a few cam grinders out there that copied the A237 Ford Motorsport cam and I just liked the way that things sound, and read from a lot of forums online that it is streetable despite the lope it has, but that came from turbo owners. I was just wanting to see what the opinions were on putting it in a N/A 2.3. As far as losing low end power, every one seems to agree on advancing it 4 degrees. I'm gonna cut the glasspack out and put a chambered muffler in place of it too with 2.5" tubing from the header back. Glass pack just put the tone too high for my liking. Had 40 series Flows on it and it sound pretty good, lower tone. I just don't get the cam specs I guess. Cam manufacture says powerband from 1400-4600, yeah the advertised duration is 270/284ish I think but I was always told not to got off of that because the valves don't even start to flow before being lifted .050" so that is why cam makers also show duration at .050" lift. Not trying to sound like a ***** about it just trying to wrap my head around it.
CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE, NOOB TRYING TO LEARN HERE, I REPEAT, NOOB TRYING TO LEARN, THANK YOU
They also list a cruising rpm of 2600-3200. What can I say, I'm a sucker for lopey idles. I even like the Van Halen song hot for teacher because of the intro

 

Only downside is with 4.56's, someone said you'll be shifting your *** off but we had a GMC Brigidare with a 6-71 Detroit and Road Ranger 13 speed I used to drive around the 4 acres at our shop. Had to be quick or you'd miss a shift and have to start all over. A trip through town should get me back in the groove!

 

Ford Motorsport says "good to fair idle, good midrange and good for turbo"
Close enough for me. I'd run it. Especially with 456 gears.
No worries.
Make sure you let us know the results because I have my ranger motor apart and rebuilding. TRW forged pistons, arp bolts, ported head, and now I'm tempted to get that cam.

 

Yes.. in a turbo motor, but without the blower it won't make any useable power below 3000rpm and head flow will limit peak HP so it's gonna have a powerband like a 125cc dirtbike.