weak 96 ranger?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,436
Likes: 117
From: Virginia
There isn't a lot of power to be un-leashed from a stock 2.3L (unless it is the DOHC Duratec). The "cheapest" bang for the buck would be nitrous. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can get a lot of power for the small investment.
A more reasonable mod might be something like an e-fan if your 2.3L has the fan/clutch on the front. There are pros & cons (beware of the risk of overheating) to using an e-fan, but it can free up some power that you will feel on the ButtDyno. Minimal gains can be had buy adding a free flowing air intake + cat-back exhaust + high flow converter, but all this will cost $$$.
A turbo 2.3L is also an option but you will probably have some issues with it being OBDII, and emissions, plus it is not legal to swap an older engine into a newer vehicle.
A more reasonable mod might be something like an e-fan if your 2.3L has the fan/clutch on the front. There are pros & cons (beware of the risk of overheating) to using an e-fan, but it can free up some power that you will feel on the ButtDyno. Minimal gains can be had buy adding a free flowing air intake + cat-back exhaust + high flow converter, but all this will cost $$$.
A turbo 2.3L is also an option but you will probably have some issues with it being OBDII, and emissions, plus it is not legal to swap an older engine into a newer vehicle.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
From: Maine
How much power are you talking? I saw a '97 2.3 turbo the other day, though I didn't get to see it run. Swapping to 4.10 gears could help, too, depending on what you've got in there. I've heard of a simple airbox mod that helps a bit, but I don't know exactly what it is.
But, like G2IC_Wraith says, there's not a whole lot of power to be had out of that little engine in these heavy(-ish) vehicles. If you don't want to spend big bucks, it's gonna be slow.
I enjoy the challenge of driving something this slow. In regular city traffic, I have to really drive the thing, where most vehicles are just cruising along easily. I like to drive, so to me that's fun (and I don't do it everyday, either- I'm sure it would get old).
But, like G2IC_Wraith says, there's not a whole lot of power to be had out of that little engine in these heavy(-ish) vehicles. If you don't want to spend big bucks, it's gonna be slow.
I enjoy the challenge of driving something this slow. In regular city traffic, I have to really drive the thing, where most vehicles are just cruising along easily. I like to drive, so to me that's fun (and I don't do it everyday, either- I'm sure it would get old).
