Has anybody here bought a Ford crate 2.9 V-6?
Just curious about the cost and availability.
The local Ford dealer doesn't want to discuss it.

 

Boy, would I like to see some responses to this 2.9L V6 FI crate engine question.

1. From experience, who supplies the best rebuilt?

2. Its been said that the 2.9L can be rebuilt with good increased HP, if so, is such a Rebuit w/increased HP available as a crate engine? From who?

3. Whats the deal with "Ford" not wanting to talk rebuit crate eng?

4. Isn't a "Brand New" 2.9L FI V6 engine available from Ford, for a '88 Bronco II? All I ever see in my web travels, is "Rebuild's?

At 166,500, I'm tapping with low oil pressure and missing badly. I think I'm ready to read some informative responses......Thanx!!

 

jasper.com provides some of the best rebuilt engines and tranmissions, they do carry 2.9L engines.

Autozone carries one with a good warranty, I do not know about quality first hand...

> the 2.9L can be rebuilt with good increased HP

Good by any standard is ci=hp. 177 ci = 177 hp in a 3500+ pound vehicle does not make for good tire spinning performance You are better off keeping everything stock (save your money) or upgrading to a 4.0 or 5.0.

> "Ford" not wanting to talk rebuit crate eng?

Generally speaking, crate engines are available for vehicles currently in production or for performance off-road applications. The 2.9L does not fit either guideline. After the TFI class action lawsuit I doubt Ford wants anything to do with the older TFI based engines.

Anyways, a good rebuilt engine exceeds the used price of most BIIs or Rangers. It is usually cheaper to buy another one or a different vehicle, so it makes no sense for Ford to offer a rebuilt engine. How many would they sell in one year, 100?

 

Thank for the follow up post rebocardo.

 

ElWhoppo & UncleBS:
Yes, crate engines are available, and the price isn't too bad. They are available at almost any national parts house (Schucks, Kragen, Auto Zone...) or I have found them at http://rebuilt.infoboard.net/fordlookup/display_engine.cfm for around 1895 plus shipping.

As was stated, it's hard to get power out of these engines, but not impossible. Headers and free flowing exhaust help, so does propper air flow such as with a good air filter. However if you are looking to overhaul and build, remember that no matter what you do, you are still working with an engine with aluminum heads, and an aluminum block. Build it too hard and you'll blow it!!!

So to support many others in this forum, there is not replacement for displacement. 302's are a dime a dozen, rebuilds for them are cheap. Take teh $2000 you would spend on a crate motor and get a 302. Conversion kits are only $1000 so you still have 4x4. At any rate, have fun.

 

I'm trying to figure out what it is thats in a 302 coversion kit that makes it worth a grand? Dose it include a new CPU? Motor mounts, electric radiator fan? I could come up with a whole lot of spare parts for a $1000. Dose the frame have to be motified?

 

 

4WD Ranger / Bronco II Engine Mounts
Custom 6 qt. Baffled Oil Pan System
90 degree Oil Filter Adaptor & Remote Lines Kit
4WD Performance Headers
Bellhousing / Flywheel Assembly

Can you buy these parts for $1000? How about new?

 

5 years ago I replaced my 2.9L with a rebuilt from Carquest. It had a 3 year warranty with with unlimited mileage. After brake-in I put on some mileage pulling my travel trailer from FL to AZ back to TX. The engine is still running great and to date has about 60k miles.
As the years have gone by, my little engine seemed to be losing performance. It was lacking power when pulling the camper. I started doing some checking. This is what I found. Behind the grill where the air tube to the air box starts, I found the flap to be broken, (after years of use I suspect) starving my little engines air supply. I removed it and cut away the flap and installed a screen behind the frame to keep out the bugs and the little engine came to life. I got greedy and wanted some more hp cheap. I already had a performance chip in the computer and a k/n air filter. I needed something like a 4 barrel, and for $54 I installed a TB from a '87 2.9L with a opening of 58mm verses the 53 mm for the '88. Wow! The difference I could feel in the seat of my pants. I also insulated the air tubes and the air box to keep the air into the TB as cool as possible. I now have some form of a cold air ram induction. I am enjoying the performance.

 

The 2.9L 177 is near bullet proof. The engine trades HP for reliability. The main issue with the 88 2.9L 177 and below is they leak alot. The 89 2.9L 177 changed the valve cover angle from 90° to more slanted to increase gasket size in a attempt to stop the valve leak... it didn't work, but it did improve it. The 177 block as far as performance, it was NEVER designed with that in mind. Cosworth did use a 2.9L V6 out of a Escort slapped on a Turbo and basically called it a day, except they didn't. If memory serves me right in group B they had that 2.9L up to 209BHP.

You can get slightly more HP out of the 2.9L by using oversized 2.8L Cylinder heads (I think it was .30 over) and it should jump it up by 3-15HP new intake and exhaust system will give you about 5-10HP more, new spark plugs, wires, and distribution cap should give it another 3 or 4 HP and that's just the simple stuff... if you do all of that, you'll feel a very slight difference in performance. +29HP out of a 140HP engine... come on that's a 169HP max. If you polish the block you might see 180HP and kinda feel it but it's not worth it. 5.0 Swap that bad boy. The RWD ranger with the Mazda manual OD transmission (Mazda 5 speed trandmission) should bolt straight up to the 5.0 out of the Fox Body Mustang. Fair warning that block is meant to split in half if you push it past 500HP in the stock motors. 😁🇺🇸 Hope this helps you.

Side notes:
Oh reliability is a solid 8 out of 10 out of the Cologne 2.9L V6 177. Very rugged motor, just don't try to put it through extremes and expect it to last. Daily use engine, not designed for; off road, high performance, or extream neglect. Loose enough tolerances that the engine can take prolonged neglect without catastrophic failure. (DO NOT RECOMMEND TESTING THIS UNLESS YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY A NEW ENGINE)

Rumors about the 2.9L:

-Can run 200 miles on no oil.
-Can run for 4 months straight without oil.

My experiences with a 89 2.9L:

-Easy to maintain.
-Has a overheating protection mode that prevents the engine from cating at high temps due to a thermostat failure in the 89 Ranger XLT RWD ext. Cab 5 speed.
-Leaks
-Ticks when low on oil
-Sounds like a V8 when the exhaust pipe falls out. 😂
-Vacuum lines are a bitch.
-Leaks
-Leaks
-Leaks....
-Why won't it stop
-Leaks...
-Please stop?
-ticks
-easy to maintain (fill it with oil)
-and leaks. 😭

Note: It's not gushing or a dripping leak it's more like baby slobber.

P.S.: My Truck's name is EPA (Environmental Pollution Automotive) because it leaks everything but coolant, drinks gas, but doesn't smoke... well the engine does because the oil will leak on to the manifold but no smoke out the exhaust.

 

2.9 cylinder heads are lousy and crack. Fixed this with a new set from Ebay. But I agree the rest of the engine is great. Mine has plenty of power, I do not need anymore for such a small truck.

 

Yep, and the frustrating thing is that World Products fixed the cracking head problem by designing and selling an upgraded part, but then discontinued it (quite a long time ago, when it would appear that there would still have been a fair demand for them).

 

News flash: Aftermarket 2.9 heads found on ebay under the "Prostar" brand.
See this thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...der-heads.html