2.3 into a BII.. Am I crazy?

[rusty ol ranger]

2.9's junk?

I believe a 2.9 holds the mileage record for TRS, last i knew of C Marshalls BII he had almost 700,000 miles.

later,
Dustin

 

[Beanmachine7000]

This is gonna be my DD, probably 31" AT's or mild MT's is all it would get, maybe 3-4" of lift or so... I'll use it for driving to school and back every day, and every other weekend dragging me and a couple of colleagues to a research site we're working on... During the summer it's going to get a lot more use, I'll have a small trailer I'll be towing behind it to our site with a couple weeks worth of camping gear, then loaded up <500lbs and towed back home...

 

[Beanmachine7000]

2.9's junk?

I believe a 2.9 holds the mileage record for TRS, last i knew of C Marshalls BII he had almost 700,000 miles.

later,
Dustin

I wouldn't go so far to say the 2.9 is junk, I liked both of them when they ran, I just can't seem to get them to run like I can the 2.3... I'm the same way with automatic transmissions... Every auto equipped vehicle I've owned has had problems...

 

[Hahnsb2]

How is the 2.9 less reliable then a 2.3L?....and there not that much weaker then a 4.0. There a good comprimise.

As reliable as my 2.9 was and as hard as I beat it, there is no way a 2.9 is as reliable or bullet proof as a 2.3. And the 4.0 is a pretty big upgrade in the low end torque department from the 2.9, been there done that.

 

[coonass_cracker]

which reminds me i should point out the one i did was manual trans. i can't say i would recommend it with an auto trans.

also don't forget to think about how much weight you'll be carrying if you plan to carry passengers. if they are all heavy enough, that can add up fast.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Well, I posted in the "Wanted to Buy" section, but if I can't find a 4.0 and a M50D for ~ $500 pretty soon I'll probably be going with the 2.3... I've already got a line on one with 45k and a tranny for $500...

I'd have to say 1000lbs is probably the most I'll have in it and tow less than 500lbs(750lbs of man meat, 300lbs of gear... towing <500lb trailer)

 

[PaleBlue90]

This is gonna be my DD, probably 31" AT's or mild MT's is all it would get, maybe 3-4" of lift or so... I'll use it for driving to school and back every day, and every other weekend dragging me and a couple of colleagues to a research site we're working on... During the summer it's going to get a lot more use, I'll have a small trailer I'll be towing behind it to our site with a couple weeks worth of camping gear, then loaded up <500lbs and towed back home...

if thats the case id go with the 4.0. you will enjoy the power in those cases:icon_thumby:

 

[Spartan]

make sure it has a turbo head if you are going to rund a turbo. the NA block should be fine at 5 psi...but to be safe use the turno head at least.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Well, I posted in the "Wanted to Buy" section, but if I can't find a 4.0 and a M50D for ~ $500 pretty soon I'll probably be going with the 2.3... I've already got a line on one with 45k and a tranny for $500...

I'd have to say 1000lbs is probably the most I'll have in it and tow less than 500lbs(750lbs of man meat, 300lbs of gear... towing <500lb trailer)

Look for a whole donor rig, you're going to need the wiring anyways.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Look for a whole donor rig, you're going to need the wiring anyways.

I wish I could... I've been looking on Craigslist, people must think Exploders are gold, I found two, one with 140k a blown HG, and A4LD, they want $1000, and another with a blown HG for $900... I can't find one for less than a grand...

Well, I just found a Ex sport that drives for $750...

 

[Ruffinit]

In 2003 or so Ford revamped the 2.3L for the Ranger, it has more valves and is rated around 148 hp. The 2.3L before that seemed quite subdued, but the newer one that I bought in a 2wd "Splash" has plenty of power and is quite zippy. In the Ranger in the summer mine has averaged 32mpg now for over 30K miles. To be quite frank, because of the performance of this engine, I've thought of it for a BII. When the Ranger 4x4 first came out you could get the 4 cyl engine in it, and like said before, the gearing will make or break it. I definately wouldn't put an automatic behind it though.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

In 2003 or so Ford revamped the 2.3L for the Ranger, it has more valves and is rated around 148 hp. The 2.3L before that seemed quite subdued, but the newer one that I bought in a 2wd "Splash" has plenty of power and is quite zippy. In the Ranger in the summer mine has averaged 32mpg now for over 30K miles. To be quite frank, because of the performance of this engine, I've thought of it for a BII. When the Ranger 4x4 first came out you could get the 4 cyl engine in it, and like said before, the gearing will make or break it. I definately wouldn't put an automatic behind it though.

The Duratech 2.3 is what you're talking about... I'm pretty sure the only thing it has in common with the Lima engines is the displacement... It's a DOHC engine, so it does make more power... I have no idea about them though, never had one... I doubt they have the same bellhousing as the Lima though, and making the OBDII electronics work in a pre-OBDII car would be way too much work... If I'd do a OBDII swap it wouldn't be a 2.3....

 

[nate12346]

I thought about doin a crown vic V8 swap since you can get used cop cars for dirt cheap, but like everyone else said, anything other than a 2.8/9 or 4.0 swap takes a lot of custom work to fit it

 

[Ruffinit]

According to Ford, they only revamped the top end of the engine. Block remains the same. Going by this, your bellhousing should fit.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

According to Ford, they only revamped the top end of the engine. Block remains the same. Going by this, your bellhousing should fit.

That I didn't know... Classes were canceled today due to ice but, I feel better now knowing I learned something, lol...

I had thought (dreamed?) about a 5.0 swap but, the transfer case problem killed it...

Alas, I believe my idea will be thrown by the wayside, as I have found 2 Explorer Sports, 5-speed, manual t-case, one for $800 and one for $600 (with only 100k)... I'll probably be picking one of them up to abuse now... I remember reading the thread Ex Sport vs. BII, I thought I'd never switch over, but I just don't have the time to be wrenching anymore, and Ford already put all the goodies into the Explorer...

I'll be parting out my Eddie Bauer BII, 5-speed... Check my thread in the For Sale section...

 

[coonass_cracker]

According to Ford, they only revamped the top end of the engine. Block remains the same. Going by this, your bellhousing should fit.

are you sure about that? where did you get that information? AFAIK the lima and duratec are 2 completely different designs.

are you sure you aren't thinking about when ford updated the head on the lima to when they became a dual plug design?

it would be cool if it was true but i am skeptical. can anyone else verify this?

 

[Beanmachine7000]

are you sure about that? where did you get that information? AFAIK the lima and duratec are 2 completely different designs.

are you sure you aren't thinking about when ford updated the head on the lima to when they became a dual plug design?

it would be cool if it was true but i am skeptical. can anyone else verify this?

I have no idea, but I'm with you on this, I thought it was completely different also, the displacement just happened to be the same...

 

[coonass_cracker]

I have no idea, but I'm with you on this, I thought it was completely different also, the displacement just happened to be the same...

looks like you didn't learn anything today after all. except maybe don't believe everything you read. but i am sure you already knew that one.

i've never had or knew much about the duratec 4 cylinder but after looking around on the web and doing research on them there's just no way it can share the same block as the lima. nor do i see any reference to it having the same bellhousing pattern either.

since they do share displacements and are both used in the ranger it's easy to get them confused though so i won't hold it against Ruffinit. just don't want to point anyone in the wrong direction.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Well, my own ignorance about it made me believe he was right... Heck, I thought they were the same until I read someone say one was a Lima, and the other was a Duratech, lol... I wouldn't wanna try swapping one of those in anyway... I would like to see someone do a Duratech OBDII into a BII... That would be neat, about the same power of a 2.9, less gas... That's a win-win there, lol...

 

[fordmandan87]

is it possible that ruffinit was reddering to the v8 not the 2.3? and as a side not the new 2.3 is for all intensive purposes a mazda engine.