using an older 2.3 in my 97..possible without tons of headaches?

AZranger · Mar 27, 2008

i just bought a 97 ext. cab ranger, 5spd, 6" lift, 2.3, etc.. but the motor is toast. and i mean it's toast, trash...no good.

So, i need to get a new motor....here my issue, i want everything to function as it did with the original motor, and it will have to pass emissions as an OBD2...obviously, SO...

what i was wondering is, is there any way to swap in an older 2.3 and make it work with my obd2 '97... i know the main difference was in 95+ they added the cam position sensor, which if it's anything like my diesel, won't run at all without one (even if the motor doesn't require it...my ecu will still be looking for it)...any advice would be nice.

i'd really like to do a 2.3 turbo swap but i can't find a 2.3 turbo donor car locally and, emissions would be a pain.

Mark_88 · Mar 27, 2008

Don't know about the later models but I'm sure if the earlier blocks don't have the sensor you could probably just drill and tap a bolt to hold one on where the newer ones have them...the blocks are the same though...and you may need to plug up the hole for the fuel pump if you use a block that has a hole for one...but those are not really hard to plug...

However, for what it's going to cost you to swap an engine after finding one and all that, rebuilding your short block with forged pistons would probably work out about the same or a bit more and you'd be (almost) Turbo-ready...I was going to do that with mine but opted not to rebuild the bottom end for now...

Guess it depends on how much you want to spend and how much time you have to finish the project...I know shops around my area take three to four weeks to build a motor...just busy...

4b316 · Mar 28, 2008

Not the same block,94 and earlier have the oil pump in the bottom and 95 have it running off the timing belt.Therea are a couple different brackets that won't bolt on the earlier block,alternator and power steering pump.I have used the newer block in the older truck but not the other way.You might be able to use the newer head on the older block,which has some different bolt holes,enough to hold the brackets on the 94 block but I don't know for sure.

AZranger · Mar 28, 2008

yes they changed the oil pump but, the block itself isn't much different, other than in 95+ they removed the dist. hole, added the cps, and changed the oil pump.

my main thing is, my ecu will be looking for a CPS, but without one...the vehicle won't start, is there a way to bypass the cps, if i were to toss in an older motor? i don't want to change over to the older ecu and all that crap..

using an older 2.3 in my 97..possible without tons of headaches?

AZranger

10+ Year Member

Mark_88

15+ Year Member

4b316

15+ Year Member

AZranger

10+ Year Member

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