Engine Build Up

Original_Ranger84 · Dec 9, 2008

I have an extra 2.8L engine sitting on a trailer in my yard, and I was thinking of building it up with a few nice performance parts and stuff.

I'm thinking:
-T Bird 3.8L Fi conversion to start.
-Port and Polished intake and Heads
-Medium Performance Cam/Lifters/Pushrods/Valves
-Headers and highflow cat (to my flow 40)
-All new gaskets ect. ect. (Rebuild kit basiclly)
-140 amp alternator + maybe run the stock one for normal engine operation.
-MSD ignition coils/ 9mm wires/ Plugs
-Distributor
-8:1 pistons
-Electric fan
- and a small turbo if I can.

Wicked_Sludge · Dec 10, 2008

theres no need to change between alternators. a 140 amp alternator wont produce any more drag than a 90 amp alternator unless your drawing over 90 amps for some reason....and if thats the case, dont drag race with your KC's on.

Original_Ranger84 · Dec 10, 2008

Wicked_Sludge said:
theres no need to change between alternators. a 140 amp alternator wont produce any more drag than a 90 amp alternator unless your drawing over 90 amps for some reason....and if thats the case, dont drag race with your KC's on.

Well I'm adding more plus I have about 1,000W going to a stereo, and the fact I have a new battery that is getting killed cause I only have the original 65 amp alternator or 40 amp...? so it needs a good going through, probably need to put in new cables cause they are very corroded. probably go to dual alt.s and batteries.

Wicked_Sludge · Dec 10, 2008

1000 watts is only 70 amps, and thats peak wattage. that stereo is drawing less than 40 amps the majority of the time.

but i digress.

my point was, swapping from your 140 amp alternator to a smaller one to "gain" HP isnt going to work. turning off all of your electrical loads would have the exact same effect.

enginepaul · Dec 10, 2008

I love my 2.8; BUT if you want power, go V-8.
I think you need a better battery or a wiring fix before going for a bigger alternator.
If cost doesn't matter, do as you planned, The turbo will be a problem.

Nipplechops · Dec 10, 2008

enginepaul said:
I love my 2.8; BUT if you want power, go V-8.
I think you need a better battery or a wiring fix before going for a bigger alternator.
If cost doesn't matter, do as you planned, The turbo will be a problem.

Speaking as someone who poured an assload of cash into my 2.8L in an attempt to make it "perform", enginepaul's advice is sound. For the same cash that I sunk into my 2.8L I could have built three 302 V8's that would have gotten better fuel economy AND smoked the V6 without effort.

Aside from the 140 amp alternator and F.I. setup, my engine is basically what you listed. Don't get me wrong, it runs great, but a stock 4.0L puts it to shame on a HP per dollar basis. I would love to run it on a dyno to see what I am getting at the rear wheels, but I am afraid the results would lead me to tears. That and the mill is worn out anyways, so there is really no point.

A turbocharger setup may sound like the cat's ass now, however, you may want to rethink that one. Fabricating a system to work with an obsolete throttle body injection system would be next to impossible. Other options such as a blow through carburetor system would produce lame results (I have no experience in the four wheeled world, but I have worked with blow through systems on motorcycles and they suck to tune).

All nostalgia aside, the 2.8L isn't a great candidate for high performance goals. Can it be done? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely not. There was a reason why Ford replaced it with a slightly more powerful but much less reliable 2.9L. The 2.8L doesn't respond well to cam upgrades without considerable amounts of head work (and if you really want to go nuts, complete head replacement with pre-smog units), has poor aftermarket support (in North America), and will never run with a 4.0L without investing three of your four limbs.

Hope this helps.

Original_Ranger84 · Dec 11, 2008

Thanks guys, I know a 2.8L will never have the balls that a v8 does but I have an extra 2.8 with alot of these things already aside from the turbo, pistons, alternator and the rebuild kit. I was just playing around with the idea, and I just thought it would be cool to say "Yeah My 2.8 has 200+ hp..."

I will put a few things on it probably not all of them on my other engine and swap it in, for A. It is F**KING IMPOSSIBLE to find a good 302 moter that has low miles on it (meaning below 200,000) and finding parts trucks for the L/S axles that I need(preferre 4.10's with manual hubs), Transmission (manual), Transfer Case(Manual), fabrication shipping to alaska of the few parts I need to make it worthy, plus redo the interior/exterior to make it look new again.

And Wicked I had decided on a higher amp alternator because I can't turn off my lights at night just to listen to the radio, and I like listening to my tunes while driving, also seeing as when I go to/from work it is always dark in the winter time, and I am adding More kcs and a wintch if possible I would preffer a higher output alternator cause the difference in price is not that much to get a bigger one that I might need later on.

Nipplechops · Dec 11, 2008

My last full rebuild on my 2.8L cost me well over 2000 bucks and that was after I did all of the head work and port matching myself. I could have easily doubled that amout by going all out on the heads with larger valves and more intense porting (didn't have access to a flow bench) and working the mains to keep the crank from walking.

To put it simply, a 200HP 2.8L is going to cost you, big time. You are basically doubling the power output of an engine that struggles to outrun most four cylinders of the same era.

I overlooked the fact that you are from Alaska, but sourcing parts for a 302 swap shouldn't be all that hard. Axle upgrades would be as simple as locating a 4.10 D35/8.8 combo from a later model Ranger (straight bolt in), taking the transfer case from the same donor truck, and snagging an M5ODR2 five speed from a 90's F150. As far as the engine goes, your truck is old enough to legally run a carbureted set up (simple wiring) and the engine can be installed with OEM parts found at the local bone yard and a small piece of 1/4" plate and minor fabrication.

If you are hell bent on sticking with the 2.8L, then I would recommend you stay away from the high horsepower dreams to keep your costs managable. Toss in a mild cam, do some basic port clean up, track down a set of '86 Aerostar tubular exhaust manifolds and call it a day. You'll be able to stay ahead of most 2.9L's and you won't be totally broke afterwards. :beer:

Original_Ranger84 · Dec 11, 2008

Nipplechops said:
My last full rebuild on my 2.8L cost me well over 2000 bucks and that was after I did all of the head work and port matching myself. I could have easily doubled that amout by going all out on the heads with larger valves and more intense porting (didn't have access to a flow bench) and working the mains to keep the crank from walking.

If you are hell bent on sticking with the 2.8L, then I would recommend you stay away from the high horsepower dreams to keep your costs managable. Toss in a mild cam, do some basic port clean up, track down a set of '86 Aerostar tubular exhaust manifolds and call it a day. You'll be able to stay ahead of most 2.9L's and you won't be totally broke afterwards.

Well thats all I wanted any way, just a basic thing the pistons were the biggest cost and I don't plan on get them, i ran everything else and it would only cost maybe 500 to 1000$ to build it up the way I want, (mild performance, and NO OIL leak!) my dad got a rebuilt motor from ford after the old one started leaking around 300,000 miles and the new one leaks worst than ever and only 50,000 on it.

But I would do a 302 but I can't find cr*p cars with 100,000 miles on the motor(engine), person that want 6,000 for a wrecked and rolled ranger (for axles), and no salvage yards within 200 miles that would even have the right transmission. And I would prefer an EFI 302 for the mpgs. my v6 can pull around 20 - 30mpgs with the FI and performance and a 302 would get like 22 at best and the way I would drive with a v8 is not gonna get that.

Engine Build Up

Original_Ranger84

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