Lost in a 2.3T swap

TwinTurboStang · Jan 31, 2009

I'm new to this site, and im new to rangers period. I'm a huge fox body mustang guy. I own 6, 4 are runners. I've had this wrecked 87 turbo coupe for a few years trying to figure out what i was gonna do with it. I recently aquired a 88 ranger, 2wd 2.3 5spd. Got it for 75 bucks, no motor. I've read all over the net trying to aquire the info I need for the swap. The T-bird is a auto car, i definitely dont want the ranger to be an auto. I know my ranger trans will work, but whats the info on the clutch? I dont know what clutch to use and everything. I want to know every pain about doing this swap. Would it be easy to swap all of the wiring out of the turbo coupe? I know i'll need the turbo coupe 5 speed computer, thats a LA series right? What issues will i face when the motor is finally in? I want the whole low-dow on this swap.

I look forward to hearing back and chattin with you guys a bit. Thanks

rurouni20xx · Jan 31, 2009

first of all welcome! if your using the automatic tranny out of the car w/ the matching engine then take the pcm and everything from the car and put in the trk. the clutch pedal and such i would remove and get an auto steering column or rob the one out of the car and put in the trk. you cant make a stick tranny automatic, not possible. if you want to put the coupe motor on the stick tranny id get a good clutch kit from somewhere (ill let other members do the recommending) and use the car harness/pcm and modify the wiring from the tranny to match that of the auto, you may have problems w/ the clutch lockup sensor for the auto pcm, i know others that have done the auto to manual swap and im wanting to do one myself, im looking into a bypass or eliminator for that problem. in the meantime :icon_cheers:

and hope it goes well! :icon_welder:

Davis · Jan 31, 2009

Either get a tranny from an 87 or 88 TC and use the flywheel, clutch, slave cylinder and line from said vehicle.

Or keep the ranger tranny, and get a ranger flywheel (which may or may not be the same as a TC flywheel) and an aftermarket clutch for the ranger.

You can use the auto TC computer, shouldn't be an issue.

Keep the ranger wiring, just re-pin the harness and you'll have to add a VAM and VAT plug from the TC as well as the ACT and Knock sensors. You'll probably get a manual boost controller, so don't worry about the BCS.

What issues will you face? You'll probably be plagued by various vacuum and oil leaks, and like most people who swap a turbo motor into a ranger, you'll hook up a vacuum line to the BAP sensor (formerly your MAP sensor, only difference is that you don't have vacuum to a BAP sensor) which will cause it to run like crap. You'll become quickly discontent with existing boost levels, and eventually with your turbo. That's when you realize you are now addicted to boost and will want to turbo everything including your friend's geo prizm.

ILLEGALCONCEPTS · Feb 1, 2009

Davis said:
You'll become quickly discontent with existing boost levels, and eventually with your turbo. That's when you realize you are now addicted to boost and will want to turbo everything including your friend's geo prizm.

Ture, very true. I don't even have my turbo in yet but I have had it in my possesion for a long time now. When the wife finally finished college, we decided she should get a nice reliable car. We looked at a few and had decided it was all wheel drive or a truck with 4-wheel drive. She is a nurse and her hours can pretty much suck plus you just don't call off of work because your car can't make it in the snow. We went to Subaru, looked around and a guy came out to ask us what we were looking at. I looked at her and she didn't say anything so, " We would like to take one of the Outback 2.5 XT's for a drive". He responded, " Would you like the 5-speed manual" followed by a sad faced response, "no, it's for her". After we both drove it and left thinking about it, wife asks if the turbo was the reason the car had so much power, I responed that she had now seen the light and would understand why I want to turbo the Ranger. LOL

James

TwinTurboStang · Feb 2, 2009

I'm already a boost addict, my 91 mustang gt is twin turbo'd. Thats why i was excited about the ranger. Thanks to everyone who replied, ill begin the swap this week and im sure i'll be buggin you all through the swap.

skyy_4life · Feb 4, 2009

yea only thing i would watch is flywheel. i previously had a problem with that going auto to 5spd.

Sevensecondsuv · Feb 4, 2009

Davis summed it up pretty good. Get yourself the EVTM for both the ranger and turbocoupe. It will make the wiring swap easy. I reused the ranger's harness and I only had to change about 7-8 pins on the computer connector and add a few wires.

dieselboy740 · Feb 4, 2009

we actually used a ranger 2.3 flywheel and pressure plate and the t/c clutch disc.

Oh and boost is fun and addictive i had a twin turbo 5.0 in my old volvo..

negozio · Feb 9, 2009

Sevensecondsuv said:
Davis summed it up pretty good. Get yourself the EVTM for both the ranger and turbocoupe. It will make the wiring swap easy. I reused the ranger's harness and I only had to change about 7-8 pins on the computer connector and add a few wires.[/QUOTE

what are the wire that had to get re-pins

skyy_4life · Feb 9, 2009

twin turbo 5.0 in a volve? wow. how much boost u push in that and any times in 1/4 mile?

Lost in a 2.3T swap

TwinTurboStang

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rurouni20xx

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Davis

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ILLEGALCONCEPTS

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TwinTurboStang

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skyy_4life

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Sevensecondsuv

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dieselboy740

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negozio

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skyy_4life

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