2.3 into a BII.. Am I crazy?

[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.

 

[coonass_cracker]

the new 2.3 is for all intensive purposes a mazda engine.

ewww...

i'll make sure to keep on avoiding them then

 

[Ruffinit]

Well, all I know is what I read from Ford. I'll do some homework and let you all know what I find out.

I DO know one thing though, and that is this 2.3 is an impressive little engine.

 

[Ruffinit]

Okay guys, here's what I've found. I may be partially right and mostly wrong.. kind of confusing even from Ford. There are a few folks out there that have indicated that the bellhousing is indeed different. I can't disprove it, so I'll speak to the Ford mechanics directly. The info is thus, and looks like in 2004 Ford began using the Mazda designed MZR, but it also goes on to say that the DOHC engine was manufactured beginning in 2001 and that ALL Ford's DOHCs are labeled Duratec..

Now there are engines of all sizes called Duratec. In North America, Ford uses the Duratec name on all its dual overhead cam 4 and 6 cylinder engines.

Duratec MZR Family
1.6 L (97.51 CID; 1598 cc)
1.8 L (110 CID; 1798 cc)
2.0 L (122 CID; 1999 cc)
2.3 L (138 CID; 2261 cc) 2001–present DOHC I4

Beginning in 2004, Ford dropped the old 4-cylinder Zetec engines in favor of Mazda's MZR design. Thus, 2005 and present Duratec 4-cylinder engines are Mazdas. This includes the 2.0 L Duratec 20 the 2.3 L Duratec 23 and the all new 2.5 L Duratec 25. The engine is currently built by Ford in Chihuahua, Mexico; Dearborn, Michigan; Valencia, Spain; Laguna, Philippines; and Nanjing, China.

Duratec 23

The 23NS is built in Dearborn, Michigan for the Ford Ranger and North American market Mazda B-Series. These engines are tuned for torque-bias making them suitable for light-truck use and are not equipped with VVT or VICS. Output is 143 hp (107 kW) at 5250 rpm with 154 ft·lbf (209 N·m) of torque at 3750 rpm.

23NS — RWD
2001- Ford Ranger
2001- Mazda B-Series

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Weren't the Zetec series car motors? They put them in the Focus, right? The Zetec never went in the Ranger, it was the Lima 2.3... I know the Lima was used until at least 2000, after that I don't know...
So, if I'm deciphering this correctly, in 2001 Ford dropped the Lima 2.5 in favor of the totally different MZR Duratec 2.3? I don't see why anyone should avoid it for the Mazda engine, my dad has a '88 B2000 that he sold with over 240k+ miles... Ran like a top too... Easiest 5-speed I've ever driven, I swear it's 2nd gear was like my Ranger's 1st gear, lol...

 

[RacinNdrummin]

Duratech and Lima are two completely different engines, different bore spacing and everything.