I've seen that comment in various other threads. Not sure how to ID what I have though. I believe it's an FM 146 trans, and I guess that is not good for a 4.0? I'd just as soon go with the 2.3T for my needs but am not sure that wouldn't require a trans swap in itself? Unless someone has a lead on a replacement bell housing.
If so it seems 2.3 4x4's are not that easy to find anyhow so I'm not sure what trans I'd need to put the 2.3T in.
Loads of bars leak and similar seems to stop the water in the oil issue for the short term until I find a better solution. Just don't want to dump a load of money into a $400 play vehicle at this time.
The early T-K5 trans or FM146 will not stand up behind a 225ft/lb 4.0
a 265-290ft/lb producing 2.3T will twist one into garbage even more swiftly.
However it should be noted that swapping the bell-housing off of the 146 is "Possible" there is no existing bell-housing for any engine other than the 2.9.
as this transmission was never used with a 2.3.
(with some searching you might find a bellhousing for a Mitsubishi 2.6L 4cyl)
I need to point out that I've personally snapped the output shaft off of a 4x4Mazda trans with a stock 4.0... So I'd recommend being "Nice" to one wth a 2.3T
The torque character, torque relative to rpm, of an '88-89 2.3T with an IHI turbocharger is very similar to that of a well tuned 2.9 engine.
Both engines get into their torque happy zone at 2400rpm, and are pretty much "done" at about 4500rpm.
The 4.0 OTOH starts making torque really low, 1100rpm and by 1350rpm is already making more torque (170ft/lb) than the 2.9 makes at it's peak (2600rpm) and makes >200ft/lb from ~1700-4000rpm.
At any rpm you are likely to have a 4.0 in gear and under load it is making 170-200ft/lb, in other words, it is an engine that just doesn't care, it pulls and keeps pulling.
The best part of a 4.0 is that it was specifically engineered to fit in the engine bay where a 2.9 had previously been, so swapping one in is literally a No-brainer.
a 2.3T has several points of interference, mostly related to the turbocharger and associated plumbing.
I had a low mile '89 TC engine sitting on an engine stand the entire time I was doing my 4.0 Swap. I subsequently sold it, but the real reasons I didn't use it
were because I was unhappy with any of the available clutch options and was really unhappy with the turbo Vs Air conditioning interference issues in the ranger engine bay.
I love my AC and the 4.0 is Adequate... it will be "more than adequate" if I can equip it for a moderate 30-50hp) shot of nitrous.
(I'm thinking a moderate shot, but a BIG bottle, so I can get that 30-50hp boost for several minutes at a time
AD