88 Bronco 2 running sluggish

rusty ol ranger said:

The 4.0s dont really motivate that much better then a 2.9 (imo) and the extra work isnt worth it.

But, if you choose to redo the 2.9, fork over the money for a set of world product heads, that way you will eliminate really the only big weakness of the 2.9.

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World Products heads disappeared back around 2010 unfortunately.

rusty ol ranger said:

If it were me, if your friend is willing and yall have the knowledge, id rebuild the one you got. Then you know its done right. Ive heard quite a few horror stories about autozone remans.

Plus, i would think 2250 would more then cover a master rebuild kit, and any machine work that needs to be done.

As far as the A4LD, even a 2.9 will destroy one if your not careful. But you are making the right descion keeping the 2.9. The 4.0s dont really motivate that much better then a 2.9 (imo) and the extra work isnt worth it.

But, if you choose to redo the 2.9, fork over the money for a set of world product heads, that way you will eliminate really the only big weakness of the 2.9.

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Since its my only vehicle I'd have to go with an engine that is closer to being dropped in and just external components bolted back on. I'm hoping to get another vehicle by then but if not I'll have to figure something out at that point I guess.

The 2.9L V6 is just fine, not sure what everyone thinks is so great about the 4.0L V6, other than they are gas hogs for no more power than they have. Its not a drop in swap in the B2 therefore I'm not wasting my time and money throwing the wrong engine in my vehicle. I want to be able to get it fixed up and drive it without trouble, and putting in the wrong engine is just asking for never ending electrical/electronics problems.

Not really sure how things will go by the time the replacement/rebuild happens so who knows by then I may have scrapped the whole vehicle.

**The other thing I just thought about, would it make any sense to go to a pick a part and pull an engine and rebuild it and just drop it in? I mean regardless I gotta rebuild an engine so since my current engine still is in running condition, just burning oil really bad and leaking oil all over. Anything I can really look at on an engine at a pick a part as to know if its any good, or at least rebuildable?

The 4.0 doesn't make much more horsepower, but the extra torque it makes is well worth it in my opinion. I manage about 19mpg with my current 4.0, which is only 1 or 2 mpg less than what my old 2.9 got in my Bronco II.

But, yes, pulling a junkyard engine and rebuilding it is an option. When you pull it, just pull the heads and oil pan while there and check the cylinder walls and crankshaft, and that it turns over. (If it's a you-pull-it yard)

Master rebuild kits can be purchased for $4-500, and a new set of heads is only $3-400 on eBay.

So for around $1k you could have a brand new 2.9.

Yeah at this point I'm not really interested in the 4.0 swap, maybe in the future when I have more spare $$$ to play with and another vehicle to drive. I'd love to get another ranger and if that's the case I may do the 4.0 swap in the B2 then...possibly pickup a wrecked truck to yank the 4.0 out of...but this isn't in the works as of yet HAHA!!! You just never know what may follow me home one day

fastpakr said:

World Products heads disappeared back around 2010 unfortunately.

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Damn. Shows how long ive been outta the game. Sorry for the mis info.

BlackBII said:

The 4.0 doesn't make much more horsepower, but the extra torque it makes is well worth it in my opinion. I manage about 19mpg with my current 4.0, which is only 1 or 2 mpg less than what my old 2.9 got in my Bronco II.

But, yes, pulling a junkyard engine and rebuilding it is an option. When you pull it, just pull the heads and oil pan while there and check the cylinder walls and crankshaft, and that it turns over. (If it's a you-pull-it yard)

Master rebuild kits can be purchased for $4-500, and a new set of heads is only $3-400 on eBay.

So for around $1k you could have a brand new 2.9.

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Kind of the plan now is to get a rebuild kit and have the heads checked and replace them if needed. Mainly I think it needs resealed, it leaks oil everywhere which may be part of the clattering lifters issue, oil can't lubricate if it leaks out before it gets there HAHA!!!. May as well do a complete rebuild and clean everything up. Got a rebuilt transmission may as well have a rebuilt engine too HAHA!!.

wildbill23c said:

**The other thing I just thought about, would it make any sense to go to a pick a part and pull an engine and rebuild it and just drop it in? I mean regardless I gotta rebuild an engine so since my current engine still is in running condition, just burning oil really bad and leaking oil all over. Anything I can really look at on an engine at a pick a part as to know if its any good, or at least rebuildable?

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Usual things to look at in a pick-a-part engine (probably nothing ya don't know already):

1)Try to look for a truck that died in battle (bashed bad hopefully not in front, with evidence of regular maintenance at least before it got taken out of service suddenly and violently. Be skeptical of engines from trucks that look like they died of rust and neglect. Some rebuild tags or yard markings on an engine would be a hopeful sign.

2) Look at the fluids (oil, antifreeze). Oil should look oily (no milkshakes), antifreeze should not (have a peep at the overflow to evaluate scunge in there)

3) pull out some sparkplugs and look out eg: for excessive oil fouling (also check exhaust pipe inside to see if it is black from running rich.

4) Before you get to pulling an engine, try turning the d**m thing over to see if it has some compression or some kinda internal problem that stops it turning.

5) Be judicious - if it was otherwise neglected but has a recent rash of cooling-related replacements - eg: thermostat, water pump - take a look at the fluids, plugs again for evidence of a head gasket problem (especially if the vehicle looks fairly sound and you can't figure out how it came to be in the boneyard!)

Good Luck!

Oh yeah, if the truck is high mileage, driver's seat area heavily worn and no sign the engine was ever touched/replaced, be careful.

One other thing I would add is look for an engine from an automatic. The couple of engines I worked on from high mileage manual trans had excess wear on the thrust surface of the crankshaft that put them out of spec. These motors only have 1/2 of the main bearing with a thrust surface and the pressure from the throw out bearing causes excess wear that you don't get with an automatic.

Good to know. Thanks. So I just had it in the shop having the passenger side window fixed...Reason I hate power windows is they fail, and they're expensive to have fixed.

Anyhow, there isn't a significant loss in compression, so if that's the case why the hell is it burning so much oil?