1990 2.3 Turbo Ranger Build

[Turbroke]

Lookin good, if you have too much trouble with the fuel lines use the Ranger fuel rail... I of course gook the less classy looking approach and just made new lines from the fuel filter forward, and just double clamped around the barbs on the fuel rail...

I had thought about the Ranger rail, but the spacing of the injectors was really different on mine. I've decided to extend the return line with a section of injector line and a union/clamp deal. The cleanest/safest way I came up with for the high pressure side is having the guys at NAPA make me a short section of fuel line with a male and female fuel fitting. Kinda like an extension cord. This way everything just connects the way it's supposed to. I'm getting real close to trying to start this puppy. have everything worked out but the VAM/intake setup, and a few vacuum lines. I think I'm doing the air just the way you did; I like the cold air the stock filter gets too. I can't find a good link for the vacuum hoses, and could use a good diagram if you know where to find one. Spent another long day on the truck; man, this project is exhausting and expensive, but I have faith that one day this Ranger will be one of the cooler ones out there. This is just the beginning.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I forgot about the intake manifold being different... injector spacing different too...

I don't have any good pictures of my vacuum routing, and it's too late for pictures tonight... there isn't much though, just the one for the fuel pressure regulator that needs to be after the throttle body, the rest are in the turbo area going to the wastegate, and the boost controller if you left that in.

For intake tubing, to get you by use drier tubing, I used the wire reinforced type for a year or so that I covered with duct tape for reinforcement and it worked fine until I made my current setup.

 

[Turbroke]

I found a vacuum diagram on the web. I like the dryer hose idea; I was wondering how to go about that on the cheap. One thing that does concern me is that I don't have a boost control solenoid. Dave R's page says you can leave it out, but does not explain the risk. Working on the VAM intake mod today, and hope to finish the pressurized side of the intake as well. (Trying to figure out how to make exhaust fittings do the trick.) Well, back to the project. It's a little warmer today.

 

[Enemy]

One thing that does concern me is that I don't have a boost control solenoid. Dave R's page says you can leave it out, but does not explain the risk.

You will be safe as long as the wastegate spring isn't an overly high pressure (15psi factory if I recall? Not sure ). This will be your max boost "On the spring" A boost control solenoid can only take a boost pressure higher than the gate spring, never lower. Always nice to have good fuel in the tank as well when going out and testing just in case it goes to 20+psi and you find it very hard to lift your foot off the "GO" pedal lol
Engine sitting in between the fenders looks awesome man BTW! Very clean

 

[Turbroke]

Thanks Enemy, appreciate it. Well, I didn't get as far as I hoped today. I'm finding that fitting the VAM to the stock air filter box is a little challenging. I spent most of the afternoon tracking down jerry rig parts that won't work, and butchered my old MAF to make adapters for the VAM/air-box conversion. These adapters better work! I spent way too much time on them. LOL Things should go a little smoother tomorrow; I have a plan this time.

 

[Turbroke]

Finally! What should have been a fairly simple hose/pipe hookup turned into a monumental project. I spent way too much time fabricating parts/adapters, but in the end; I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I know somebody is going to tell me that flexible exhaust pipe isn't air tight, so I'll simply state that it's not finished yet. All the seams are "caulked" with JB Weld, and I'm going to wrap the exposed part of the flex pipe with a "bake on" exhaust repair patch to tighten it up. I may add an inter-cooler someday, so it may be temporary. I searched every auto/hardware store around here for a piece of 3" I.D. flex hose, but only found a K&N flex adapter for those cone filters. I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend $23.00 for a 5" piece of flex hose...The search continues. Many thanks to therangerstation, Scotts90ranger and everyone else who helped me along during this build. Projects like this go so much smoother when you have good resources and advice. This is a great forum!

 

[Turbroke]

Here is my solution to the flex hose dilemma. This is either the best or worst idea I've come up with in a while. It's a "slinky" made of rebar tie wire and aluminum duct tape. It's solid as hell, so as long as the temps don't exceed the adhesive's limit; I'm in good shape. That concludes the mechanical part of this project. Just waiting for warmer weather now to do body work and paint.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Blang, not bling! tho that does have some blinginess to it.
Whatever works.

 

[Turbroke]

I suppose it is a little blingy. Ha! Well, it and all the other crazy cobb rigs worked, because I fired it up for the first time tonight! It sputtered and complained a little bit for the first minute then smoothed right out and ran just as it should. It sounds like an angry John Deere tractor without the exhaust hooked up, but surprisingly not that loud. Turbo's really quiet things down. All that's left to do now is fill the transmission, get the exhaust pipe on and drive it. Woo Hoo!!! Thought this day would never come. I guess I'm done until I get the urge for an intercooler....a bigger turbo.....Megasquirt......bigger injectors.....T5 tranny and....and...and... (This really is a form of mental illness. Ain't it?) LOL

 

[scotts90ranger]

Sweet, I knew my methods would work, and apparently I still know something about the thing

Just for the record, your first start went smoother than mine... but I wasn't even doing the swap in my own garage so it was a little more complicated...

 

[Turbroke]

Sweet, I knew my methods would work, and apparently I still know something about the thing

Just for the record, your first start went smoother than mine... but I wasn't even doing the swap in my own garage so it was a little more complicated...

Yup. Everything you told me to do worked like a charm. It must have helped to bring back all those old memories from when you did yours. I'm really impressed with your 4x4 conversion. Bet ya can't wait to build another one! lol Yours didn't start up for ya?

 

[Turbroke]

Took it for the first real test drive today. Running good except some miss and sputter when flooring it (WOT @ 3500 - 4000 rpm). Probably have to get some decent gas in it to really get to the bottom of that. I forgot to tighten one of the rubber boots for the intercooler on my 88' Turbo Coupe one day and had similar running problems, but I have no leaks as far as I can tell. Not a bad beginning though. The old turbo motor and this truck sat around in storage for a good amount of time, so stale gas/water wouldn't be out of the question either. Just hoping it's not due to insufficient fuel pump output. (running stock fuel pump) I'll get the bugs worked out soon.

 

[XLTsplash]

Nice to hear everything is working out and you've got it on the road. Does it feel faster than a T-Bird Turbo Coupe ?

 

[Turbroke]

Nice to hear everything is working out and you've got it on the road. Does it feel faster than a T-Bird Turbo Coupe ?

Thanks, it's a big relief. The closer to finishing I got; the more I started worrying about a half a dozen things going wrong and having to troubleshoot all sorts of messes, but it went pretty smooth. It definitely has the torque and acceleration of my TC - maybe a little better due to it's lighter weight/different gear ratio, but in order to match overall performance you would have to swap in the T5 tranny, and a better rear end. It still shifts like a pickup truck, but yes...it's 100% faster than it was and WAY more fun to drive.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I think the TC's run in the 4000lb range, so a 3200lb Ranger should go pretty good. I think the TC's use a 7.5" axle too, but I think most of them had a limited slip. I think I remember reading that a 2.3T Ranger should run in the mid 14's in the 1/4, so that's reasonably quick.'

You're new to this Ranger, right? Once you have some miles on it and get used to how it shifts I bet it'll grow on you, my M5OD shifts smooth (except 2nd, that grinds now and then even with new synchro's) and can be shifted fast. If you think an M5 shifts like a truck, try driving an S-10 with a T5... Even the ZF5 in my F350 shifts better than they do

I have a feeling your exhaust tube intake is the cause for the WOT miss, these systems don't like air metering problems either way, anytime air gets in or out after the VAM they'll run kinda weird. I think my VAM has a dead spot in the highway cruise area of airflow because it will run just fine with more or less throttle. It's gonna be my excuse to upgrade to the LA3 computer I have and find a big VAM, but I gotta wait til I have time to do that, it runs just fine other than cruising at 55mph, 50 and down or 60 and up is fine, but it doesn't like 55...