2002 Ecoboost swapped Ranger build thread

[bobbywalter]

yes it does....but you have to be careful....a scope is handy...chinamart sells em cheap now.

 

[02 EB swapped ranger]

yes it does....but you have to be careful....a scope is handy...chinamart sells em cheap now.

Or just take the intake manifold off. Even easier, only 5 bolts!

 

[stmitch]

Awesome! I knew these would occur at some point. Glad that you're liking yours. Also, thanks for posting up some helpful part numbers and pics. You've done a service to the Ranger community, so thanks!

Now to the critical part: I just don't get how this is worth it over a boosted Duratec. An Ecoboost is just a Duratec with a turbo and a bunch of fancy stuff that makes it a pain to swap. It seems like you could just boost the factory Duratec and skip a bunch of time, work, hassle, and money that the EcoBoost requires.

If you just turbo the stock 2.3 Duratec, you don't have to mod your firewall, mess with any wiring, hack up your HVAC stuff, fab engine mounts, delete power steering, etc. You'd get a simpler engine that doesn't have VVT, heavy balance shafts, or long term negatives like carbon build up on intake valves, or replacing expensive DI fuel injectors.

It would require a custom turbo header, a turbo of your choice, an intercooler, cheap fuel injectors, a larger MAF and a cheap OBD II flash tune. An average wrencher could probably have it done in a weekend for something like $2000-2500. If you did a remote turbo, you could skip the fancy, expensive turbo header and save even more money.

I don't mean to be overly critical. I'm glad that somebody finally did what you've done. It's definitely a cool swap, and I bet it's a riot. You get bragging rights of having an EcoBoost, and being the first that I've seen do it in a Ranger, but to me it seems like you can have 98% of the gain with way, way less work by just keeping the Duratec that's already there and adding a couple of parts.

 

[pjtoledo]

scroll thru page 8 for 2.3 Duratec turbo pics
https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178561&page=8

 

[bobbywalter]

Awesome! I knew these would occur at some point. Glad that you're liking yours. Also, thanks for posting up some helpful part numbers and pics. You've done a service to the Ranger community, so thanks!

Now to the critical part: I just don't get how this is worth it over a boosted Duratec. An Ecoboost is just a Duratec with a turbo and a bunch of fancy stuff that makes it a pain to swap. It seems like you could just boost the factory Duratec and skip a bunch of time, work, hassle, and money that the EcoBoost requires.

If you just turbo the stock 2.3 Duratec, you don't have to mod your firewall, mess with any wiring, hack up your HVAC stuff, fab engine mounts, delete power steering, etc. You'd get a simpler engine that doesn't have VVT, heavy balance shafts, or long term negatives like carbon build up on intake valves, or replacing expensive DI fuel injectors.

It would require a custom turbo header, a turbo of your choice, an intercooler, cheap fuel injectors, a larger MAF and a cheap OBD II flash tune. An average wrencher could probably have it done in a weekend for something like $2000-2500. If you did a remote turbo, you could skip the fancy, expensive turbo header and save even more money.

I don't mean to be overly critical. I'm glad that somebody finally did what you've done. It's definitely a cool swap, and I bet it's a riot. You get bragging rights of having an EcoBoost, and being the first that I've seen do it in a Ranger, but to me it seems like you can have 98% of the gain with way, way less work by just keeping the Duratec that's already there and adding a couple of parts.

hmmmm. coming from you i am absolutely surprised.


the actual areas under curve and boost allowed by direct injection and vvt are astounding.

a diesel can run to 70 to 1...non di gasoline isnt even close... di gasoline is not the same as diesel but its precision allows a ridiculously flat and useful torque curve and economy overall.


a 2.3 duratech with fat injectors and decent turbo will make ridiculous power for what it is... and be much better then its predecessor.

but it is still peaky compared to its ecoboost counter part and will not be nearly as efficient.

if you can live within the power limits of the ecocritter it handily out performs a typical 2.3 duratech turbo setup and is par dollar cost for the average diy.



how that shakes depends on skills.

the 3.7 is the one monster waiting to be discovered. when they hit the fuel wall with the 3.5 in 12-13 guys were aftermarket turboing na 3.5 and spanking the fawk out of the eco in the front drive flex platforms.


of course thats not the case now...but its still easier and cheaper to get more power out of a 3.7 then a 3.5.


so for max power hot rod goals...do conventional n/a 2.3 and n/a cyclone.


for best torque curve and drive-ability and off road prowess low end...and your staying under 350 hp for a 4 cyl or 500 hp for a cyclone....use the ecoboost.

if you get the ecoboost as a package it is just that.

 

[02 EB swapped ranger]

Awesome! I knew these would occur at some point. Glad that you're liking yours. Also, thanks for posting up some helpful part numbers and pics. You've done a service to the Ranger community, so thanks!

Now to the critical part: I just don't get how this is worth it over a boosted Duratec. An Ecoboost is just a Duratec with a turbo and a bunch of fancy stuff that makes it a pain to swap. It seems like you could just boost the factory Duratec and skip a bunch of time, work, hassle, and money that the EcoBoost requires.

If you just turbo the stock 2.3 Duratec, you don't have to mod your firewall, mess with any wiring, hack up your HVAC stuff, fab engine mounts, delete power steering, etc. You'd get a simpler engine that doesn't have VVT, heavy balance shafts, or long term negatives like carbon build up on intake valves, or replacing expensive DI fuel injectors.

It would require a custom turbo header, a turbo of your choice, an intercooler, cheap fuel injectors, a larger MAF and a cheap OBD II flash tune. An average wrencher could probably have it done in a weekend for something like $2000-2500. If you did a remote turbo, you could skip the fancy, expensive turbo header and save even more money.

I don't mean to be overly critical. I'm glad that somebody finally did what you've done. It's definitely a cool swap, and I bet it's a riot. You get bragging rights of having an EcoBoost, and being the first that I've seen do it in a Ranger, but to me it seems like you can have 98% of the gain with way, way less work by just keeping the Duratec that's already there and adding a couple of parts.

BUT can you build a boosted duratec that runs 25 psi of boost on pump gas for under $4000?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Now to the critical part: I just don't get how this is worth it over a boosted Duratec. An Ecoboost is just a Duratec with a turbo and a bunch of fancy stuff that makes it a pain to swap. It seems like you could just boost the factory Duratec and skip a bunch of time, work, hassle, and money that the EcoBoost requires.

If you just turbo the stock 2.3 Duratec, you don't have to mod your firewall, mess with any wiring, hack up your HVAC stuff, fab engine mounts, delete power steering, etc. You'd get a simpler engine that doesn't have VVT, heavy balance shafts, or long term negatives like carbon build up on intake valves, or replacing expensive DI fuel injectors.

Some of that may be cleared up as more people do the swap too.

When I did my V8 swap 7 years ago it was old hat. Been done millions of times, use this list of stuff and it more or less popped in. V8 swaps had been done for over 20 years at that point and it has been worked out what works the best. And as different applications come out offering more parts to pick from that helps too.

Ever wonder how much extra work the first V8 swapper went thru in the dark ages of the 1980's breaking trail for the rest of us?

 

[bobbywalter]

Ever wonder how much extra work the first V8 swapper went thru in the dark ages of the 1980's breaking trail for the rest of us?

it wasnt shit for them at total performance in mt clements. knocked some right out in a week.

learned a bunch from rob and later vito.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

it wasnt shit for them at total performance in mt clements. knocked some right out in a week.

learned a bunch from rob and later vito.

I wouldn't doubt it once they got rolling.

I bet there was a learning curve at the beginning though.

 

[stmitch]

hmmmm. coming from you i am absolutely surprised.


the actual areas under curve and boost allowed by direct injection and vvt are astounding.

a diesel can run to 70 to 1...non di gasoline isnt even close... di gasoline is not the same as diesel but its precision allows a ridiculously flat and useful torque curve and economy overall.


a 2.3 duratech with fat injectors and decent turbo will make ridiculous power for what it is... and be much better then its predecessor.

but it is still peaky compared to its ecoboost counter part and will not be nearly as efficient.

if you can live within the power limits of the ecocritter it handily out performs a typical 2.3 duratech turbo setup and is par dollar cost for the average diy.



how that shakes depends on skills.

the 3.7 is the one monster waiting to be discovered. when they hit the fuel wall with the 3.5 in 12-13 guys were aftermarket turboing na 3.5 and spanking the fawk out of the eco in the front drive flex platforms.


of course thats not the case now...but its still easier and cheaper to get more power out of a 3.7 then a 3.5.


so for max power hot rod goals...do conventional n/a 2.3 and n/a cyclone.


for best torque curve and drive-ability and off road prowess low end...and your staying under 350 hp for a 4 cyl or 500 hp for a cyclone....use the ecoboost.

if you get the ecoboost as a package it is just that.

I agree. DI has benefits. But for me, the swap has enough drawbacks to make the benefits less appealing.

BUT can you build a boosted duratec that runs 25 psi of boost on pump gas for under $4000?

25psi? I'm not sure. Boost is just a number on a gauge. The real question is can somebody make their truck perform like yours for similar money and I'm guessing it would be pretty close with the right turbo.

Here's what my budget would look like:
Intercooler- $400
Piping, clamps, boots- $300 (I can get a lot of this from work for free, but most people can't so let's assume that I bought it)
42ish lb Injectors- $300
OBD Tune- $400
MAF- $25 from wrecked donor
That's pretty conservative and still under $1500, which leaves $3500 for a custom turbo header and turbo.

The Ecoboost is very well developed. It's an impressive engine and I salute you for being the first to make it work in a Ranger. If it didn't require deleting heat, AC, and power steering, it would be a lot more appealing to me. I also would rather not deal with carbon buildup and expensive injectors long term, but that's Not a big concern for some. And of course there's the time and effort required to swap the engine and deal with wiring and deleting things. That time and effort saving has a value to me.

 

[bobbywalter]

I wouldn't doubt it once they got rolling.

I bet there was a learning curve at the beginning though.

rangers were not at the dealerships yet. of course a 255 v8 with a 2bbl and tk4
and eb manifolds isnt exactly rocket engineering...


the learning curves were worked out on pinto swaps...

The Ecoboost is very well developed. It's an impressive engine and I salute you for being the first to make it work in a Ranger. If it didn't require deleting heat, AC, and power steering, it would be a lot more appealing to me.

why would you delete heat and ac? power steering has plenty of options as well.

 

[02 EB swapped ranger]

I agree. DI has benefits. But for me, the swap has enough drawbacks to make the benefits less appealing.



25psi? I'm not sure. Boost is just a number on a gauge. The real question is can somebody make their truck perform like yours for similar money and I'm guessing it would be pretty close with the right turbo.

Here's what my budget would look like:
Intercooler- $400
Piping, clamps, boots- $300 (I can get a lot of this from work for free, but most people can't so let's assume that I bought it)
42ish lb Injectors- $300
OBD Tune- $400
MAF- $25 from wrecked donor
That's pretty conservative and still under $1500, which leaves $3500 for a custom turbo header and turbo.

The Ecoboost is very well developed. It's an impressive engine and I salute you for being the first to make it work in a Ranger. If it didn't require deleting heat, AC, and power steering, it would be a lot more appealing to me. I also would rather not deal with carbon buildup and expensive injectors long term, but that's Not a big concern for some. And of course there's the time and effort required to swap the engine and deal with wiring and deleting things. That time and effort saving has a value to me.

If you're talking sticking to the stock ecu/pcm you would have issues. A MAF sensor doesn't really read boost. Thats where a MAP sensor comes into play. I highly doubt the stock pcm on a ranger would be able to be modified to use a map sensor and also run a set of 42 lb/hr injectors. I would know, thats the exact issue I ran into with the 2.3 duratec that used to be in this truck. Tunability is just not there imo for the stock unit. At that you would have to go with a standalone ecu. I used a microsquirt v3 unit ($380 with pigtail harness), one of their DIYautotune's Quadspark modules ($90), a gm iat, clt, and 3 bar map sensor (something like $50-100 I forget). So there's $600 that would be the cheapest option for a standalone ecu on a ranger. I didn't even include the price of a good wideband 02 sensor and all that. At the end of the day that would be in the neighborhood of $1000 tacked onto everything else you said above. If you want to turbo a duratec the right way and make it reliable you would be in atleast $2-3k.

 

[bobbywalter]

who tuned your stock ecu?

 

[fastpakr]

If you're talking sticking to the stock ecu/pcm you would have issues. A MAF sensor doesn't really read boost. Thats where a MAP sensor comes into play. I highly doubt the stock pcm on a ranger would be able to be modified to use a map sensor and also run a set of 42 lb/hr injectors. I would know, thats the exact issue I ran

A MAF sensor wouldn't be exposed to boost in the first place. Plenty of boosted vehicles use them since they're just measuring airflow.

 

[02 EB swapped ranger]

A MAF sensor wouldn't be exposed to boost in the first place. Plenty of boosted vehicles use them since they're just measuring airflow.

Yeah I realize that. but they would have to use a MAF and a MAP sensor. No boosted vehicle that has efi is going to just solely use a MAF. I don't even believe ford uses a maf type sensor in their ecoboost motors. The sensor in my intake only reads temp and thats it. There is however 2 map sensors used, one right before the intercooler and one in the intake manifold.