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95 Ranger XLT 2.3L Performance Issues and Mods


arownious

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Hey guys just bought a thoroughly used Ranger XLT 2.3L off of some guy and needing to do some maintenance to it. Figured with all the cool mods on this forum I'd use those upgrades as replacement parts, etc.

For starters my Hayes manual is on its way from Amazon, and I'm needing to get the windshield and front tires replaced, and speedometer working for inspection due next month. After this, I'll be replacing all the fluids with synthetics and hopefully magnetic drain plugs; changing all filters including fuel filter; and changing the spark plugs and wires.

After this, I'll be wanting to put a little money in to increasing the performance. I'm willing to spend up to $300 on each modification or bolt-on but only if the work will actually help. The truck gets very sad top end speed and performance. Up the high on-ramps in Houston in strains going about 45, and the highway speeds are probably around 60-70 but I didn't push it.

Here is where I'm at. I see the need for porting and polishing the head if I'm going to do anything other than a bolt on air intake or exhaust. I see the success of changing the injectors with 19# replacements. I hear everyone saying that a turbo is the way to go for serious HP. I also see all the suggestions for cams and gear rations above 3.0*.

What I am not finding, however, is links to specific products and actual increases in performance. If anyone would be willing to share their success with p/ping and cam replacement on this block I'd love to hear about it. Also, I'm not looking for drag racing, mudding, or any kind of crazy mods like this. I'm simply looking for better cruising top-end speeds. I do a lot of highway traveling and need better pep at the higher speeds, nothing more.

Could someone provide the specifics or even links to products such as preferred cams (I know nothing about them), 19# injectors that will fit a 2.3L, exhaust and cats that fit and work well, etc? Thanks for any and all help.
 


arownious

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Looking through the rear axle page and my code it seems I have a 3.45 ratio to go with my 5 speed, so I'm guessing the acceleration and top speed issues aren't rear end related.
 
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mini274

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Ok your 19 pound injectors you want are factory 4.6 or 5.0 injectors their yellow in color and very reasonable in price for brand new ones...
porting and polishing is an automatic guarantee for a little top end also smoothing the combustion chamber... make sure to ruff up the exhaust side if you do it yourself a little bit and do no more than gasket matching... keeping with porting i cant remember but you might look up porting the intake mani too...
A turbo is your most effective top end.. but if your not wanting to rebuild the whole motor dont do it...
you can get the basic stuff like a header and exhaust and intake...
for the cam, get the one you want and make sure to get the springs and valves to match lightening the top end will help... you might check into the circle track guys as they have alot of good tips for 2.3s if you dont want to boost it... good luck on the build and doo some research before you start the build but it sounds like you have a good start
 

arownious

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Ok your 19 pound injectors you want are factory 4.6 or 5.0 injectors their yellow in color and very reasonable in price for brand new ones...
porting and polishing is an automatic guarantee for a little top end also smoothing the combustion chamber... make sure to ruff up the exhaust side if you do it yourself a little bit and do no more than gasket matching... keeping with porting i cant remember but you might look up porting the intake mani too...
A turbo is your most effective top end.. but if your not wanting to rebuild the whole motor dont do it...
you can get the basic stuff like a header and exhaust and intake...
for the cam, get the one you want and make sure to get the springs and valves to match lightening the top end will help... you might check into the circle track guys as they have alot of good tips for 2.3s if you dont want to boost it... good luck on the build and doo some research before you start the build but it sounds like you have a good start
Awesome, thank you for the update, though again I dont know much about cam's so I'll have to beg borrow and steal info.

As for the injectors, does this look like them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fuel-Injectors-Ford-Lincoln-Mercury-4-6L-5-0L-V-8-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5ad84f65b7QQitemZ390176138679QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
 

mini274

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Those are the exact ones...

and here is where you can read up on everything and get a good cam
http://www.esslingeracing.com/home.htm

this should get you through the top end and a hole lot more all their cams are for top end up to 8500
 

arownious

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To be honest, I read all the info on their site I could find and am still in the dark. I understand that the lift creates a bigger gap for more exhaust to flow out and more fuel to flow in and the duration creates more hp at rpms, but I guess I've got no way to decipher what would be best for higher end HP to sustain higher highway speeds.
 

mini274

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look at the cam specs it will tell you the rpm range and stuff like that

in order to really tell you i need your driving rpms and stuff like that and if you want to sttick with a roller or switch to a solid lift cam then you can decide which cam to go with theirs a couple of more sites ill try to find that have more cams for you


http://www.racerwalsh.zoovy.com/ more stuff here
 
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arownious

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Found a really good article here: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/113_9604_choosing_the_right_camshaft/index.html

I understand a bit more but looking at Racer Walsh's cam's they go from very little lift to a whole lot. I'm still not sure what would be a good average cam for me. This truck is going to be 100% daily driving, no racing, no drag, no anything. I'd like for the idle to not be worsened and for me to be able to use the same valves and stock engine internals if possible. I would just like to improve the higher end highway performance. I plan on swapping the injectors for the 19# and adding a better air intake (or at least just removing the baffle) and adding a upgraded replacement cat and exhaust system but nothing too fancy or expensive. I'll just need a cam or maybe replacement cam gears(?) to be able to fully use these improvements.

Know of any articles that will help me determine that?
 

SMTGREG

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Change the gear to 3.73. Call several of the cam manufactures tell them about your truck and driving habits and get their recommendations. compare specs before making a decision.
 

arownious

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Is there really that much difference between the 3.45 and 3.73?

Also how can I be sure which injectors the ranger will take? There appear to be to different shapes to them, the straight bodies like the ebay link I gave, and the ones that are skinny up front, and fat in the back.
 

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