Okay, I have a 1986 ford ranger with a 2.0 in line 4 and I was looking for a little extra. I wanted to get a 4 barrel manifold and carborator for it but I haven't had any luck at all. I was just wondering if anyone has any information on this. Or any alternatives to my speed deficiency problem .. any input is appreciated and keep in mind I'm in high school working construction so there's not a whole lot of money that I can afford to dump into this... thanks guys and girls!
A gasoline engine works by mixing air(with oxygen in it) with gasoline in a ratio of 14.7 to 1, this is a weight ratio, so 14.7grams of air to 1 gram of gasoline, or 14.7 pounds of air with 1 pound of gasoline.
That is gasoline's ratio, propane, diesel, natural gas have different ratios.
You get the most power from a gasoline engine by being at that 14.7 to 1 ratio(for explanation purposes, not accuracy
).
If you add more gasoline, rich mix, you lose power, if you add less you actually gain power but lean mix will melt the pistons and valves, lol, so a temporary increase, preceded by pre-ignition also called pinging/knocking and then engine death.
So adding a bigger carburetor is only needed if current carburetor can not sustain the 14.7:1 ratio, thru the whole RPM range.
A 2.0l engine uses 2 liters of air every 2 RPMs(4 stroke engine)
A 5.0l engine uses 5 liters of air every 2 RPMs
The 5.0l has more power than the 2.0l because it can suck in more air every 2 RPMs so can use more gasoline at 14.7:1 ratio.
A turbocharger(or supercharger) compresses the air, so forces more air into the engine, so a 2.0l engine is now using 2.5 liters of air every 2 RPMs so can use more fuel and has more power.
Same with a Cam, it can allow engine to pull in a bit more air so more fuel can be added at 14.7:1 ratio which gives more power.
Simply adding more fuel will reduce your power, adding more air so you can add more fuel will increase your power.
You can remove your mechanical fan on the engine and replace it with an electric fan from the wrecking yard, this is not too expensive and frees up horse power you already have but is used up by the fan, it ain't much but it ain't nothing either
read here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/ElectricFanInstall.htm
You need to find the right parts at the wrecking yard but they can be cheap if you shop around
Cold Air Intake, all fuel injected engines have this but not all carb engines do.
Most know that "warm air rises" why?
because it is lighter than cold air
So cold air is "heavier", 14.7:1 is a weight ratio........................
So heavier air = more fuel can be added
Again it isn't much but not nothing either.
If your carb air is coming from inside the engine bay it will be warmer air, if you can make an air intake tube that can pull in air from in front of the rad support, then you can tune the carb to add slightly more fuel.