2.3L ('83-'97) NA performance upgrades that will benefit a turbocharged engine?

[JoshT]

This is basically copy past of what I just posted over on TurboFord.org, but I wanted to get input from TRS as well.

I have a 85 Ranger 2.3L Auto, with P/S and AC. At current the long term goal for my truck is to build a turbo motor, setting a target of 300-350 HP turboed. That's not a hard set number, it's a number to build towards and I'll stop when I'm happy with it. It will be a while before I even get to the turbo phase of the build and I don't plan to stay stock in the interim.

What modifications can I make to improve the power and performance of a naturally aspirated 2.3L that won't be wasted when converting to turbo charged?

A few limits I can set are that my gear ratio is set at 3.45 open (stock 7.5") or 3.73 LS (Explorer 8.8") for the time being, just depends on which axle I use. Not sure about tire size yet, but probably 245/45R17 (or similar OD) on Mustang wheels. Will be retaining the power steering and AC, but am upgrading to a 3G alternator. I'm trying to not mess with the bottom end until I go turbo, or necessity forces it. I will be retaining the A4LD, but probably a beefed up version when the time comes.

Camshaft - I'm already figuring that a roller cam conversion would be a good move. If I'm changing cams I would not stay stock. Would a camshaft bought for a naturally aspirated engine still be good once the boosty bits are added?

Cylinder Head - Porting is always good right, turbo or NA? I'm not sure that I'm ready to undertake the DIY porting job. I have little doubt that I could do it given time and a spare to practice on. I think this is something I'd be better off hiring out, or buying a head that's already been built and ready to run. If I hire it out, what other work should I consider having done at the same time? If I'm going to port, does it matter which head I start with? If so which one should I start with? This is a single plug 2.3L, would my EFI intake manifold even fit a dual plug head with the second plug holes plugged?

I'd probably be better off waiting for a used already built head to pop up for sale somewhere, but considering my options. Don't like the price of the BoPort heads, but if that's the only option, I might do it eventually.

Injectors - Is there anything to be gained from going to larger injectors while NA? I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I figured I'd ask.

Tuning - It is EFI and EEC-IV if I'm not mistaken, and either speed density or I'm missing a MAF. My recollection tells me that the speed density systems will require tuning to support even minor modifications like a different camshaft. Am I remembering right? What options do I have for tuning? The only one I can come across that still seems to be around is Moates, but they list as being for 1986-2004 Fords. Does anyone else still make a tuner that will work with these early EEC-IV systems?

The only other option seems to be standalone EMS, either MegaSquirt or PiMP (which is MS3). I know that Moates can handle the turbo, but the other features offered by a standalone EMS sounds interesting. Especially computer controlled ignition, CNP, and sequential injection. That said, I'm not certain that the added expense of these systems are warranted before I get the turbo installed, but I hate to spend a few hundred on Moates and replace it all a few years later. Also which ever route I take, I'll need to have the ability for remote tuning. I don't have a problem installing and basic setup on an aftermarket EFI, I've done it with a Holley system, but I'm not in a position to dive into learning EFI tuning right now. I will be making an effort to learn EFI tuning after I get done with college in a few years, but until then I need to be more focused on the education.

Like I said at the start. Excluding the limitations stated, what ever changes I can make that will boost power and performance of both a NA and Turbo engines is on the table. Will be slowly buiulding up to it, but want to head in the general direction of a 300-350 HP turbo motor. Not saying that I will ever reach that power level, I'm going to stop when I'm happy with the truck, that's just a figure in my head to work towards.

 

[bobbywalter]

The answer is nothing hurts.....all improves....

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I would talk to the cam manufacturer to get their input first. Thay can reccomend a cam that will work for your set up.

 

[bobbywalter]

SOLD! - Supercharged SOHC 4L modbox $700

Supercharged SOHC 4L modbox adapter with Eaton SC. Has only 3000K, built from a bare block up. Built right, ready for boost. Put 300+HP to the ground at around 10 PSI boost. Professionally built by a member out of Utah. Had it ready to go in my truck until it was totaled, so now I have no...

www.therangerstation.com

I like this option

 

[JoshT]

SOLD! - Supercharged SOHC 4L modbox $700

Supercharged SOHC 4L modbox adapter with Eaton SC. Has only 3000K, built from a bare block up. Built right, ready for boost. Put 300+HP to the ground at around 10 PSI boost. Professionally built by a member out of Utah. Had it ready to go in my truck until it was totaled, so now I have no...

www.therangerstation.com

I like this option

I'm sure that you do, I'm also sure that isn't going to happen. If I wanted to engine swap I wouldn't be asking questions about the 4 cylinders, I'd just be doing it. Do you just enjoy sending threads off into left field?

 

[bobbywalter]

That was purely cost related as a suggestion and it just popped up....caught my attention and is hard to not consider.

I too am looking at the 300 hp options with 4 whizzers.

My first response is exactly that as stated. When you maximize a n/a application...boost only enhances it.


Derail?... Lima is a pretty simple deal....real easy to boost as you don't need anything fancy to meet your stated goal...

You want a turbo setup and 3 to 350 hp.

If you want max utility.. drivability..you can do this with a Ecoboost 2.0 or 2.3...

A lima will never match that utility dollar for dollar.

The cam phasing and direct injection are the key to having it all.

Can't do that with a lima.

Invest in tuning knowledge and tools if you want to run boost....to the power levels you state with a lima. That is not a thread derail.

HPA is a decent place to start. Very cost effective.

Microsquirt seems the best to me for a lima

Learn the system n/a....and when you get to putting the spool on you will be golden.


Relying on old crap...based on eec4 or eec5 to run a boosted application is a bad idea....and a waste of time and money.

But it is your time and your money.

 

[JoshT]

That was purely cost related as a suggestion and it just popped up....caught my attention and is hard to not consider.

I too am looking at the 300 hp options with 4 whizzers.

My first response is exactly that as stated. When you maximize a n/a application...boost only enhances it.

It was a rather vague reply, but I understood that one.

Derail?... Lima is a pretty simple deal....real easy to boost as you don't need anything fancy to meet your stated goal...

You want a turbo setup and 3 to 350 hp.

If you want max utility.. drivability..you can do this with a Ecoboost 2.0 or 2.3...

A lima will never match that utility dollar for dollar.

The cam phasing and direct injection are the key to having it all.

Can't do that with a lima.

I'm asking about a Lima. Not a 4.0L. Not a Ecoboost swap. Not an engine swap in general. If I decided to engine swap, I already know what I'd be swapping and know how to do it. In fact engine swap was the original plan for this truck, I changed my mind and want to do the 2.3 turbo in part because it's something new and different for me. If I asked questions about an engine swap at all, I wouldn't be asking them in the 4 cylinder forum.

Bringing in those suggestions is IMO off topic and derailing the thread. Just like my previous thread asking about exhaust manifolds where I specifically stated that I was not going to be building a custom manifold (to include j-pipes), but that and swapping in different AC systems is about all you talked about. That's why I quit responding to that thread and turned elsewhere for information. Unfortunately there good forums for this kind of information seems to have died with RPS and TRF.

Invest in tuning knowledge and tools if you want to run boost....to the power levels you state with a lima. That is not a thread derail.

HPA is a decent place to start. Very cost effective.

Microsquirt seems the best to me for a lima

Learn the system n/a....and when you get to putting the spool on you will be golden.


Relying on old crap...based on eec4 or eec5 to run a boosted application is a bad idea....and a waste of time and money.

No shit. You said nothing about that previously. In fact I specifically mentioned tuning and aftermarket ECUs, so why would I say that was derailing the thread?

As stated the 300-350 HP is a general target. I don't care if I never achieve that number, it's not like the truck is being built for racing or achieving numbers. That is a number to have in mind when buying and selecting parts, but I'll stop when I'm happy with what I've got.
Not sure what the HPA is. Maybe High Performance Academy?

As I am pretty sure I mentioned, I would want to have this thing remote/professionally tuned bacause learning EFI tuning is not something I can invest the time in right now. Perhaps in a few years when my plate clears up a little, but I don't intend to wait that long before I start driving or modifying this thing. Once I start installing non-stock engine parts I'm going to need some tuning to keep it running right.

The focus for now is get it running, driving, and usable then build from there. That means using the EEC-IV to start with. I know that better engine management will be necessary to properly take advantage of the turbo, that has never been in question. Aftermarket EFI is being considered, it has been considered the whole time including back when I was leaning towards an engine swap. I did mention Megasquirt and PiMP (which is MS3 based) as possibilities. PiMP is particularly interesing since its designed to be PNP with a factory harness for basic engine management. My biggest hesitation of this system is figuring out how/if it can control the limited electronics of the A4LD, and if it will PNP with the NA Ranger 2.3L harness or just with a 2.3t harness. Well, that and price.

I don't want to dump $1500 on an aftermarket EMS, have a change of plans before I get to the turbo phase, and have wasted that money. The Quarterhorse and EEC-IV, at 1/5th the price, can handle things up to having the turbo installed after which I can upgrade to a better system at the point it is needed. Not saying that is the best option or even that route I will take but it is an option.

 

[scotts90ranger]

The way the stock turbo 2.3L's run isn't perfect but it is livable, I'm running mostly '86 vintage stuff I think (Small VAM and LA ECM)

Like said, anything that improves anything will improve anything... at one point on one of the builds for my '90 I ported the head myself just smoothing things out and doing some port matching and when I put it back together I lost at least a couple PSI meaning there was less restriction and more of the air was getting into the chambers... I'm running some random turbo I found on a shelf at work (had the right exhaust flange and similar enough to mount up easyish) and am now running 15psi limited by one of those controlled leak things going to the wastegate... This is a very obtainable setup, it's nothing fancy and would be a good starting point, I'm content with the power, sure it could be more but it gets the job done. I'm sure a megasquirt setup would help it run better and so forth and I might do that one day. There's some quirks but I'm running mostly salvaged junk from the turbo engines I've found on craigslist and such... the idle has a mind of it's own some days but I haven't looked into many of it's quirks in a long time...

 

[JoshT]

The way the stock turbo 2.3L's run isn't perfect but it is livable, I'm running mostly '86 vintage stuff I think (Small VAM and LA ECM)

Like said, anything that improves anything will improve anything... at one point on one of the builds for my '90 I ported the head myself just smoothing things out and doing some port matching and when I put it back together I lost at least a couple PSI meaning there was less restriction and more of the air was getting into the chambers... I'm running some random turbo I found on a shelf at work (had the right exhaust flange and similar enough to mount up easyish) and am now running 15psi limited by one of those controlled leak things going to the wastegate... This is a very obtainable setup, it's nothing fancy and would be a good starting point, I'm content with the power, sure it could be more but it gets the job done. I'm sure a megasquirt setup would help it run better and so forth and I might do that one day. There's some quirks but I'm running mostly salvaged junk from the turbo engines I've found on craigslist and such... the idle has a mind of it's own some days but I haven't looked into many of it's quirks in a long time...

You got a thread or picture gallery going on your truck anywhere?

Did you swap in a 2.3L Turbo from a T-bird/Mustang, or convert your existing 2.3L to turbo? Factory Ranger ECM, or got 2.3t stuff there? Tuning required or still running on stock tuning? If required, what are you using to tune?

 

[oldgeek]

You will provide pictures I hope? Going to follow this one. Hope it works for you!

 

[JoshT]

Lets just say that right now I'm planning ahead. It'll be a while before I've got pictures to share.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I don't think I have a dedicated post, if I did I've lost track and the forum software has likely been changed a couple times since 2009... I'll share some below. I'm using all stock stuff, pretty sure mostly from Thunderbirds but not sure, first turbo 2.3L I bought was an engine and harness for $600 on craigslist, I was pretty green but managed the swap ok, I repinned the Ranger harness (it's like 10 wires in different places...) and since I was working with a dual plug Ranger to start with I went ahead and swapped to DIS with one coil pack. Eventually I rebuilt that and reworked a few things here and there and rebuilt the engine some (honed, new bearings and seals) but didn't torque the rod nuts good enough and a couple years later one fell off at 5000rpm full throttle... next one got ARP rod bolts following all steps . Conveniently about the time I rebuilt the first time I had found two rough turbo engines (one with fire damage, they were basket cases but not bad to have around) on craigslist for $200 so I didn't have to get too much. Other than oil leaks when I threw that engine together it's still going. No tuning, just using factory stuff including brown top (or is it green top? been a few years) injectors. I've looked into some estimates of others and it should be somewhere around 200hp, it would really benefit from an intercooler which is on the list... Oh, and I'm just running a Ranger roller cam...

The fist couple pictures are of the first iteration where my intake tube from the airbox to the VAM was drier duct with duct tape, then I made the better setup with a PRE MAF 2.9L filter lid and intake tube cut down and spliced with a PVC sleeve

Looking back I've apparently been plagued with oil leaks and a mess from the start... I start out with good intentions but eventually give up at times I guess... compared to most of these pics it's fairly clean under the hood now, the only leaks left are at the back of the engine somewhere... the rear mud flaps are no longer lubricated from the engine compartment...

 

[bobbywalter]

Bolting a candy cane piece of pipe onto a stock exhaust manifold is not fabrication.....it's not any different then bolting on a headers and x pipe or new muffler....and it solves the problem you were wanting to avoid. No modifications to your existing scenario.





Scott has a mystery idle problem.

Likely due to old stuff in the pcm. But who knows....it's working. So run it

Scott just posted what will happen.


Know this.


You are going to be engine swapping.

Sure....it may be the same engine.....but your going to be breaking shit any where near 300 hp. Especially with old crap.






Megasquirt....way cheap and cost effective n/a.....easy to learn..and all win in the end.

Would definitely improve on Scotts situation.


The point of an intact swap like you envision and I watched Scott pull off via the various forums over the years was to avoid costs by using a proven system that IS reliable....


But at this vintage....they are proving unreliable.


.... So those days are gone. There is cheap easy and reliable power....

We are surrounded by fun. Just have to look with a open mind

 

[JoshT]

Okay... And where do I get this candy cane piece of pipe to bolt onto the stock manifold? Oh, that's right I've got to cut it, bend it, and weld it; ergo, fabrication. That's not even getting into the bracing that would need to be created (fabricated) to support the turbo and keep that whole contraption from cracking and breaking.

I didn't ask about Scotts build because I'm going to copy it, I asked to see how he did it and get ideas. I'm definitely not doing things the same way.

Beyond that you obviously have absolutely no idea what so ever of what I envision. After reading your replies to my posts, I'm seriously wondering why you have the tag "TRS Technical Advisor" attached to your profile because at this point absolutely none of it has been useful or worth while advice. I almost wonder if you are trolling, but knowing your history on this site (I've been here for most of it) I can't believe that to be the case.

I would ask you to go bother someone else, but there no point since I'm done. It's obvious that the knowledge I seek about this subject will not be found here.

 

[Roert42]

I would like to point out that an engine was hat I’d optimized for NA setup will be sub par for forced induction and vise Versa.

So, most mods done to the engine would be wasted. Better to set it up for forced in diction from the start. Much more time efficient.


You can boost an engine that is setup for NA power, and make more power. But you would make more power setting up the engine for boost and boosting it.
If you build and engine for boost, the run it NA, you will not gain much.

Figure out where you want to be at the end, then work towards that. Don’t go half way in one direction then have to turn around and start over again.