1989 Ranger 2.9l - What can i do performance wise?

[mishqua]

I would go with the ngk plugs as they are cheaper and the platinum plugs wont net you anything but cost

 

[Mike Tonon]

Ok, thanks for the input. So for the water pump issue, i need to replace it for sure? Like what will i be replacing? It sounds like the system was based around the current fan from what u said. Is it even worth doing if i need to spend that much on just parts?

Just keep an eye on the water pump, no need to change it if it works.

Also, I heard from someone on here years ago to only use motorcraft brand spark plugs, I can't remember why though.

 

[disciplerocks]

I would go with the ngk plugs as they are cheaper and the platinum plugs wont net you anything but cost

Use Motorcraft coppers. $2 a piece and run cooler.

 

[Daven]

Use Motorcraft coppers. $2 a piece and run cooler.

So what are the platinum plugs for? I was told it woud add a bit because they burn hotter or something. Idk, just was something i was told by a few would add a bit and i thought it made sense because it burns hotter and in theory makes the engine a bti more powerful? lol Thanks for the input u guys

 

[disciplerocks]

A cooler burn means it will burn slower and more complete.

 

[Big Jim M]

What!!

A cooler burn means it will burn slower and more complete.

Rocks both you and daven need to read up on mechanics a little more before you attempt any more posts!!

The HEAT RANGE of plugs is the temperature the plug STAYS AT during the running of the engine.
A COLD plug is for higher than normal RPM! A HOT plug is for lower rpm than normal for a particular engine.
Both have to do with how FAST the coolant in the engine can take the heat OUT of the plug!
NEITHER have one damn thing to do with.. faster burn...more power..better burn.. cleaner burn... NOTHING!
If a plug is too cold for the rpm range of the engine it will TEND to gum up and have deposits on it.
If the opposite is true and the plug is too HOT for that engine it will tend to crack the porcelin or or melt the tip or even cause detonation from it being hot enough to light the mixture before the spark..

The above are SOME of the reasons to use ONLY the plugs that came in the engine.. THOSE are the only plugs that are KNOWN to be perfect!!

Any posts saying this or that plug is better than stock, are posted ONLY by the UNINFORMED!! All knowlegable folks on this or any other forum will advise stock plugs for ALL stock vehicles.
Big JIm

 

[Daven]

Rocks both you and daven need to read up on mechanics a little more before you attempt any more posts!!

The HEAT RANGE of plugs is the temperature the plug STAYS AT during the running of the engine.
A COLD plug is for higher than normal RPM! A HOT plug is for lower rpm than normal for a particular engine.
Both have to do with how FAST the coolant in the engine can take the heat OUT of the plug!
NEITHER have one damn thing to do with.. faster burn...more power..better burn.. cleaner burn... NOTHING!
If a plug is too cold for the rpm range of the engine it will TEND to gum up and have deposits on it.
If the opposite is true and the plug is too HOT for that engine it will tend to crack the porcelin or or melt the tip or even cause detonation from it being hot enough to light the mixture before the spark..

The above are SOME of the reasons to use ONLY the plugs that came in the engine.. THOSE are the only plugs that are KNOWN to be perfect!!

Any posts saying this or that plug is better than stock, are posted ONLY by the UNINFORMED!! All knowlegable folks on this or any other forum will advise stock plugs for ALL stock vehicles.
Big JIm

You are seriously telling me that all the plugs are worthless? :/ Ok then buddy... Thats like saying keep the engine that came with the truck because its the only one that "truly" is perfect for that truck. lol

Either way, i need to replace my plugs. So which would be best to get? U had mentioned some being better at different rpms and such, so which would be better for higher rpms? I like to take the revs up a little every once in a while

 

[Big Jim M]

How many times must I make this post?

You are seriously telling me that all the plugs are worthless? :/ Ok then buddy... Thats like saying keep the engine that came with the truck because its the only one that "truly" is perfect for that truck. lol

Either way, i need to replace my plugs. So which would be best to get? U had mentioned some being better at different rpms and such, so which would be better for higher rpms? I like to take the revs up a little every once in a while

Daven, the plugs that COME in an engine are tested before sale for MILLIONS of miles! Then they are tested by all the drivers that purchased a similiar vehicle as YOU have for prolly YEARS before you need to install new plugs. WHY would you are anyone else even think of changing to another brand or type? There can be NO possible gain! There may be lots of BAD things happen with different plugs but NOTHING better can happen.
If the plugs you have in there right now are firing and the engine runs well..why even install new ones? All the new vehicles now come with plugs that should last OVER 100,000 miles.
I pulled my wife's suburban plugs at 160,000 miles and regapped them and then reinstalled them... They are still running good.
When gasoline had LEAD in it and higher compression the plugs wore out a lot sooner. Plugs had to be installed when they started missing under a load.
But todays engines are kind to our plugs.. Leave them alone until the engine starts missing under a load.. Usually that will take a few years.
Big JIm

 

[Big Jim M]

Oh yeah!

I'll add a Ps here...
The ranger in my signiture now has 110,000 miles on it. I havn't even bothered to LOOK at the plugs! It runs as good as new and there is no reason to pull even one of them.
I did purchase a new set a year or more ago and have them six plugs sitting on my bench.. for when the original plugs do go away..
Big JIm

 

[Psychopete]

You are seriously telling me that all the plugs are worthless? :/ Ok then buddy... Thats like saying keep the engine that came with the truck because its the only one that "truly" is perfect for that truck. lol

His information is pretty much right...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_plug#Heat_range

Made a post earlier on this subject - 2.9L is easy enough to just use standard copper core plugs. They are not that hard to change. The advantage to a platinum plug is longer life. Actually copper has been stated to be a better conductor, just deteriorates faster. Copper core plugs do last though, have had them in my Tempo for 2-3 years now (probably about 25K miles) and the motor has run great. Use them in my 5.0L, used them in my 2.9L, used them in all of the cars I've owned prior, but van gets platinums because the back plugs are hard to change.

 

[Andres629]

As far as performance in a 2.9 goes, there is a LOT you can do. I port matched an polished the upper and lower intakes, and on my Ranger I added an '87 throttle body. It's bigger, and allows more air to flow. But the BII was where I did all the 2.9 work. Port and polish intake and add a high flow filter, but you don't need to change your intake at all! It is already feeding from outside the engine bay just behind your grille... why change it if you've already got cold air coming in?! Add the high flow filter, TB and port/polish and you're well on your way. Try and find a set of used headers if you are worried about cash flow, those will be the biggest bang for your buck. I am running MSD Super Conductor wires, Accel cap and rotor, a Crane coil and an MSD 6A digibox and I noticed significant difference in the high RPM range, but not so much in low RPM. As far as exhaust, the stock y-pipe when bolted to headers are good enough. Run a 2.25" single pipe, and since your truck is post-87, you need to run cats according to British Columbia law. (I know you're in SK, but I'm going as per rules in my area) My buddy is running a Flowmaster Original 40, and it sounds awesome. Once you get into it a little, it starts rappin' pretty good, and sounds deep and throaty in low RPM. He always gets asked if he swapped in a V8, and he's done pretty much the same work into his 2.9 as I have, if not more. Although, I'm running it dumped right after the cats...

Hopefully this helps. Just posting what I have done, and it works for me. Not looking to get hassled by anyone or tell you what you should or shouldn't do.

 

[Big Jim M]

Howdy Pete!

His information is pretty much right...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_plug#Heat_range

Made a post earlier on this subject - 2.9L is easy enough to just use standard copper core plugs. They are not that hard to change. The advantage to a platinum plug is longer life. Actually copper has been stated to be a better conductor, just deteriorates faster. Copper core plugs do last though, have had them in my Tempo for 2-3 years now (probably about 25K miles) and the motor has run great. Use them in my 5.0L, used them in my 2.9L, used them in all of the cars I've owned prior, but van gets platinums because the back plugs are hard to change.

Pretty much my ass! I followed your link and found that description to be "pretty much right"! What it doesn't deal with in depth is the Way the plugs become cool. It is all up to the thickness of the plug at the area where fuel can get below the tip where the spark is. If that area is large there will be a lot of fire in it which heats up the tip and allows it to stay hot. If, however, if that area is full of porcelin and/or steel then the fire can't get in there. A side effect is the closed area is directly cooled by the flow of coolant in the coolant jacket which the plug is screwed into.
The temperature of the plug is DIRECTLY affected by the temperature of the thermostat installed in the engine!
So when we swap out the 195* for a 160* we need not only to think about what that has done to the temperature of the plug tip!
Once when on a fishing trip in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, I was on a rented fishing boat that SMOKED to high heaven... When going with the wind that smoke choked us to near death! I lifted the cover on the engine and got to talking with the Mexican owner about all that smoke, which was easily seen my me to be fuel smoke. I laid my hand on the engine and it was cool enough to keep my hand on it while it was at temperature..
The owner told me he had lots of problems with that engine and would give anything to find out what was wrong with it.
Upon to returning back to land I took the guy to a parts house and purchased a 195* thermostat.. The outcome was the thing now runs like brand new again. The guy promply went around and told all his friends to put the thermostats BACK in their engines. They, like most novices, thought a cool engine was a good engine..
But I digress.
Big JIm

 

[disciplerocks]

Well I may be wrong there. That was how it was explained to me when I installed them after installing the supercharger in the Focus. Sorry, I hate to give false info.

 

[disciplerocks]

I would go with the ngk plugs as they are cheaper and the platinum plugs wont net you anything but cost

Just found this. Thought someone may want to see.

Motorcraft/Autolite

NGK Iridium

And you still think aftermarket plugs are as good?

 

[Psychopete]

Same problem with the autolight platinums I pulled from my tempo versus regular copper core autolights I installed... Thread length was different, just assumed the PO bought the wrong ones, but looks like I could have been wrong.