1st gen ranger engine swaps

[Blmpkn]

Would a lima handle that amount of boost?

I have no experience with turbo limas personally but based on what wiki says... Stock 84-86 SVO mustangs made up to 240 ft lbs depending on what intercooler&ecu calibration it had.

Getting an additional 60 torques presumably wouldn't be too difficult.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I haven't look into it super hard... if I was to build another I would really look into a TDI.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

IMO... if you can't pull it with a 302 a Ranger really doesn't need to be pulling it.

I have a stock crown vic engine with a HO cam, it tows Ranger sized things great.

Which is partially why i suggested a 460 fullsize lol

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

Detroit 3-71t

Please, let sleeping Detroit 2 strokes lay, and the 53 series were the worst! Ask any old Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake driver- the 3-53 was only 95 gross horsepower and all it made lots of was noise. Drove a 6V-53 in a White Compact box truck 400 miles a night for a while, still have bad memories of that thing. 53 series weren't all that reliable either, after Wonder/Hostess switched to 4B Cummins they were able to lay off a bunch of mechanics.

 

[Blmpkn]

Please, let sleeping Detroit 2 strokes lay, and the 53 series were the worst! Ask any old Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake driver- the 3-53 was only 95 gross horsepower and all it made lots of was noise. Drove a 6V-53 in a White Compact box truck 400 miles a night for a while, still have bad memories of that thing. 53 series weren't all that reliable either, after Wonder/Hostess switched to 4B Cummins they were able to lay off a bunch of mechanics.

The 72 series of Detroits though... Best sounding diesels ever engineered.

I have a 3-72 blower sitting around that's just aching to get put on something.. it's either gonna wind up on the ranger or my squarebody.

 

[ISX_15]

Would a lima handle that amount of boost?

Dont they have upgraded heads, rods, pistons, etc for that engine? I want all the boost i dont mind some lag, can find a hx turbo like hotcakes these days.

 

[scotts90ranger]

You should be able to keep A/C but it might take some work to get a turbo to fit in the right spot making a manifold or something...

I've towed with my '90, it does fine but it takes some R's to do anything. If I remember right the stock tune is supposed to kick in the wastegate at like 10psi, I set my boost fooler thing to stop at about 14psi, the turbo I have now will do more but it gets ping happy without an intercooler. I just did a home port job on a stock turbo head, the dual plug heads flow more apparently. With the same setup and my old turbo after I ported the head I lost 2psi of boost so it's getting more air... The bottom end of a stock turbo engine (only difference turbo or not is the forged pistons) can apparently handle about 350hp before it's an issue and I think crank is the next fuse. The turbo drainback port is the only difference on a turbo block, better off finding some forged pistons and using an N/A block.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Wanted to add sometimes I would have rather done a 4L swap, not having low end is annoying... I had a manual trans '91 Explorer for a while and that thing was great...

As far as other transmissions, you can make anything work with enough money... the most readily available options are T5's and M5OD, I like my M5OD's and haven't had too bad of issues with them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

For what its worth... I really don't enjoy towing with a 5speed.

Can't pull much in fifth out of fear of melting it down... as long as it isn't hunting and you keep it cool a slushbox is much more forgiving.

Pulling our camper down to Kansas and back in mostly fourth running 60-70mph... we moved a lot of fuel.

Around home, eh who cares. 6-8 hours of it gets kind of tiring.

 

[Shran]

Another vote for TDI swap here.

I love the Lima engines but they are expensive to build. Parts are getting kind of hard to find. OEM turbo parts are even harder. You can just about build a nice small block V8 from any manufacturer for the same price as having a machine shop go through a 2.3. You'd think it would be half the cost since it's half the cylinders but it's not. Lima's are also pretty heavy as far as 4 cylinder engines go. They make some decent low end power but I wouldn't want to tow much with one - I've owned several, been there done that.

Beyond the TDI, 4.0, 302, and 2.3 swaps, I would just browse CL or Marketplace and see what you can find for wrecked 70's/80's/early 90's anything. A GM 4.3/700R4 maybe, or how about a Jeep 4.0 and AW4 auto? Assuming 2wd here, there has to be a 2wd Cherokee or a junker Astro van somewhere. 2wd opens up a lot of options for RWD cars from the 80's on back too. You don't need much - 200-250HP from a stock V8 is great in a Ranger.

I'm not really on board with the 4BT idea. Heavy and they are kinda popular for swaps so now they're hard to find and expensive.

I like an auto in my tow rig too, having a lower gear available on command without moving the shifter is awful nice. I towed a lot with my old '85 F250 that had a 4 speed, won't go back to that unless I have to.