2.3 or 2.9

[fphipps]

so right now i have a 92 ranger 2wd 2.3L and love it.but i found someone willing to trade me an 86 4x4 with the 2.9L.
so my question is..what engine is better?my 2.3 has about 260k on it and not sure what the milage on the 2.9 is

 

[MikeWild]

from what I've heard the 2.3 is easy to modify into a turbo, the 2.9 is prone to cracking heads. I just did the 4.0 swap in mine because the 2.9 gave up the ghost. Just my two cents though.

 

[Sunk]

I blew up 2 2.9s in less than a year. I'd take the 2.3 and if it doesn't have enough power, start wrenching. It's not hard to get some pretty impressive numbers out of those. Or a 4.0 swap is easy on your 92, but not quite so on an 86.

 

[fphipps]

yeah thats the only keeping me back.how easily do the heads crack?o have been looking for a shor bed reg cab black 4x4 early ranger for a while i just dont want to get screwed over on the engine

 

[fphipps]

whats wrenching?im fairly new with the terms.

 

[fastpakr]

2.3 gets better gas mileage, is more reliable, has FAR more performance potential with the turbo conversion, and was made much more recently than the 2.9 so parts will continue to be easy to find. What's not to like?

 

[donlightbody]

The 2.9 is still a good little engine, just keep her cool! I replaced heads on mine couple months ago after 260,000mi. And it's still possible to get 25(ish) mpg hiway with it. Not much aftermarket stuff though.

 

[Kdawg532]

3.0 baby

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

86 2.9L. Uhh! That will most likely crack a head or lose oil pressure if it hasn't done it already, leaving you without a vehicle.

The 2.3s on the other hand are pretty much indestructable. Slow, but indestructable. The slow part is easy to fix though.

 

[MikeInIdaho]

2.3, for all the reasons previously mentioned in this thread. If you already know that the motor in your truck is reliable, you can't go wrong by continuing to drive it. Trading it for an '86 w/ the 2.9 is a gamble IMHO

The mighty 2.0/2.3/2.5 4-bangers are some of the best, most reliable motors ever made by ford.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

2.3

The 2.9L is best suited as a boat anchor.

I've blown up about four 2.9s so far. One of those had World Products heads... it ate a couple valves instead of cracking the heads. The rest were all head failures.

That said, I bought, fixed up, and sold an 89 BII with a 2.9 that near as I can tell had around 200k+ on it and after a good tune-up and cleaning, it ran like a top. Wish I wouldn't have sold that truck... The engine in my choptop right now came out of an 87 or 88 BII in a junkyard, unknown mileage. First things I did were to put a bigger radiator in and a 180* thermostat. So far no problems, but if that truck pops one more 2.9 out the exhaust, I'm gonna seriously think 4.0....

 

[Z3CHYD]

depends on what ur doing with it i guess I have an 86 4x4 with a 2.9L, and i gotta tell you, its the best running engine ive ever had, and its taken some beatings too (linelocking at stoplights and 50 MPH in 3rd gear lol) But I also have a 97 2wd with a 2.3, and its a good runner to, not as much "spunk" as my 2.9, but then again, its a smaller motor
really its all up to you dude

 

[Z3CHYD]

86 2.9L. Uhh! That will most likely crack a head or lose oil pressure if it hasn't done it already, leaving you without a vehicle.

The 2.3s on the other hand are pretty much indestructable. Slow, but indestructable. The slow part is easy to fix though.

mines an 86 2.9 4x4, and it runs like a top, it never runs hot either, actually it runs pretty cool, even in the summer, i just have to keep an eye on the oil level, cuz if you let it get low, then the lifters will start ticking.
BTW my 2.9 has the original head on it too..take care of em an they last forever i guess

 

[Z3CHYD]

3.0 baby

How are the 3.0's? i havent owned one yet. Ive heard good an bad things about them like "the power of a Honda and the mileage of a Hemi" Its to bad they arent making the 3.0's anymore