2.3 Swap Advice

[ltbenji]

Alright guys

I have an 88 with the 2.3 that is starting to show its age. I have found a 89 that has been rolled but has a 2.3 with 7000 miles on the engine. Previous owner had a remaned engine installed and i saw the reciept and have heard the engine run.

I am planning on buying the rolled truck and doing an engine swap. I know I will have to swap the ECU and wiring harness as well as the engine.

Questions are:

Is the a reasonable project? Or more trouble than it's worth?
Any tips or things to be aware of?
I have done read around on the forum and think it's doable, just time consuming

Is there a way to keep the instrument cluster from the 88?

 

[scotts90ranger]

It's doable but the intake manifold will get in the way of the distributor if you aren't wanting to swap things around too much.

On the other hand you can swap to the DIS ignition system without changing a whole lot apparently, go HERE to see the wiring changes. I'm having problems loading that page right now but have it saved on my computer, if you can't open it send me an email and I'll send it to ya.

The complication comes from the intake pattern changing for the DIS engine ('89) so you can't just put on your original intake manifold. Other than that most sensors will swap directly over, use your stock throttle body so the TPS plugs in, might have to use the '89 injector rail but if you grab the fuel lines starting at the filter (the return line splices directly above the filter) you should be fine.

 

[ltbenji]

I was planning on swapping the whole engine including the intake, ignition system, and computer.

 

[scotts90ranger]

that's fine, but I would use your stock wiring harness just adding the DIS module and maybe repin a couple things at the computer end, trying to use the '89 wiring harness will be more of a PIA than rewiring a couple things because in '89 they went to the power distribution box under the hood instead of separate relays and such. The link I posted yesterday goes over the wiring changes needed to replace the TFI module with the DIS module. I believe the physical wiring stayed the same in the computer from the '86-88 and '89-90 2.3's but I'd have to look, someone else might know...

 

[ltbenji]

This weekend is the time for the swap. The 88 started knocking really bad.

I was wondering, for the wiring swap, do I have to move them around right at the computer or at the actual module?

 

[scotts90ranger]

using that XR4TI link you should be able to do the wiring at the modules

 

[ltbenji]

So I have the engine swap complete, everything hooked back up

The truck will crank but not start....I'm suspicious I didn't wire something correctly

It's got fuel at the rail and it just cranks but never fires

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for an 88 and/or an 89?

 

[ltbenji]

And are there any sensors that would keep the truck from firing at all?

 

[chilsam]

R U getting spark?

So I have the engine swap complete, everything hooked back up

The truck will crank but not start....I'm suspicious I didn't wire something correctly

It's got fuel at the rail and it just cranks but never fires

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for an 88 and/or an 89?

Pull your plug wires n c if if it firing or firing a weak spark

 

[ltbenji]

There is no spark on the plugs on the exhaust manifold side, which from what I understand are the primary plugs

The picture is where I think my problem is....There are six wires that seem to intersect at this point....two of them go to the coil pack on the passenger side, one goes to the coil pack on the drivers side, and the fourth goes to the crank position sensor.....

I am not sure where the cut two wires are supposed to go....

Does anyone have some input or can provide a picture of their working 2.3 in the same spot?

 

[ltbenji]

Will the 88 computer work? Or do I need to use the 89 engine computer?

 

[scotts90ranger]

if you just swapped in the DIS, the '88 computer will work fine, I'm running a '86 computer with DIS

THIS wiring diagram should help you out, are you getting any codes out of the computer?

 

[ltbenji]

I haven't had a chance to check codes yet

Any idea about the two clipped red wires?

 

[ltbenji]

So I've poked around with a test light, and it turns out I have no power going to the coil pack....

I think the longer of the two red wires in the picture above feeds the coil pack....

Any input or suggestions?

 

[ltbenji]

I now have power to both coil packs as well as the top DIS plug...
I ran the hot from the old coil to the middle wire in the above picture, and then ran bottom middle wire to the hot on the DIS plug

The truck still cranks but will not fire....

Ideas?