2.3 turbo in Wheelin rig

[Todd]

Well the time has come for an engine swap and I have made my decision. Everyone says small block, but then I would have to change my whole drive train, tranny, doubler, front and rear drive shafts and spare front and rear shafts. As well as the tranny mount and flat belly skid plate. All of witch are custom.

I have thrown the idea around a bit in the past and now I am going to go with a turbo 2.3 lima 4 banger.
Why a 2.3, lighter then a small block, bell housing pattern will bolt to existing tranny ( M50DR1) and high rpm Hp and torque to spin the 38’s in mud. I have gearing for crawl so im not to worred about losing low end torque with the swap.

I have the turbo setup off a running turbo coupe 2.3, turbo, exhaust manifold, upper and lower intake manifold.

Now you know why im doing this so now to the questions. This whole turbo thing is new to me although I fully understand the dynamics of a turbo system.

Can I use a OHC tempo 2.3, will this block mount to my M50DR1?

What clutch disk and pressure plate is needed to bolt the 2.3 to a ranger M5ODR1?

Or do I have to use a turbo coupe 2.3 or a 2.3 from a Ranger?

Will my turbo parts work on any lima OHC 2.3, or do I need to pull some numbers and match the exhaust manifold and intakes to a certain year head?

How much boost can I put to a stock MAP computer with it still running correctly?

Can I use a naturally aspirated wiring harness and a turbo computer, does there need to be pin variations?

With the modifications of forged pistons, head studs what else needs to be done to a naturally aspirated 2.3 to make it hold up to 20 so PSI of boost?

Any help is appreciated. I have searched and can find info but these main details I could not find info on. I need these answers so I can start looking for my 2.3 to build.

Ah, and its going in this, to make more mud fly off the tires.

 

[bobbywalter]

get a cooler and a big radiator.....for what you do it should be fine.


its as easy a swap as it gets. though a 4.0 would be smarter. forget the tempo engine....and a tranny swap is in order as well depending on what tranny you have now, so a 4.0 may actually be the easiset swap

 

[Insanejughead]

Can I use a OHC tempo 2.3, will this block mount to my M50DR1?

No. That block is the 2.3 HSC (high swirl combustion). It's also a cam in block (OHV) engine.

What clutch disk and pressure plate is needed to bolt the 2.3 to a ranger M5ODR1?

Same as stock 2.3. All 2.3's have the same flywheel, but the clutch disc is determined by the transmission.

Or do I have to use a turbo coupe 2.3 or a 2.3 from a Ranger?

Best bet is to use the 2.3T block. It's the simplest setup there is. The 2.3's from the rangers will only work depending on what years the blocks are and intake/exhaust setup.

Will my turbo parts work on any lima OHC 2.3, or do I need to pull some numbers and match the exhaust manifold and intakes to a certain year head?

'83-'85 rangers had "O" shaped intake and exhaust ports. '86-'87 rangers had "D" shaped intake ports and "O" exhaust ports. '88-'97 rangers had dual spark plug heads with different intake and exhaust ports too.

How much boost can I put to a stock MAP computer with it still running correctly?

Barely any PSI... I don't know jack about "flashing" your stock computer to be able to handle it either...

Can I use a naturally aspirated wiring harness and a turbo computer, does there need to be pin variations?

I used the stock ranger wiring harness. I just had to add in a few sensors, re pin the connector for the computer, and double check everything twice before I plugged in the Thunderbird computer.

With the modifications of forged pistons, head studs what else needs to be done to a naturally aspirated 2.3 to make it hold up to 20 so PSI of boost

Nothing. The 2.3T and normal 2.3's had all the same parts otherwise (crank and rods, that is.)

 

[Todd]

Hey bobby, no 4.0 for me.

Insanejughead, thanks for all the info very helpful.

Looked at my lower intake and I have the D shaped intake ports, meaning I need an 86-87 ranger 2.3.

Does this year of the D shaped intake ports also correlate with 2.3 OHC in other ford vehicles?

Also I have seen in my searching that the M5OD R1 will bolt up and others say it will not. I know that the 2.3 came in rangers with 4x4 sporting the M5OD R1 but is this trans have a unique bolt pattern.

Forgot to mention my M5OD R1 is from behind a 2.9, will this bolt to the 2.3?

 

[bobbywalter]

while the 4.0 is the smarter more cost effective swap, the 2.3 will be the cooler swap. cooler in that it may likely be easier to get more power out of and cheaper doller per hp. but turbo the 4.0 and things will be crazy too.

the tranny thing is a assbiter though, thats why i suggest the 4.0, its a bolt in with easy to find parts round here.

 

[Todd]

Thats why I plan on going with the 2.3, unique and high R HP.

4.0 is done all the time, and if I put the time and money toward a swap I want more then the 4.0 can give me stock. And I don’t want to spend a bunch of time and money turboing a 4.0 or my 2.9.

My plan is to get the motor and build it before winter. Get the wiring harness all mocked up outside the truck. Then this winter pull the 2.9 and try and have it running within a few weeks with the 2.3.

 

[Insanejughead]

Are the intake ports all the same size on your cylinder head?

The 88+ all have D shaped ports too, but they're all equal size. The 85(or 86) through 87 2.3 ranger heads have larger ports for cylinders 4 and 1, but they're all still D shaped.

 

[Davis]

Are the intake ports all the same size on your cylinder head?

The 88+ all have D shaped ports too, but they're all equal size. The 85(or 86) through 87 2.3 ranger heads have larger ports for cylinders 4 and 1, but they're all still D shaped.

It's actually 89+, and they all have dual plugs. Those are known as the DP or Dual Plug head. the DP head was changed again in 95 or 96, I'm not sure.

The D-port is found on all of the EFI turbo motors with a D-shaped combustion chamber. The NA EFI motors from the same years have a heart shaped chamber, but the same shape ports.

 

[BowTech99]

Sweet. We think alike, except i did my motor first, and now im doing suspension and t-cse now.

I plan on just running an independent case, that way I can use my M5od. Also I see you have a stock turbo. Do you want super fast spooling and hit hard early on, or do you want a bit of lag, and when the turbo spools all hell breaks loose?? I you choose the latter, get a HX35. Trust its nice.

Personally, I would get a 2.5L and just swap in 2.3tc pistons and rods. It would be a very easy swap, and you can get Wire harness from JCWracing or TRF. The options are endless for the Turbo Lima's.

And i see you got a e6 mani. I actually had one of those shiny sweet looking centermount headers, but i chunked it for a e6. Way stronger and more reliable. But Im also using an external wastegate/e6/hx35. Awesome combo. I cant wait till my 300+hp 4cyl gets to play in the mud

If i could i would post some pictures of my motor, its like

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

The 2.9/4.0 tranny has a different bolt pattern than a 2.3. You'll need a 2.3 specific tranny. Unfortunately, the 4x4 2.3 M5OD is a kind of rare part. The years I see the most with this particular drivetrain are the 89-97 trucks.

The block really doesn't matter much. There are two big differences in blocks. One is that the early blocks (including the turbo blocks) have the larger main journals while the later (89+ I think?) have smaller (actually stronger) main journals. The other difference is that turbo blocks have a turbo oil drain already installed in the exhaust side of the block while non-turbo blocks don't. It is very easy to tap a hole in the side of a non-turbo block for an oil drain. Another difference is the DIS (89+ ranger, 91+ mustang) blocks have mounting provision for the crack trigger while the earlier blocks dont. You can add this to an early block but I contend that putting an oil drain in a DIS block is easier than putting the crank trigger on a turbo block (three very precise holes need to be drilled and tapped).

You can run whatever head you want, the DP ranger heads give you about 0.4 point more compression than a turbo head. This means about 8.4:1 with a ranger DP head and turbo pistons.

The rods are the same.

The turbo computer will work with TFI or DIS ignitions, it doesn't care.

Using the ranger harness is easy and recommended. See the article in the tech library about which computer pins to swap and sensors to add/remove.

A 2.9->2.3T swap is going to be more work than a 2.3->2.3T swap though. For instance, the fuel lines are different, the wiring harness is much different (different sensor locations and 6 fuel injectors vs. 4), different tranny, etc.

While I'm not trying to tell you to do a 4.0 over a 2.3T, the 4.0 would be a LOT less work.

 

[feellnfroggy]

For what its worth, you can stick with a stock ranger engine so you dont have to swap everything. You can run up to 6-8 lbs of boost without damaging antyhing if the turbo is setup right.
Keep in mind, if you do any engine mods (which I highly recommend) such as porting and polishing or anything to open up the airflow prior to the turbo, then the greater cfm flow will reflect a lower boost pressure rating. 5psi on a 300cfm motor is not the same as 5 psi on a 250 cfm motor. You can do all the airlfow mods you want and you will increase efficiency, which is the most important, (also allowing the turbo to run cooler) You can have any exhaust shop fab up the proper header for your turbo mount, The most difficult part of the whole thing will be paying for the computer tune and deciding where you want the turbo.