2.3l more power?

[86ranger4x4owner]

I was looking at a header and performance exhaust the other day and it said it would give your truck 20 percent more horse power for each of them and better gas mileage .I wasent worried about the gas mileage can anyone tell me if this would help get me more power?

 

[flaminranger]

I believe they can help but ten percent of 70 is only 7 horsepower that is not much for the cost of the parts

 

[Duane867]

You need to look at torque for your buck as well not just HP.

BUT keep this in mind as well..... the exhaust manifold on a 2.3l engine is about as unrestrictive as you can get. I would focus on port / polishing, maybe a bigger cam. Hotter ignition system,
less restrictive exhaust ( after the manifold ). IE catless system with larger ID. , lower geared rearend.
But then you are back in to the old does the cost justify the results ?
Most cases with out serious money poured into a completely modded rebuild from the ground up.... no way. You'd be better off swapping in a 3.0 or larger or a small block if its more power you want. It would cost about the same as rebuilding and modding the 2.3L. IMHO

 

[IH 444]

I cut off my cat and put a chery bomb muffler on and it seemed to help quite a bit

 

[BLS2.3]

I'd do the cheap & free stuff first.

'94-'96(?) steel tube "header" ($30)
Roller cam/followers/HLA's from an early dual plug engine ($40)
PVC CAI/snorkel w/cone filter ($25)
bigger exhaust with a straight thru type muffler ($100)
If you have A/C get rid of it ($0)
Put the truck on a diet, if its not needed/not working, remove it ($0)
Home port & polish job (tools+time)

And always remember, that 20% claim is just marketing. They don't tell you that the test engine has all the supporting mods already done.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

No... Period... Don't waste your money... If you need more power... Get a 4.0L...

 

[tcranger]

No... Period... Don't waste your money... If you need more power... Get a 4.0L...

i have a full size f-150 with the 4.6 that gets better mpg than my ranger with a 4.0l they may have good power but shitty mileage. id say do these like BLS2.3 said i've done the same exact mods to my 86' and they helped a lot. went from 22-23mpg to 26-28mpg.

'94-'96(?) steel tube "header" ($30)
Roller cam/followers/HLA's from an early dual plug engine ($40)
PVC CAI/snorkel w/cone filter ($25)
bigger exhaust with a straight thru type muffler ($100)
If you have A/C get rid of it ($0)
Put the truck on a diet, if its not needed/not working, remove it ($0)
Home port & polish job (tools+time)

 

[Beanmachine7000]

The only suggestions I've seen on here that would do anything are: hotter cam, shorter gears and extreme diet...

 

[flaminranger]

a better flowing exhaust helped mine quite a bit. but it ain't no race machine now.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

a better flowing exhaust helped mine quite a bit. but it ain't no race machine now.

Did it help or do you feel like it helped? Did you get it dyno'ed immediately before and after you did the modifications? Are you saying that this is a fact or just speculation on your part? Maybe because you spent alot of money on a better flowing exhaust and expected it to be better, so when you installed it you automatically believed it was better? I have dual exhaust on my 2.5L Ranger... Not for more power, but for different sound... These motors really don't move enough air for an aftermarket exhaust to be helpful...

 

[Bryan22]

a port job will go a long way with these little motors. intake and exhaust do almost nothing as the real restriction is the head. Cheapest power IMO would be to open it up a bit. But don't go shooting for the moon unless you've got a lot of money to blow. Getting 200hp out of a n/a 2.3 is doable, just expensive. here's where to spend that money.

http://www.esslingeracing.com/home.htm

 

[94 lngbd]

I visited the Esslinger Engineering site they have a Lite Weight Complete 2.3 SOHC Ford Aluminum Pulley Kit listed for both round tooth & square tooth systems. What would be used in my 94 2.3L?

 

[scotts90ranger]

'94 should be round tooth if I remember right.