2.8 liter TBI swap

[dangerranger83]

Thanks for the link, thats what I was looking for. I'm not to worried about the ride, or really how much flex I can get, its my DD.

 

[dangerranger83]

Look, I found my build thread on page 4 x.X

Okay back to what I was saying.....

Thanks to escort_gts, got bushings for my 63 inch chevy leaves for cheap. Got one replaced, the last one is being a PITA, got the rubber peice out after 30 min of turning the bolt that is rusted to the sleeve inside the rubber with the help of a tourch to heat up the rubber to make it easier to turn. Now I have to get the metal outside thing that surrounds the old bushing off the leaf, and it is fighting me every inch of the way, being that it is rusted in, but it will lose the battle. Getting the first new one in wasnt hard at all, but getting its old bushing out was a PITA too.

As for my fuel system, knowing that the TBI unit is for a 3.8 liter AAANNNNDDD that chevy (yes I'm about to say this) made a 2.8 liter TBI, I'm going to be looking into putting that TBI unit on my truck (wont be easy but it can be done, not that I have seen it done) but not the computer system. My truck needs 33lbs per hour injectors, cant find those for my current TBI unit. But before I go ripping and rawring on that, need to go to library, look up the specs, fuel pressure requirements, etc.....

I'm happy with whats on it now, lots of power, can dump the clutch a light up the tires but my fuel mileage isnt nice, I fill it up every 2 weeks (thats driving 4 miles a day though).

 

[escort_gts]

No prob

 

[dangerranger83]

Well another vehicle scare, on my way home from work was going down a main road doing 35mph 3rd gear about to go into 4th and just started surging baddly, didnt want to run, with clutch pushed in it didnt want to get above 2000rpm real easily. It finally died, when to make an emergency right turn but due to the ground being wet, didnt quite make the turn, almost ended up air born over a curb, had all 4 tires sqeeling to a stop. Fuel pumps were still working, so waitd a bit she starte up, a cut through a house complex, surged then died, got under my hood, backed out the fuel regulator screw, got her started, ran, then surged real bad for a bit but it stopped, limped her home in 2nd gear with hazard lights on, and right before I got home,got on her and no problems. Ran fine the past two days with screw turned in on my regulator. Think my TPS is going out due to it having fire damage from my truck catching fire way back, or a fuel pump problem, think I have a spare TPS in the garage.

 

[escort_gts]

Damn, your just not having any luck with it.

At least it didn't catch fire again.

 

[dangerranger83]

Got the leaf bushings put in a few days ago so those are ready and just got done ordering the Ironman long arms for my SAS. Called the guy told him that I was doing a SAS to my truck and I said another guy had done this to his Ranger and he knew exactly who I was talking about (escort_gts). So I will be the second guy to use theses on there Ranger.

From what the guy said and how they are built, the finish put on them, etc..... I can live with the how much they costed.

Cant wait till they arrive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[escort_gts]

 

[dangerranger83]

Taking a co-worker home tonight and the bucking/stumbling happened again. Both times it happened had the windsheild wipers on but this time it started when I went over bumps in the road from road contruction but yet I drive over the same bumps going to work but nothing, I take different roads to and from work. First time it happened was on a newly paved road. I turned the wipers off after it died both times and it ran fine.

I dont know if my wipers are taking power, I have a bad connector to the fuel pumps or under my hood, but will be checking those soon. Might do what my dads going to be doing and thats Durasparking the truck, we cant seem to get better milage then we are getting and Im tired of the "is my truck going to drive" feeling. I want it to be reliable.

As for the long arms going to call the guy again tomorrow to make sure my payment went through and how long it will take to arrive and whatnot.

 

[dangerranger83]

Okay, it did it again and for the last time too. I have parked the truck until I can do the Duraspark set-up, which should be in a few weeks when I get paid. I dies when I go over the slightest bump, even up my driveway at 2mph. My dad has already bought the dizzy for his set-up.

 

[FrankBoss]

I've done a few Durasparks swaps. I like the wiring from the Ford Farmonts with the inline sixxes if your doing it with salvage parts. the wires are long and in a neat bundle.

FrankBoss

 

[Ranger_Jay]

how did you do the fuel system i got a 1985 and my fuel sending unit is shot, so the gas gauge doesnt work, will a 86 ranger fuel sending unit work?

 

[dangerranger83]

My fuel system originaly came out of an 87 ranger with a 2.3. the 2.3, 2.9 have the same tanks/pumps in gen 1 rangers. Mine is a metal tank, its sending unit is the same as what was in it before the truck was conveted from a carbed 2.3 to a FI 2.3 to a FI 2.8. Basiclly my dad took out the original tank, hooked up the sending unit wires on the FI tank to the truck and it worked fine (other having to add a couple to run the pump in the tank). Just remeber that my truck has the 2 fuel pumps, the low and high pressure but due to going to Duraspark, I will be by passing the high pressure pump and just using the low pressure one. I will do a write-up with picks and all that stuff on how to convert to a Duraspark on my and my dads truck.

 

[escort_gts]

When did he say your arms will be done? It took me forever to get them. They got damaged by UPS during an ice storm. Had to wait a few weeks longer.
I was getting worried, kept looking at the tracking info and for days all it said was shipping info received. Truck never got to the terminal. He was cool about it though. Made another set, said they were better than the first set he shipped. Oh well, I wasn't in a hurry to get them, still had 3 months before I was to start the swap.

 

[dangerranger83]

I still have to call him, busy helping a friend move the past few days but thats on the huge to-do list. Right now Im getting parts for the Duraspark conversion, hope to get a good deal on a dizzy that is for sale on here, hope he respopnds back on here, may get on ebay and ask him there. I hate not being able to drive my truck.

 

[dangerranger83]

Ok just got off the phone with the guy that I bought the long arms from and said that he sould be shipping them out either next Monday or Tuesday. I also order 2 Duraspark Dizzy's, one is a reman new and the other is used but both are said to work, was told the used one worked before it was taken off. Got both of them for the price of one re-man one from Autozone.

If it ever cools down outside, I can make the metering block for the factory carb.