2.8L Replacement for 2.9L - in 1989 B2?

[SteveCavender]

I'm wondering what problems I might encounter replacing a wasted 2.9L in my 1989 Bronco II, with a 1984 2.8 L carburated. I have a good running 2.8L available to me but really don't want to get into a lot of problems as it may be easier to find a reasonably good 2.9L.

Mostly wondering if it will bolt up to the tranny okay. Will the mounting only require different engine mounts?

Wondering if I'll run into a lot of electrical/electronics issues with this swap, considering the four years difference in age and going from an EFI system to a carburated engine. Will I have other issues that I may not have thought of?

Generally wondering if i should go this way, or find a (hopefully) good 2.9L...

Anyone who has experience with this? I'd really appreciate good feedback, not guesses.

Thanks in advance!
Steve

 

[dangerranger83]

Fuel issue you will run into due to the 2.9 has electric fuel pumps but one way arpound that is to run the mechanical pump off the return line but you have to pull the tank and take off the orange valve off the sending unit for that.

If you go with the duraspark setup on the 2.8 then getting it to run shouldnt be hard. Theres a few great writeup in the tech library on those and how to wire them, you just need to determine which wiring diagram would work in your situation. the wiring that runs the setup is the wiring from the driverside firewall.

The engine will bolt right up to the tranny. Not sure if you have a manual or auto tranny but you should be fine.

 

[lodden758]

they go right in except you have to change the motor mounts the 2.8's are different from the 2.9's. getting fuel isn't a prob the 89 use a free flow pump so you just hook the fuel up to the 2.8's pump and you will get the proper fuel just disable the power to the 89's pump. Then all you have to do is get spark, the easiest way to get spark is to just hook the 2.9's harness to the dizzy, and you can get it to run that way. set your base timing at 15 degrees btdc and call it good, I ran mine this way for over a year before I did my duraspark/hei swap in mine, just stuff to think about