2.9 to 2.3?

[whitebroncoii87]

Hi, saw this on eBay will this engine and transmission work in my 87 bronco ii which currently has 2.9 manual. Does it make sense to do this swap? Thank you

 

[Kayakcrazy]

most any engine will work just how much do you want to modify.

It should be a very straight forward swap and has been done, lots of info here to help guide you.

guess it boils down to what you want, little less power, could turbo it..cost money though. you looking fuel economy might work well.

 

[adsm08]

I don't think that swap is worth it. I don't see the point of a 4-banger in anything bigger than a small car. Some of these newer ones like the DI 2.0 which make almost as much power as the 4.0 sure, but an old Lima 2.3, no way man.

I'd so a 4.0 before a 2.3.

 

[whitebroncoii87]

he said 2.3 has less design flaws than 2.9.. is it true? engine idles at 700rpm, quiet, mazda transmission which he said is better than the mitsubishi one (i have)

 

[straycat]

I had an '83 Ranger 4x4 and an '89 BII with the V6 motors and I loved them both. I put over 90,000 miles on the '83 that I bought 1 year old with 12,000 miles on it at a Ford Dealership out in San Diego. I bought my '89 BII brand new in '89. I never had an issue with any of them!!! The motors were great and towed my bike trailers and my 17 ft. boats from California to Florida numerous times!!

 

[adsm08]

he said 2.3 has less design flaws than 2.9.. is it true? engine idles at 700rpm, quiet, mazda transmission which he said is better than the mitsubishi one (i have)

I guess that depends on what you consider a design flaw.

The 2.9 has some issues with the heads, particularly the early 2.9s but usually only if they overheat. The TFI could have been in a better spot, but that can be fixed with a relocation kit from a 3.8 T-bird.

Some people consider those to be "design flaws". Personally I consider an engine only having four cylinders to be a design flaw.

For an engine that had a run as short at the 2.9, and for the era it was made in it is remarkably reliable and powerful. The reason it was discontinued was that it would have been too expensive to bring it up to snuff with the new emissions requirements in 1993.

 

[whitebroncoii87]

inline causes less vibration than v?

my 2.9 wobbles on idle in cycles (wobbles then steadies then wobbles funny to watch the shifter twitching in fits and starts). is it eec's doing or something else? if eec is it due to bad signal from some sensor?