2010 2.3l

[Fordfan65]

I'm sure this topic has been brought up many times. I live where there are many big hills that are about 15-28 degree inclined and but I'm trying to get better acceleration and hill climbing out of my 2.3L 4 cylinder ranger. I try to gain speed on these big hills. If the speed limit is 50 mph, I'll speed up to 60 mph to make the hill and by the top of the hill I've slowed down to 45-50 mph. Is that normal? I take very good care of my truck with regular oil changes and air filters, my tires aren't low, my brakes aren't stuck, but I do have an aluminum tool box in the back but it's not full of unnessesary things either and I need tools for work. Is there anything I can do to help?

 

[enjr44]

Down shift into forth and let the little 4 windup. It'll go 50 in forth easy.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Not really no that's pretty much what you get unless you want to build a TURBO 2.3l for it or swap it for something else

 

[Fordfan65]

Well I have an automatic so I can't shift down to 4th. My truck has overdrive but that still doesn't help much. Should I put OD off before the hill to make the hills better?
Ive heard of a turbo but I don't have money for that. Is there anything else?
I'm changing my oil this weekend with Motorcraft full synthetic and I always use a Motorcraft oil filter. I was using Pennzoil high mileage because I use it in everything else I have because the quality of the oil is so good. I noticed drastic differences using Pennzoil high mileage, but I do 3,000 in two months so be decided to do synthetic and I'll change it at 5,000 even though it says it can go till 6,000.

I'm also getting my tires rotated and balanced next week at a Ford dealership.
Then I'm changing my plugs with NGK because there better than Autolite and AC Delco.

 

[Fordfan65]

I forgot something. Do cold air intakes do anything that they say they can do like gain mpg, power and better acceleration or is it just to sell them?

Also is it bigger or smaller tires that give you better mpg?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Motorcraft plugs are better than NGK in a Ford.

CAI don't really do much.

What gears do you have? How long have you had the truck?

 

[adsm08]

Yes, you did forget something when you bought the truck. You left two cylinders and about 1.3 liters at the dealership. No hill climbing is about what you get out of a 4-cyl pickup.

 

[pjtoledo]

I can't vouch for an auto trans, but my little 2.3 with a 5sp does pretty good on hills. those trannys have lower gears for a reason, use 'em!

by contrast, my 2000 3.0 down shifts before I even get to the hill!

if by chance you have a nice set of 33" tires, get used to going slow up hills.
best MPG is when you have a good match between driving style & speed, peak torque range of the engine, final gearing/tire size, and tire type.
a modest increase in tire size can give you better mileage, but if those tires are knobby mud tires the increased rolling resistance totally kills any mileage gains.

 

[pjtoledo]

Well I have an automatic so I can't shift down to 4th. My truck has overdrive but that still doesn't help much. Should I put OD off before the hill to make the hills better?
Ive heard of a turbo but I don't have money for that. Is there anything else?
I'm changing my oil this weekend with Motorcraft full synthetic and I always use a Motorcraft oil filter. I was using Pennzoil high mileage because I use it in everything else I have because the quality of the oil is so good. I noticed drastic differences using Pennzoil high mileage, but I do 3,000 in two months so be decided to do synthetic and I'll change it at 5,000 even though it says it can go till 6,000.

I'm also getting my tires rotated and balanced next week at a Ford dealership.
Then I'm changing my plugs with NGK because there better than Autolite and AC Delco.

if you have to go full throttle up a hill doesn't the truck downshift itself?
turning overdrive off forces the transmission to downshift to 4th.
overdrive off also keeps the tranny locked up and provides engine braking while going down hill, or towing.

the Autolite plugs should easily last 100,000 miles.

 

[Mark_88]

2010 2.3 is he new design with 134 hp or whatever they were rated at.

Yes, I would disengage OD to see if that helps...and yes bigger tires will be harder to push...but funny I haven't really seen many complaints about that version of the 4 banger. You simply don't see them for sale in Canada anywhere...nobody seems to want to get rid of them but I know many were made and sold here...

Otherwise...taking runs at the hills might be your only other defense against the big ones. I got used to my old 80 hp 2.3 and knew when I had to start making my approach...it was almost exciting driving an under powered vehicle because I always had to be creative to get where I wanted to go...like I was somehow earning my right to pollute and take up road space...

I miss my old ride!

 

[stmitch]

Duratec/Auto trans equipped Rangers supposedly all got 4.10s stock. I don't think it's a gearing issue. It's just a lack of hp/tq. The Duratec 2.3 is very similar to an NC Miata engine, so it's not really meant to be charging up steep hills while dragging a 3200lb truck + driver+toolbox.

The auto trans really sucks with a Duratec. It robs more of the engine's power, it kills fuel economy, and it keeps you from controlling which gear you're in. It was a fine transmission when it was designed in the late 80s, but it's really outdated in a vehicle from 2010 and it shows.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

O dude for sure my DD is a an 88 2.3 5spd its a freakin dog my other 2.5 feels like a rocket compared this 88ha ha like 70 is screaming so hard and I lose speed when passed by semis there wind slows me down and even doing 70 up some hill on the highway I'll get down to 55 by the time I get to the top ha ha and that's unloaded runnin empty with tiny ass tires

 

[Fordfan65]

I've had the truck for 10 months. I got it with 112,000 miles and I now have 127,200. I do a lot of driving.

When I speed up my truck does shift down but even doing that it still slows down.

I have stock size wheels. 225-75-r15 on stock rims.

So Motorcraft plugs are the better choice other than NGK?

 

[Mightyfordranger]

One thing that you could do is have some head work done with a different cam get it flowing better little more torque. But sadly there isn't many ways to get significant HP and tq out of a N\A 2.3 motor without spending big money

 

[Fordfan65]

Yeah. I think this 2.3 is a twin overhead cam right? So I should get a better exhaust so it can let the engine run more freely but still have the cat and the O2 censor? Like just a muffler or a whole cat back system?