2.3L ('83-'97) 74 Pinto to 90 Ranger

[90RNGRGuY]

Hi everyone. I have a 1990 ranger 4x4 with the 2.3 engine. This is my project truck so I WILL be modifying it as I see fit regardless of what others think I should do with it. Taking a different approach and need some insight from those who know. I got my hands on a 1974 pinto 2.3. Full motor with intake manifold, distributor, head, block and all the goods. Just waiting for it to arrive. Are any of the components interchangeable with the ranger 2.3 (I.e.- intake manifold, distributor or whole head) from the pinto? I am Capable of fab work. Can any of the pinto components work on the ranger head with modification? Switching from EFI to carbureted and looking for as much help as possible. Thanks in advance!

 

[90RNGRGuY]

From the looks of it I should be able to swap the 74 2.3 head over to the 90 2.3 block with minor adjustments/ improvements. This sound about right? Obviously using the intended cam for the Pinto 2.3.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, that should work, the '90 will accept a distributor too.

I couldn't go from fuel injected to carbureted, just against my nature, but do what ya gotta do

 

[90RNGRGuY]

Yeah, that should work, the '90 will accept a distributor too.

I couldn't go from fuel injected to carbureted, just against my nature, but do what ya gotta do

Thanks for the reply. Definitely get why people like EFI over carbureted. Carbs have always been my thing. Easier to work on for me. I’m just wondering if the distributor from the pinto will work on the ranger block? From the pics I’ve seen it looks like they are in slightly different locations.

 

[Shran]

As far as I know the distributor will drop right in. I know one person who has gone the other way too and used an older block in a newer truck...although you can run into issues that way in other areas.

Probably will need to use the Pinto exhaust manifold too...and possibly modify the exhaust pipe in that area.

 

[90RNGRGuY]

As far as I know the distributor will drop right in. I know one person who has gone the other way too and used an older block in a newer truck...although you can run into issues that way in other areas.

Probably will need to use the Pinto exhaust manifold too...and possibly modify the exhaust pipe in that area.

im going to verify in a little bit if the distributor port is in the same location between the two blocks. I feel Like the ranger 2.3 port sits back an inch or two from where the pinto 2.3 port does.

 

[racsan]

(I think) the carbed pinto engine was only 75 hp in those days, my ‘88 efi ranger 2.3 was 100 hp and very trouble free. I was sceptical about efi, this was my first efi vehicle. I dont think Ive had a carbed vehicle since. Granted if I got a older muscle car Id want a carb but thats about it.

 

[dvdswan]

I couldn't go from fuel injected to carbureted

What? No sense of adventure...

 

[Dirtman]

I prefer horsepower with my adventure.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, that... carbs are easy to work on, but you eventually have to work on them... I only have to work on my fuel injected junk when something I rednecked breaks or it just breaks from being worn out... The '90 vintage of fuel injection is dead simple, it has a crank sensor running ignition and injection, has two injector drivers and two ignition drivers, batch fire on both... Sure the '90 is rated for I think 95hp, but as stated the highest HP rating on a carbed 2.3L Ranger was like 83... My '90 has some going on under the hood with the ~'86 turbo block that I added the crank sensor to and am running off just the passenger side coil pack, but I used as much Ranger stuff as I could, wish I had kept the original engine though, it would look a lot cleaner with it...

 

[Dirtman]

When you break and EFI system down to it's base components it's not a complicated system and as stated they do not fail often. You could go 100k miles + without even doing anything to an EFI system besides maybe cleaning the maf sensor. And no matter how great you are at jetting and tuning a carb it cannot beat EFI. Air pressure, air temp, fuel temp, altitude etc all effect your air fuel ratio, EFI is constantly adjusting on the fly where a carb simply cannot.

I like carbs and older engines but just would never remove EFI to go to a carb unless I was drunk or building it for racing where EFI is illegal.

And also I'm not saying a pinto engine can't make power with a carb, they can and do. They are still the preferred engine in alot of smaller dirt track cars and they use carbs. But... They use carbs because thems the rules, if EFI was legal no one would have a carb lol.

 

[Drummadude]

When you break and EFI system down to it's base components it's not a complicated system and as stated they do not fail often. You could go 100k miles + without even doing anything to an EFI system besides maybe cleaning the maf sensor. And no matter how great you are at jetting and tuning a carb it cannot beat EFI. Air pressure, air temp, fuel temp, altitude etc all effect your air fuel ratio, EFI is constantly adjusting on the fly where a carb simply cannot.

I like carbs and older engines but just would never remove EFI to go to a carb unless I was drunk or building it for racing where EFI is illegal.

And also I'm not saying a pinto engine can't make power with a carb, they can and do. They are still the preferred engine in alot of smaller dirt track cars and they use carbs. But... They use carbs because thems the rules, if EFI was legal no one would have a carb lol.

Dirtman, I have the 87 Ranger that the previous owner tried to put the 2.0 carb on a EFI motor. I found an 87 with EFI at a local salvage yard. What components would I need to get to put this motor back to EFI? Remember this is originally a carb 2.0 truck.

 

[Dirtman]

If it's a 2.3 engine now that has 2.0 carb and distributor on it you will need

Computer and entire wiring harness, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, throttle body, intake tube, maf sensor, airbox, ignition coils, all sensors (o2, ect, map, iac, tps, crank and cam sensor), fuel rail, injectors, pressure regulator, fuel pump, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting.

It would be easier just to buy the whole damn motor and replace it. I don't know why anyone would have converted the thing from a 2.0 carb, to a 2.3 efi and then put the carb crap back on the 2.3 in the first place.

 

[Drummadude]

I think you're right. I need to figure out what engined will bolt up to that 4 speed OD trans and pick one up.

 

[Dirtman]

I think you're right. I need to figure out what engined will bolt up to that 4 speed OD trans and pick one up.

Only a Lima. 2.0, 2.3, or 2.5.