88 ranger 2.9 to 2.3

[rsparhawk]

I have an 88 ranger, with 2.9/auto. IThe 2.9 has seen better days after digging into it. I found a guy parting out a 93 mustang, 2.3 /auto and I could get the ECM/harness/motor and trans at a pretty decent price. Would this be a fairly straight forward swap using the mustang harness and ECM? Or would it be alot better to find a ranger harness and ECM?

i also found another guy with a 2.3 5 speed transmission from a ranger, so I may end up doing a 5 speed swap along with a 2.3. That would require a 5 speed ECM correct? and 5 speed trans harness?

In the long run my goal is to convert the 2.3 to a 2.3T. I just havent had any luck finding a 2.3T complete motor and I came across this mustang motor at a pretty cheap price since it comes with everything.

Is there something I am missing besides motor mounts?

 

[rsparhawk]

so I have the motor and trans mounted and in the truck. now I am onto the wiring adventure. I am currently using the mustang 2.3 harness, since I have the computer for it as well. I am currently stuck with what to do with the wires/plugs coming from the ranger on the drivers side that go into the cab. It doesnt seem like the mustang harness has enough wires to match up to all of them. I looked at quite a few schematics and can't really tell where they all go.

Would using a ranger harness be easier? I know the plugs still wouldnt match up since my truck is an 88 with the old dash, and all of the 2.3 rangers with DIS systems will be new style dashes.

 

[dangerranger83]

The 2.3 has a different bellhousing bolt pattern then the 2.9, meaning, you either have to switch out you bellhousing, if it isn't a trans that has it built as part of the body, and if it is then your after a new trans.

Sent from my rooted SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rsparhawk]

I have a 5 speed from a 2.3 ranger. so the transmission is not an issue at all. I have the pedals wapped, clutch hydraulics ran, pretty much everything just the little bit of wiring on the engine side to complete. Thats where I am stuck for now though.

 

[SenorNoob]

For the 88 most likely everything coming through that side is either A: Power in from battery B: Power out from ignition C: Gauge related D: To-From the clutch switch. or E: Ground. Although I did fine my turn signal and Tail light wiring in there. Not sure how that happened.

A significant portion of that wiring from the firewall is going to lighting. You shouldn't need to touch it.

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

It may be a good opportunity to modify the harness and make stand alone...

This is helping me, as I'm on the same trip of swapping in a 2.3T in place of a tired V6...

http://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MG-65

While I am not using their $500 stand alone harness, their information, in the instructions is helpful, to understand what each plug in the harness goes to, and to help you make a stand alone harness of your own.