93 reg cab 5 speed 2.3L to 2.3T swap

[Tdubya]

Ok so I have frequented this site often but just recently registered and I have a few questions I'm un-sure about with my swap ive been reading for the last few hours about the specifics also I'm not in a rush and appreciate any info given so I'll begin with what I have it is an 88TC with harness and ecm I understand you have to repin if you use harness that comes in the ranger but since I have the harness with the motor would it be easier to swap entire harness also I read that you need a maf? A vam? And a few other sensors

 

[Tdubya]

The motor I got from eBay is a complete motor all accessories so I'm wondering if I need these sensors as well or if I will have them included on my complete motor also since I have the ecm from the turbo coupe do I still need to do a cam sensor mod on my turbo block or can that be avoided another issue I've ran into reading up on this is which clutch disk will have the correct spline count to use my stock 5 speed I'm hoping for 350-400hp out of the setup but I can figure the power mods myself that's the straight forward stuff I'm just unsure of how to get them swapped out and what I will need to order and I have searched and read and read and searched and still unsure of what is actually required to perform the swap all the wiring seems simple enough but shouldn't my complete motor have all I need and shouldn't I only have to tie it into the body harness if I plan on keeping everything stock on the 2.3T I plan on adding power later down the road.

 

[Mikel89us]

Its not easy any way you cut it really. I would use the turbo motor, so that means 4 plug conversion and the easiest way to do this (talking from personal experience from actually this past weekend) there is a lot more than just re pinning if you convert to the 4 plug motor.. I converted my truck harness, and it was a bear... Nothing worked right the first time. Patching the tc harness to the truck body harness is easy if you can find the wiring diagrams you need. The clutch is easy, the one I put in my mustang (10 spline, by they make a 23 spline) was I believe from a company called F1 Racing Clutches, the stage three is rated at 400lt lbs, and does require some machine work to the flywheel, the bolt pattern is much bigger. The problem you are going to have, is the stock trans. Its only good for about 275 ft lbs before it becomes a time bomb.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I converted the Ranger harness on mine and it was easy after I was done and had figured out what I was doing , I've counted once and it's only about 10 wires that have to move in the ECM connector, everything else is in close to the right area and Ranger parts can be installed on the turbo engine to simplify the connector changes (like the TPS, use the Ranger throttle body). Converting the turbo engine to DIS isn't that hard, just drilling and tapping 3 holes in the front of the block and a slight modification to the Ranger front cover, converting the DIS to 4 plug is easy, ground the outer pins of the coil pack connector and terminate the center but your stock tach won't work but it will run just fine.

I'm running the Centerforce stock replacement friction disc and their pressure plate with weights and it's holding well, but I'm only pushing about 200hp, it's lasted twice as long as a stock clutch so far.

 

[Mikel89us]

Scott, the way I did my conversion my stock tach works. Actually everything works. It took a couple tries to get everything right. I did it the way I did to ensure everything would work. The hard part is that the injector harnesses are different, the iac valve control runs through it on the ranger and not on the tc harness. I can try to help where I can, but you can do the same work I can with a wiring diagram for both vehicles.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, the wiring diagrams for both are in the tech section of TRS so that shouldn't be an issue. The injector connectors are the same on both types of injectors, so no need to change that part.

What'd you do to get the tach to work? I miss my tach

I'll try to help where I can, my Ranger is just sitting in my driveway, I don't have any experience with the Rangers with MAF sensors or the '93+ where I think they moved the computers (or was that in '95?) though.

 

[Tdubya]

I've been searching trannys for this and called a few local shops would it be worth putting m50d-R1 hd gears into my m50d-R1 does it up torque rating what are each of these trannys rated for? Also I've been looking into a stinger performance PiMP standalone does anybody have any experience with these I saw they offer an engine wiring harness specifically for this standalone, money's not a huge issue for this build either got to love the oilfields!!!

 

[Mikel89us]

Stingers pimp system is great. I'm not sure how hard it is to adapt it to the truck harness.

Scott what year is your truck? If your harness is the same as mine, which it should be, it was a dark green/yellow wire at the ecu. About right in the center of the harness it spliced in with another wire, I want to say brown orange or something like that. I believe that second color is the one that goes to the tach.do you have the truck harness still in the truck?

 

[Mikel89us]

i have a PDF file with wire colors on it if you want is Scott, i dont know that it will actually help you. If you want it i can email it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'm using the truck's harness, title says '90 but it's the '89 system so no MAF... I think my email thing works as I've gotten a few, my PM box is full so if you can't attach anything send me an email and I'll reply . The drawing on TRS is a bit too fuzzy to see some details of the wires... What'd you do with the wire you found?

As far as the tranny, I hear the stock M5OD can handle about 250hp before there's issues (I've been mean to mine with 200hp for a couple years without any issues, and I was mean enough to twist an axle tube and bend a leaf spring...), the main difference between the HD's is the bellhousing pattern on the 4.0L version, internals are supposed to be the same, the 4.0L M5OD has a taller 1, 2 and 3 gear ratio to be a little stronger than the ratio's in the 2.3L and 3.0L version but I don't know what that does for the power ability, AllanD is saying he's broke two output shafts with a stock 4.0L...