cheap ways to get horsepower

[tyler's 87 ranger]

i have a 87 ranger 2.0 carb 5 speed and i NEED horsepower. i don't want to put alot of money in it so i got to looking around and i think i can get 5-9hp by guting my cat and 3-5hp from taking off my smog pump. any other ideas?

 

[jlkuehl]

Others may chime in here, but I believe tampering with the emissions control system is against federal law.

That said, if your cat is robbing you of that much power, it is time to replace it. It's like saying "my muffler is robbing me of too much power, I think I'll remove it"...If they function properly, they don't restrict these smaller engines enough to lose a lot of power. Gaining 8 to 14 horsepower by removing these two items is a little unrealistic, too. Your gains would be more around 1 to 3 horses.

Provided you haven't done it, a good tune up may surprise you as to what it will do. Also, intake mods would give you more bang for the buck, as chances are your exhaust can already flow way more air than your engine can. A mild intake polish would be a good start, and shouldn't cost much past $50.

Also, someone on here may be able to point you toward under-drive pulleys, to free up what little power there is to be had in these 4 bangers. Although many may tell you otherwise, you might also scrounge the junkyards for a good electric fan and controller. Also, check your rear-end gear ratio, changing to a 4.10 ratio rear end will give you more punch off the line, but you won't have as high a top speed.

Not to sound discouraging, but enjoy the truck for what it is, an economical daily driver. The 4 cyl trucks were never meant to be power hungry hot-rods. With the meager 100 horsepower in my 92, a set of overload shocks and a heavy duty clutch, I have crossed the scale at the local dump with over 1 ton in the bed, and hauled well over a half ton at highway speeds easily. It may not have been quick getting to those speeds, but it wasn't a struggle to keep it there.

I know this is for the 2.3, and has been posted here numerous times, but check out this page, he has some decent tips. I'm skeptical about some of the power gains he claims for some of it, but quite a bit of the website is good information, and worth experimenting with.

http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/Ranger/index.html

 

[88_Eddie]

run a can of seafoam through it

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Sadly for most of use cheap and horsepower don't belong in the same sentence unless that sentence is... Building horsepower is never cheap and usually more expensive than you expect... If you really want more power you'll have to open up the engine... Head/cam/intake work is really the only way to increase power... You can try every bolt on in the book and you MIGHT gain 7-10 hp... Leave it as it is or swap in a different motor...

 

[tyler's 87 ranger]

my cat isn't working thats why im guting it thx for your input.i have trouble geting to 65mph im just trying not to runed over

 

[Beanmachine7000]

my cat isn't working thats why im guting it thx for your input.i have trouble geting to 65mph im just trying not to runed over

Then replace it... Don't gut it... Have you ever looked at the inside of a cat? There really isn't anything to cause restriction... It isn't like a muffler that has all kinds of rooms and baffles and whatnot... Try swapping to different gears, tune up, smaller tires (cheaper than gears), seafoam works wonders... 99% of cars produced in the last 50 years can cruise at highway speed no problem (for crying out loud even a Samurai and it's 80? hp engine can)... Sounds like you have a problem...

 

[v8318cid]

Gut a catalyst at your own risk. It is against Federal emission laws to do so, regardless of local smog laws (even if you're lucky enough to live in a state that doesn't have any, like SC). Also, on the 4 cylinders, the absence of the cat will actually hurt the motor to a degree. The cat provides a slight amount of backpressure to the motor when working properly. Consider removing it to be similar to having an oversized exhaust system. Too much of a good thing really isn't.

 

[Mark_88]

It's not likely your cat...I had the same problem with the same engine and I have replaced everything but the cat...still have the original cat...but may need to replace that to pass smog tests...

Anyhow...there are a few things you can do to improve performance with that engine, but there are more things you can do with a different engine at a fraction of the cost...

Your vehicle, btw, should be exempt from emission testing in most states...even Canada...but check...

First thing to do is have a compression or leak-down test done to see what kind of shape the engine is in...second...note the mileage...many people on here have been successful in getting more power out of the 2.0 but it does cost money...as has been said...

Third...how much do you want to spend because "inexpensive" is relative to your situation...

When I started building mine I had a good income and didn't miss the first $5,000 or so...lol

 

[tyler's 87 ranger]

Then replace it... Don't gut it... Have you ever looked at the inside of a cat? There really isn't anything to cause restriction... It isn't like a muffler that has all kinds of rooms and baffles and whatnot... Try swapping to different gears, tune up, smaller tires (cheaper than gears), seafoam works wonders... 99% of cars produced in the last 50 years can cruise at highway speed no problem (for crying out loud even a Samurai and it's 80? hp engine can)... Sounds like you have a problem...

i don't have the money to buy another cat....my ranger has 70hp

 

[tyler's 87 ranger]

Gut a catalyst at your own risk. It is against Federal emission laws to do so, regardless of local smog laws (even if you're lucky enough to live in a state that doesn't have any, like SC). Also, on the 4 cylinders, the absence of the cat will actually hurt the motor to a degree. The cat provides a slight amount of backpressure to the motor when working properly. Consider removing it to be similar to having an oversized exhaust system. Too much of a good thing really isn't.

theres no emissions in OK

 

[Beanmachine7000]

i don't have the money to buy another cat....my ranger has 70hp

Junkyard? 70hp is plenty... Series I Rovers had 52hp and had no problem doing 65mph...

 

[Beanmachine7000]

theres no emissions in OK

Yes there is... There is emissions everywhere... Hence why it's called FEDERAL emissions... It doesn't matter what your state says if you get caught running a vehicle that was originally equipped with a catalytic converter without one you'll be paying alot more than what a new (or junkyard) converter costs...

 

[tyler's 87 ranger]

Others may chime in here, but I believe tampering with the emissions control system is against federal law.

That said, if your cat is robbing you of that much power, it is time to replace it. It's like saying "my muffler is robbing me of too much power, I think I'll remove it"...If they function properly, they don't restrict these smaller engines enough to lose a lot of power. Gaining 8 to 14 horsepower by removing these two items is a little unrealistic, too. Your gains would be more around 1 to 3 horses.

Provided you haven't done it, a good tune up may surprise you as to what it will do. Also, intake mods would give you more bang for the buck, as chances are your exhaust can already flow way more air than your engine can. A mild intake polish would be a good start, and shouldn't cost much past $50.

Also, someone on here may be able to point you toward under-drive pulleys, to free up what little power there is to be had in these 4 bangers. Although many may tell you otherwise, you might also scrounge the junkyards for a good electric fan and controller. Also, check your rear-end gear ratio, changing to a 4.10 ratio rear end will give you more punch off the line, but you won't have as high a top speed.

Not to sound discouraging, but enjoy the truck for what it is, an economical daily driver. The 4 cyl trucks were never meant to be power hungry hot-rods. With the meager 100 horsepower in my 92, a set of overload shocks and a heavy duty clutch, I have crossed the scale at the local dump with over 1 ton in the bed, and hauled well over a half ton at highway speeds easily. It may not have been quick getting to those speeds, but it wasn't a struggle to keep it there.

I know this is for the 2.3, and has been posted here numerous times, but check out this page, he has some decent tips. I'm skeptical about some of the power gains he claims for some of it, but quite a bit of the website is good information, and worth experimenting with.

http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/Ranger/index.html

here is a list of stuff i've put in it. coil. plugs. fuel pump.cap and rotor.solenoid and all the fluids have been flushed ...... i can hear something rattling in the cat

 

[tyler's 87 ranger]

Junkyard? 70hp is plenty... Series I Rovers had 52hp and had no problem doing 65mph...

i live in the middle of no ware the closest junkyard is 50 miles away

 

[Beanmachine7000]

here is a list of stuff i've put in it. coil. plugs. fuel pump.cap and rotor.solenoid and all the fluids have been flushed ...... i can hear something rattling in the cat

I bet it's more than likely the heat shield... Not the actual catalyst rattling...