Dont laugh to bad, 2.3 weber upgrade

[mrfishjosh]

Alright, Im looking for some advice in avoiding headaches and wasted HP/Money. Im lookin to upgrade my lil ranger. its an '83. 2.3L Carb form the factory 2WD, the higher gear ratio, don't remember the x.xx but stock tire size, 195 75 14?ish, current 215 70 15. My carb has issues like 1- I hate it, its ugly and hard to adjust 2- bushings are SHOT. like move the bar the butterfly is on up and down and change the idle to almost killin it. This is what I've done so far... Lower end rebuild. Bearings, bushings, rings .60 over pistons*not forged ,then head rebuild, added a hotter cam. well here are a few questions....
1 i want more HP. lol who doesn't. Was wondering bout ditchin the manifold for a header+cat+oversize pipe. blah blah. worth its weight in gold??? oh i'd be really cool if it just passed deq, yes i have to DEQ, no it wont pass, well before the head rebuild anyway.

2 Turbo? other than cost, i haven't found any to buy locally. or really anywhere, granted im probably not looking in the right place. are they available enough to find, for a reasonable price? is that headache worth screwing with, like is it an "upgrade" or "OMG i got a new truck, but I just blew it up" mess...

3 - Lower or lift. I can decide, it 2WD why lift it... I like muddin, why lower it. if I lower it, will it be stable... as in will it turn into a bouncing mexi mobile? Lifting it? it still has no ass end weight... Locker, will i still be getting stuck all the time????

Also if I lower it, i want that really cool body kit. I saw one on a ranger on Craigs, went to check it out was already gone. never have found it again or found a pic of it.

4 Im buyn a new carb. Peroid. but what to get??? Weber stock replacement?? Weber upgrade(to complement the hotter cam) Holly upgrade or save the $$ and get a stock replacement. I have a budget, but am willing to spend the 6 bills to walk into a carb that will give me that "OMG I got a new truck" Other suggestions? I dont wanna get a carb that's too little for the truck, but then i don't wanna try puttin a 4bbl 750 eldabrock on a slightly better than stock 4 banger... (i don't wanna lose ALL of my gas, that shit it more expensive than gold.)

6 the body is in need to TLC, well maybe a new body??? no rust really. but beat to chit. I ask myself worth fixin up the body myself, or just get a good lookin replacement and bolt in...

7 Im really looking for... hey I've been there and i got a *insert cool thing here* and I really liked it, blah blah. or I was looking for a **** ad when I got it it was a complete waste... or I decied to make my 2WD into a wheeler, and I learned to always carry chains so my buddys could pull me out...?

26 I cat decide on a pipe. I done soo much research on the sound im looking for, but I want a V8 sound out of a 2.3l. Dont tell me it aint gonna happin, because we both know, if you want that V8 sound... GET A V8!!!!!! but no really, I want a V8 sound outta my 4cyl. with the cam it sounds much healthier. but with a glasspack/cherry bomb/ thrush pack... Its a goddamn fart can. GAH.

5 I would much appricate removing ALL the computerizd umm computer stuff. whay is it even there??? jk, but no really the vaccum stuff needs to go. most of it is plugged off anyway, or doesn't work, or broken then plugged/removed... oh ya the cat is still there but the cool honeycomb inside is gone, so it is worthless.


12 i want it to pass DEQ.

18 more HP.


Any advice is awesome, or yell at me for being stupid. either way I will learn something. did I mention its been painted primer for so long the color is fading... lol sorry for typing like an ass, but I'm really tired. and well ya that is why.

Ranger fan for life...

 

[8879ford]

I had a similar delima with my 2wd 79 f100. I was gonna make a blacked-out sleeper, lower the rear to match the front, stuff like that. But to me, if its a truck, i wouldnt "ruin" it by loweing it or puttin a body kit on it or anything like that...save that stuff for a honda or something...haha, just my opinion. Also my opinion: work with what you got-a truck-, lift it or level it out, put some mud tires or at least some decent all-terrain tires on it-the biggest that will fit. Forget the cool bumpers or body kits....get a brushguard or off-road style steel bumper. As for the exhaust you are right...a flowmaster will sound like a empty soda can on a 4 cylinder...and a glasspack or somethin will sound like one of those fart cans that are used on hondas and stuff. A Dynomax "Super Turbo" muffler works well on v-6 and 4cylinders...adds a little deeper agressive tone to the exhaust without sounding stupid. I wouldnt do dual exhaust on a 4cylinder cause it wont do nothing really. If you want a little louder, more agressive tone, and loose a little weight and gain some ground clearance....just install the muffler right after the cat. and put a turndown pipe on the muffler and remove the rest.... and dont forget a set of fog-lights or driving lights, and maybe a tow hitch with a 2" receiver...and put a d-ring thingy on it for pulling stuff.....like i said though, just my opinion, hope it helps.

 

[gribly]

As far as exhaust - magnaflow is probably the only thing that won't be all raspy. 2.3's like to be raspy, my 2.3 turbo sounds raspy with the stockish exhaust.

 

[Surrey]

If it is a 2wd truck, i wouldn't waste the money on mud tires. Maybe ATs, but not muds. They wear too fast on the road, and I dont see a 2wd really needing muds, unless you like getting stuck and needing a pull out. Of course you could go with treadwrights, ( www.treadwright.com ) and that would negate the cost of mud tires, and allow you to not care quite as much about how fast they wear.

A locker also sounds like a waste of money on a 2wd... But hey, I question whether a lift is even worth the money for a 2wd.

Being a 2wd truck I would just leave it stock and drive it into the ground, saving your money for a 4x4... But I think 2wd trucks are just cars with room to haul shit.

So My vote goes to save up for a 4x4.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Inject it. More power, throttle responce, fuel economy, smoother running.

http://holley.com/502-20S.asp

 

[xkotyx]

Inject it. More power, throttle responce, fuel economy, smoother running.

http://holley.com/502-20S.asp

+1 that would be number one on my list for you

 

[AgPete139]

Agreed.

 

[Boggin]

Alright, Im looking for some advice in avoiding headaches and wasted HP/Money. Im lookin to upgrade my lil ranger. its an '83. 2.3L Carb form the factory 2WD, the higher gear ratio, don't remember the x.xx but stock tire size, 195 75 14?ish, current 215 70 15. My carb has issues like 1- I hate it, its ugly and hard to adjust 2- bushings are SHOT. like move the bar the butterfly is on up and down and change the idle to almost killin it. This is what I've done so far... Lower end rebuild. Bearings, bushings, rings .60 over pistons*not forged ,then head rebuild, added a hotter cam. well here are a few questions....
1 i want more HP. lol who doesn't. Was wondering bout ditchin the manifold for a header+cat+oversize pipe. blah blah. worth its weight in gold??? oh i'd be really cool if it just passed deq, yes i have to DEQ, no it wont pass, well before the head rebuild anyway.

2 Turbo? other than cost, i haven't found any to buy locally. or really anywhere, granted im probably not looking in the right place. are they available enough to find, for a reasonable price? is that headache worth screwing with, like is it an "upgrade" or "OMG i got a new truck, but I just blew it up" mess...

3 - Lower or lift. I can decide, it 2WD why lift it... I like muddin, why lower it. if I lower it, will it be stable... as in will it turn into a bouncing mexi mobile? Lifting it? it still has no ass end weight... Locker, will i still be getting stuck all the time????

Also if I lower it, i want that really cool body kit. I saw one on a ranger on Craigs, went to check it out was already gone. never have found it again or found a pic of it.

4 Im buyn a new carb. Peroid. but what to get??? Weber stock replacement?? Weber upgrade(to complement the hotter cam) Holly upgrade or save the $$ and get a stock replacement. I have a budget, but am willing to spend the 6 bills to walk into a carb that will give me that "OMG I got a new truck" Other suggestions? I dont wanna get a carb that's too little for the truck, but then i don't wanna try puttin a 4bbl 750 eldabrock on a slightly better than stock 4 banger... (i don't wanna lose ALL of my gas, that shit it more expensive than gold.)

6 the body is in need to TLC, well maybe a new body??? no rust really. but beat to chit. I ask myself worth fixin up the body myself, or just get a good lookin replacement and bolt in...

7 Im really looking for... hey I've been there and i got a *insert cool thing here* and I really liked it, blah blah. or I was looking for a **** ad when I got it it was a complete waste... or I decied to make my 2WD into a wheeler, and I learned to always carry chains so my buddys could pull me out...?

26 I cat decide on a pipe. I done soo much research on the sound im looking for, but I want a V8 sound out of a 2.3l. Dont tell me it aint gonna happin, because we both know, if you want that V8 sound... GET A V8!!!!!! but no really, I want a V8 sound outta my 4cyl. with the cam it sounds much healthier. but with a glasspack/cherry bomb/ thrush pack... Its a goddamn fart can. GAH.

5 I would much appricate removing ALL the computerizd umm computer stuff. whay is it even there??? jk, but no really the vaccum stuff needs to go. most of it is plugged off anyway, or doesn't work, or broken then plugged/removed... oh ya the cat is still there but the cool honeycomb inside is gone, so it is worthless.


12 i want it to pass DEQ.

18 more HP.


Any advice is awesome, or yell at me for being stupid. either way I will learn something. did I mention its been painted primer for so long the color is fading... lol sorry for typing like an ass, but I'm really tired. and well ya that is why.

Ranger fan for life...

i think you need to learn to count!

 

[mrfishjosh]

Is 670CFM a bit much? does that tie into the current computer? I like the idea, however I was kinda wantin to stick with a carb... because its adjustable. But If i can(or it can) adjust fuel flow i would consider it. If I do the injector deal, would I be lookin at replacing the intake Manafold as well? the more i look the more awesomer this sounds. is there a "tech wiki" somewhere on this, or a link that really explains this in detail... thx guys!!!

 

[Boggin]

try checking the tech library i think theres an article there for it

 

[gribly]

More like 250cfm would work better, just a wild guess. You don't even need a 670 on a mildly built and cammed 5.0.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

I believe 670 is max flow. They may not be listed for rangers but may be for mustangs. I would call hollys tech line or summit racing and get the straight facts. It is kinda cost prohibitive though, spendy units.

 

[mrfishjosh]

ya... I don't think im ready to spend a grand on it... well any carb suggestions? will the holly 2bbl 325ish~ CFM be too much, i dont wanna have to rejet. or stick with a better than stock weber? Thanks!!!