Going in circles! Stock, gears or 4.0?

[MJ'sBlkBII]

I'll appologize now for the long-winded post. I'm really just venting, but opinions are always welcome.
Bottom line, my little BII needs more gumption! I can't decide if I want to just leave it stock and suffer the lack of power, go up to 4.10 gears for better acceleration (running 235/75/15's) or go the route of the 4.0 swap. I am also thinking about tweaking the 2.9 just a bit with a mild cam, headers, and maybe port the intake.
The truck is pretty much just used for running around town since it is better on gas and more manuverable than my QC Hemi, and it is a manual tranny and just plain fun to drive. Any distance driving over an hour out or loading more than 2 people I use my QC. The tranny is a time bomb with a whinning main bearing so I can't trust it long distance yet. I have a replacement, but am waiting till I make a decision about the motor.
I like the 2.9 as a motor as the 3 I have dealt with have given good service, while I am still unsure about the reliabilaty of the 4.0. With fuel milage a bigger part of the equation, running around with the thing floored is counter productive. I run it up to 4500 RPM constantly trying to get it to MOVE.
One other aspect is that I may have to replace the rear axle as I have a lot of play in the pinion which, from what I have read so far, could mean spider gears. I also get a lot of chatter and shuttering at take offs. So I figure I'll up grade to posi or limited slip, maybe go with the 8.8", but I don't wheel hard (across open fields and dirt/muddy roads) and the 7.5" should suffice.
See, I talk myself dizzy. It's all a puzzle that the pieces can fit either way. If I go the 4.0 swap I have to get it done during my 2 week vacation, otherwise it will be a month or more between sessions on it. Also, I can't locate a good donor. They are going for more than I paid for my BII!

 

[4.0B2]

not gonna lie, I didn't read all that...

I'd do 4.0 swap then gears later if you go to larger tires.

My 4.0 has gotten better gas mileage (17 in town with 4.56's and 33's) and personally I trust the 4.0 over the 2.9 for reliability after having this explorer and my b2 with the 4.0.

do the 4.0 swap, find a junkyard explorer 8.8 with 4.10's and disc brakes. I got mine for $80

 

[Snoranger]

4.0l swap.

 

[Ryannn]

not gonna lie, I didn't read all that...

I'd do 4.0 swap then gears later if you go to larger tires.

x2

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I ran an 89 Eddie Bauer BII with an auto trans and 235/75/15 tires for a couple years. Had 3.73 gears in it from the start. First time I drove it I couldn't help but think how much of a dog it was but attributed it to the fact that it was around 200k miles on the motor with a slushbox trans. Then I did a good thorough tune-up. That did wonders for how well it got around. It wasn't a race vehicle, but it could get out of it's own way.

IMHO, going to 4.10 gears will just eat more gas. Changing to a 4.0 will use more gas. If it has 3.73 gears in it, I'd just give 'er a good tune up and fix the mechanical issues. If you want something faster, drive the hemi. Power and fuel efficiency don't exactly go hand in hand.....

 

[MJ'sBlkBII]

Thanks for the feedback so far.
The 4.0 swap has been on the list since BlkBII, but it was beat to death then abandoned, so it was questionable on longevity. The new transmission is for the 4.0, and I still have the radiator, clutch/flywheel, and starter.
This truck WAS a dog when I bought it. It barely ran, but I did the full tune up and replaced some of the vital sensors and filters and the intake gaskets and it really came around. The 2.9 has new heads so that is also a plus for it. I agree that if I want power I'll run the Hemi. I think I'm just looking for a little more in hopes of not killing the 2.9 pushing it to hard. Although in reality it can't make enough to not get thrashed pushing it like the V8 it isn't. We all know a more is NEVER enough. LOL I hope as long as I maintain it proper, it'll take what I dish. The headers are because the manifolds, Y-pipe and cat need to be replaced now. The cam was if I had to do major engine tear down. The porting is just there. I have been doing upgrades to parts as I had to replace them. Seems to have worked out well for both it and the wallet so far. I really don't want to put a mint into this.
It does already have 3.73's and I don't really see me going bigger on the tires since it sees something like 90% street duty. In fact I'm figuring on street tires and the 4X4 will get me through just fine where I go. This concept worked fine with my first BII. The QC is 2wd and did alright on street tires out there. Except in the sand on the beach...

 

[kryptonitecb]

4.0 and 8.8 swap. Do the 8.8 just cause its cheap, and the 4.0 cause its easy.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[MJ'sBlkBII]

It's funny, when I bought it about a year ago I had every intention of doing the 4.0 swap. Now, I am straying from the idea. I know it's fairly easy and straight forward. Part of it is the current motor has turned out to be in good shape, and I don't see the point in pulling a good motor. I deviated to options that involve keeping the current powerplant. After the 2.9 dies I'll probably go for the 4.0. I can't leave well enough alone and want/need something to do to it now, hence the gear idea. Possable that little more push might be sufficient? Anyone care to give their experience on going from 3.73 to 4.10 with 235/75-15's with the 2.9/5 speed combo?

 

[Snoranger]

It's funny, when I bought it about a year ago I had every intention of doing the 4.0 swap. Now, I am straying from the idea. I know it's fairly easy and straight forward. Part of it is the current motor has turned out to be in good shape, and I don't see the point in pulling a good motor. I deviated to options that involve keeping the current powerplant. After the 2.9 dies I'll probably go for the 4.0. I can't leave well enough alone and want/need something to do to it now, hence the gear idea. Possable that little more push might be sufficient? Anyone care to give their experience on going from 3.73 to 4.10 with 235/75-15's with the 2.9/5 speed combo?

More power, better gas mileage....Nope, no point.

 

[MJ'sBlkBII]

More power, better gas mileage....Nope, no point.

Ok, but noone can come to a consesus about the fuel milage. It largely depends what else is in the vehicle. All the additions that add weight are going to be a factor. An already anemic motor isn't going to like 6" lift, 70lb bumpers and 100lb more rubber.

 

[Snoranger]

I've owned almost 20 RBV in the past 18 years. I've never gotten better mileage from any of my 2.9l trucks then the 4.0l trucks (other then this hacked 4.0l SOHC running off the OHV computer in my '95 Explorer, that I havent quite come up with a working cam position sensor for yet). I've tracked pretty much every tank of gas on every vehicle I've ever owned.

 

[4.0B2]

my 2.9 all stock, gears, tires, everything got 15 in town and 19 on highway (at 60 mph).
my 4.0 with the same gears, tires, everything (but motor, trans (both a4lds), t/case) got 18 in town and 21 on highway (at 65).

then I stuck 33's on there and it went to hell till I regeared to 4.56's.. now I'm back to 17 in town and about 19.8 highway; and yes my speedo has been corrected for the gears and tire size.

 

[adsm08]

Go with the engine. I remember when my Ranger acted like that, running WOT the whole 30 miles to and from work each day and still having to down shift two or three times on the longer hills.

Then I came across a fresh 2.9 that I threw in for convenience, now I only have to drop to 4th on the biggest hill, and that's only if there is some gomer in front of me who forgot where the go pedal is.

Your engine might run, but it sure sounds to me like she is pooched out.

FWIW, my truck's original engine was fairly low on compression, but when I pulled it apart to see how bad the bearings had been hammered after 6 years of me beating on it like a dumb kid, 4 years of 100 mile one-way schleps for school, and 3 years of 30 mile one-way commutes, one of which was up-hill down-hill constantly, aside from a slight copper tint starting to show on the wear side, the bearings looked like they were fresh out of the box. You could still read the part numbers and everything. So your bottom end might be fine, but it sounds like you have issues in the cylinders.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I nearly forgot... another thing I did to the 2.9 was the larger throttle body off an EGR Ranger/BII.

But yea, ADSM has a point, pull a compression test, it'll tell you a bit about the overall health of the motor.

 

[mk42gunner]

I have had seven or eight RBV since 1988, without exception the larger engine has gotten better mileage.

The 2.9 got better than the 2.3, the 4.0 got better than the 2.9.

Right now I have an 88 longbed Ranger with 2.9 5sp 4x4 and 4.10 gears with 235/75-R15 tires. A hotrod it is not. I see either a 4.0 or a 302 in this trucks future.

Robert