Has anyone dropped a 2019+ Ranger 2.3 engine in a pre-2012 Ranger?

[Mike Tonon]

With the performance and fuel economy I’m reading about this new 2.3 and my Ranger being a gas hog 4.0, I’d consider the swap. I don’t absolutely need 6 cylinders. And heck, 2 less cylinders is that much less parts, weight, etc.

Will this engine bolt up to my M5OD-R1HD manual transmission?

Can I make the electronics work in my Ranger, without creating more of a mess than it’s worth?

 

[Dirtman]

No. And also No.

 

[8thTon]

Makes sense - buy a brand new truck and rip out the engine to put in an old Ranger. I bet lots of guys have done that swap.

 

[Curious Hound]

Very few people have even installed 2019 Ranger engines into 2019 rangers.

 

[Mike Tonon]

Makes sense - buy a brand new truck and rip out the engine to put in an old Ranger. I bet lots of guys have done that swap.

You’re aware you can buy just an engine and not have to buy an entire vehicle, right?

 

[BlackBII]

The 2019 Ranger uses a turbo charged 2.3 Duratec. The *same engine that's in the Mustang, Focus ST, etc. This engine evolved from the 2.3 in the 2001+ Ranger, which evolved from the Mazda 2.0 mzr, which evolved from the 1.8, and so on.

This is mostly conjecture, but if we go off the incomplete information we have, chances are the block and bell housing bolt patterns are close to the same. So, it would actually be quite simple to install a 2019 2.3 in an older Ranger. You would need motor mounts and a transmission from a 2001+ 2.3 Ranger. You'd need to solve things like fuel lines and an ECU to start with.

However, because this engine technically already exists in a Ranger, I would recommend buying a 2001+ Ranger with a 2.3 already in it, then pull the engine, put in some forged internals, add a turbo and tune it and you'd end up with an equivalent to the 2019 engine.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

2002 Ecoboost swapped Ranger build thread

Intro First off you have to consider what you are starting with. Any ranger that has a 2.3 duratec (2001 1/2+) and is 2wd and 5 speed (mazda m5od-r1 tranny) will be a perfect candidate for this swap. I am not familiar with the auto transmission and same goes for the 4x4. You would have to do...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Ranger850]

no 2.3, but this is as close as it gets. Im hereby applying the term to this swap as a "2.Go"

 

[Snoranger]

You’re aware you can buy just an engine and not have to buy an entire vehicle, right?

A 2.3l ecoboost crate motor lists for $6500. The control pack adds another $2k to that.

Most people have a budget when they're building a project. $8k for an engine in a Ranger seems like it eat up the budget pretty quick. It's more common for people to buy a motor from a wrecked truck.... it's just too soon.

 

[Dirtman]

Not to mention a new trans.... so there's another few grand.

The original question was

will the trans fit - no
Can it be done wihout being a hassle - no

 

[stmitch]

It's pretty likely that the engine shares a bellhousing pattern with the Duratec 2.3 from 01+ (like most 4 cyl Ecoboosts) but that's speculation since it has a brand new 10 spd trans in it's natural home. It will not work with your current 4.0 based trans. It will not work with your current PCM or wiring.

That engine in the 2019 Rangers only comes with a 10spd auto which is enormous and would require lots of tunnel work to get into an older Ranger. That also means that a 2019 Ranger PCM can't be used for the swap because it will be looking for a 10 spd auto, and not a 5 spd manual. No older Ranger PCM will be able to control an ecoboost, even with a tune, because the ecoboost is direct injected, so you're stuck spending big bucks on Ford Racing's control pack + a manual transmission

The only realistic way you're getting an ecoboost into an older Ranger is to use a manual trans from a Duratec truck, NC Miata, or Ecoboost Mustang. Obviously the Ranger trans will be fastest/easiest in a Ranger. If you want 4wd, in theory you should be able to frankenstein the Duratec Ranger trans with the current tailhousing/transfer case in your truck but I've never seen it done. And then you get to startcutting the firewall and ripping out the things that make the truck enjoyable (like heat/AC, power steering, etc) to fit the turbo and high pressure fuel pump into the truck.

 

[fastpakr]

How big -is- the 10R80? I found the weight listed quickly (230lb's) but nothing for other dimensions.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A 2.3l ecoboost crate motor lists for $6500. The control pack adds another $2k to that.

Most people have a budget when they're building a project. $8k for an engine in a Ranger seems like it eat up the budget pretty quick. It's more common for people to buy a motor from a wrecked truck.... it's just too soon.

Wrecks are out there, just not from a truck. 4cyl Ecoboost swaps have been done (as noted in my previous post)

 

[O No 3.0!]

So nobody has done a 15K engine & trans swap on a $1500 truck? Huh, weird....

 

[Ranger850]

No but I have seen a Voo Doo V8 in a Ranger.
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/17t0g73kz0jl4jpg.jpg
IDK that could be a Coyote, NOT a VooDoo. But It does look pretty F*cking sweet