how interchangable?

[Dav]

daily driver is a 95 2.3 w/ over 250k on it. crank keyway groove is broken so it's only a matter of time before the balancer slips again.
i am buying a cab for my 302 c-6 soon to be a convertible 1990. the motor in the donor is a 2.3 w/ 60k.
i know it will bolt up to the trannie but am not sure about a lot! like the second coil pack is down on the driver side almost even w/ the motor mount. balancer is different, etc.
is the block the same? and the head? if i swap timing belt cover and balancer, will i be able to run this on the 95 wiring and brain?
or should i just junkyard a year-match motor?

 

[tomw]

Tighten the bolt to spec, and it won't slip. The key is not the 'holder' and will shear if given enough force. The key is just to align stuff so it is timed correctly, and indicates TDC properly. If you cannot hold the crankshaft still when tightening, remove a spark plug and use some rope inserted into the cylinder to jam the piston and prevent it from moving, thus holding the crankshaft still also.
The rest I did not understand. At all.
tom

 

[tinman_72]

I think he is asking if 1990 and 1995 2.3's are interchangeable. The short answer is no. It can be done but not without a lot of DIY fabrication. I have personally done the opposite - I put a '98 2.5 (which is interchangeable with '95-'97 2.3) into my 1993 that had a 2.3. As much as a PITA as it was I would not recommend it.

 

[RonD]

+1

1994 and earlier 2.3l limas use a different setup on the Crank position sensor, so front engine covers are different, and I think the nose on the crank as well(not sure)
1995 to 2000(2.5l) use the same setup and are interchangeable

1994 and earlier used 3 wire Hall Effect Sensor for crank position, DC Volts
1995 and up used 2 wire Variable Reluctance Sensor for crank position, AC volts

There can be no wiring conversion between these two types of sensor, 1995 and up Rangers got the new EEC-V Computers, so thats when they change to VR sensors in the 2.3ls


Not sure what you mean by transmission will fit??
2.3l and 2.5l Limas used a unique trans bolt pattern, doesn't match any other engine
So a transmission from a 2.3l/2.5l will on fit another 2.3l/2.5l no wiggle room on that

 

[Dav]

i have not tried the rope trick yet. to loosen the damper bolt on a motor, i have filled one cyl w/ old oil and put the plug back in. worked great. left the oil in- either it will seep past the rings into the pan or, if i need to turn it over, i can pull the plug and put a pan under it.
yes i was asking if the '90 and '95 are interchangable
i thought the covers were different so changing them is no problem. but if the crank is diff, i will skip it. was trying for an easy way out. and i wanted to bolt a 2.3 to a 2.3 trans so they will fit
am hoping to keep this beast-the 95- running until the 90 hot rod is done, hopefully within a year

 

[tinman_72]

The front of the crank is actually the same. The covers are different and will not swap from one motor to the other. They do not have the same bolt patterns.

 

[Dav]

the modern David

the ford is my auto
i shall not want (another)
it maketh me to lie down beneath it
it soreth my sole
it rides me along the paths of rightousness
for it's name's sake
thou i ride thru the valleys,
i am towed up the hills
i fear much evil
my rods and my crank discomfort me
it annointeth my head with oil
my radiator overfloweth
surely if this thing follows me all the rest of my life
then i will dwell in the madhouse forever

 

[Mark_88]

the ford is my auto
i shall not want (another)
it maketh me to lie down beneath it
it soreth my sole
it rides me along the paths of rightousness
for it's name's sake
thou i ride thru the valleys,
i am towed up the hills
i fear much evil
my rods and my crank discomfort me
it annointeth my head with oil
my radiator overfloweth
surely if this thing follows me all the rest of my life
then i will dwell in the madhouse forever

well, and I thought I was religious...

 

[scotts90ranger]

That said, if you did manage to swap to the other style crank sensor it would still complain about the lack of cam sensor which the '90 won't have as the new block has the oil pump behind the auxiliary shaft instead of in the pan and the cam sensor is part of the oil pump if I remember right.