improving mpg or performance

[hassdaboss]

Hello guys. I have a 1990 2.9L ford ranger and it has 233000 miles on it. I was wondering what could be done about improving the power and performance in my vehicle. Such as a new cold air intake or whatever. I just was curious what your guy's input is on things that can be done. I replaced the gaskets because of a nice oil leak and was looking for a good weekend project. I just didn't know what to tune up my engine. More than one task is encouraged!

Thanks for all your help and this community has helped me alot

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

There is a great tech section at the top of every page, third button from the right in the blue bar. In particular, keep an eye out for Kunzs' corner.

Richard

 

[Slammin Sam]

What are you trying to achieve? I guess I'll say it before someone else does, with that kind of miles, a total rebuild or a 4.0 swap may be the only way! Even new 2.9s were never a powerhouse. The stock intake is a cold air intake. Some say a high flow filter insert will help. In the past there were performance cams offered, you can still buy roller rocker arms, headers, high flow cats. But you are still trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. At 200K plus, if you push too hard, somethings gonna break. For performance, drop a 302 in it.

 

[JoshT]

you can still buy roller rocker arms

I've heard this before, but where. I've seen the ones at Tom Morana Racing, but $900 bucks for a set of rockers is beyond ridiculous and he just started offering them.

 

[stegomon]

i would love to do a cosworth 2.9 swap

 

[dave2575]

Wouldn't we all.

 

[hassdaboss]

Like I know it's an older vehichles and I read alot on the 2.9 engines saying there basically isn't much to improve upon because they made little or no high end parts. Half of me wants to drop that 4.0 because lots of people say that's when you can do a very nice tune up on it. The other half wants to get a little turbo diesel like a newer jetta engine or something along those lines because they have great torque and horsepower plus then I would get some great mpg. But then I would have to replace the transmission or I would be flying through those gears. I just love the older cars because I know this has like 90% less plastic than any new cars. I was looking at the ranger t6 and boy wouldn't that be nice if it made it to the states! Anywho like is there any fuel systems that are better? Would getting new values do anything? Or would I get god results from that only if I put in new cams in there as well. I also tossed around the idea of a turbo charger but there are few articles about all these modifications and I have no idea if they would be worth it

 

[capriroadracer]

Some Progress on 2.9L Performance Parts

Granted, this work and news is about 20 years late, but a few pals and I who road race Ford Capris have been conspiring with a few vendors to make some go-faster parts. Oddly, our sanctioning body allows us to use the 2.9L V6 in addition to the 2.6L and 2.8L, though the 2.9L never showed up in a U.S. market Capri.

We now have new rocker shaft assemblies, complete from the head up, including a cradle that holds the smaller diameter rocker shaft and keeps the roller rocker arms in place, and steel pedestals. The only thing you have to provide are the allen head cap screws that secure the assembly to the head, and modify the middle cap screw to mimic the stock bolts for allowing oil to pass from head to shaft. With luck, there are a few pics here of this assembly.

We also had some very nice one-piece stainless steel valves made up, after working with a head porter to grind on a sacrificial head to determine the optimum valve head sizes. We settled on 1.825" intakes, and stayed with the stock exhaust valve diameter. Using these valves only makes sense if a fair amount of head porting is done. I can post stock and post-port flow numbers at 0.010" increments, up to 0.600" if there is interest here.

These mods are not cheap, and for most folks it makes no sense to go this route (so please spare us the "You're a moron for spending that kind of $$$!" advice since for us in our particular class, it does make sense).

If there's interest, I / we can post more info on our adventure.

Like I know it's an older vehichles and I read alot on the 2.9 engines saying there basically isn't much to improve upon because they made little or no high end parts. Half of me wants to drop that 4.0 because lots of people say that's when you can do a very nice tune up on it. The other half wants to get a little turbo diesel like a newer jetta engine or something along those lines because they have great torque and horsepower plus then I would get some great mpg. But then I would have to replace the transmission or I would be flying through those gears. I just love the older cars because I know this has like 90% less plastic than any new cars. I was looking at the ranger t6 and boy wouldn't that be nice if it made it to the states! Anywho like is there any fuel systems that are better? Would getting new values do anything? Or would I get god results from that only if I put in new cams in there as well. I also tossed around the idea of a turbo charger but there are few articles about all these modifications and I have no idea if they would be worth it

 

[dave2575]

Harland Sharp?

 

[capriroadracer]

Harland Sharp?

Yes

 

[adsm08]

4.0 for my money.

I did my 4.0 swap for less than $900, if you take out the money I spent rebuilding the engine. I sure gained a lot more than a simple set of roller rockers will get you.

 

[Die.Fledermaus]

While most of use can't use the logic "because race car" I am curious what that does for you?
Are you gaining lift? They look heavy compared to a simple stamped steel rocker, any penalty to your rpm ceiling?
I am even more curious on what EMS you use to feed a capri with a truck engine swap.

 

[adsm08]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the main benefit of roller rockers is reduced drag in the valve train, meaning less effort expended on opening the valves.

 

[Die.Fledermaus]

I understand the concept of roller tips and needle bearing shafts, I am curious on if it matters in real life. What I have seen (limited to my bench racing status) is that both add little and become a liability in weight and shaft/rocker failures over the plain stamped/forged stock rocker arm.

I don't have "because race car" money to test this myself.

 

[JoshT]

For what they are doing it is a big benefit. Another thing you may be missing is that they are replacing the springs in the rocker assembly with spacers which also reduces friction and is better at positioning the rockers on the shaft. The reduced friction will allow the engine to rev both higher and quicker. For a road racer that is limited in what engines he can run, this could be a race winner.