2.3L ('83-'97) Interchangability?

[Dav]

Have a '95 2.3, dead automatic. cheapest way back to the road is change to standard. picked up a '94 standard that runs. want to swap motors while i'm under the hood (old motor- 375k+, parts motor 200k).
94 has different intake. if I strip it down to bare block, will everything bolted to the 95 bolt directly to the 94 block?

 

[RonD]

1989-1994 2.3l won't work with 1995-1997 2.3l computer

Ford changed crank sensors in 1995 on the 2.3l from hall effect to VR, and there is no "wiring" solution, different signals entirely
1989-1994 is EEC-IV 60-wire computer OBD1
1995 and up is EEC-V 104-wire computer OBD2
So hard to swap computers as well

Pass on the 1994 2.3l and look for a 1995-2001 2.3l or 2.5l Lima engine, 2.5l will work with 1995 computer

Some have said that you can swap front engine covers so you can use the VR crank sensor on the earlier 2.3l block, never tried

1995 and up used this type of crank sensor: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/attachments/image-jpg.89404/

1994 and earlier used this type: https://www.2carpros.com/images/question_images/299503/original.jpg
Its inside the cover

earlier uses 12volt DC signal
later uses 2volt AC signal
There is no electrical conversion possible

 

[Curious Hound]

Don’t forget to grab the clutch pedal and bracket.

 

[Dav]

ok, rather than mess with the timing cover, I'll keep the high mileage motor and bolt the standard behind it.
Am I right thinking I still will need a computer made for a standard but it will plug in to the 95 wiring? looking at O'reilly's site, the prices are stiff and most say flash programing required. what is flash programing? and it says VIN and OE number required. VIN will be off because truck came w/ auto and odo hasn't worked in 12 years. What is OE?
the local you-pick has 2 4cyl rangers listed. if i can find the ecm, is there a way to see if it works before buying? and is there a code on the outside of an ecm that will identify it as being for a standard (if i go to a yard that already has it off the wreck) ?

 

[sheep herder]

The automatic ecm will work with a standard but you'll get a CEL. Won't affect how it runs.

 

[RonD]

+1 ^^^

It needs to be a manual trans from a 1988-1997 2.3l Lima engine, all 2WD Rangers used the M5R1 model manual trans after 1988 or so but its not interchangeable between engines, bell housing doesn't come off
And after 1997 there is no speed sensor on the trans for speedometer

 

[Dav]

hopefully the last question;pilot bearing in the crankshaft. should I expect to see one in the auto crank or will i have to salvage the one from the doner truck? vaguely recall something weird about the end of the crank not being concentric so bushing had to be installed, then machined

 

[RonD]

No, you need to use a pilot bearing with a manual trans only, there was no manual or auto cranks, they are exactly the same
Starter motors can be different between manuals and autos because of ring gear differences

 

[Curious Hound]

I would recommend getting a new pilot bearing. They're dirt cheap and sometimes included with the clutch kit.

 

[Dav]

Well, this has turned into a horror show. I pulled the engine and trans from the 95, to junk the trans and put the 2.3 back in front of the standard. Torque converter nuts are stripped so the converter came out with the motor. Then pull the trans out the front.
Tried to put the manual drive shaft into the auto trans just to see if they are interchangeable. It only goes halfway so I guess I will have to change the yoke (the donor is a plus cab, the 95 is a standard cab)
wrestled the manual from under the 94. No need to pull the motor as it is going for scrap. Had to pull the inner wheel well to get the clutch master cylinder out. Then I started on the pedals; half the dash, the e-brake and the wiring harness that comes thru the firewall by the brake booster had to come out.
Started pulling stuff out of the 95 to put the pedals in and it looks like they won't work. Instead of the cast aluminum bracket, the 95 uses a sheet metal one. Started raining again so everything is on hold.
Will most likely have to go to the U-Pull in the morning. I want to have the pedals and clutch master installed before i put the trans in. Then will come the motor.
I'm getting too old for this shit!

 

[Curious Hound]

Well, this has turned into a horror show. I pulled the engine and trans from the 95, to junk the trans and put the 2.3 back in front of the standard. Torque converter nuts are stripped so the converter came out with the motor. Then pull the trans out the front.
Tried to put the manual drive shaft into the auto trans just to see if they are interchangeable. It only goes halfway so I guess I will have to change the yoke (the donor is a plus cab, the 95 is a standard cab)
wrestled the manual from under the 94. No need to pull the motor as it is going for scrap. Had to pull the inner wheel well to get the clutch master cylinder out. Then I started on the pedals; half the dash, the e-brake and the wiring harness that comes thru the firewall by the brake booster had to come out.
Started pulling stuff out of the 95 to put the pedals in and it looks like they won't work. Instead of the cast aluminum bracket, the 95 uses a sheet metal one. Started raining again so everything is on hold.
Will most likely have to go to the U-Pull in the morning. I want to have the pedals and clutch master installed before i put the trans in. Then will come the motor.
I'm getting too old for this shit!

If it was easy, children and politicians would be doing it.

 

[tomw]

Well, actually, the politicians would not be getting their hands dirty with actual WORK. They would claim responsibility for the result, if successful, but would be "Who? Me?" if it didn't. And, they would not pay for the parts out of their own pocket, but send the bill to someone else.
tom

 

[Dav]

And the poli's would figure a way to add more tax to the parts and labor so they could loot...er, excuse me, redirect the money elsewhere, most likely to an off-shore account
But the children would make a game of it and have a blast! No telling what they'd wind up with but they'd be laughing and having fun.
Me, on the other hand, have just come from the you-pick with pedals and bracket and clutch master, pissed because I didn't bring the one essential socket and spent an hour trying to get the last nut off, lying on broken glass as it rained. Finally someone else came by and lent me a 13mm shallow socket. And naturally, as I exited the junkyard, the rain stopped

 

[Dav]

Well, it's going back together, sort of.
got new 'hydraulic ' motor mounts several years ago. stuck my head under the hood and decided to wait until i was pulling the engine anyway. now that time is here. both mounts were broken so taking them out was easy. I put the mounts on the frame brackets and bolted them in. then i put the motor in and bolted it to the trans. i lifted the motor until it hits the tunnel and there is no way to get the top bracket onto the mount, let alone onto the motor. what is the reccommended way to install these?
the M5OD is shorter than the 44r by about 3 inches so the drive shaft wont fit (the donner is a plus cab so that shaft is NG) the u-pick moves cars with a fork truck and bent every shaft i looked at so the shaft is at the drive shaft shop
at least it's not raining

 

[Shran]

Been a while since I've done motor mounts on a 2.3 but IIRC I had the engine brackets on the engine while I dropped it in and right onto the motor mount... I have also replaced the motor mounts several times and I just had to lift the engine up, pull the mount out, and drop it back down once the new one was in... I'm pretty sure I always had the upper bracket bolted on.

Passenger side is a ton of fun in a 4x4 truck, one of the nuts is almost impossible to get at.