More power at low cost?

[fastpakr]

Fix what's wrong with it before you even consider trying to 'improve' it.

 

[BlackBII]

Have you pulled the codes yet?

 

[JP85prerunner]

Sounds like you need a good tune up, and a gear swap. Our little 2.3's also have a restrictive baffle in our intake tube, remove that and it will help out. The Tech library will tell you how to do that. With a good Diff/locker you 2x4 will have decent off-road capability, suspension and tires will be your limiting point.

 

[Parker_Kleutsch]

any specific suggestions for the tune up? (i.e. brand of spark plugs, filters etc.) when I got it, it already had a K&N aftermarket airfilter so I'm just going to take a can of compressed air to it to clean it.

 

[Parker_Kleutsch]

oh, and if I didn't mention it already, I'm going to school this fall for auto tech so I'm going to hold off on fixing the leaks until then so that I can get hands on experience with my own vehicle

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

ok, first off you need a job. second, yes you need to ensure everything maintenence wise is done. You asked about brand, i use autolite plugs, carquest wires, fuel filter etc. or napa whichever answers the phone nicest that day. Third whatever you do to the 4 banger you won't like it a lot for an offroad truck as it has no torque in the lower end of the rev range. I loved it for my car for carving corners, but it would stink in a truck. Most people that build 2.3's they rev em to around 7500 rpm's. So this leaves you out unless you just wanna bog and do nothing else. My truck would be a v6 swap, or buy a v6 truck.