Need Interchange info for a 96 Mazda 2.3L?

[whisperer]

I have searched several places, including the FAQs but am getting conflicting info. I have a 96 B2300 that I need to find a replacement engine for. It is a DIS with 8 plug head. The FAQ says 95-01 is the same. Other info says 95-97 is the same. BTW the Mazda engine is junk internally, Burnt piston,cracked block and head, but the external stuff is OK to use. Help please?

 

[scotts90ranger]

'95-97 will be 2.3's and the same as yours where a '98-01 will be a 2.5 but bolt in...

 

[whisperer]

Thanks Scott. So any 2.3 or 2.5 RWD from 95-01 will be a bolt-in. Awesome!

 

[scotts90ranger]

'01 is the break point for when they started putting in the new 2.3 which isn't interchangeable, so make sure the engine looks like the one under your hood... The intake manifold might be slightly different but you should be able to leave most of the hard components and possibly sensors attached.

 

[whisperer]

So I have a turbo engine sitting in my shop already. Would this be ridiculous to use the long block un-turbo'd in the 96? What would need changed besides using 4 instead of 8 plugs? Would the front cover from the 96 bolt on to the early motor to use the crank sensor? What else is different?

The 96 is just a stock 2wd truck. I don't want to make a project truck out of it, just get it back together. It's just that I have 96 2300 truck that needs an engine...... and over there I have a 2300 turbo engine with no plan......

 

[scotts90ranger]

it'll work for the most part, will take a bit of modification but not too bad. The accessory holes in the front of the turbo engines are a little different. I think the EDIS (what you have) is a little easier to swap on than the older version because it's just a sensor mounted to the front cover instead of the block... Just do what I did for the drivers side coil and ground the outer wires and cap off the center wire, good to go but the tach might not work...

It'll be a dog though, 8:1 compression from 9.2:1 I believe. The intake manifold will be different too, and the injectors from the turbo engine won't work with the new computer... (wrong type of driver in the computer)

 

[whisperer]

Mmmm, OK, I'll probably not go that way then. Don't want to end up with diminished power and don't want to waste a turbo motor either.... I have plenty of time on this now to find something. I'll look for a 2.5 98+