2.3L ('83-'97) Need to replace my 1992 Ranger engine: 2.3 L, 4 cylinder, 5-speed, floor shifter

[DCman]

Why is it so hard to swap the crank sensor? Is there a spot or boss there? Im trying to put a 99 2.5 in my 94. Also are the pickups the same on the harmonic balancer? Can you swap them? I have the 2.5 0n my motor stand and have not pulled the 2.3 yet. Thanks for the help.

Yeah, I have to question that a little, as well....I mean, can't you just unplug the correct crank sensor for the later engine and plug it into the wiring for the older truck?
Granted, you may have to alter the plug on the truck, but that would seem to get around the crank sensor problem.

....I feel I'm missing something here.....

 

[scotts90ranger]

I just replied to your other post... No it isn't quite that simple, the early crank sensor is mounted to the block to the drivers side of the bottom of the water pump with a stud and two bolts. The newer crank sensor is mounted to the front cover just hanging off the side...

 

[RonD]

Total different crank sensors and setups

The 1994 and older used a Hall Effect sensor, 12 voltsDC on/off type sensor and signal
1995-2001 used VR type sensor, generates its own AC voltage

So 1994 and older computer can't "understand" VR sensor
And 1995 and up computer can't understand Hall effect sensor
And there is no method to interface the two different signals, i.e. a conversion to match signals
Its not an AC/DC thing, the sine wave part of the AC signal is used, and ONLY half of it, lol, so you can't just add a rectifier to it VR sensor

The hall effect sensor "reads" a cup on the crank that has cut outs

Seen in this video, on how to install and setup, 1994 and earlier, crank sensor

Hall effect sensor is also inside the timing belt cover



1995 and up VR sensor reads a "tone wheel" or Reluctor wheel/ring
It has "teeth" every few degrees and each time a tooth passes by a VR sensor it generates AC voltage, so the faster it spins the higher the AC Volts, these are used for speed sensors and ABS wheel sensors as well
In the case of a crank sensor the tone wheel would have one tooth every 10 deg and one missing tooth to denote #1 piston at TDC
so 36 teeth minus 1 tooth, and that times the engine
Crank pulley on these has the tone ring on the back of it, and the crank sensor slides down a tube to be close but not touching the tone wheel

Since you have the 2.5l out already you can see how that works
People have said they mounted the hall effect sensor on a 1995-2001 crank and engine front cover
You would need to search for that

 

[RonD]

Yeah, I have to question that a little, as well....I mean, can't you just unplug the correct crank sensor for the later engine and plug it into the wiring for the older truck?
Granted, you may have to alter the plug on the truck, but that would seem to get around the crank sensor problem.

....I feel I'm missing something here.....

Your name has part of the answer.......DCman

1994 and earlier 2.3l used Hall effect 12vDC sensor, sends the computer(actually ICM) a 12v ON/OFF pulse to time spark and fuel

1995 and up use a VR(variable reluctance) sensor that generates its own AC volts for a timing pulse

So the 1995 and up computers won't understand 12vDC on/off timing signal, and 1994 and older computers won't understand AC sine wave signal

As Simple and as Complicated as that

You have a TV and a remote
Try using a different remote from another brand of TV
Different signals so TV doesn't "understand" the signals
But unfortunetly there is no work around for this crank sensor issue no "universal remote"

 

[DCman]

Total different crank sensors and setups

The 1994 and older used a Hall Effect sensor, 12 voltsDC on/off type sensor and signal
1995-2001 used VR type sensor, generates its own AC voltage

So 1994 and older computer can't "understand" VR sensor
And 1995 and up computer can't understand Hall effect sensor
And there is no method to interface the two different signals, i.e. a conversion to match signals
Its not an AC/DC thing, the sine wave part of the AC signal is used, and ONLY half of it, lol, so you can't just add a rectifier to it VR sensor

The hall effect sensor "reads" a cup on the crank that has cut outs

Seen in this video, on how to install and setup, 1994 and earlier, crank sensor

Hall effect sensor is also inside the timing belt cover



1995 and up VR sensor reads a "tone wheel" or Reluctor wheel/ring
It has "teeth" every few degrees and each time a tooth passes by a VR sensor it generates AC voltage, so the faster it spins the higher the AC Volts, these are used for speed sensors and ABS wheel sensors as well
In the case of a crank sensor the tone wheel would have one tooth every 10 deg and one missing tooth to denote #1 piston at TDC
so 36 teeth minus 1 tooth, and that times the engine
Crank pulley on these has the tone ring on the back of it, and the crank sensor slides down a tube to be close but not touching the tone wheel

Since you have the 2.5l out already you can see how that works
People have said they mounted the hall effect sensor on a 1995-2001 crank and engine front cover
You would need to search for that

Ok, so maybe not impossible, but you're looking at a whole lot more than just dropping the engine in and hooking up all the accessories.
Got it.
Thanks for taking the time to explain that. -b

 

[RonD]

Yes, and the issue is to get the crank sensor in EXACTLY the right position because a degree or two off in either direction will reduce power and worse cause major pre-detonation(pinging) which melts pistons and valves

 

[DCman]

...or missing a tooth on the injection pump on a diesel.
Yeah, you've GOT to know where to place that sensor.
...as I wrote in another thread, doing this sounds like a job for a carburetor.

 

[RonD]

yes, like they say "In life TIMING is everything" lol

 

[scotts90ranger]

I've put the '89-94 style sensor on two older blocks just fine, I referenced to the outer two front cover bolts with a cardboard template and the bottom of the block so I had some knowns for an accurate reference. I think I started with a hole for the locating stud for the sensor housing, then pushed a blunt center punch into the empty holes to crease the cardboard to cut out afterward, and creased the cardboard at the edge of the block to cut later.

Honestly this method should get you to within a degree which is close enough, with a low compression ratio a couple degrees of spark either way isn't going to burn anything down unless turbocharged and running a touch lean... But that said my turbo engines have pinged like heck from one thing or another and do have forged pistons... but they did look just fine when I've had it apart, excluding the piston that had a disconnected connecting rod... the top was fine though

Like I said in the other thread, you can keep your carbs, they have their place but given the choice I wouldn't choose one...

 

[Serfma]

So I actually found someone swapped an early 2.3 lima (89-94) engine out and dropped a late 2.3 lima (95-97) in expecting it to work. There's both the old and new crank sensors, but the harness is 100% the old Lima harness. Couldn't I swap out the harness + ECU, hook everything up and go or what else is missing? I understand I'm going to have to get a new crankshaft harmonic balancer that's got the reluctor wheel on it but earlier up I'm seeing something about difficulty mounting the new sensor..?

 

[RonD]

Its a a different harness so you need the computer and its harness from 1995-1997 2.3l, from a Manual trans vehicle if that's what you have
Also need to add a 2nd O2 sensor

1989-1994 used the 60-wire OBD1 EEC-IV computer(with hall effect crank sensor, 12volt DC)
1995-1997 used the 104-wire OBD2 EEC-V computer(with Variable Reluctance crank sensor, Sine wave AC Volts)

And its not an AC/DC thing, hall effect is a square wave, 12v on/off signal, VR sensor is a sine wave signal and just the frequency is used not the voltage, so there is no "wiring" or interface adapter possible to get the EEC-IV computer to work with VR crank sensor


IF...........................previous owner swapped over their 1989-1994 intake and parts to the 1995-1997 engine, then that will be another issue...........because connectors won't match up with new 1995-1997 wiring harness

The 1989 to 1994 lower intake will have the Spark Module mount on the front, just behind fan to cool it
If you see that then they DID swap over the 1989-1994 intake and parts, just used the block and head from a 1995-1997 2.3l

You might be better off trying to mount the Hall Effect crank sensor, I have read some post that said they did that successfully, you would have to look for them
You need to drill the front engine cover to mount the sensor and it has to be EXACTLY correct placement because that times the engine

 

[Serfma]

Its a a different harness so you need the computer and its harness from 1995-1997 2.3l, from a Manual trans vehicle if that's what you have
Also need to add a 2nd O2 sensor

1989-1994 used the 60-wire OBD1 EEC-IV computer(with hall effect crank sensor, 12volt DC)
1995-1997 used the 104-wire OBD2 EEC-V computer(with Variable Reluctance crank sensor, Sine wave AC Volts)

And its not an AC/DC thing, hall effect is a square wave, 12v on/off signal, VR sensor is a sine wave signal and just the frequency is used not the voltage, so there is no "wiring" or interface adapter possible to get the EEC-IV computer to work with VR crank sensor


IF...........................previous owner swapped over their 1989-1994 intake and parts to the 1995-1997 engine, then that will be another issue...........because connectors won't match up with new 1995-1997 wiring harness

The 1989 to 1994 lower intake will have the Spark Module mount on the front, just behind fan to cool it
If you see that then they DID swap over the 1989-1994 intake and parts, just used the block and head from a 1995-1997 2.3l

You might be better off trying to mount the Hall Effect crank sensor, I have read some post that said they did that successfully, you would have to look for them
You need to drill the front engine cover to mount the sensor and it has to be EXACTLY correct placement because that times the engine

Yep they definitely used the old intake. It has the ignition control module, AND it has the hall effect sensor mount + the sensor itself. The VR crank sensor is also mounted up in the correct spot. I have a wiring harness + ECU that a buddy has, along with a junkyard nearby that has plenty of the my-year limas I can take them off of. That and the intakes, wouldn't be a big deal to transfer I don't think.

When you say "Exactly correct placement" what do you mean? It looks to be mounted and goes through the sensor without hitting it any. I'm thinking it might be best overall to transfer new harness + ECU because there are so many cut wires it's insane, and I'd like to have OBD2.

Is there anything else I might need to take a look at?

 

[DCman]

I get that to mount the newer engine in the older truck, you're pretty much looking at completely chaning out the wiring harness & ECM, but what about the reluctor wheel?
Is there any difficulty, assuming both hall effects and reluctor are mounted to the harmonic balancer, in changing that out?
In this case, I'm thinking about a different size/shape crank snout, and/or, keyways mis-timing the engine.

 

[RonD]

Forget the VR sensor, you don't have the other parts to make it work

The Hall effect sensor is what needs to be mounted just above crank timing belt gear

There is a bracket that needs to be attached to front engine cover, picture here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attac...r-2.3l-position-sensor-crankshaft-bracket.jpg

And this is what it looks like with crank sensor attached to bracket: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attac...-93-ranger-splash-2-3-timng-belt-camgear3.jpg

The bracket needs to be in exactly the right spot or timing will be off

Google: Ford 2.3L Crank Sensor Bracket 89 to 94 Ranger Mustang

Watch the video to see what goes where

And also watch the "1994 2.3 Ford Ranger Crank sensor align Tool ranger" video, that should come up in above search

 

[Serfma]

Forget the VR sensor, you don't have the other parts to make it work

The Hall effect sensor is what needs to be mounted just above crank timing belt gear

There is a bracket that needs to be attached to front engine cover, picture here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attac...r-2.3l-position-sensor-crankshaft-bracket.jpg

And this is what it looks like with crank sensor attached to bracket: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attac...-93-ranger-splash-2-3-timng-belt-camgear3.jpg

The bracket needs to be in exactly the right spot or timing will be off

Google: Ford 2.3L Crank Sensor Bracket 89 to 94 Ranger Mustang

Watch the video to see what goes where

And also watch the "1994 2.3 Ford Ranger Crank sensor align Tool ranger" video, that should come up in above search

Here's a few pics of what mine looks like:

It's a rat's nest unfortunately

Someone has previously mounted up that bracket and I have replaced the sensor, but having an issue where the hub is too close so I'm unable to get the sensor down onto the bracket.

The hall effect sensor mounting bracket is indeed present and I have already yanked a new one from a junkyard that I plan on mounting up. I'll have to review to see if it is in the exact right spot, but worst case I think upgrading the harness/ecu and intake wouldn't be that big of a deal especially to snag OBD2 with it. I think they originally had it that way but had the ignition control module fail and said it had no spark and couldn't figure out why.

Did the coolant sensor (not sending unit) effect timing for the old or new style? Because the coolant temp sensor wires are cut unfortunately.