Old Dog, New Toy

[Guy0nTheCouch]

Hey All,
I recently purchased a 1997 Ranger 2.3L 5spd 2wd from a co-worker as an extra project that I didn't need. After some tinkering (new head gasket, water pump, timing set, tune up, 4" lift and some tires) I got her back on the road for the first time in 4 years and I actually really like it. I've had newer trucks and cars for the last 15 years and really missed the simplicity of a good old basic truck. She maybe slow as sin, but it is a lot of fun to putt around in.
Anyways, thanks for all the information and look forward to posting more here as I go.
-Guy0nTheCouch

 

[pentode]

@Guy0nTheCouch calls head gasket job "tinkering" You must have a different kind of couch than me.


Kudos, welcome to TRS! Simplicity is elegance. Nice looking truck, enjoy it!

 

[JoshT]

@Guy0nTheCouch calls head gasket job "tinkering" You must have a different kind of couch than me.


Kudos, welcome to TRS! Simplicity is elegance. Nice looking truck, enjoy it!

Well on a 2.3 it kind of is and the couch would be the fender liner you're sitting on while doing the work.

 

[bobbywalter]

Hey All,
I recently purchased a 1997 Ranger 2.3L 5spd 2wd from a co-worker as an extra project that I didn't need. After some tinkering (new head gasket, water pump, timing set, tune up, 4" lift and some tires) I got her back on the road for the first time in 4 years and I actually really like it. I've had newer trucks and cars for the last 15 years and really missed the simplicity of a good old basic truck. She maybe slow as sin, but it is a lot of fun to putt around in.
Anyways, thanks for all the information and look forward to posting more here as I go.
-Guy0nTheCouch

i know what ya meanz

 

[scotts90ranger]

Nice!

Hopefully you have 4.10 gears in that thing at least... I've ran my '97 (same just extended cab) on 29" tires and it was sluggish at low speeds and 5th was near useless... make sure you account for the tire size in speedometer which being a '97 conveniently you can adjust that with different gears on the sensor in the transmission. I kinda want to do a mild lift (as little as possible) on my '97 with 31" tires and like 4.30 or 4.56 gears but the current setup meets my needs pretty good.

 

[Guy0nTheCouch]

Nice!

Hopefully you have 4.10 gears in that thing at least... I've ran my '97 (same just extended cab) on 29" tires and it was sluggish at low speeds and 5th was near useless... make sure you account for the tire size in speedometer which being a '97 conveniently you can adjust that with different gears on the sensor in the transmission. I kinda want to do a mild lift (as little as possible) on my '97 with 31" tires and like 4.30 or 4.56 gears but the current setup meets my needs pretty good.

It's a bit of a dog at the moment on the stock 3.73 7.5 rear, but 4.56 with locker is in the works. The 235/75r17's (32's) on it right now are throwing my gearing off just under 20% which isn't ideal on a stock 2.3L. I may play with a Jet chip later on and a cat back exhaust on it as well, but I know it will always be slow lol.

 

[scotts90ranger]

A tuner on these doesn't do a whole lot, the stock injectors are on the small side as is so no extra room and they're normally on the verge of spark knock so not a whole lot of room in the spark department either... doubt the exhaust is a huge restriction either but wouldn't hurt... The normal bottle neck is in the intake porting and general ports in the head, on my turbo engine the first time I "rebuilt" it (rings and bearings mostly) I ported the head and lost two psi boost so it's now digesting the air that used to be restricted... your best bet for more power is pretty much like @bobbywalter pointed out in another thread to just throw on a cheap turbo manifold, a size bigger injector and some way of limiting the boost to 5psi (cast pistons can only take so much, the rest of the bottom end can handle like 350hp).

Regearing is going to be a big step in having it fun to drive... when the clutch is happy (it's currently on it's last leg) on my '97 it's surprisingly sporty, sometime this winter it'll get my "spare" centerforce clutch (replaced the one in my '90 but turns out it only had 0.007" of wear compared to the new one after a decade of screwing around) which should help in that, will probably be a bit different but I like the way my '90 works...

 

[bobbywalter]

A tuner on these doesn't do a whole lot, the stock injectors are on the small side as is so no extra room and they're normally on the verge of spark knock so not a whole lot of room in the spark department either... doubt the exhaust is a huge restriction either but wouldn't hurt... The normal bottle neck is in the intake porting and general ports in the head, on my turbo engine the first time I "rebuilt" it (rings and bearings mostly) I ported the head and lost two psi boost so it's now digesting the air that used to be restricted... your best bet for more power is pretty much like @bobbywalter pointed out in another thread to just throw on a cheap turbo manifold, a size bigger injector and some way of limiting the boost to 5psi (cast pistons can only take so much, the rest of the bottom end can handle like 350hp).

Regearing is going to be a big step in having it fun to drive... when the clutch is happy (it's currently on it's last leg) on my '97 it's surprisingly sporty, sometime this winter it'll get my "spare" centerforce clutch (replaced the one in my '90 but turns out it only had 0.007" of wear compared to the new one after a decade of screwing around) which should help in that, will probably be a bit different but I like the way my '90 works...

yeah...i left out rule 1. adjustable fuel pressure regulator. if you go boost it is important. just like moving up injector size though ... it messes up low speed drivability.

these days though with fuel pump driver modules there are ways to leave the stock injectors and boost fuel psi 20 pounds and be fine at 5 psi of boost.

 

[scotts90ranger]

yeah...i left out rule 1. adjustable fuel pressure regulator. if you go boost it is important. just like moving up injector size though ... it messes up low speed drivability.

these days though with fuel pump driver modules there are ways to leave the stock injectors and boost fuel psi 20 pounds and be fine at 5 psi of boost.

Stock regulators are manifold pressure referenced so they "should" increase pressure with boost... increasing pressure would sure be a short way of increasing the injector flow rate, you could always go oldskool and dimple the top of the regulator until you get the pressure up

 

[Guy0nTheCouch]

Unfortunately, I live in Commie-fornia and can't "legally" do a turbo swap as much as I'd like to drop a turbo powerplant into it. I may have to pickup a spare head and start porting it in the garage in advance, but I def know these lima's need better valve springs and cam as this engine struggles to get over 5K RPM. I can at least do that stuff and hide it from the smog inspectors. Honestly, I feel like this truck with 160-175hp and proper gearing would be great.

 

[superj]

dang, 160-175hp would be awesome on my 3.0, ha ha ha.

those look like jeep wheels? you throw some spacers under there to put them on? they look pretty decent.


welcome to the group!

 

[Guy0nTheCouch]

dang, 160-175hp would be awesome on my 3.0, ha ha ha.

those look like jeep wheels? you throw some spacers under there to put them on? they look pretty decent.


welcome to the group!

Good eye, picked up a set of 2017 Rubicon wheels with 235/75R17's Mud Terrains off of market place for $400 and grabbed some 1.5" 5x4.5 to 5x5 adapters for $80s. Cheaper than new tires and these were in great shape. You can find stock Rubicon wheels here in San Diego dirt cheap.

 

[superj]

Here, too

 

[scotts90ranger]

The valvetrain isn't the rpm issue, my '97 would live up there if I wanted I just go for MPG so I don't accelerate past 4k anymore and cruise under 3k but it starts pulling better at 4k and through 5k but starts laying down after that but I'm pretty sure it's the injector size... or maybe something to do with the 220k on the clock... When I'm in the sand my '90 never sees under 3k and I'm constantly cruising at 5k, don't remember what valve springs I'm running but they're just stockers, I replaced them when I had the head worked on...

We're not talking swapping to a turbo engine, just putting a turbo manifold and turbo on a stock engine, stock computer and all other emissions components. can't be any different than the honda guys...