To build or to swap...?

[AceFrehley03]

Hey everybody. After lurking for a while (read: the last six years) I've decided I should register and get everybody's opinion and feeling on something that's bugged me for quite a while.

I have an '83 Ranger, long bed, dual tank, 2.3L 4-speed 4x4 that is just plain gutless. It's been in my family 27 years. The current engine, the fifth one that's been under the hood, was sourced out of an '82 Ford Granada. It's served well as a mountain explorer, dump runner, gravel packer and bike hauler but a few days ago something happened that I just can't let go of - I got passed by a Chevy Luv. So it's time for a change.

I've been reading about the 302 swaps and while I would love to drop in a carb'ed 302, that also entails swapping the transmission, transfer case, drive shafts, etc.

Then I did some reading about the 2.3 Turbo. Don't know and don't think that the little TK4 would handle the 170+ horsepower, never mind the difficulty of swapping over all electronics associated, never mind that those engines are much more difficult to get your hands on because so many people stuff them in stupid things... like other cars.

My question is, why can't I find anything on the 2300 being built up for anything other than oval course? There are tons of builds for flat track but I just can't find anything that would show potential for a truck build. I don't do much towing but I do fill the bed frequently, and live in a very hilly area where the truck spends its entire life in first gear at 15 MPH. What have people done to get some more torque and grunt out of the 2300 that doesn't require it living at 6,000 RPM?

 

[Mikel89us]

Well, I'll make this simple, if you want good low end, go bigger. You will not get a good amount of torque from a 4 cyl. Not without a turbo. And turbo swaps are about the same cost as a v8. I love the four bangers, dad my replies in other threads defending them.

I personally would rather build a four banger, but they are dogs below 3000rpm. And that four speed has a horrible jump between first and second gear, my dad has one, so I know what its like trying to drive one slow.

You cam find cams that will give you better torque, but no one makes one specifically for that. All aftermarket cams you will find are geared towards horsepower. A turbo swap is a great idea, but I would suggest just rebuilding your engine with forged pistons to do it, you don't need turbo block. The biggest issue is the wiring, and that can be a huge PITA!!!

 

[RonD]

I would look at switching differentials to 4.10's as the first step.
That will give you as much torque as possible with any engine you decide on, from your description of current vehicle use top speed is not what you are after.

If you don't know what you have in there now this page can help you ID your current axle setup:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/axle_codes.shtml


On an '83 you can change the speedometer gear to match the new axle turn speed

 

[AceFrehley03]

I will investigate this when I get home, thank you. Pretty sure it is 3.73 open in the back. Yes, the first to second gear drop is close to 2,000 RPM and making climbing steep hills impossible if you don't get a massive run at them to start.

I have two other 2300's, not counting the one under the hood. I have a habit of wearing them out, and then crating them. Now I may know why. Concerning wiring I'm not that worried about it, I'm an electrician and can find my way around circuitry pretty well. It's finding all the components to do so I'm worried about. I'll start digging. Thanks all.

 

[ricardo93]

Take one of your old ones and get the top end rebuilt and bore out the cylinders and stroke it to a 2.5

 

[AceFrehley03]

I had heard elsewhere that stroking the 2.3 was not well suited to truck builds. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[ricardo93]

From what i understand it gives you all the ponies of a 2.5 just stuffed into a 2.3 casing, but i meam you could take one of your old blocks and get it bored out and decked and mill the head and you can raise the onies like that.

Is yours carb'd or f.i?

 

[Mikel89us]

A2.5 swap actually suits trucks more than cars. It helps out torque as much as hp .

 

[ricardo93]

Maybe you could go balls out. Provided you have thr money, and do a 2.5t project

 

[Kenneth S]

The early 4 speeds in Rangers suck, I'd look for a 5 speed from truck that has a 2.3 with 4x4.


The M50D-R1 5 speed transmission for a 4x4

 

[ricardo93]

Is it possible to rebuild an fm145(6) with the gear ratios that are in the m5?

 

[Kenneth S]

I've never messed with fm145's besides hauling them to the junk yard as scrap (I tried to give one away that actually still worked good, but no one wanted it). I can't say if it's possible, or not (it wouldn't be worth the effort, and $$ anyways).