Towing with a 2.3t

[birdmanslopy]

my 2 cents on towing with a 2.3t is as followed.
if you have a motor built up somewhat, (headgasket,main studs, no vaccume leaks, nor boost leaks) and a turbo that is somewhat oversized to the fact that it wouldnt be blowing like a hair drier consistently maxed out at 4k even with an intercooler i could see a turbo motor holding to that abuse if you slapped a gt35r or some nice turbo that would spool somewhat slow (not lag) but then wouldnt be maxing out consistently but flowing good cfms at the same time it would be good.
(turbo guys would somewhat understand that lingo)

as in braking if your towing a big load may god rest your soul in my opinion

 

[birdmanslopy]

adding on top of that if people believe that 2.3s cant tow good what about this one?

my brother in laws drag racing shop is building that car/merkur/ i got tuns more pics if anyone would like to see more.
im gonna try and set aside some money to make a motor identical to that one.

 

[therieldeal]

Oh its definitely going to be intercooled. I have a big air to water lying around that I might use - otherwise I'll pick up a front mount for it. I am going to stick with the stock tbird turbo for now... i don’t think the motor should need to be built as long as I'm not trying to run 20psi through the thing all day long with 5k pounds in tow. i'll only towing a 2300 pound car on a dolly... shouldn’t the stock 2.3 be rated to tow nearly that much (short bed, single cab, 5 speed)?

 

[burningRANGERtires]

adding on top of that if people believe that 2.3s cant tow good what about this one?

my brother in laws drag racing shop is building that car/merkur/ i got tuns more pics if anyone would like to see more.
im gonna try and set aside some money to make a motor identical to that one.

yes more pics.

 

[red85]

MMMM Volvo B234F head and what looks like a Holset... That thing will make some serious ponies.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I dont like RPM's for the fact thats its hard on an engine.

Why do you think tractor engines run forever, they only turn 2000RPM.

RPM's are bad for tractor engines because they are usually WAY overbuilt for what they need to do. With a lot of stroke and a lot of beef, things usually come apart when you wind them up purely because they are not made for it. They are also very large displacement for the power that they put out, and just about anything remotely modern is turbocharged.

That said it would be interesting to see how a 2.3T would compare against a bigger engine, I have never been around one.

 

[therieldeal]

exactly... 4 cyls are built for high rpm's, bigger engines are generally not. the mazda 1.8 in my old beater escort would run nearly 4k rpm on the highway (getting 30-32mpg), and i'd rev it to 7200 several times a day around town. after 182k miles that motor was still running 100% when i pulled it out and sold it after the body succumbed to rust.

i know its not a 2.3 but it sounds like they are fine with high revs as well

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

That said it would be interesting to see how a 2.3T would compare against a bigger engine, I have never been around one.

They do quite well. My ranger can hold its own all day long with LS1 camero's and 4-valve 4.6 mustangs. That is until you get to about 100 mph, then the ranger's nearly 20 year old compact pickup handling starts to show and the brick-like aerodynamics kick in.

 

[therieldeal]

They do quite well. My ranger can hold its own all day long with LS1 camero's and 4-valve 4.6 mustangs. That is until you get to about 100 mph, then the ranger's nearly 20 year old compact pickup handling starts to show and the brick-like aerodynamics kick in.

any suggestions on how to make it at least a little better?

 

[Davis]

lower it. mine sits higher and really catches wind.

also get polyurethane bushings all around.

 

[red85]

My 85 handles very well. The V8 lowered the nose about 1" and I'm running B3000 4x4 coils and a panhard bar out back. It corners like it's on rails.

 

[V8RangerBoy]

I guess if you wanna try it with a 2.3LT go for it, but i just cant see it pulling better then a 2.9 or a 4.0L.

Turbo motors are notorious for copious amounts of low-end torque...?

Here's my two cents... I own a blown 5.0 Ranger. Truck runs like a champ... BUT... to put a long story short, I am now looking to build a 2.3T Ranger after riding in a guy's 2.3 @ 16psi. The thing ate my truck alive, and I'm gonna join the club! Only, the way I'm looking to do my build, it will be in the (AT LEAST) 25 psi range. 2.3T's are an impressive, impressive setup. I don't think you would have any problem pulling the load, my concern would be with stopping it. Ranger brakes aren't meant to pull alot of weight, so be careful!

 

[therieldeal]

i have no intentions of towing over ~2500 pounds... that should be ok, right? i'll definitely upgrade to the larger drums, and the dual piston front calipers if i can find the right spindles.

 

[rangerbum]

You will be fine towing 2500lbs with the brakes you have. I have hauled a couple rigs with and without a trailer that are over 3500lbs and havent had too much stopping trouble. But you'll definitely feel the trailer pushing you around. KEEP FOLLOWING DISTANCE AT A MAXIMUM AT ALL TIMES WITH A TRAILER, and leave yourself an escape route if some other moron out there does something stupid.

 

[Ozwynn]

I dont like RPM's for the fact thats its hard on an engine.

Why do you think tractor engines run forever, they only turn 2000RPM.

I guess if you wanna try it with a 2.3LT go for it, but i just cant see it pulling better then a 2.9 or a 4.0L.

Ill be the first to admit, i dont know much of anything about turbos, but i will say 90% of all the turbo'ed vehicles ive seen dont make any power untill 4000+RPM.

Low end torque is what you need when your rolling a load, once its moving it takes 1/3 the force to keep it moving that it took to get it moving.

Think of it this way, if you chained a lawn mower to a semi truck and tried to get it rolling....do you think the lawn mower would do it? Probely not (although ive seen some that probley wouild, but thats besides the point), if you used another peterbiilt behind the first semi to get it rolling, even 3 or 4mph, the lawn mower would keep it rolling.

later,
Dustin

I can't even get my Detroits (high reving engnes) to 2000 RPMs the computer shuts the fuel off at 1900 and cruising @ 70 mph they are turning 1700 RPMs with about 2psi boost. the big cats run 70@ 1500 with 1psi boost. you don't get boost until you put the engine under a load. Big rig engine turn low RPMs because they are designed to. 4000 RPMs is not going to hurt a high revving 4cyl and he isn't talking about pulling a semi, he is talking about pulling 2800 pounds with an engine that can handle that weight well.


and with enough gearing a 5hp briggs and straton will move a semi.




just get a brake buddy.