Towing with a 2.3t

[AllanD]

Diesels do alright because they are capable of tons of low end torque anyways.

Talk to anyone with a 2.3LT, and they dont make any power till like 4500rpm.

Oh, and ignore fastpakr, he labors under the assumption anything you slap a turbo on is the be all and end all of engines.

later,
Dustin

Dustin, not to offend you, but if I do I simply don't care anymore.

How many ways can I say "Bullshit"?

While it's true that the EARLY Turbocoupe engines only made the same 140hp that the 2.9 does nobody actually runs one of those earlier engines
people invariably switch to the later injectors and computers and turn up the boost.


If you have one of the '87-88 turbocoupe engines with the little IHI turbo those are making more torque than a 2.9 CAN make by 1900rpm
and peak at 265ft/lb @3000, much lower than the earlier garrett
equipped 2.3 engines.

Though I wouldn't specifically recommend towing with one
atleast not anything heavy, because the engine is prone
to heat build up if run under boost for long periods of time

I also wouldn't recommend 4.10's with a turbo 2.3 engine.

the turbo 2.3 though "Revvy" compared to most 6cyl engines is primarly a "torque producer" and the engine is happiest when it has something
to pull against.

I've actually had to regear several rangers who's owners decided
that even 3.73's were "too much"
for "speeding" in a 2wd with smallish tires (225/70-15's would be
my recomendation) 3.55's
for towing (and compromising top speed) 3.73's particularly if you
are building a 4x4.

THE problem I see with a 2.3T used in a ranger for towing is the clutch.

The two reasons I went to a 4.0 instead of a 2.3 were:
I couldn't figuire out how to put a 4.0 clutch onto a 2.3
I couldn't figuire out how to have A/C AND use the stock
Air to air intercooler.
(Note: I have a complete engine from an '88 turbocoupe sitting here,
I just couldn't talk myself into using it)


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[oatmealman]

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.


later,
Dustin

So by that logic my motor that sees a 7.5k red line several times a day shouldn't have lasted right? Or how about a sr20ve from japan 7.8k red line from factory.People will throw a mild valve train build on and can do 10k on a a basically stock motor all day long without a tune and the motor laughs at it.You can pull 12k outta them with a forged bottom end.The reason a tractor lasts so damn long is because everything is built with the fact in mind that it's A FUCKING TRACTOR,it's meant to use pto and be pulling things.I would pull with a 4 banger turbo if I didn't have anything else.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Then why did the 2.3LT mustang my sister had when she was younger had to get the shit revved out of it to even move.

I will admit it ran pretty decent, but a 302 woulda eat it alive in the 1/4

later,
Dustin

 

[BlackBII]

Then why did the 2.3LT mustang my sister had when she was younger had to get the shit revved out of it to even move.

I will admit it ran pretty decent, but a 302 woulda eat it alive in the 1/4

later,
Dustin

Because it wqas probably a POS.

My 2.3T runs like hell. And has some low end.

But like Allan said, the problem is with the stock 2.3 clutch.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I still have trouble believeing it would out torque anything this side of a lawn mower at low RPM's though.

Not saying it wont, just saying i dont see how a wussy 4 cylinder with a power robbing (at low revvs) turbo is going to do anything.

Id hook a decent running 2.9 up with one any day, assuming both were 4x4 and neither one slipped a tire, i think the 2.3 guy would be suprised with the results.

Now on the drag strip, ill say the 2.9 will get wasted.

later,
Dustin

 

[Davis]

When I had the IHI on my ranger I guarantee that it would outpull my brother's healthy 2.9 at anything except just off idle.

Now with the Holset, I could probably pull his truck on a trailer down the 1/4 faster than he could drive it under it's own power.

 

[V8RangerBoy]

Then why did the 2.3LT mustang my sister had when she was younger had to get the shit revved out of it to even move.

I will admit it ran pretty decent, but a 302 woulda eat it alive in the 1/4

later,
Dustin

Hm. So if we were looking at say, a Powerstroke, with alot of hard miles and thus, low compression/low power, and it couldn't pull very much, that must mean no Powerstroke out on the road can pull anything right?

The "seen one, seen it all" attitude doesn't carry very far. Nice try though.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Dustin,

While a 2.9 might have an advantage under 1000 rpms, I'm at 2500 and into boost only a fraction of a second after letting the clutch out in 1st. There's no way a 2.9 can compete.

 

[therieldeal]

unfortunately i found out that the tow rating on my truck (2.3 5 speed, 3.45 rear end) is "not reccommended for towing" despite the fact that it came with a step and tow bumper (??)... so i'm probably going to have to get a different truck. which means i'm probably just going to get a v6 auto so i'll be legal (and slow).

i have no doubts that the 2.3t setup would have worked great, heck i could have made it tow a house but it still would be illegal.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

I think my 1990 ranger manual rates my 2.3, 5-speed, with stock 3.08 gears to tow 2000 lbs. If it had the 4.10 gear with the 2.3 I think it was rated at like 3000. Any ranger should have been rated to at least 2000 lbs.

What the owner's manual says is not law. You can't get a ticket for towing more than the owner's manual says...

 

[therieldeal]

are you sure? theres a gross weight rating on my registration of like 4300 pounds. the laws all seem very vauge and my local dmv website doesnt have any useful information. trying to ask them anything in person is like talking to a pre recorded phone message.

i dont have an owners manual - its an 89, someone lost it along the way.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

are you sure? theres a gross weight rating on my registration of like 4300 pounds. the laws all seem very vauge and my local dmv website doesnt have any useful information. trying to ask them anything in person is like talking to a pre recorded phone message.

i dont have an owners manual - its an 89, someone lost it along the way.

Towing over what the owner's manual says might get you in trouble with Ford's warranty department, but ford isn't making laws enforced by the government.

I've had my exploder wayyyyyyyyy over the GCWR and passed cops that didn't even blink. Just make sure you have trailer brakes and most importantly, drive responsibly!!!!

Cops aren't going to give you a hard time for towing a light weight car with a ranger. And it's definately not going to make a difference to them if it has a 4-banger, a turbo 4-banger, or a V6.

 

[therieldeal]

i'm not so much worried about getting stopped for it, as i am worried about getting boned by my insurance if i ever happen to get in an accident.

 

[84projectFORD]

I still have trouble believeing it would out torque anything this side of a lawn mower at low RPM's though.

Not saying it wont, just saying i dont see how a wussy 4 cylinder with a power robbing (at low revvs) turbo is going to do anything.

Id hook a decent running 2.9 up with one any day, assuming both were 4x4 and neither one slipped a tire, i think the 2.3 guy would be suprised with the results.

Now on the drag strip, ill say the 2.9 will get wasted.

later,
Dustin

so how in the world can a turbo be power robbing? it runs off expensed exhaust gases that are being forced out by the piston, let alone a turbine in a turbo turns so easily that it almost puts no backpressure on a system with a properly sized turbo.

hooking a truck up bumper to bumper dont prove anything. at that point its who ever breaks the tires free first or whos rear end is taller to lift the other guys rear up some to loose traction. You said it already "Now on the drag strip, ill say the 2.9 will get wasted" both trucks with a load and without a load the 2.3t will win and that is in real world likness.

As for comparing tractors and diesels to the 2.3t there is NO comparison. diesel are based off torque, and where is torque found? at low RPMs. its very hard to turn a truck that runs off compression (no spark plugs) to run high RPMs and make high torque at those high RPMs. This is why turbos are so widely used on diesel because they can not rev. a turbo can force that air into the diesel to increase its torque dramatically. Next thing you will tell us is that diesels produce vacuum .

 

[Ozwynn]

so how in the world can a turbo be power robbing? it runs off expensed exhaust gases that are being forced out by the piston, let alone a turbine in a turbo turns so easily that it almost puts no backpressure on a system with a properly sized turbo.

hooking a truck up bumper to bumper dont prove anything. at that point its who ever breaks the tires free first or whos rear end is taller to lift the other guys rear up some to loose traction. You said it already "Now on the drag strip, ill say the 2.9 will get wasted" both trucks with a load and without a load the 2.3t will win and that is in real world likness.

As for comparing tractors and diesels to the 2.3t there is NO comparison. diesel are based off torque, and where is torque found? at low RPMs. its very hard to turn a truck that runs off compression (no spark plugs) to run high RPMs and make high torque at those high RPMs. This is why turbos are so widely used on diesel because they can not rev. a turbo can force that air into the diesel to increase its torque dramatically. Next thing you will tell us is that diesels produce vacuum .

wait till you split a manifold seam or lose manifold pressure due to your intercooler leaking, or blow the turbo because of excessive EGT. then it becomes like a potato in an exhaust pipe.