Towing with a 2.3t

[Will]

More power is always better. Just adjust the gearing to use it. And of course it needs the cooling upgraded to stand the new duty cycle. You can have a 200hp 2.3 on the stock cooling system and it works because you rarely use the power. But if you use it for any length of time, you need to make sure you can deal with the heat. There are lots of old motors that were used in pickups and in medium duty trucks, the 300-6 for instance. but in the medium duty truck the engine is installed with a radiator the size of a barn door and maybe even an oil cooler--and a 200# flywheel so it doesn't stall when you let the clutch out on a 20,000# load, and 6.17-1 gears in the axle. And you don't expect to go more than 45mph. Anything can tow if it has the support staff.

 

[therieldeal]

as mentioned above does anyone sell a high flow water pump for the 2.3? i feel like the stock one should be fine, as long as the radiator is cooling sufficiently.

like i said i'll be looking into a bigger radiator if needed, definitely an oil cooler, as well as gauges for coolant, oil, and maybe even exhaust gas temp.

 

[Davis]

Bigger engines tow better, rotateing mass is rotateing mass.

The only thing rotating mass helps with is the inital hit of starting out and o shifts. It's not going to give you any more acutal torque.

You'll never convince me otherwise.

Ignorance is bliss, isn't it.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Those wernt actual numbers, just numbers i used to make a point.

Bigger engines tow better, rotateing mass is rotateing mass.

I realize that the torque curves dont change with a load, but the 2.9 has a better torque curve for towing then a 2.3T.

You'll never convince me otherwise.

later,
Dustin

The state of denial is great, isn't it?

Seriously, if the stupid 2.9 ranger parked in my back yard would make enough oil pressure to drive down to the road, I'd hitch up 5000 lbs behind that and my turbo ranger and clock each one 0-60, 1/4 mile, 1 mile, 10 mile, ...

Oh wait, the stupid 2.9 doesn't even run.

And even then, you still wouldn't open your eyes.

My 4.0 explorer wouldn't even have a chance.

 

[Captain Ledd]

Look, we can all agree that the turbo 2.3L is better than the 2.9.

Back to the tech part,

Would it be considered a good investment to also (along with the bigger radiator) to invest in a high-flow water pump? or maybe a new pulley to make the stock one spin a little bit faster?

 

[Davis]

Nah, I think the stocker is fine for most people.

But if you really really "need" one, you can get one from esslinger. It'll be $$$ though.

 

[Bryan22]

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.

I hope that you don't plan on towing 3,000 lbs off the bumper on a regular basis. Install a hitch if you plan on towing frequently.

 

[therieldeal]

oh i definitely plan on installing a hitch, i just dont understand why they would install a factory step and tow bumper on a truck that is "not reccomended for towing" in the owners manual.

 

[johnny5_72]

Mine tows great!

I built a 92 supercab 2wd 2.3 turbo with a 5-speed. Has the factory 7.5 rear with 3.73 gears and tows great. I regularly pull a heavy 6.5 by 12 foot trailer with three four wheelers on it. i am not sure what the whole setup weighs but I know the quads alone weigh 1200lbs. I run the factory ihi with the factory i/c out of an 88 t-bird. I even run the stock 4-banger radiator with an electric fan. The whole setup tows like a dream except I need to stiffen up the back springs. Hope my 2 cents helps.

 

[therieldeal]

exactly what i wanted to hear

 

[93240sx]

it all depends on how the turbo is sized i have a 2.4 liter Nissan 4 banger with a t3/t4 setup and pretty much had instant boost at 10 psi at 2500 rpm i would be at full boost was dyno tuned at 279 hp at 310 ft. lbs. and even with that size turbo still had instant boost and lots of torque on tap

 

[AJ_Fritz]

rusty seriously needs to get with the program when it comes to turbocharging.

Ive towed 3500#s with a 4500# B2 940 miles in 16 hours from Massillon, Ohio to Daytona beach, Florida. though some of the worst mountains in the country. never had a problem. hes seriously uninformed.

you make full torque at full boost. i can get 20 psi at 3000 rpm and thats 300ft/lb of torque at the wheels. the torque curve is flat. its enough torque to bend the hitch right off the bumper. when actually at highway speeds 10 psi was enough for most hills.

one more thing i forgot. if you could keep your foot out of it and run with traffic 15 mpg was attainable. i was using a stock LB3 at the time and below 7 psi it was still trimming fuel with the O2 sensor.

running a turbocharged engine under boost constantly doesnt hurt it. the high cylinder pressures and temps do though. the proper A/F ratios and octane is your friend here. you scrimp on either of those and you'll melt a piston. oil squirter's on the piston bottoms help in this department tremendously. this is how i set up the new block when it went back in the B2. i built it for towing. i don't like trucks, id rather trailer it.

the serious problem with the 2.3T isn't actually in the engine. its getting a transmission to take the abuse that the engine delivers. the A4ld is severely lacking. it needs to stay cool. you run it hot and you'll see stuff come out of it that looked like it was a meteor. the stock external coolers are not enough.

 

[lifted4.0]

was this whole deal solely the 2.3T vs the 2.9?

displacement wise, i know there is only .6L between them..but if its not just about them, would this be like saying that my supercharged/turboed...4.0 ranger could tow better than my chevy 1500 express 10 feet away in the driveway??

i dk how much different the 4.0 application is, but i was told SPECIFICALLY, not to turbo for my application, lawn mowing, and towing as much as possible...and sooo i didnt, i supercharged...

i could not imagine pulling a car with a little 4 cyl even if it was turboed (wouldnt the gas mileage be SHITTY too?would it always be under a load?)

 

[Captain Ledd]

i could not imagine pulling a car with a little 4 cyl even if it was turboed (wouldnt the gas mileage be SHITTY too?would it always be under a load?)

I've towed so much with my stock 2.3L it's ridiculous. An older Honda Accord (early 90's, all steel, I'd figure it a smaller midsize), an 89 Subaru GL, both of those on a tow dolly. I've flat towed a full size blazer for a good 20-25 miles. Numerous trailer trips including a 6'x10' loaded with desks and (sleeping) bed parts. And the grand finaly of a +6,000lbs 42' boom lift trailer loaded with batteries. Which is where I've decided my limit is.

I've gotten around 18-20 MPG while towing, normally it's up around 28 and on occasion 30. Which seems terrible, but compared to what a stock 4.0 gets empty, it's really not that bad.

It is slow though, but it will pull it. Like a 300 I6, it doesn't feel like much, but let it work and it'll keep chugging right along.

That's one of the biggest things (I think) that people boast about having a super powerful engine, to accelerate like it's not even back there, and it's silly. And a great miss representation of a vehicles ability to tow, there's many other factors that are much more important (like brakes).

The 2.3L will not move very quickly, but be smart about what gear your in, pay attention to whats comming up, and give it moderate acceleration pedal (not stomping on the gas and bitching about how slow it is) and it'll do just fine.

Then again, aside from Death Trap, I've never owned anything with more than 4 cylinders. Had to make do with what I had. And looking back, I don't think I'll ever need it unless I go to a much, much larger vehicle. And even then I'd probably build up a 6cyl

 

[turbo cat]

was this whole deal solely the 2.3T vs the 2.9?

displacement wise, i know there is only .6L between them..but if its not just about them, would this be like saying that my supercharged/turboed...4.0 ranger could tow better than my chevy 1500 express 10 feet away in the driveway??

i dk how much different the 4.0 application is, but i was told SPECIFICALLY, not to turbo for my application, lawn mowing, and towing as much as possible...and sooo i didnt, i supercharged...

i could not imagine pulling a car with a little 4 cyl even if it was turboed (wouldnt the gas mileage be SHITTY too?would it always be under a load?)

my 4.0 is turbocharged and i can see full boost before 2000 much like an eaton does. I have not towed a trailer yet but I have hauled 500+lbs of parts/a 4.6L motor in the back for a few hours drive with 2 people and it did just fine with only 5 psi of boost