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"V8SPNKR" 1997 Ranger SVO 2.3L Turbo *CAUTION* (LOTS OF PHOTOS!)


ShotnVA777

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
301
City
Hampton Roads, VA
Vehicle Year
1997
Transmission
Manual
★So... I've decided to start my build thread for my truck! I will keep this as SHORT and sweet as possible... I tend to ramble. A lot. Lol!★

**ALSO, if you don't see ALL the photos yet, its because I haven't got em ALL on photobucket! I'm trying to kind of "time lapse" it, so it all makes sense.... Good luck to me! Ha!**


OK! So here we go! I purchased a 1997 Ranger XLT Single Cab with the 2.3L (8 Plug) and 5 speed about a year ago. About 4 months ago, I wrecked it into an Accord. I had big plans in motion, at the time, for a VERY EXPENSIVE N/A Build I was going to do with my tax returns. It was going to cost well over $2500 to reach any type of goal I had set for the truck!

That said, after the wreck I decided I was going to sell the Ranger and just start over with another 2.3L build... I started looking into turbo stuff and contacting ppl about motors and other turbo lima motor parts.

I ran into a guy while looking for a motor that was an ABSOLUTE freak of taking these 2.3T's out of Thunderbirds and putting them in everything from old Falcon Vans to his 87 Mustang LX (SUPER SLEEPER!) This guy KNOWS ALL THINGS about the Turboed Lima, its actually quite RIDICULOUS on how many freakin parts he has! LORD HAVE MERCY! Its INSANE! That said, without this guy, Chris, I wouldnt be where I am today on mg build. I'll leave it at that!!!

Well, after meeting Chris, I started talking to him about plans, what vehicle to get, etc. All while still trying to find a damn motor. Ge told me to KEEP the Ranger and just roll with it! I loved my Ranger, so I was ALL for it, it started getting stripped down and I already had Mustang seats installed. This was going to be one BADASS truck if i could find the PERFECT motor!

I eventually came across one!!!!! A COMPLETE ONE at THAT! The motor had been sitting for 20 years, but had been garage kept and turned over by hand occasionally. They wanted $500 firm, I walked away with it for $300 CASH MONEY!

I had Chris come by to look at it, as I was disassembling and so forth for the complete rebuild. He was AMAZED at how good the motor looked and how it hadn't been dogged (lots of carbon buildup) and that it had EVERYTHING I NEEDED except a wiring harness and ECU!

I got to work, as did He. I replaced every single gasket and replaceable part, EVERYTHING and had Chris do a valve job on it, along with a little porting and so forth. We did a turbo swap to the ITI Turbo and 88 Manifold. Straight trade. It was FRESHLY rebuilt and tthe Garrett that was ON THE MOTOR wasn't even spinning, come to find out, all he got was a HOUSING and a worse manifold out of it! Lol... But he could care less, as he has enough parts to build 79 Turboed Lines. I acquired A LOT of the parts I DID need from him and my NA motor I was buidling (1988 Mustang Motor NA).

So $300 for the motor, about $250 in new parts and $100 in used and I'm ALMOST READY to drop it into my Ranger!

I'll spare you ALL the details and just SHOW you what I've done with a MASSIVE picture upload and a few choice words. Its insane, the transformation this has taken, with Chris's guidance, over the past month!

This is a dream come true for me! ALWAYS wanted a sporty, turboed, TRUCK! DREAM STATUS, COMING TO LIFE!

Were running this motor JUST as it would be ran in an OBD1 car, VAM and ALL! LA3 ECU, 88 Turbo Coupe Setup 100%, in a 1997 Ranger! I WILL one day go up to OBD2 and a "Stinger" setup and so forth, as all the OBD2 wiring will stay in place JUST FOR THAT reason... Until then, its 250+HP at 20+lbs of boost, on the stock setup!!!

Enjoy the pictured story of my build and please subscribe, as this will be one BAD MOTHER F'R ONCE WE'RE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

















DJM Flip Kit and 3" Drop Springs from Crown Suspension



First time I laid eyes on my motor and then me riding home with her! Giddy as a schoolgirl!!!!









Dropped it on my tailgate and started cleaning/disassembling and preparing it for the MASSIVE amounts of surgery she's about to receive.... Let the pics keep rolling!









































NOW.... ONTO THE HEAD WORK (SOME OF IT!) AND SUCH!



OH! DID I MENTION NEW ITI TURBO?!?!?





WE ALSO INSTALLED A RANGER ROLLER CAM!!!!









SOME NEW PARTS!!!!!



































ONTO SOME STYLING AND PROFILING!!! HAHA!!!











MADE MY OWN EGR BLOCK OFF PLATE.... EASY ENOUGH!!!



NEW FUEL RAIL AND BROWN TOPS NEEDED SOME NÉE PAINT AND REFRESHMENT!



NOW WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO LOOK SEXY!!!!



















:D
 
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Nice build thread...except those images...lol...but it did make me feel like I was sitting right there in your driveway looking at that motor...:icon_thumby:
 
Nice build thread...except those images...lol...but it did make me feel like I was sitting right there in your driveway looking at that motor...:icon_thumby:

Yea... Ummm.... That's JUST when I FIRST picked it up and laid it down! There's a TON more and I'm going to continue to add photos until we're ALL caught up! Then after you see and know everything that's going on, you'll be pretty impressed! I'm sure!

That motor looks COMPLETELY different then it does now! Its a must see build...!
 
WHERE WE STAND.... RIGHT ABOUT NOW!



































NEW OIL FEED LINE (2 PIECES OF 12" BRAKE LINE WITH COUPLERS WORKED PERFECTLY!)















Wiring harness being installed and stripped of whatever is NOT being used!













"I NEED AN LA3 PARTNER FOR LIFE!!!!"







Sorry again for all the pics but I'd rather show then tell... And so would you! Trust me!!! Lol! Hope some people are intrigued and follow along!

:D
 
Technically this would be an SVO (Special Vehicle Operations, the forerunner to SVT), not a SHO (Super High Output) since the 2.3T was an SVO engine, the SHO engines were worked over 3.0s, or small displacement Yamaha V-8s.

Also, pretty shiny valves.
 
I hope you didn't do what I did and used regular paint on that...even the oil pan gets dang hot to the touch and it will burn off regular paint in no time...

It wasn't until I did the header in, what I thought was, high heat paint that I learned the temperature on that side of the engine requires very high heat paint...like the stuff they paint flames on the sides of old cars in...lol
 
Technically this would be an SVO (Special Vehicle Operations, the forerunner to SVT), not a SHO (Super High Output) since the 2.3T was an SVO engine, the SHO engines were worked over 3.0s, or small displacement Yamaha V-8s.

Also, pretty shiny valves.

Yea that was an ERROR! NOW I CAN'T FIX IT!!! Can I get some Admin Help for that?!

I hope you didn't do what I did and used regular paint on that...even the oil pan gets dang hot to the touch and it will burn off regular paint in no time...

It wasn't until I did the header in, what I thought was, high heat paint that I learned the temperature on that side of the engine requires very high heat paint...like the stuff they paint flames on the sides of old cars in...lol

Its ALL painted in VHT Header Enamel - coated 3 times after an initial High Heat Primer. Then it was ALL coated 3-4x's in High Heat Clearcoat, also made by VHT. I don't think its going anywhere SOON, atleast. :icon_thumby:

Looks good.

Richard

Thanks man! I've put a lot of work into it! I'm working on my serpentine belt pulley/setup right now, trying to get a good power steering pump in and then mount the alternator. The brackets already painted and bolted to the block... Just a matter of pulling the alternator off my Ranger, painting it and then slapping it onto this here 88 T-Bird Motor!


Things are moving FAST... keep up fellas!!!!
 
Got your title for ya!

Nice build. Looks like you're doing it right....Looking forward to seeing vids of it running!
 
Got your title for ya!

Nice build. Looks like you're doing it right....Looking forward to seeing vids of it running!

Thanks man... I'm doing MOST of the work, but I have an OLDSCHOOL, damn good 2.3T Ford Guru helping along the way!!!

Thanks for the title change! That was a goofup :dunno:
 
Can every build thread look like this? Love the pictures. Build threads should be truck porn and I prefer not having to read my truck porn :)
 
UPDATE!

Got MOST of the wiring harness in, not sure what SOME of it does though?! Mostly the LONG black wrapped part that plugs into nothing it seems like (but a main ground IS on it!) I would like to weed threw ALL the pins I'm not going to use and have it ALL ready for the drop in! Can anyone help there???? It would just make the install CLEANER and EASIER!

ALSO, MY 2 WIRE HARNESS FOR MY COIL WAS CUT! UGH! So I just matched the colored wires, in HOPES that's wtf its supposed to be! (Check pics!) If anyone knows which two pins it is that go to it, I could figure it out from there. I can't find it on my schematic!!!!

Lets see... Oh, I also changed from a VTA setup on the VC to a vent back to intake setup and let it burn off! I had to modify a "top", but she should hold up GREAT!

I also got my power steering pump/pulley in, along with the tensioner pulley n bracket for the altenator!








THIS IS THE KNOCK SENSOR CORRECT?????

























And this is at a stand still for now :(
 
HELLO ALL!

I was wondering if I could get some help on what part(s) of the wiring harness to keep on the LA3, when installing it into a 97 Ranger!

If someone is good with schematics skills please post back, plesse post back, please post back....
 
So why remove any of it? Honest question. Clutter? Wouldn't it just be easier to leave it?
 

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