what are better? 4.0 or 2.9

[smokin guns]

4.0

4.0 is a bored and stroked 2.9 made in germany.very good engine if taken care of.got 320,000 on mine still going strong.

 

[rickcdewitt]

Not only more reliable, more power with same or better gas mileage if you're running big tires.

yep

 

[Kona]

Someone sure did a hack job on the wires eh?

 

[Will]

The rocker cover sticker should tell the secrets--ask a dealer. Those are good engines--twice the power you had in your 2.8. The 4.0 always lagged the competition in horsepower so Ford solved it by making new heads for it that got rid of the heavy valvetrain so it could rev and by making the ports straight, round shots into and out of the combustion chamber. It's a hotrod 4.0.

The only thing I have ever dealt with first hand on one of those was the nylon chain guides. That thing is stuffed with timing chains. There's a chain that connects the crankshaft to the jackshaft. There are two chains from the jackshaft to the camshafts and since that is a 4x4 motor there is also another chain to a balance shaft below the crankshaft. On the first few years of motors the nylon guides that the chain runs up against would disintegrate. The motor I pulled and went through had lost all of the guides and I found them in chunks all throughout the motor. At the time the parts were about $500 and even the Ford dealer would not install them for you because they didn't know how to retime the cams--there's not marks or keys.

So pull the thing apart before installing it and verify the condition of the tensioner guides.

I would not do an engine swap without access to a complete donor vehicle. There are a thousand little things you don't have. My guess is that will never be successfully installed in your truck. Not pessimism, just optimistically telling you to find a donor vehicle because of how different that is from an '84. Then you need to get the Ford wiring diagrams for both vehicles (helminc.com) and then get the EVTM also from Helm for the vehicle the motor is coming from.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Drop in a carbed 351. No computer BS, change the trans and mounts, hook the fuel line and throttle cable up, and go play, not to metion more power.

later,
Dustin

 

[jdc215]

351??? why not jmust drop a 460 in it? seriously the problem with going that big is the weight issue, and throwing off the balance. i've seen it more than once.

 

[Kdawg532]

personally i would take a 3.0


just thought i'd throw that out there

 

[Will]

351??? why not jmust drop a 460 in it? seriously the problem with going that big is the weight issue, and throwing off the balance. i've seen it more than once.

The 351W works well. Been done alot. It's only 100# heavier than the 4.0.

 

[mornin151]

thanks for all the tips guys... i called a junk yard and they said they needed the vin to hook me up with a ECU so i got the vin tomorrow after work im gonna call them back and try gettin one... also should i run all the explorer cooling stuff.. ie raidator..

my 2.8 is VERY close to being totally dead... so im gonna be swapin soon... how much are the books on wireing? couldnt i just find them some where on the net and print them off?

also with the exhaust sencers can i just un plug them and leave them be?... or would it hurt me? i dont plan on runnin a cat... i dont have one right now and i dont want one...

thanks again...


and to the 351...if i would run anyother motor then the 4.0 it would be 4 cy diesel of some sort or mabie a 6... but it would be a diesel one way or another.... lol

thanks agian.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

my 2.8 is VERY close to being totally dead...

Just when I think that mine pulls another spare life out of somewhere and regenerates itself, I dunno where the heck it gets them but it seriously should have died a terrible death several times by now.

If I had a stick I would happily rebuild it or find a another 2.8. They are a very tough simple engine. At 110 hp they are by no means an extreme powerhouse, but in its sad state mine can still haul around fairly decent Ranger sized loads without too much of a problem. A small trailer with branches or a riding lawnmower on it, smallish farm equipment, and anything I can stuff in the bed... its all good.

But if I have to put a another transmission in it and rebuild and engine, it isn't much different costwise to rebuild a V-8...


For a 4.0 swap into a first generation Ranger, go pushrod or go home. You would be making it overly difficult for yourself to use the OHC.

 

[mornin151]

yeah, i think the im gonna turn the 84 in to a parts truck... if any one needs anything let me know.. im gettin another 86 mabie... time will tell.. i also have a 4.0 for sale too... i kinad gave up on my build just tired of pussy footin around and want it to be done...

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

I would love to have another 2.8, put an offy intake a small carb and headers and it had plenty of power to me, and they aren't expensive to rebuild.

 

[mornin151]

where do you get your kits from... the cheapest one i found was almost 500 bucks...

 

[AllanD]

The 2.9 does great for what it is... It makes more horsepower per C.I. than a H.O. 5.0... They will run forever as long as you keep them cool...

BUT, the 4.0l is a much more reliable engine overall, and makes more power... The 4.0 strong point is that it makes it's most torque (~220lb/ft) at 2400rpm...

This is the torque curve for the pushrod 4.0, 1999 I think.

Study this and you'll understand the 4.0.

look at that list of TQ & HP figuires @ rpm and understand that
the 2.9 makes it's maximum torque of 170ft/lb at 2600rpm

Now, pay attention to the fact that the 4.0 is making 195ft/lb@1000
rpm and the only place where it's making less than 170ft/lb
in the entire power band is above 4700rpm.

Also note that if you look at just the part of the powerband
where the 4.0 is making 200ft/lb that stretches from 1100rpm
to 4200rpm...

What I've found about my 1993 4.0 is that with the SAME
tires (235's) and gears (4.10's) I actually get better mileage
(typically 19-21mpg) on local driving than I usually would
with the 2.9 (18-19mpg), significantly better mileage while
towing (15-16mpg for the 4.0 Vs 12-13mpg for the 2.9).

The only downside is that on LONG highway trips at higher
speeds (averaging 70-75mph) mileage falls flat (back to 18-19)
Under the same conditions I could get 24-25mpg out of the 2.9.

I feel that's because the 4.0 doesn't like to be revved
trying to cruise at 3000rpm is something it REALLY doesn't like
(something the 2.9 will do for days and a 3.0 will do literally
until hell freezes over)

So I'm regearing my truck to 3.73's, it's a dirty nasty job
and I'd be done if it didn't rain every time I have help available
to do the job.


AD

 

[Blueranger99]

my 4.0 has 195k on it and i bought it with 70k on it. most of the mileage i put on the truck was highway mileage (65-75 mph) and i have had no problems with the motor at all. it doesnt burn any oil. it has 3.73s and spins (breaking loose) 31s no problem. i changed my clutch recently and the ford tech who helped me said that the ohv 4.0 will practically run forever. he also told me that that the newer ohc 4.0 has timing chains on the front and rear of the motor and that when the tensioners on the rear go bad that you have to pull the motor to change them. i love my 4.0. it has alot of power. i raced an 01 mustang gt with mine and ran neck n neck with it up to 60 mph.