What's your favorite RBV engine?

[LearjetMinako]

This thread is only 2 years old.....lol

This thread is like a time capsule. Weird looking at my own reply's that far back.

 

[WNY964x4]

Having owned the following : 3-2.3 Lima's ( 92 , 97 , 97 Parts truck ) , 1-2.0 ( Grandfathers 84 ) , 1-2.9 ( 90 ) , and 3-4.0's ( 96 , 97 , Engine going into 2000 )

My favorite is the 4.0 OHV , got a lot of torque , and the engine has never failed me , i will never own a SOHC though , unless i buy one brand new , i do not like the design whatsoever.

My Second is the 2.3 Lima , the 92 i had i put through hell and back and she never quit.

 

[red85]

My favourite is the 2.3 Lima hands down. I've had a pile of them (Merkur, TBird, Ranger) and they can take wicked abuse. I've also had 2.8, 2.9, 4.0 OHV's and my wife drives a Ranger with a 3.0. All the v6's are nice "mom and pop" engines, but the 2.3 can be turned from vanilla to something downright "gnarly". Just check out John Huber's Mustang sometime. 1000 bhp out of 4 holes!

 

[Hopman]

My favourite is the 2.3 Lima hands down. I've had a pile of them (Merkur, TBird, Ranger) and they can take wicked abuse. I've also had 2.8, 2.9, 4.0 OHV's and my wife drives a Ranger with a 3.0. All the v6's are nice "mom and pop" engines, but the 2.3 can be turned from vanilla to something downright "gnarly". 1000 bhp out of 4 holes!

1000 hp out of a 4-banger? That means one cylender on his is producting more power than my stock 2.3 twin spark twice over! He must be running some serious boost! No way you can make that much power on a N/A 4-banger!

 

[TheBeast]

1000 hp out of a 4-banger? That means one cylender on his is producting more power than my stock 2.3 twin spark twice over! He must be running some serious boost! No way you can make that much power on a N/A 4-banger!

There are a couple race cars running them. Pretty nasty little four cylinders. It's hard to kill those old 2.3, them puppys run forever. Got to floor them everywhere though lol

 

[TheTopher]

Wow...this thread has been around longer than I have... I suppose I'd better explain my reasons for my vote though.


Even though I own the unstoppable 2.3 I voted for the 3.0. I have driven one when I was test driving Rangers and I was going to buy it but the douchebag decided at the last minute he didn't want to sell his truck. There's a special ring in hell for people like this. Anyway, based on my driving experience and my reading of this forum which I spend way more time on than any man should, I've come to the conclusion that the 3.0 combines ALMOST the reliability of the 2.3 and ALMOST the power of the 2.9 motor. It's a solid best of both worlds that leaves nothing major to be desired. People who vote for the 4.0 based simply on power haven't had their truck long enough. It's a great motor to be sure but there's a lot more factors to be considered. I have every intention to drive my 2.3 into the ground before I bother with another motor but the 3.0 is my swap of choice when the time finally comes ten years down the road.

 

[adsm08]

I have a 2.9 Ranger, love it. I put a 4.0 tranny on it and can't tell the difference except pulling out and in OD, and OD is an improvment.

My dad has a 4.0 SOHC explorer, love it. good power, smooth ride, nice power.

My mom has a 3.0 Mariner, like to drive that one too, good powerful engine, pulls out nice, runs good.

I like them all, but I ultimately want a 4.0 OHV. So thats what I picked.

 

[93-4.0L]

Had to vote for the 4.0 ohv, have it in my 93 splash with a 5-speed, good little motor with 152000 miles and hasnt missed a beat since I bought it.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

ive driven the 2.3 lima, the 3.0, i own a 2.5 and drive daily, also i drive almost daily a 2.3 duratec.
i like the 3.0 cuz it has more power, but i would say a tie between my 2.5(more guts than the 2.3lima) and the 2.3 duratec.
that thing is sooo smooth and has some real balls! and gives better mileage than my 2.5, but the 2.5 feels more like a Ford lol

 

[racsan]

4.0 ohv! rougly the same hp as a 302-2V and fuel-effeceint enough to drive daily.the ohc 4.0 doesnt have the low-end like the older ohv version. i loved my '88 2.3 but it just didnt have the tourque to pull long upgrades empty. i do wish i could get a 200 C.I.D. inline 4 diesel.

 

[Hahnsb2]

4.0 OHV. Mine runs fantastic, 190K on it. I changed the intake manifold gaskets and valve cover gaskets when I swapped it and it's still on the same Mobil 1 I dumped in it when I swapped it over a year ago/5000 miles and hasn't used/leaked a drop.

I will say the 2.3 is just unstoppable as well, just not enough balls.

 

[Chance]

I had to vote for the 3.0

Gutless little motor but the fact that it still runs from what I've done to it... oh wow.

Still makes me smile when I think of Wicked Sludge commenting on the the pics of my engine with the heads off

wow, that is one beat 3.0

the left head got hot (lean?), hense the white valves. the right bank appears to be rich and/or eating oil.

i would throw a running junkyard motor at it. that thing doesnt even look like its worth getting into.

Edit: This one was cute too:

There is also overheating "stains" on some areas of the cylinder walls... Man you really hate that truck... Get a junkyard engiene and swap it... repairing this one seems to require an overhaul. And if You are going to take this kind of care don't spend this much money on it. Don't clean the replacement engine before swap... don't clean the engine bay... don't even change the oil in the new engine... F*** just junk the truck.

1 year, ~12k miles later, still runs like a beat champ Oh yeah, changed the oil once. I love this truck

 

[TheBeast]

I will agree, i've hardly EVER seen anyone kill a 3.0. The only thing that seems to kill 4.0s is like 400k miles of abuse, or hydro locking it. I've had both, still own the 4.0. Both are good motors though. I had mine done up with an intake, 70mm duratec TB, and a ported maf, full exhaust. Truck hauled booty. This 4.0 just has so much more torque

 

[4x4junkie]

People who vote for the 4.0 based simply on power haven't had their truck long enough.

Well, I voted 4.0L and I've had mine for 16 years... Is that not long enough?

 

[TheTopher]

Well, I voted 4.0L and I've had mine for 16 years... Is that not long enough?

Lol, that's more than long enough. My point was that I saw a lot of people saying the 4.0 simply for power, but that's only half of what makes a great motor.