will this help??

[98singlecab]

I have an 85 ranger single cab 4x4 with a 5spd and an anemic 79 hp 2.3l

Now I dont really care about hp I want torque.

how will milling the head, port and polish and a mild street cam with adjustable cam pulley. ( all done to a newer head )

I drive in the city mostly with very little freeway time. to me 5th gear is useless unless I'm on flat road.

Or should I swap it out for a turbo diesel or 4-5.0

 

[turbo91xlt]

turbo 2.3 swap is fun

 

[98singlecab]

well I just found out that some idiot did a hack job on my cab. it's made up of 2 cabs. (i've been fighting a leaking windshield) needless to say I'm a little discouraged right now and rather po'd. so I really am not willing to do any more work to this p.o.s.
thanks guys

 

[98singlecab]

ok so I talked to a neighbor about this and he calmed down. I'm torn between 4.0 v6 and 2.3t

What I need to know is how do they compare for driveability. I know the turbos make a lot of power but at what rpm range??

 

[Mikel89us]

The stock turbo 2.3 makes over 175 ft lbs of torque for sound 60-75% of the rpm range. They are very drivable engines.

 

[98singlecab]

thanks mike. now I just need to find a motor to rebuild for a stock turbo setup

 

[Mikel89us]

Any 2.3 can be built into a turbo motor. The only thing different is the pistons. and you need an oil supply, as well as an oil drain.

 

[turbo91xlt]

I can burry the speedo in 5th on the highway in my '92 4x4 with a stock '88 TC 2.3t swap if I'm not paying attention without a problem lol. I love how it drives, I can go up almost any hill on the highway without having to downshift from 5th!! And around town it drives like a normal vehicle (minus the loud 3" full exhaust & 6 puck clutch haha).

Its definitely quicker then a comparable 4.0l truck of that year, just not as much "off idle" torque. basically 2k+rpm is when it starts making good power which really isn't that bad.

 

[98singlecab]

i usually pull off the line at 1500 rpm.
the pistons, I know they need to be forged, are they the same size as whats in the 5.0? I'm on a very limited budget I will be looking in the junk yards for the pistons and other part like exhaust (I build my own, right now my cat is punched out by the p.o. my pipe crosses under the frame rail and the baffled glass pack sits in between the body and frame exiting before rear tire)
along with the turbo I'm thinking of a better cam

 

[Mikel89us]

Stock 5.0 pistons are not forged. And no they are not the same. Don't skimp on pistons. Do anything else as cheap as possible, spend the $400-500 on a good set of pistons.

 

[98singlecab]

holy .... 4-500 dollars? wow. I mean just wow I understand the need of them being forged but wow.

 

[Mark_88]

Well, they will take upwards of 5 PSI on stock pistons...but that's as far as most people want to push them from what I've read...that 5 PSI can give you enough boost to pass maybe...but you want the 19 or 21 PSI to do a fly by...

 

[98singlecab]

fly by that's my motto. I don't drive fast, I fly low

 

[Mikel89us]

5psi isn't much, and its not worth the fuel system upgrades you are going to need to make. If you don't want to spend that money on pistons, really you don't want to have a good reliable build. My .02

 

[98singlecab]

ok but that STILL leaves my original question unanswered. I think I'll go carb instead. why you ask? cost to get the truck back to original power and hopefully more. believe me I understand putting the money to build power, I just believe $4-500 for 4 pistons is crazy. I'm not trying to break speed records, just want more umph