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  #1  
Old 01-21-2018, 10:06 PM
rno5 rno5 is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 61
Default Power gains

Any tips or tricks on a 2.3 1996 ranger to git a little more low end out of it ? There is a lot of threads on this topic but 99% of it is some one crying the other part is turbo or v8 swap but I like my 2.3 any little mods to help it out ?


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2000 ford ranger 3.0 4speed 147k miles
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  #2  
Old 01-22-2018, 06:47 AM
Isaacc44 Isaacc44 is offline
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Default Re: Power gains

There is a baffel in the plastic part of the intake tube you can cut out. Other than that, turbo

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  #3  
Old 01-23-2018, 11:28 AM
dvrich dvrich is offline
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Default Re: Power gains

Unless you want to spend serious money, there is little you can do.
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  #4  
Old 01-23-2018, 11:30 AM
rno5 rno5 is offline
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Posts: 61
Default Re: Power gains

Quote:
Originally Posted by dvrich View Post
Unless you want to spend serious money, there is little you can do.


I don’t mind spending 500 or so that be about it for now


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  #5  
Old 01-23-2018, 01:40 PM
Undrstm8ed Undrstm8ed is offline
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Default Re: Power gains

My suggestion would be this..

Spend you $500 +/- and do all of the maintenance things you can to bring it up to minimum stock nazi snuff.

By that I mean.

Full tune up:
  • New wires (Suggest NGK or Stock Motorcraft)
  • Proper gapped plugs (again NGK or Stock Motorcraft)

If the truck is over 10-12 years old, replace ALL hoses and of course belts

If you haven't made a switch to a synthetic oil, another suggestion.. do it. I've tried many, in all my Fords I've either ran Valvoline or Mobile 1. Stay away from Castrol in that inline 4, I know my 95 Escort didnt like it especially after I modded the shit out of that engine. It was almost too thin like, and with the additional throttle response made me concern of an over rev condition and that E/M had ZERO limiter on the throttle. It would REV until it popped if you let it.

Take care of all leaks, gasket issues. Flush the rad, replace with 50/50 mix, consider using water wetter from Redline, or Mishimoto makes a very good coolant additive for keeping under hood temps down.

Unclog the I/M, K&N in the factory airbox, up to you whether the drone of removing the silencer tickles your ego fancy for a little meandering growl the 2.3 Lima can muster.

Go through everything, O2 sensors to CAT. You can do any aftermarket can for a muffler, For that truck I'd suggest a Dynomax Ultra flow, have someone weld you up a pipe straight off the CAT with a flange So you can replace the CAT-back if need be. Put the muffler where it belongs and tucked higher as possible and just to a turn down at or just past the axle. Should breath a little better now that it will be uncorked.

Now by this time if the truck doesn't feel a little lighter on its feet, smoother, a little more aggressive, and you havent been wasting all of your money feeding the tank and wasting gas in stop light to stop light testicular moments.

Now you start working on the suspension efforts. Doesnt matter if you lift or lower, whatever your style. The key thing here is that it wont EVER matter (much) if you put 400hp or every ounce of that 112hp under the hood.. If the suspension isnt set up right you'll never get that power to the ground. Yoiu can kick any pig in the ass and it will squeal, (just like a tire).

Depending on which direction you plan on going will set an outline for further needs whether that be full suspension upgrades to re-gearing and if you stay street or like to play in the dirt/camping.

If you want additional suggestions or options, The open forum here once they see the lead direction you're going the appropriate people will respond with helpful or useful information for you to either use, or further research as it seems no two vehicles are ever exactly alike. Each has there own issues and paths.

If I CAN help you further, PM me
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  #6  
Old 03-21-2018, 06:33 AM
Vulpine Vulpine is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 26
Default Re: Power gains

I'm kind of in the same mind with my '97 dual-ignition model. Did the K&N and synthetic oil but I also had to take into consideration that despite being 18 years old when I picked it up, it only had 19,800 on the clock, meaning it never really got driven. (Yes, it was literally a DIY hauler that never got used for anything else.) Now with 6,000 more on the clock (and a lead foot) she's finally starting to wake up and show some life but she still needs some low-end grunt; she just doesn't rev quickly enough, even though she'll chirp the tires on launch on dry pavement. 112 horses are just not enough for her weight, though I admit I'm spoiled by a late-model Renegade with 50 more horses on a similarly-sized engine.

And it's not like you can just turbo a stock engine and expect it to hold together for long; the 'bottom' of the engine may not be able to hold up to the added power. I'm considering opening up the exhaust as recommended but I remember the old Suzuki Samurai started spinning output bearings when the pipes were opened up; don't know how well these engines will hold up. Still, I do believe a lot of its problems are due more to inability to breathe and anything actually mechanical.
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