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Old 08-16-2010, 11:32 AM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Hello everyone, I have an 88 2.3 5 speed truck and I blew the motor. I found an awesome deal on a 92 model 2.3/5 whatever it was that year. I can get the complete engine for $100 if I pull it (not a junkyard truck but a friends truck) so my question is, will these motors swap easily? What will I need from the donor truck? For anyone interested what happened the motor, here's a copy and paste from another forum I'm on.

As most of you know, I've been driving a ranger for the past 8-9 months. Some of you know it's a dog. Today I found out why. Let's go on an adventure....

Sunday I began pulling the 2.3 out of the truck and finished the job in only a few hours so I was pretty happy with that. The motor hung from the hoist until yesterday when I finally got the bolts to mount it to the engine stand. Today I went out and started tearing into it for what I thought would be a simple ring job, no such luck. As soon as I pulled the valve cover, right off the bat i noticed the cam was FUBAR'ed, got the head off and the valves were fine, a bit of carbon build up but not too bad. At first sight the pistons looked fine but we'll get into that later. Turned the motor over and started taking the oil pan off, after draining the oil first though. When I removed the drain plug I said "Oh #?*!". The oil had so much water in it, it was actually running clear in the middle and black on the sides. Once that drained I commenced to taking the pan off. Got that taken off, removed the oil pump and everything looked fine. took the #1 rod cap off and right off the bat the bearing was spun down to the copper. Upon further investigation, out of 4 cylinders/pistons, there were 5 broken compression rings, 2 broken oil rings, 3 scored cylinder walls, 3 sets of spun rod bearings, 1 piston was missing a chunk (nowhere to be found) and 1 of the cylinder walls is so bad, the block would need bored about .060 to clear it up. Long story short, I'm in the market for a turbo 2.3 or a nice 302/t5 setup...
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Old 08-16-2010, 07:42 PM
sgtsandman sgtsandman is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

There is big differences between the two. The old one is carburated and the new one is fuel injection (different fuel pump, ecu, etc). The transmission will more than likely be different as well.

It's doable but you will need to change out a lot more than the engine and transmission to get it to work. For simplicities sake, finding an engine that is the same as what you have now would be much better.
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Old 08-17-2010, 09:59 AM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

The motor in the truck now is fuel injected.....
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Old 08-18-2010, 08:18 AM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

bump...
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Old 08-18-2010, 11:44 AM
DangerRanger01 DangerRanger01 is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

They are the same engines. These lima engies didin't change much throughout the years. And 88-94 are the same engines. idk wtf sgtsandman is talking about.

Read this:
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...thread.php?t=9
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Old 08-18-2010, 09:49 PM
sgtsandman sgtsandman is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Sorry, my bad. I could have sworn that year still had a carburetor.
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Old 08-19-2010, 05:54 AM
DangerRanger01 DangerRanger01 is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Yeah, i think some models cam with it, but only in the 2.0l version in certain areas??? Not sure, but its something weird like that.
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Old 08-19-2010, 12:34 PM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Thanks Danger.
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Old 08-19-2010, 12:41 PM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Ok so from reading that thread, it was changed to a distributorless ignition in 89, would this mean I need a different computer and wiring harness?

Edit: For reference, my truck does have a distributor.
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Old 08-19-2010, 12:43 PM
DangerRanger01 DangerRanger01 is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

OHH, good call. What all is bad on your current motor? YOu should be fine with swapping over everything...
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  #11  
Old 08-19-2010, 01:41 PM
BogusSVO BogusSVO is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

from what I can recall, but I may be mistaken as far as the years of the heads.

the 92 should be a 8plug head and the 88 a 4 plug

the 92 should still have the dizzy hole in the block, just with a stub shaft.

do you see cracks in your 88 4 plug head? If not, go have it magged at the machine shop and checked for flat if it is good roll on with it on the 92 block
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Old 08-19-2010, 02:24 PM
Big Mack Daddy Big Mack Daddy is offline
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Default Re: 88 2.3 interchange with 92 2.3?

Ok everything i can think of on the current motor that's bad is:

Block
Pistons
Cam
Crank
Main Bearings were spun
Rod bearings were spun
Oil pump was bad
Head gasket was blown so I'm assuming theres probably some damage to the head because it was a new gasket

The motor's pretty much junk, the only things I can think of that are good are the distributor, coil, and accessories.
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