Anyone know the history of this wonderfull little engine?
I have heard that it has went thru some changes thru the years.

I know it started off with like 78hp & was later replaced with a 2.5l.
Then the 2,3 returned again. Is it the same basic 2.3 as before?
Just kind of wondering what all they did to get it to 148hp that it has now.

Has it always had a 16 valve head?

Thanks!

It started life in the lowly Pinto back in the 70s as a SOHC 8v 2.0l, with a single barrel carb. Then in the 80s it got fuel injection, and in the SVO 'Stang and TurboCoupe T-bird, a turbo. then it got the 8 plug cylinder head to meet emissions requirements, and soon after that, it was enlarged to 2.5l, but still just couldn't make the power and mileage needed. So it was retired in 2000, and replaced by a completely different motor, sharing nothing with the antiquated Lima motor, except the displacement.

The new 2.3l Duratech motor is a DOHC variable length intake motor, designed by Mazda. The D-tech spelled the demise of the 3.0 motor as well, since now you could get the same power with the 4 cyl and get 27-30mpg.

Anybody feel free to correct me anywhere I am wrong, this is just a brief history as I know it.

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Thanks! That was very informative


So when they introduced the Mazda 2.3 was that a new engine for Mazda or does it go back a ways.

It was a completely new engine, and IIRC, they worked out the bugs in the Ranger before using it in the Focus and Mazda3. I think the Ranger got it ~2 years earlier than the cars, but I could be wrong.

BTW, the version the Mazda cars get has VVT.

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Thanks!!

Anyone know what they did in 06 that increased the mpg by 3mpg?

Thanks!!

Anyone know what they did in 06 that increased the mpg by 3mpg?

Re-evaluated it? My '05 gets way better mileage than they ever rated it for.

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You are probably right. I seem to be averaging 29MPG & it's only rated at 26MPG hiway I think.

hey snow how many miles do you have on the clock so far and sounds like we got the same little base truck!

Have to look, but it has t had it's 1st oil change yet. So it's just a baby

I've been happy with the mileage on mine. Mine is mostly city driving and been around 25 to 26 MPG, and one time on the highway I got 31. (58mph) When I took it on the freeway around 70mph, it dropped like a rock! It went down to 21mpg

I just 2k miles with mine.

ya just went thru the first tank of gas and got to remember to check mileage when i fell up in the morning so i can see what my mileage is but hay my 92 f150 went thru two tanks a week and this the second week on one tank for the ranger not a bad trade off but i do miss the power of the v8 when you need to pass

Just turned 1900 miles on mine. I've had it 2 months.

It puts a huge smile on my face everytime I fill it up & check the MPG

Mine did this too when I first got it. Then I realized that that AC runs in every position except 'dash only' and 'floor only', turned off the compressor, and to date, my best recorded mileage was 32mpg done at around 80mph, on my way out to the mud drags.


BTW, just turned 100K on sunday!

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Dang, 32!? What did you do to get that? My MPG is low on the freeway.