Felpro gasket screw up for 88 Ranger 2.3

[stx4.0]

I have a 2.3 torn apart from an 88 ranger and bought a felpro gasket set from advance auto and noticed the correct lower intake to head gasket was not there but there was one for the 89 up style 8 plug head.So I took it back to advance only to have them say that is the correct gasket lol.So next I contacted felpro with the issue only to have them say the same thing.I have built many 2.3s and one thing I know is the 85 to 88s had the D port head and the 2.3 mustangs used the same head through 1990.The funny thing about the gasket set is its specifically labeled for an 88 ranger with a 2.3 and so were the ones I bought years ago which had the correct D port gasket so don't know when felpro started screwing up but anyone buying the gasket set (part # HS8993PT4) for there 88 ranger will have the same issue.Felpro acted like I was the first one to mention this which is very hard to believe.I wasn't going to argue with them as they thought I was crazy but anyone buying this set needs to be aware of this screw up.The correct D port ranger/mustang gasket is in set MS902661.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mikel89us]

In 88 they switched to the 8 plug head, so mid year they stopped using the 4 plug. Most companies don't recognize that the 4 plug was indeed a motor in an 88 anymore. I buy all my gasket kits from northern auto parts, they come wit 4 & 8 plug intake gaskets most of the time.

 

[stx4.0]

Mine was built 7/27/88 and it is 4 plug.I have never in my life seen or heard of an 8 plug 88 ranger.I can't see them making an 8 plug model for a week or two.I guess anythings possible but at any rate even if a couple did slip out that way were talking a couple compared to the hundreds of thousands built with the 4 plug head.It would seem that would be hard to get wrong especially since all the ford books say they were made with the slider cam and 4 plug head through 88 and like I told felpro when I used to buy there gasket set for an 88 ranger it used to come with the right one for a D port.

 

[Mikel89us]

I have seen a few 88 rangers in the junkyards with 8 plugs. Its frustrating because I wanted a 4 plug injected intake to do a conversion, but couldn't find one. Mine came from a Mustang.

 

[stx4.0]

That is really strange.All the rangers i've had(3 88's)and seen advertised for sale not a one of them ever had an 8 plug engine.They are not even mentioned in my dealer brochure or owners manual either.I do understand the frustration as well with the parts for the 4 plug engine.They are starting to get scarce.I had to buy 3 heads to get one that wasn't cracked.Now on the rare occasion one shows up in my local pull a part I automatically pull the head just so it doesn't get scrapped.It's nice to get the upper/lower intakes as well but they should be fairly easy to get for awhile yet.