PSP bracket fitment issue

[red85]

I'm in the final stages of my 2.3T build and I've hit a bit of a snag. First I'll give the specs: originally the truck was a 94 2.3 DPDIS and I've put in a 88 distributor ignition engine built for boost. The issue I'm having is that the Ranger (original) power steering pump bracket interferes with the distributor and the rebuilt engine's psp bracket interferes with the power steering gear. I'm considering slicing up the Ranger bracket but I'm open to ideas as to what I should do here. Are there any brackets that I can get that don't have these issues? I'm open to any and all suggestions!

Phil

 

[scotts90ranger]

swap to DIS, it's really not all that hard if you use the ranger harness... 3 holes drilled and tapped in the new block for the crank sensor bracket and that's about it, I just mounted the ignition module to a piece of aluminum and tied it up... will probably modify the plate to be a really thin intake spacer between the upper and lower intake eventually to basically be like the stock setup. I cut up the cheasy passenger coil bracket to space it out another 1.25"... here's a pic of what I did and the bracket I used.

 

[red85]

Ok! Thanks Scott. I'll be doing it that way then. I just want to have it running again. Carpooling with my wife is getting old fast LOL.

Phil

 

[scotts90ranger]

while you have things apart, apparently it's a good idea to keep the aux shaft and the oil pump drive together instead of just pulling the oil pump drive out of the ranger engine like I did... apparently the drive gears can wear out if mismatched... and if you have things apart, throw the ranger roller cam into the turbo engine... just make a template from the front of the ranger engine for the 3 holes associated with the crank sensor bracket and a few of the front cover bolts and drill and tap them for 6mm, use a long 6mm bolt and cut it off then loctite it in place to use as the alignment pin like used on the ranger block, 6mm roll pins are hard to find in the states, and wouldn't seal anyway. On a '88 engine the ranger oil pan should bolt right up to the block, use the ranger front cover (might have to notch a hole on it to get it to fit, no biggie, you'll see) the rest is pretty self explanitory.

DIS is the way to go, no TFI to worry about, just align the crank sensor, put good plugs in and drive... the only issues I've had with my conversion were my fault, put in too long of a crank bolt which screwed over the crank key and pulley, and had a broken spark plug, only annoying thing is I don't have the stock tach working yet...

 

[red85]

I drilled and tapped the block for the sensor and ended up swapping the head back to the Ranger head. It set me back a little timewise but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now!

 

[4bangerranger]

All you needed was a PSP and alternator bracket from an 85-88 ranger 4cyl. Would have been waaaay easier. That's what I'm doing to my 87 4x4 with an 87 TC engine. Wish I would have seen this sooner.

 

[scotts90ranger]

other than my current spark issues with my truck and issues I've caused, the DIS has worked great in my setup, on a truck that's already set up for DIS, might as well keep it...

 

[4bangerranger]

I agree with you on that. But I wouldn't convert to DIS. I don't like it. I prefer Duraspark but TFI is ok. My truck already has TFI so I'm leaving it. You have some good advice there!

 

[scotts90ranger]

yeah, I agree with you, I probably wouldn't have converted if it started wit a distributor, I just like the simplicity and clean look of DIS, didn't want to screw with a distributor. Now I just wish I had clean spark, hoping it's the crank sensor since I've eliminated everything but that...