1987 ranger 2.3turbo swap

PJ · Apr 26, 2015

Hello all,
I have embarked on a journey that led me to this forum. After quite some searching I have acquired an 87 ranger 2.3l 4x4 5spd. It is in disrepair and it is all factory according to the vin. I have also gotten an 87 2.3turbo coupe engine wiring harness, ecu, and virtually all accessories. I have done a little homework and read much of the forum already. I am looking for some reassurance before I begin. According to the vin, the engine code is A. The trans is a Toyo Kyogo. The 4x4 is push button. The only pin out I can find begins at 88 model rangers. Will this work with my 87? I have done this swap before but it was with a mustang making things a touch easier. I have read conflicting posts about which wiring harness to use as well. Any and all help is greatly appreciated as I am much more excited about this versus the mustang. Thanks to all for any help, leads,info etc...

scotts90ranger · Apr 26, 2015

Use the Ranger harness and add the turbo components, the '88 diagrams you found will work fine, there were very few differences mostly wire colors most likely and stuff that shouldn't matter for your swap. You should only have to move/add like 10 wires. It'll be the cleanest way to install it.

PJ · Apr 27, 2015

Alright. Thanks. I have a pretty good idea where to begin. Any info to help is greatly appreciated!

scotts90ranger · Apr 29, 2015

Pretty straight forward if you've dealt with them before, get the wiring repinned and the extra turbo stuff added (VAM, knock sensor, boost controller, intake air temp if '87/88, I think that's it), swap to the Ranger serpentine setup (might as well, it's cleaner), put the Ranger engine mounts on the block, rework the heater box to help the turbo clear, and relocate the oxygen sensor to the down pipe from the turbo outlet to minimize the amount you have to notch the heater box.

Of course it can get a lot more complex, but it depends on what you are wanting to do... If you click on my username and go to my "homepage" it's got my Ranger photobucket page I think and it has some pictures of some of my setup. I kept the "DIS" ignition since I had the stuff for it, but the air filter setup I used might give you some ideas, and I have some pics of my heater box if they help.

PJ · Apr 30, 2015

I will and thanks again. Just for the sake of me being lazy, will the pin out on this site for the turbo swap do it for the wires? I have studied the diagrams and that seems to be right. And as far as what I am going to do with the truck, I plan to keep the turbo engine pretty much stock for awhile. I may swap out the cam for a ranger roller but no major moves. I'm looking for more of a truck than a toy, for now.

scotts90ranger · May 2, 2015

That's what I did, I just mixmatched the best of the stock parts I could come up with, when I had it apart I ported the head but that's the only performance thing I've done which I suggest if you get in there, the intake ports are a mess from the factory.

That's all I used for pinouts, I think they have a '88 Ranger harness which should be close enough for '85-90 engines, in mid '90 they switched to using a MAF , and in '89 they switched to using DIS instead of a distributor but those are the only changes until '94 for the most part. On the turbo engine diagrams just make sure you match to the components you are using, there's two differences: '83-86 and '87-88, commonly referred to as small VAM and big VAM, and you have to use the right engine computer for the VAM you are using, and some of the wires move around in the ECM connector... I don't remember which ECM's use the big and small VAM off the top of my head other than I'm currently running a PC1 with a small VAM, and the LA series of ECM are for the big VAM

Since I have a big 4x4 truck with big tires and wanting a good all around setup I think I'm sticking with a fairly conservative build on my engine for reliability and lack of turbo lag, I'm running the T3 turbo which is the bigger of the stock turbos, ranger cam, DIS, ported head and for whatever reason 12psi boost, it definitely gets the job done

1987 ranger 2.3turbo swap

PJ

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scotts90ranger

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PJ

New Member

scotts90ranger

Well-Known Member

PJ

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scotts90ranger

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