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Modern 4 cylinder swap options

mjlogan88

mjlogan88

Red Skull Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
500
Messages
325
Loc
GA
Considering doing something different with my '62 ranchero and swapping in a 4 cylinder. I am not brand loyal and this thing is trashed enough that I won't feel bad ruining it.

Would like:
- ~200 HP
- Capability of bolting to a 5 speed manual trans with factory parts
- Capable of handling a little boost
- HP tuners compatible
- Exhaust on the pass side, intake on the driver side
- Easily available and cheap

Contenders
- Ford Duratec 2.0/2.3/2.5 out of focus/ranger/escape/etc with ranger trans
- Ecotec and deal with finding that unicorn saturn rwd trans
- Ecoboost- $$$$
- Toyota 2/3rz with tacoma trans

Leaning towards the Duratec. It seems to meet all criteria but I need to call HP tuners to verify support.

Any other options I'm missing, or any input on the choices above would be great if you have experience with them. And of course the inevitable flaming for ruining a classic ford with a 4 banger. If you are going to haze me for this at least offer an alternative choice.
 
Tacomas dont show up in salvage yards often if your looking for used parts availability. Even the wrecked ones end up going south of the border.
 
Duratech would make the most sense due to blue oval.


If it wasn't for a 4 cylinder requirement I'd suggest a V6 from a newer camaro. A friend swapped one into a bimmer and it fawking rips. Super cheap, super light and with a tune it's at 350 hp to the tires. Crazy how technology has jumped lately.
 
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V-config engines are out. If it gets a V engine it is getting an LS due to the fact that I have tons of resources and parts available through friends and family to go that route.

Would prefer to keep it an inline being that it is an early falcon based platform and a V6 or V8 will get real tight on the shock towers. If I go through the work to hack those up I'll go full retard and put an LS in it.

I forgot to add the Lima 2.3 to the list. I am leaning towards something more modern, and the duratec being an AL block is much lighter.
 
what about turbo volvo motor?

red block goes the right way.

cast iron is a drawback, but factory turbo ready and known to be capable of big power on the stock internals.
ton's of aftermarket if you want to get stupid with a 2L turbo 4.
anything from a 90's volvo is gonna be a 16V version.
 
mjlogan88 said:
V-config engines are out. If it gets a V engine it is getting an LS due to the fact that I have tons of resources and parts available through friends and family to go that route.

Would prefer to keep it an inline being that it is an early falcon based platform and a V6 or V8 will get real tight on the shock towers. If I go through the work to hack those up I'll go full retard and put an LS in it.

I forgot to add the Lima 2.3 to the list. I am leaning towards something more modern, and the duratec being an AL block is much lighter.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, I'd definitely do the duratech then. Those things can rip!
 
1.3L with a compound turbo and nitrous? :grinpimp:
 
87manche said:
what about turbo volvo motor?

red block goes the right way.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I'll have to check those out next time i'm in the junkyard. My concern would be tuning. Since I have access to HP tuners I am trying to get something compatible so I can use the factory PCM and harness.
 
ARD and IPD both tune factory PCMs, but anyone serious about it is going aftermarket.

megasquirt is a popular option for the cheap ass turbo brick owners.
You're gonna want to ditch the distributor for COP anyway, which means adding a cam sensor and going aftermarket.

https://www.diyautotune.com/support/...r-240-740-940/

anyway, they're reliable to 250-300HP with factory internals, cheap, and well supported by a bunch of cheap ass rabid volvo weirdos.

turbo bricks is the forum you want to search on for specifics.

edit:
and if you're feeling like full crazy.
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=163457
people have been putting white blocks into RWD 240s.

that opens up 5 and 6 cyl options.
a 5 cyl turbo ranchero would be very cool.
but that's a lot of project to take on.
A stock turbo low pressure 2.5 was 215 HP. The low pressure turbo runs out of steam at 10-11 lbs of boost.
but people are running them at 18-20 with bigger turbos without issue.
I know nothing about the 6 cyl ones except people hate working on them because transverse inline 6.
 
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mjlogan88 said:
Would prefer to keep it an inline being that it is an early falcon based platform and a V6 or V8 will get real tight on the shock towers. If I go through the work to hack those up I'll go full retard and put an LS in it.
Click to expand...

Shame you guys never got the later falcons, the Barra is a beast of a motor.
 
mjlogan88 said:
Considering doing something different with my '62 ranchero and swapping in a 4 cylinder. I am not brand loyal and this thing is trashed enough that I won't feel bad ruining it.

Would like:
- ~200 HP
- Capability of bolting to a 5 speed manual trans with factory parts
- Capable of handling a little boost
- HP tuners compatible
- Exhaust on the pass side, intake on the driver side
- Easily available and cheap

Contenders
- Ford Duratec 2.0/2.3/2.5 out of focus/ranger/escape/etc with ranger trans
- Ecotec and deal with finding that unicorn saturn rwd trans
- Ecoboost- $$$$
- Toyota 2/3rz with tacoma trans

Leaning towards the Duratec. It seems to meet all criteria but I need to call HP tuners to verify support.

Any other options I'm missing, or any input on the choices above would be great if you have experience with them. And of course the inevitable flaming for ruining a classic ford with a 4 banger. If you are going to haze me for this at least offer an alternative choice.
Click to expand...

what about the 5cyl that gm stuck in the trailblazers/s10s for a little bit?
 
mobil1syn said:
what about the 5cyl that gm stuck in the trailblazers/s10s for a little bit?
Click to expand...

The 4200 6 cylinder has been in my head for a while. It is massive though. The stock 170 6cyl is really tight length wise, the 4200 would require moving the radiator forward.

5 cyl might fit a little better but I don't know anything about them other than they sound weird.
 
mobil1syn said:
what about the 5cyl that gm stuck in the trailblazers/s10s for a little bit?
Click to expand...

Don't forget the 2.8L I4 built on the same modular platform. No replacement for displacement, especially if it's a budget build. Probably wouldn't take stupid boost to make 200hp at the wheels. Supposed to make 175hp flywheel @5600rpm in stock form. I believe it was available in the Colorado/Canyon twins.
 
IowaOffRoad said:
Don't forget the 2.8L I4 built on the same modular platform. No replacement for displacement, especially if it's a budget build. Probably wouldn't take stupid boost to make 200hp at the wheels. Supposed to make 175hp flywheel @5600rpm in stock form. I believe it was available in the Colorado/Canyon twins.
Click to expand...

Didn't even realize there was an atlas 4cyl til now. Gotta do some research but that might be a good option as well
 
LNF/LHU and a solstice tranny. Transmission can be found for under a grand. LHU will make 300 without much effort. We've got several of those and an ltg that we RAPE at work on dynos with weird builds and you wouldn't believe the torture they take.
 
mjlogan88 said:
Didn't even realize there was an atlas 4cyl til now. Gotta do some research but that might be a good option as well
Click to expand...

Don't know where you're located, but I have seen them in 2wds in the U-Pull-It self service salvage yards in the Omaha area. I think they were probably the most likely to be paired with a manual as well. Just guessing, but by the era of truck probably an NV3500/3550?
 
IowaOffRoad said:
Don't know where you're located, but I have seen them in 2wds in the U-Pull-It self service salvage yards in the Omaha area. I think they were probably the most likely to be paired with a manual as well. Just guessing, but by the era of truck probably an NV3500/3550?
Click to expand...

So cal. I'll keep an eye out for them when im picking up an 8.8 for this thing over the weekend.
 
mjlogan88 said:
The 4200 6 cylinder has been in my head for a while. It is massive though. The stock 170 6cyl is really tight length wise, the 4200 would require moving the radiator forward.

5 cyl might fit a little better but I don't know anything about them other than they sound weird.
Click to expand...

What about a BMW 6 pot? Or better yet the M57 6 pot diesel, those bad boys can be tuned for some real power :smokin:
 
mobil1syn said:
puegot diesel out of a cherokee
Click to expand...

Renault, not Peugeot.

and it's a massive turd, I wouldn't touch that.

There are plenty of good small diesel engines out there though.
 
larboc said:
It's a POS
Click to expand...

For my own curiosity, what are the known issues? I know a couple of old duffers that have piled 200,000 miles + on theirs. Not hard miles, mind you, but trouble free for them. Other than that, I have no experience with them. Most of the Colorado/Canyons around here are 5cyl/auto/4x4.
 
Interesting options.

how about a CRD diesel out of a 05-06 liberty jeep.

They can make 200 hp and 400ft/lb of torque will free DIY programming.

And you can part out the rest of the liberty for like a gazillion dollars because those jeep people are all crazy.
 
Why not an inline 6....maybe an AMC 258 or jeep 4.0?
Or a 2nd gen Supra motor......or an L28 out of a 280ZX....those in stock turbo form were close to 200HP and they can handle a lot more boost. The exhaust is on the pass side on those as well, and there's lots of old 240Z parts out there to swap one to SUs if you wanted, or keep EFI.
 
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