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Thinking about building a Duratec 2.3 to swap

18K views 32 replies 8 participants last post by  sailor 
#1 ·
So I have had a bit of an idea running through my head and decided to reach out for some advice. So let me get to the basics.

The vehicle in question is a stock 2007 Ford Ranger XL (Reg Cab) 2WD powered by a Duratec 2.3L 4cyl and a Mazda M50D-R1 5spd transmission. All this power is delivered through a Non-Limited Slip rear end. I bought this truck with 13 miles on it and it now has over 156k and has had a great life. As it being my first vehicle I purchased I would love to give it a better life as time moves on.

My thoughts are to:

1) upgrade the engine
2) replace the transmission with a good Tremec
3) replace the rear-end with one that has Limited-Slip

Engine:
The truck has never been quick and never did I require it to be more than it was. But sometimes towards the end of this year I will be breaking 200k on the original motor and transmission. The truck is to remain a nice commuter for back and forth to work, as well as light duty when I need to pull a trailer or haul something. I originally wanted to do a V8 swap but the cost and time of the swap would be high as well as expensive. I then had the idea of doing an EcoBoost swap but the problem is finding a proper ECU as well as getting out of line on cost. Then I realized the best option for me is to find a good Duratec 2.3 Block to start to build on and build a replacement motor while I continue to drive that I can just drop in.

I am going to build the motor with all new accessories (water pump, alternator, AC compressor, power steering) and hopefully drop it in and keep everything else ready to go. This is when I noticed that I should reach out to others who have experience with this motor and ask for help.

Goals:
Keep the cost low and build over time
Get up to about 250hp (stock is 143hp)
Keep the fuel mileage and reliability of the original motor or improve it.

Questions:
How much of a problem am I going to have with a build like this?
I was thinking I could share some information from the Mazda3 and Focus guys?
How bout the option of a Turbo and going for a reliable 275-300hp+?

This build will be starting with a block and probably running an aftermarket head and forged internals.
 
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#2 ·
I came here cause I know that the Focus community has alot more experience with building the Duratec motors, the Ranger community is more for V8 swaps and 4.0V6 builds.

The engine runs great right now, I just was trying to get a good idea if it will be worth the trouble to build the motor on a budget.
 
#5 ·
This^^^^^^^^^^= get a foci 23 head.
Yeah, get a focus 2.3 head. I'd put some H-beam rods in it, like 9:1 compression pistons if your gonna go turbo, and a set of turbo cams. Run something like a T3/T4 turbo with maybe around 15-18 psi and that should get you into the 300HP ballpark for a turbo build, you could even run a GT28 if your don't want to go above 300HP and that will give you a little more "instant" power.

If your gonna stay NA I would still get the 2.3 focus head and put some H-beam rods to have a strong bottom end, stock compression is 10:1 and you could probably get up into the 200HP ballpark on stock pistons NA but you would probably want to go up to some 11:1 or 12:1 compression pistons if you want to go above that. And of course you would need some cams, stage 1 should be more than adaquate for what you want, probably upgrade the valves and valve springs. A header and intake, its easier to get into the HP your looking at with a turbo. You can see 250HP on a stock engine with a GT28 turbo with 8-12 psi.
& This^^^^^^^^ n/a you'll need 11:1 pistons.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, get a focus 2.3 head. I'd put some H-beam rods in it, like 9:1 compression pistons if your gonna go turbo, and a set of turbo cams. Run something like a T3/T4 turbo with maybe around 15-18 psi and that should get you into the 300HP ballpark for a turbo build, you could even run a GT28 if your don't want to go above 300HP and that will give you a little more "instant" power.

If your gonna stay NA I would still get the 2.3 focus head and put some H-beam rods to have a strong bottom end, stock compression is 10:1 and you could probably get up into the 200HP ballpark on stock pistons NA but you would probably want to go up to some 11:1 or 12:1 compression pistons if you want to go above that. And of course you would need some cams, stage 1 should be more than adaquate for what you want, probably upgrade the valves and valve springs. A header and intake, its easier to get into the HP your looking at with a turbo. You can see 250HP on a stock engine with a GT28 turbo with 8-12 psi.
 
#6 ·
Sorry I have been swamped with work and just kept forgetting to come back here to reply to this post.

My goal is to start with giving my Ranger more low-end torque and a broader powerband. I used 250hp as a reasonable number. I am not looking to make a sport truck or a drag machine.

I will continue to use my Ranger as a daily driver, and just want to make it so that when I do pull a trailer with bikes it doesn't feel the load as bad. Also improve basic driveability without requiring to wait for boost to build or building some crazy N/A motor.


Truck has been amazing to own, and I just want to give it further life. So as far as power, I am not set on 250hp, but I don't want to create some 400hp machine and ruin gas mileage.


So should I use a stock Focus 2.3 Head or go with something Aftermarket?
 
#8 ·
I didn't think about finding a 2.5 Duratec, but what about the crank for those, I was informed that alot of people love the Ranger crank as it is forged and capable of supporting 400hp without any issues.
 
#9 ·
Yeah id do a 2.5 as well. Massive sells a VCT delete kit for them too

Is the ranger crank actually forged? I always thought it was desirable because of the lack of a gear for the balance shafts. Little lighter, thats all.

The 2.5 uses a set of balance shafts just like the focus 2.3, and i believe it isnt forged, but havent heard of anyone snapping cranks on a ~250hp turbo build on a duratec.
 
#12 ·
Yeah, reason for using the 2.3 head is because there isn't any manifolds or anything really available for the 2.5 head yet and the ports on the 2.5 are HUGE compared to the 2.3. and you would need to use an entire lower 2.5 assembly but from what i've read the 2.5 does have a forged crank so it should be able to handle a good bit of torque and power. A 2.5 with a 2.3 head and a small turbo would give you some good low/mid range torque just like a 2.3 with a small turbo but you will just have more torque from the larger displacement. Its a give and take relationship between high horsepower and high low end torque its hard to have both.
 
#13 ·
Perfect, my plan is to give the truck more driveability and not make it a sleeper or a sport truck. But I am planning on doing a junk yard engine build.

Find a wrecked fusion or edge and pull the block, get a head from a focus or mazda3, find a small turbo and intercooler off a small car (subaru, eclipse, etc) and rebuild it.

The block and head will get some cleaning and machine work. The Pistons, Rods, Cams, Intake, Exhaust will be purchased for the build.
 
#14 ·
Yeah, it needs to be a 2010 and up Fusion or a 2009 and up Edge to have the 2.5 duratec, and there really isn't anything available for the 2.5 duratec yet either so you will be more than likely be forced to use stock pistons and rods on that build. And if your going boost I would just keep the stock 2.3 cams, just upgrade the valve springs.

If your gonna do a complete junkyard build, then run your ranger manifold or a knock off cosi manifold if you want to run more than 10psi of boost unless your ranger manifold is aluminium. 2.5"-3" exhaust. You will probably have to get a custom turbo manifold made if your going to just pick a random turbo, but I would try and find a K04 off a volkswagen or mazda, but it can make over 300HP and spools up really quickly for low end torque. And of course a custom tune has to be in there. There are lots of other little things I would do like a PCV delete to a catch can and EGR and other little things.
 
#15 ·
Think of it that the big more expensive components like the Block, Head, Turbo, and such are going to be pulled from a junkyard and the rest will be built up from purchased parts. Though I have a feeling this will get very confusing in due time as I get closer to starting everything.
 
#17 ·
My original idea was just to build a 2.3 Duratec, but it seems people are strongly recommending the 2.5 with the 2.3 head.

250-275rwhp is fine for me, would like to get around 300+rwtq
 
#19 ·
Hmmm well thats good to know, some places online have very misleading information sometimes. Its good to have someone who has done it first hand and knows from experience what is in the engine. Note taken, cast crankshaft in the 2.5 duratec
 
#20 ·
I don't know if it is worth the trouble to build a 2.5 and having to worry about the VVT Delete and such, when the idea is to build a good stonger replacement engine to just drop right in and wire up without much hassle. Then take the truck up to get it tuned so everything runs properly.
 
#23 ·
Well I will need to get the situation where I can get the Block, Head, Crank, Rods, Pistons and then go from there. I just want to minimize the headaches with being able to get it wired into the factory system.
 
#25 ·
Has anyone come across forged 2.5 rods and pistons? If you're going to run stock bottom end on a 2.5 I wouldn't expect it to be very reliable. I think if you forged internall'd a 2.3 with a smaller gt28 it'd have much less stress and be more reliable

Sent from my SM-G930V using FF Mobile
I'd roll a gt2871rs w/ forged rods/pistons. Since your there toss in a ranger crank & 1 piece ss valves...
 
#31 ·
Chuckle

Are you in north east PA, or Northeast, PA?

Northeast PA is located in the north west corner of the State, north east of Erie.

Always got a chuckle from that one, northeast corner of the section added to PA to give it lake Erie access.
 
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