Things you did not know

P. A. Schilke

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I always love your input Phil! I had a 2.9L in the 89 Ranger I drove in high school. I loved that engine and still see that truck running around Northern Nevada every now and then. Any info on why that engine got a bad rap and was only used shortly?

Thanks!
Hi Drew,

Actually, the 2.9L was a good engine! The bad rap was the old 2.8L with its mechanical tappets. Horrible motor for valve adjustments. 2.9L was a modification of the 2.8L with hydraulic lifters and no need for valve adjustment. I always thought the 2.9L was a solid reliable motor! Not the most powerful, but got the job done..

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
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P. A. Schilke

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You might be surprised at the Kent engine, in stock trim it was reliable and performed proportionally with a light car like a Pinto or a Cortina.
The Kent motor was well developed for racing though and was a staple in Formula Ford race cars for a generation.
Of course the car barely weighed 900 pounds including the driver.


383573.jpg
Yep! Slap a Cosworth 4 Valve, dual overhead Cam cylinder head, change the pistons and rods and you had a Formula Atlantic Cosworth BDA motor that screamed! 5 mail bearing crankshaft was very robust.. Great motor!

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Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

RedlandRanger

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Hi Drew,

Actually, the 2.9L was a good engine! The bad rap was the old 2.8L with its mechanical tappets. Horrible motor for valve adjustments. 2.9L was a modification of the 2.8L with hydraulic lifters and no need for valve adjustment. I always thought the 2.9L was a solid reliable motor! Not the most powerful, but got the job done..

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
I have the precursor to the 2.8, the 2.6 in my '73 Capri and I don't think it is a bad engine. The 2.8 is in a million (literally) vehicles. The valve adjustments with the solid lifters isn't that bad really. I put a Holley Sniper Throttlebody EFI on it and it runs REALLY good now. These engines (by today's standards) aren't the most powerful, but they do work well. Heavy (since they are all cast iron), but reliable.

The only bad thing about the 2.6 is the siamesed exhuast ports - they tend to get rather hot - it is the reason I decided to keep the motor in the car when I rebuilt it. It is a rather unique engine since it was only produced for 2 years before the "improved" 2.8 was released.
 

DHMag

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Hi Drew,

Actually, the 2.9L was a good engine! The bad rap was the old 2.8L with its mechanical tappets. Horrible motor for valve adjustments. 2.9L was a modification of the 2.8L with hydraulic lifters and no need for valve adjustment. I always thought the 2.9L was a solid reliable motor! Not the most powerful, but got the job done..

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
You'll always know it's a 2.8l by the distinct tappet sound. Had one in my 83 Ranger and loved it. Had a 2.9l in my 88 and it was a pig.
 

Floyd

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You'll always know it's a 2.8l by the distinct tappet sound. Had one in my 83 Ranger and loved it. Had a 2.9l in my 88 and it was a pig.
The 4.0L version in my 1992 Ranger shortbox, regularcab had amazing performance combined with the 5SPD manual.
That truck truly was a "sportscar with a big trunk" while still capably working hard and towing my car trailer.
 


P. A. Schilke

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Okay...2.8L back story. I was part of a crew that was organizing the final sign off drive of the 1985½ Aerostar program. We use a loop around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California. I was sorting out an Aerostar 2.8L Manual trans for NVH on Colorado Blvd in heavy bumper to bumper stop and go traffic when I hear a CRACK and I lost the clutch pedal. Now in trouble as the 5spd does not like being shifted without a clutch and stop and go, inching forward was a killer. I put the Aerostar in 1st gear and used the starter motor to inch forward. This really sucked but was all I could do to get the prototype off the road. I spotted a Ford Dealer up ahead and that was going to be my oasis to get this flipping clutch pedal fixed temporarily. This in the days before cell phones so I had no contact with the crew at the Rose Bowl. I pulled up to the service writer with the drivers side window down. Service writer did not bat an eyelash and said that he was booked for a week ahead. I told him he was looking at a Mini Van that would not be in production for another year and half. He was not impressed... Fortunately the service manager saw the Aerostar and ran out of the building. He approached me and said "Is this what I think it is?". I told him that I had no idea what he was thinking it was but it was a 85½ Aerostar. He had me pull the vehicle around back to the garage and said he would meet me back there by the garage door. So I got out and keeled down looking under the dash and saw the there was a broken plastic clip that had fractured into several pieces that was the clip that held the pedal post to the clutch master cylinder push rod. I sensed someone was behind me and when I got up that whole garage emptied out to look at the Aerostar. I told them what it was and they wanted me to pop the hood...that was a big mistake as when they saw how tight the 2.8L was packaged in the engine compartment and that it would need valve adjustments I started getting hostel insults thrown at me. Fortunately the Service Manager showed up and the mechanics settled down... One mechanic was looking underneath the vehicle and spied several places that he could not even get his hand up into with out cuting his hand. I told the crew I was taking notes to pass on to the sharp edge committee at Ford to see if there were a few more opportunities to create sharp edges. Many of the mechanics looked like deer in headlights and one finally said, "Your kidding, right?"... That was the ice breaker and they became helpful and helped me kluge the clutch pedal back on the master cylinder push rod. Back at the Rose Bowl, they were getting ready to put out a search party. Call back to Dearborn kicked off a complete redesign of the clutch pedal attachment... Whew!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

NVHoonigan

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Okay...2.8L back story. I was part of a crew that was organizing the final sign off drive of the 1985½ Aerostar program. We use a loop around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California. I was sorting out an Aerostar 2.8L Manual trans for NVH on Colorado Blvd in heavy bumper to bumper stop and go traffic when I hear a CRACK and I lost the clutch pedal. Now in trouble as the 5spd does not like being shifted without a clutch and stop and go, inching forward was a killer. I put the Aerostar in 1st gear and used the starter motor to inch forward. This really sucked but was all I could do to get the prototype off the road. I spotted a Ford Dealer up ahead and that was going to be my oasis to get this flipping clutch pedal fixed temporarily. This in the days before cell phones so I had no contact with the crew at the Rose Bowl. I pulled up to the service writer with the drivers side window down. Service writer did not bat an eyelash and said that he was booked for a week ahead. I told him he was looking at a Mini Van that would not be in production for another year and half. He was not impressed... Fortunately the service manager saw the Aerostar and ran out of the building. He approached me and said "Is this what I think it is?". I told him that I had no idea what he was thinking it was but it was a 85½ Aerostar. He had me pull the vehicle around back to the garage and said he would meet me back there by the garage door. So I got out and keeled down looking under the dash and saw the there was a broken plastic clip that had fractured into several pieces that was the clip that held the pedal post to the clutch master cylinder push rod. I sensed someone was behind me and when I got up that whole garage emptied out to look at the Aerostar. I told them what it was and they wanted me to pop the hood...that was a big mistake as when they saw how tight the 2.8L was packaged in the engine compartment and that it would need valve adjustments I started getting hostel insults thrown at me. Fortunately the Service Manager showed up and the mechanics settled down... One mechanic was looking underneath the vehicle and spied several places that he could not even get his hand up into with out cuting his hand. I told the crew I was taking notes to pass on to the sharp edge committee at Ford to see if there were a few more opportunities to create sharp edges. Many of the mechanics looked like deer in headlights and one finally said, "Your kidding, right?"... That was the ice breaker and they became helpful and helped me kluge the clutch pedal back on the master cylinder push rod. Back at the Rose Bowl, they were getting ready to put out a search party. Call back to Dearborn kicked off a complete redesign of the clutch pedal attachment... Whew!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
We need to get Phil his own Sticky... just title it "Back Story" and keep all of these in one place. They are fantastic!
 

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We need to get Phil his own Sticky... just title it "Back Story" and keep all of these in one place. They are fantastic!
That would be great! I love the "sharp edge committee" - that is classic.
 

DHMag

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The 4.0L version in my 1992 Ranger shortbox, regularcab had amazing performance combined with the 5SPD manual.
That truck truly was a "sportscar with a big trunk" while still capably working hard and towing my car trailer.
I swapped a 4.0 into my 88, which included a full wire harness rewire. The 4.0 was amazing when coupled with the 5spd. I also installed a set of Hooker long tube headers to a custom exhaust.
 

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We had a ranger on the farm with the 2.9 and a 4 speed it had plenty enough power for a small truck we towed full hay wagons and ripped out big thorn apple trees no problem. Actually my aunt and grandpa still have the truck at their house and use it to haul firewood. Never been rebuilt the biggest repair I think was a few yrs ago when I put a new carb on it. My aunt bought it brand new I think it was an 86. Whichever year was the first for the 2.9.
 

NVHoonigan

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We had a ranger on the farm with the 2.9 and a 4 speed it had plenty enough power for a small truck we towed full hay wagons and ripped out big thorn apple trees no problem. Actually my aunt and grandpa still have the truck at their house and use it to haul firewood. Never been rebuilt the biggest repair I think was a few yrs ago when I put a new carb on it. My aunt bought it brand new I think it was an 86. Whichever year was the first for the 2.9.
The only thing I had to do was rebuild the clutch because I was a dumb teenager who thought he could make it go fast. I sold it to buy a Mustang and always regretted it. Now I'm on my third Ranger.
 

Anthony

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Phil: starts to tell a story...

Everyone else:

998630B7-8506-4FF4-9FA4-CBB3250B4F93.jpeg
 

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Okay...2.8L back story. I was part of a crew that was organizing the final sign off drive of the 1985½ Aerostar program. We use a loop around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California. I was sorting out an Aerostar 2.8L Manual trans for NVH on Colorado Blvd in heavy bumper to bumper stop and go traffic when I hear a CRACK and I lost the clutch pedal. Now in trouble as the 5spd does not like being shifted without a clutch and stop and go, inching forward was a killer. I put the Aerostar in 1st gear and used the starter motor to inch forward. This really sucked but was all I could do to get the prototype off the road. I spotted a Ford Dealer up ahead and that was going to be my oasis to get this flipping clutch pedal fixed temporarily. This in the days before cell phones so I had no contact with the crew at the Rose Bowl. I pulled up to the service writer with the drivers side window down. Service writer did not bat an eyelash and said that he was booked for a week ahead. I told him he was looking at a Mini Van that would not be in production for another year and half. He was not impressed... Fortunately the service manager saw the Aerostar and ran out of the building. He approached me and said "Is this what I think it is?". I told him that I had no idea what he was thinking it was but it was a 85½ Aerostar. He had me pull the vehicle around back to the garage and said he would meet me back there by the garage door. So I got out and keeled down looking under the dash and saw the there was a broken plastic clip that had fractured into several pieces that was the clip that held the pedal post to the clutch master cylinder push rod. I sensed someone was behind me and when I got up that whole garage emptied out to look at the Aerostar. I told them what it was and they wanted me to pop the hood...that was a big mistake as when they saw how tight the 2.8L was packaged in the engine compartment and that it would need valve adjustments I started getting hostel insults thrown at me. Fortunately the Service Manager showed up and the mechanics settled down... One mechanic was looking underneath the vehicle and spied several places that he could not even get his hand up into with out cuting his hand. I told the crew I was taking notes to pass on to the sharp edge committee at Ford to see if there were a few more opportunities to create sharp edges. Many of the mechanics looked like deer in headlights and one finally said, "Your kidding, right?"... That was the ice breaker and they became helpful and helped me kluge the clutch pedal back on the master cylinder push rod. Back at the Rose Bowl, they were getting ready to put out a search party. Call back to Dearborn kicked off a complete redesign of the clutch pedal attachment... Whew!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
I owned a "Strawberry colored" 1990 Aerostar short box with a 3.0L and a 5SPD manual transmission.
The clutch pedal was flimsy, similar to a foot operated e-Brake made of formed sheet metal.
It was also about 15° off in its attachment to the rotation rod which would not allow the clutch to fully disengage.
I had to remove the assembly, rotate the clutch pedal, and weld it back in, boxing the arm to keep it from flexing when disengaging the clutch.

The suspension had about 2-1/2" of jounce in the front and more than 11" in the rear.
I cut about 3/4" off the front control arms and beat in the rear wheel wells to fit wider wheels and tires.
Then installed Monroe Magnum shocks, Moog variable rate springs in back along with a 3 piece sway bar...
It drove and handled pretty well after that.

Fortunately... I never had to work on the engine because it could not be found.
I was pretty sure it had one, since I could hear it and the van could be driven,
and to be truthful, I could reach the oil pan plug and the filter with some effort.
I think there was only 5 Aerostar Wagons with stick shifts sold in Illannoy that year.

We actually learned to like the Aerostar and even named it "KIRBY" after the video game character.
"Kirby" was described in the game as "One Tough Creampuff" which would expand like a ballon when challenged!

large.jpg
 
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rang19ca

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Phil, love the backstory on the Aerostar. My employer bought these for sales vehicles and I maintained a bunch of them. One time I found a rats nest inside the HVAC box. Sorry to derail the thread.
 

Art S

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Hi Art,

Different 2.3L in the 2019 Ranger than the old 2.3L Lima in the 3G Ranger... Make sense?

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
Not sure, which one has the 2 plugs per cylinder, the old Ranger 2.3 or the new 2019 2.3 Rangers?
Sponsored

 
 



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