2.3L power to weight ratio

[Austin26]

What are your thoughts on the 2.3l power to weight ratio? Will it have enough power to be effective off-road for say Hill climbing from a stop? Pushing through deep mud/snow? What about pavment driving pulling steep grades in the mountains full of people and gear?

All of this is about gearing. Why do you think the original Jeeps managed just fine with like 40 hp or what ever they had back then? It'll be fine. Regearing is always an option depending on your goals.

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[Used2jeep]

If I had a dollar for every "4dr 4 cylinder" thread...

How many 2.0t Jeeps on 35+'s are there out there, this'll be fine

How many 1980s and 1970s machines did really well with those powerplants? Quite a few. Yes, I am also of the mistaken mindset "bigger is better and the small motor is no good at all".

 

[WolfgangAlpha]

Today my wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee had to go in the shop. We were given the Ford Explorer as a loaner. It had the 2.3 with the 10 speed auto and I was shocked at how it preformed. Totally settled the 2.3 with manual for me.

 

[tlubull]

Now just to figure the engine to asphalt gear ratio with sasquatch (or 33s for you!)

 

[Rogues Gambit]

How many 1980s and 1970s machines did really well with those powerplants? Quite a few. Yes, I am also of the mistaken mindset "bigger is better and the small motor is no good at all".

Weren't they also choked by emissions standards. I mean, uncorking those old big blocks will netcha tons of power, but still they managed with the older beasts

 

[NVCowboy]

Based on my 2019 natural asp 3.5 Explorer, and the additional 50 lbs of torque offered in the 2.3 liter turbo, the 2.3 will be a very adequate engine in the Bronco. The 2.7 wins the day in fun factor, and injection systems not creating carbon buildup over the long term. I also like that the 2.7 was designed from the ground up as a turbo motor, incorporating diesel technology (materials) in the design.

 

[Stitches1974]

Here is something to think about. The little 2.3 in the Bronco puts out over 100 hp more than the Ferrari that Magnum PI drove back in the 80s.

Might want to check your math. Only a 37 HP difference.

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/magnum-p-i-1984-ferrari-308-gts-quattrovalvole-auction/

1984 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole =233 HP
2.3 EB =270 HP

 

[manualT]

Best advice I could give you would be to test drive a ranger, I know it's lighter than a Bronco, but it has a 7000 pound tow rating so I'm pretty sure it can easily handle the extra 700ish pounds from a BL Bronco.
I'm getting the 2.3 with a manual in the four door. I doubted the 4 cylinder until I test drove a ranger. For me, it was plenty powerful enough to suit my on and off-road needs, which includes going through mud, rock crawling, fording some small streams and taking it on the beach. I don't live at a super high elevation, if I did, it may have pushed me to the 6 cylinder. I also don't think I will be running it in the baja 500 or racing any raptors so the 6 just seemed overkill for my needs.

I might have to do that. I have a TRD 4runner with a Supercharger, so I have increased the power by ~ 30%, so the only thing I do not like about the 4RN is the lack of a manual transmission.

The Bronco, has been on my radar for years due to the manual, but the weight and 2.3 engine have me slightly on the fence. I do not need the power for around town, but it is nice for passing on highway and the occasional time when you have an open road, also the sound will be a factor, generally the 4cyl do not sound as good. Looking forward to some manual transmission reviews.

 

[Rogues Gambit]

A 2.3L will do fine in 4-low. I have read over and over about how anemic the Toyotas are, so if you are getting a Bronco, expect the same. If you're crawling, the gear reduction of the transfer case helps a great deal. In mud, and maybe snow (depending on the conditions), you may be disappointed with the ability to spin it up a bit.

Except by adding a tune, downpipe, intake and a few other bolt on's, it'll wake up and fly (For what it is)

 

[Deleted member 13702]

I might have to do that. I have a TRD 4runner with a Supercharger, so I have increased the power by ~ 30%, so the only thing I do not like about the 4RN is the lack of a manual transmission.

The Bronco, has been on my radar for years due to the manual, but the weight and 2.3 engine have me slightly on the fence. I do not need the power for around town, but it is nice for passing on highway and the occasional time when you have an open road, also the sound will be a factor, generally the 4cyl do not sound as good. Looking forward to some manual transmission reviews.

I've recently been more on the fence about getting the manual and the 4 cylinder. I still think the combo is powerful enough, but I've come to the conclusion that some of my joint problems might make me regret the manual when I encounter high traffic areas. I also feel apprehensive about not getting the trail turn assist on the larger 4 door, which I think only comes with the 2.7 on the badlands trim. I'm ordering tomorrow and hope the dealer can clear up if it can be had with the 2.3l and automatic.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

All of this is about gearing. Why do you think the original Jeeps managed just fine with like 40 hp or what ever they had back then? It'll be fine. Regearing is always an option depending on your goals.

 

[bytheway]

A 4-door Bronco will be significantly heavier than other comparable 4-door offroaders, given a 2.3L or 2.7L 4-door BD squatch will weigh 5226 or 5320 lbs, respectively, compared to the 4300 lb wrangler JK or a 4750 lb TRD 4-runner. I assume the squatched 4-door BD with it's steel bumper, bash plates, and rock rails will add the most weight from Fords range of weight specs. (I'm going with a BD as I see you're thinking about too). The Badlands, actually might be the heaviest with the swaybar disconnect, but not by much.

Here's a breakdown of some weight to power ratios (lbs per hp or lbs per lbft torque)
2.3L Bronco: 19.4 lbs/hp - 16.9 lbs/torque
2.7L Bronco: 17.2 lbs/hp - 13.3 lbs/torque
4-door wrangler unlimited JK: 15.1 lbs/hp - 16.2 lbs/torque
TRD 4-runner: 17.6 lbs/hp - 17.1 lbs/torque

With the 2.3L, a squatched 4-door bronco will be the slowest to 60, guaranteed, even though it has a nice flat torque curve starting in the low RPM range.
With the 2.7L, you're still behind the wrangler in HP, in the ballpark of the 4-runner HP, but you'll be the torque king by a large margin!

I think the 2.3L could be pretty anemic for a heavy squatched Bronco. Don't risk it. Get the 2.7, especially if you're getting the auto anyways. That's just my opinion.

Edit: Also those reported Bronco 2.3L and 2.7L performance numbers are with premium fuel. I'd expect to shave off 5-10% from those numbers with regular (I'm not paying 60c/gallon extra for premium on a regular basis), as the CPU will protect the engine and won't allow for the full turbo boost with regular gas.

Fuel efficiency should be about the same for each engine as the 2.3L is just going to have to work harder to move the same weight/wind resistance anyways.

Never seen someone use weight to power ratio. Normally it's the opposite. I was thrown off at first expecting the higher number to be better.

 

[Rick Astley]

Drastically more important for an offroad vehicle than power to weight ratio is torque to weight ratio, assuming you wanted a ratio related to weight as one of your talking points to convince yourself, and what must be MASSIVE balls, that the 2.7 is in any way a requirement for Bronco to be capable offroad.

• 2.3 badlands (est 4,800 lb weight) with an effective torque rating of 29,372 ft lb (crawl gear) gives a 6.119 ft lb tq per lb of vehicle (6.119:1)

• 2.7 badlands with an effective torque rating of 27,120 (400 tq X 67.8 crawl ratio = 27120) for an aenimic 5.65 torques per lb of vehicle (5.65:1)

So to answer your question: The 2.3 has better torque-to-weight ratio and is capable enough to haul 13,801 lbs in Ranger (4,441 curb weight + 7,500 max towing + 1,860 lbs bed payload), I think that juuuuuuuuuuuuuust maybe the 2.3 might have the testicular fortitude to propel a Sasquatch equipped Bronco.

 

[BearPatrol]

What about 2.3 & auto? Since it won't have the crawler gear.

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