2.7L, or 2.3L. Help me make the right decision.

[indio22]

My dealer is also a friend of mine. He said the 2.3 is plenty capable. The 2.7 will be just plain NASTY though. He also said that the 2.7 is tried and true. Least number of warranty issues of all the engines Ford produces right now.
2.7 - more power -Ok, no biggie
2.7 - flatter power curve - Ok, no biggie
2.7 - most reliable with least warranty issues -SOLD!
I do not want to take the chance of my Bronco being in the shop at all if I can help it.

Yeah but with the 2.7L you are stuck with the auto trans. And in 35 years of vehicle ownership, I've never had an engine or manual trans failure, but have had several major auto trans issues. In fact recently had to get my Jeep auto trans rebuilt, and it wasn't cheap. So at least for me, reliability and longentivity equals manual trans. Hence the 2.3L.

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[noahr]

2

I need some guidance folks. My old mind keeps telling me the 2.3L engine is too small for a 4 door OBX w/10 spd auto. I'm old school (and just old also), and the thought that there's no replacement for displacement is ingrained in my way of thinking. If you can help me out here I would certainly be thankful. Do I need the 2.7L, or will the smaller 2.3L be fine?

2.3 powers a full size ranger pickup and works just fine you dont need the 2.7 if you want it to be faster slightly sure but otherwise eh it isnt necessary

 

[wvmtneer]

Seen it - Loved it...Even those goofballs couldn't get it done.
Wonder how many were turned in during "Cash for Clunkers" and if the kill method actually worked on them? Probably took a bit more than the usual engine

My 86 yota with 5spd manual and 22r was traded in for CFC. Bed was rotten and made a wooded flat bed.

 

[EvlNvrDys]

Sorry folks but I'm not reading 5 pages here.

With that said, go with the V6. 4 bangers are meant for the Prius.

And for those who want to compare a turbo 4 banger to a V8 from 25 years ago, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say my old 351's would probably drag your 4 bangers around the back yard. I'd still take a 351 with a 4 speed auto over this turbo shit any day.

 

[Bronco88]

2.7 is dual fuel injection, no? so no gummed up intake valves or any of the other issues the 2.3 may have. I personally don't want a 4 cylinder (even with a turbo) in a heavy vehicle like the Bronco over a long period of time. 2.7 proved to keep up to a Raptor on stock tune so no need to get a 2.3 and tune it, tuning a 2.7 would then put you ahead of that 2.3. The fact that it's designed to tow and handle whatever an F-150 can throw at it means it would be the better choice in the Bronco.

 

[Lifeliberty]

If you want a manual you are getting the 2.3
Since you want auto, get the 2.7
I wouldn't even question it. Fact is, you'll probably never use either engine to its potential. Since you are getting the auto, might as well match it to some fun.

Plus, i think it's a better engine.
I'm getting 2.3 because manual, no way around that, but I'd prefer the v6

Either one will be fun and fine for road use with no problems. If you can afford it, get the V6

 

[bluesun68]

No matter what you drive you just get used to it.

 

[MacHudson]

i currently have a volvo with the T5 engine (turbo 2.0 i4) and on the volvo forums people had the same topic of the T5 vs the T6 (turbo and supercharged 2.0 i4). what it came down to was the 240hp of the T5 had plenty of power for every day needs and the T6 was just wasted because you never use it.

in Ontario, 50kph over the limit and your car gets impounded. so having all this extra power to me doesn't do you any good.

Ontario, speeding and impounded car - does that rule apply to the highways, or only country roads? I’ve done my share of driving on 401 (all the way from Windsor to Montreal), the Gardner, the QEW, and 402 (up to Muskoka), and 407 (that privately run über-toll road on the north side of Toronto).

It has always seemed to me that it is legally impossible to be pulled over for speeding on Ontario’s version of the interstate system. Y’all are insane when there’s no stop lights.

Strange thing, though - get off the interstate equivalent and into the city streets of Toronto and people drive nice and easy. They’re worse in Windsor! T.O. goes from Mad Max to Elmer Fudd behind the wheel.

Not Montreal, though. Their motto seems to be, Fuck You Yankee.

 

[mrjerry469]

I'm going to save some gas and $2K and go for the 2.3L. If I end up wanting more power (and that's an "IF"), that will be cheap and easy aftermarket. A Ford performance tune kit for the Ranger is a bit over $600 now and brings the HP/Torque up to 315/370 just by running premium gas - and with a factory warranty. The extra cost/complexity/weight of the 2.7L just don't seem justified to me. But then again, to each their own. If budget isn't an issue and you think you want the 2.7, just get the 2.7.

The price of years of burning of premium gas and the Ford performance tune kit vs the cost of the 2.7 will probably balance of out in the long run.

 

[mC.242]

The price of years of burning of premium gas and the Ford performance tune kit vs the cost of the 2.7 will probably balance of out in the long run.

About 10 years by my estimate. Like I said, if budget isn't an issue just get the 2.7L. I probably will leave it stock and pocket the $2k.

 

[Moparguy]

I need some guidance folks. My old mind keeps telling me the 2.3L engine is too small for a 4 door OBX w/10 spd auto. I'm old school (and just old also), and the thought that there's no replacement for displacement is ingrained in my way of thinking. If you can help me out here I would certainly be thankful. Do I need the 2.7L, or will the smaller 2.3L be fine?

Do you need 2.7L ? No, do you want it? YES I am a V8 guy, I don't get those 4 bangers.
If you are not sure, go test drive the Explorer, Lincoln Corsair or MKC, they all have the 2.3L as one of the options, I would guess the Explorer would be near the Bronco, even faster than the Bronco.

 

[Bronco4lyfe85]

personally I’m going with the 3.6L

 

[shoelessjoe]

I need some guidance folks. My old mind keeps telling me the 2.3L engine is too small for a 4 door OBX w/10 spd auto. I'm old school (and just old also), and the thought that there's no replacement for displacement is ingrained in my way of thinking. If you can help me out here I would certainly be thankful. Do I need the 2.7L, or will the smaller 2.3L be fine?

It's better to have too much then not enough.

 

[PartyMarty]

About 10 years by my estimate. Like I said, if budget isn't an issue just get the 2.7L. I probably will leave it stock and pocket the $2k.

Around here the spread from regular to premium is about 60c/gallon. Being generous and not including the cost of the 2.3L tune and averaging 18 mpg results in a break-even after 56k miles. Getting the stock 2.7L with regular gas will pay for itself in a few years.

 

[RLW]

The 2.7 was engineered and created with the turbo in mind, actually for the turbo. It was never meant to not have it.
the 2.3 had the turbo added after the fact to add horse power.

I know some will say that isn’t a big deal, but I really disagree.

I think the fact that the 2.7 was designed and built specifically to have a turbo makes a difference. It should make a difference with longevity and maintenance costs. Of course this is just a guess on my part. Or my assumption that the engineers knew what they were doing when they created the engine.

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