Crossplane 2.3L Ford Performance Ecoboost Crate Engine Build

[ButterBean]

I understand that to many this should go into the 2.3L upgrades/mods/discussions area, but for all of this to come together and work would practically require all the steps to an engine swap or flat-out getting a new 2.3L crate from Ford Performance...

I want to see if I can with custom balance shafts, camshafts, crankshaft, and crank pulleys, make a 2.3L Ecoboost run on a cross-plane firing order. This would have zero benefits other than sounding cool and maybe getting a power curve favoring the lower RPM range, while keeping near-stock fuel economy. Ideally I'd end up with a high-compression setup with water injection for better power and/or fuel economy, but for now I just want the sound. Anybody think it can be done? Obviously this motor already fits in the bronco, but considering the absolute wizards I see on here talking about instrument cluster swaps, 5.2L swaps, and screen swaps, I'm really just curious to get input on how easy or difficult it would be to get all of the OEM sensors feeding into the PCM to assume the new firing order and setup are normal.

Consider all this as a feasibility study I suppose
(This is my first thread, so hello all!)

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[RoLyMa27]

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like it would be much easier to stuff a 302 in that bad boy and call it a day! Welcome to the forum John.

 

[Rydfree]

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like it would be much easier to stuff a 302 in that bad boy and call it a day! Welcome to the forum John.

Actually probably easier just to get a crossplane sound injected thru the speakers instead of Fords V8 sound file,lol.

 

[ButterBean]

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like it would be much easier to stuff a 302 in that bad boy and call it a day! Welcome to the forum John.

I'd love nothing more than to rip the guts completely out of one of these and have a mechanically 70s truck with the looks and lights of a 6th gen, but I feel my crazy idea may somehow end up being cheaper. Factory mounting points, wiring, plumbing, connections, sensors, etc.. Thanks for the welcome!

Actually probably easier just to get a crossplane sound injected thru the speakers instead of Fords V8 sound file,lol.

I got to do a pre-delivery inspection on a 2024 Ranger with the new 2.3L "noise" and while I enjoyed it, I want nothing fake. I want an actual crossplane rumble at idle and the authentic, throaty roar that our ears have associated with that said crossplane firing order.

 

[MileHighCitizen]

This feels like the kind of thing, that if you don't already know how to do, there is ZERO chance of actually doing it. Sure, anything can be done with enough money, so find a Ford tuner-shop in your area and ask them. And doing it for the "sound" in a 4 cylinder engine is one of the most impractical wastes of money I've ever heard.

Just buy a catless exhaust with no muffler, donate $10k to a charity and you will have accomplished the same thing.

 

[zyglyrox]

its not impossible, but it’s very hard to do. Yamaha managed to do it with the R1, but they’re also the same people who made the first gen Taurus SHO

 

[ButterBean]

I'm very much so planning to work with the right people to get the custom parts and do the due testing. The main concern I have is entirely software related. Can I convince the PCM of X v.s. Y firing order? Will the crank and cam position sensors not brick something when everything is set up? These are the things I'm uncertain about, and am thus asking around. You're right on asking a tuner though...thanks!

As for money, we're already overpaying through interest rates being what they are. I'm young and dumb, so I'd rather waste money on something like this than the more common things my generation wastes money on

 

[Fordified1]

Forgive my ignorance but Doesn’t a cross-plane firing order require 2 separate cylinder banks (like a v-8 or v-6)? A flat crank in an inline 4 would sound like a Harley twin wouldn’t it? And vibrate about as bad.

 

[ButterBean]

Forgive my ignorance but Doesn’t a cross-plane firing order require 2 separate cylinder banks (like a v-8 or v-6)? A flat crank in an inline 4 would sound like a Harley twin wouldn’t it? And vibrate about as bad.

Well, 99%+ of all currently produced inline 4s are flat-plane cranks. The outer two pistons rise while the inner two fall, and vice versa as the crank proceeds past the 180º point. This results in good primary balance, but poor secondary balance.
Cross-plane cranks for inline 4s have the advantage of improved secondary balance (important for much higher revving and a reduced reliance on the balancing shafts), but nuked primary balance.

This means in the context of the 2.3L, the idling and lower RPM range would be rougher than stock, and potentially reduced stress at higher revs. A lot of research would need to be done on my end obviously to make this work without making a motor that shakes itself apart, but I know what I'm in for

Sound-wise, a cross-plane inline 4 exhaust note genuinely shares much of its sound profile with good ol' cross-plane V8s

 

[Brian_B]

Well, tuners like JB4 intercept and fake out instrumentation measurements so the stock ECU will continue to function.

So I’m sure it can technically be made to run. I wouldn’t go so far as expect it to run with no codes, or even run well…

The much easier solution is just to enable ESE in the APIM

 

[Fordified1]

Well, 99%+ of all currently produced inline 4s are flat-plane cranks. The outer two pistons rise while the inner two fall, and vice versa as the crank proceeds past the 180º point. This results in good primary balance, but poor secondary balance.
Cross-plane cranks for inline 4s have the advantage of improved secondary balance (important for much higher revving and a reduced reliance on the balancing shafts), but nuked primary balance.

This means in the context of the 2.3L, the idling and lower RPM range would be rougher than stock, and potentially reduced stress at higher revs. A lot of research would need to be done on my end obviously to make this work without making a motor that shakes itself apart, but I know what I'm in for

Sound-wise, a cross-plane inline 4 exhaust note genuinely shares much of its sound profile with good ol' cross-plane V8s

Thanks for the education!

 

[ButterBean]

Well, tuners like JB4 intercept and fake out instrumentation measurements so the stock ECU will continue to function.

So I’m sure it can technically be made to run. I wouldn’t go so far as expect it to run with no codes, or even run well…

What I'm curious about is really what I'll have to look out for in terms of sensors being confused by the whole setup. For instance, I have no idea currently if the different vibrations would set off misfire codes, camshaft position codes, and what have you. I could have sworn I've seen tuners that let you manually enter in the firing order, but this more than likely will not be able to override anything in the OEM PCM/ECU.

I'm wondering at this rate if I'll need to "ask" some people working with Ford Performance about this for custom PCMs and such...that would be an expensive ordeal for sure.

At the end of the day, I want something that still works with all of the OE computers and modules. Worst of worse case scenarios, this becomes a build 5+ years down the line that's electronically closer with restomods and racing rigs running crate engines and custom instrument clusters...Hoonigan style

The much easier solution is just to enable ESE in the APIM

Honestly I need to give the 2.3L ESE enabled Ranger another go to understand again what the sound's like. Regardless, I want something that's not piped-in noise. Thanks for checking this out by the way. I've seen you drop some amazing information before in other threads!

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