I just drove a new Ford Ranger w/ 2.3L from Alabama to Pennsylvania

[pan-y-cerveza]

I agree with you. The 2.3 has great power stock and modified; just worried about the longevity with the block material. Not only that a manual transmission with the right gears can climb walls.

Yep. Longevity is, perhaps, a valid concern.

Some seem to be surprised OP even made it past the first state line with such a wussy little engine.

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[Broncocito]

Yep. Longevity is, perhaps, a valid concern.

Some seem to be surprised OP even made it past the first state line with such a wussy little engine.

I love 4 bangers.

 

[Ajusaf]

For reliability purposes, resale $$ (if need be) and power, 2.7 Is the best choice providing the upgrade is under $1500

 

[mikeandmiki]

My thoughts on 2.7 vs 2.3.

I don't think you will ever look back and say:
Man I wish I would have got the smaller engine.

But I'm sure there will be times you may say:
Would have been nice to have a little more power here or there.

If you can afford it get the 2.7. As long as you don't care about having a automatic/or getting an auto anyway.

I used similar logic when I bought my Hellcat. I had an R/T and was looking at a Scat Pack with 485 hp but thought why have 500ish hp when you can get 700ish for a little more $$.

This Bronco is going to be my DD replacing the Hellcat. I have a price range I’m shooting for with my 2dr Outer Banks so we’ll see when the pricing finally comes out. Won’t need to tow anything with it, I have a F-350 for that.

 

[indio22]

For reliability purposes, resale $$ (if need be) and power, 2.7 Is the best choice providing the upgrade is under $1500

Yep price is a factor. I wonder what is the price increase, from 2 door base model with manual trans and 2.3L ... to get into a 2.7L that will also require automatic trans? If it's going to be something like 4K price increase, that's a significant amount of cash I can use to have other fun. And for people who like the manual trans, they lose that too. When Ford finally releases the price/order info, that will clarify some of this in terms of cost/value.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

The internet never forgets or so it seems with the head gaskets, from what I've read it was only on the RS and was a factory wrong part issue vice an engineered issue. The carbon build-up seems to be the big question, searching for this brings up allot of arguments and there is a good Mustang video that has 78k miles with quite a bit and the person was having stalling/rough idle issues but this can be resolved with a carbon cleaning but at what cost I don't know. To me that is definitely an added cost that's been passed on to the consumer especially when it's a potential issue of DI.

Power wise I think the only argument here is the age old measuring stick variety and in what most "average" drivers do should be more than enough.

Didn't mean to hijack this, plenty of talk about this in the 2.3 threads.

 

[Broncocito]

I used similar logic when I bought my Hellcat. I had an R/T and was looking at a Scat Pack with 485 hp but thought why have 500ish hp when you can get 700ish for a little more $$.

This Bronco is going to be my DD replacing the Hellcat. I have a price range I’m shooting for with my 2dr Outer Banks so we’ll see when the pricing finally comes out. Won’t need to tow anything with it, I have a F-350 for that.

Hellcat motor in your Bronco... Wow!! Just saying that transplant would be insane

 

[ragingclue]

Could you please explain how this 2.3L in the bronco was NOT designed from the ground up to be turbo?

Here is a post from @Jomo that is much more accurate than what I've seen in this thread:

A Ford Duratec engine is essentially a Mazda MZR engine which has a closed deck Al block, iron liners, forged steel crankshaft, powder metal rods.

The current Ford Ecoboost 2.3L is a totally revised design based on the twin scroll Ecoboost 2.0L. It is not the older 2.3L Ecoboost based on the MZR . It has a ladder frame reinforced open deck Al block, chromoly liners, forged chromoly crankshaft, forged steel rods. This engine has been used since 2015.

The engines are quite different.

Hope that helps better answer your question.

EDIT: To be clear I'm saying it was, not that it wasn't

 

[JimmyD]

I am on the same boat as well. The 2.3 Ecoboost is a good engine and when paired with the 10 speed auto, it makes a great combination.

I own a 2019 Ranger XLT FX4 Crewcab. I too am impressed with this engine. I am going to order the Bronco with the 2.3 and Sasquatch package. Probably the Outerbanks model 2 door. No need for over kill on the 2.7. Good luck.

 

[mikeandmiki]

Hellcat motor in your Bronco... Wow!! Just saying that transplant would be insane

Don’t think I haven’t thought about it

 

[tshaw2009]

I had to drive back from Alabama to Pa and the rental car they gave me was a 2020 Ford Ranger XLT with FX4 package. I was so excited as I wanted to see how this thing handled and drove, having the 2.3L and I was actually pretty impressed. The 2.3L had good acceleration, seemed responsive and even was great going 80-90 most of the trip. Gas mileage was good too. I liked the seating and dash setup amd could see how it could be modified for the Bronco.

I was leaning to getting the 2.7L in my Bronco Badlands but driving this for 775 miles was very nice and now I think I could live with the 2.3. I am Sasquatching but I still felt like this would be fine with 35s, especially with the 4.7 gear ratio.

any reason I should stick with 2.7 when I order?

I like the 2.3 Ecoboost but there are good reasons that I would caution everyone to go with the 2.7 due to longevity, if your budget allows. The 2.3 Ecoboost is direct injected only, similar to the 1st gen 3.5 Ecoboost. Without something like a dual catch-can installed very early, this causes carbon buildup on the backside of the valves. This over time and with higher mileage will begin to cause misfires on startup, decrease in HP and throttle response, and misfires under heavy acceleration. To fix extensive carbon buildup on the back side of the valves takes an super expensive cleaning technique known as "walnut blasting". BMW offers this service on their GDI and TDI engines but Ford does not and does not have an alternative method to fix the issue. The 2.7 Ecoboost on the other hand also has port injection which sprays gasoline on the back side of the valves, therefore keeping them clean. The 2.7 block is also made of stronger material which can handle the increase in compression the turbos create over the long-term. You can verify everything I'm telling you on motorreviewer.com. Just look at 2.3 Ecoboost and 2.7 Ecoboost engine reviews. They will tell you everything I just did.

 

[Broncocito]

I like the 2.3 Ecoboost but there are good reasons that I would caution everyone to go with the 2.7 due to longevity, if your budget allows. The 2.3 Ecoboost is direct injected only, similar to the 1st gen 3.5 Ecoboost. Without something like a dual catch-can installed very early, this causes carbon buildup on the backside of the valves. This over time and with higher mileage will begin to cause misfires on startup, decrease in HP and throttle response, and misfires under heavy acceleration. To fix extensive carbon buildup on the back side of the valves takes an super expensive cleaning technique known as "walnut blasting". BMW offers this service on their GDI and TDI engines but Ford does not and does not have an alternative method to fix the issue. The 2.7 Ecoboost on the other hand also has port injection which sprays gasoline on the back side of the valves, therefore keeping them clean. The 2.7 block is also made of stronger material which can handle the increase in compression the turbos create over the long-term. You can verify everything I'm telling you on motorreviewer.com. Just look at 2.3 Ecoboost and 2.7 Ecoboost engine reviews. They will tell you everything I just did.

Spot on, I had to blast my Bimmer motor...

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

My father-in-law has a Ford pickup with 2.7 and loves that engine keeps raving about it. And he is knowledgeable about cars and worked in a machine shop (gasket company) where they tested engines. So I trust his judgement. I drove in his truck and it has some get up and go. For people with a lead foot, I say go with the 2.7. I'd probably also go 2.7 with 35" tires.

I don't have a lead foot. I see people hammering the throttle and then hammering the brakes between stoplights. Not my thing at all. They must have stock in Midas Brake company and middle east oil producers, lol. So for me the 2.3 will come down to the reputation, and how well it does in a Bronco (will need to test drive and get opinions from early Bronco buyers).

We did get over 200k out of my wife's 4cyl Geo no problem or burning oil. Datson pickup 4cyl no issues. Actually I've never had an issue with any of my engines and I hang onto vehicles like grim death. Never had a turbo though. If that shows wear or acts up after 100k miles or so, especially if two turbos are acting up down the road on the 2.7, that wouldn't be cool.

Only engines I’ve ever had problems with are an early Dodge Durango 5.2L V8 that would burn oil suddenly and finally sludged and my current Jeep 3.8L V6 burns a quart of 5w20 oil every 1000 miles or so ...

Anyone see a pattern?

 

[ragingclue]

I had to walnut blast my N54 before meth and I wouldn't call it "super expensive", but it was annoying to have to do it so soon and a few hundred dollars is still better served spent on beer or mods, but.... IIRC I paid $350 to include IM gaskets (not from the BMW dealer though, through a speed shop about ten years ago... since a lot of other vehicles have since picked up this bad behavior as well, I wonder if the price has come down). I did it at about 38k and wow was it nasty in there.

I'm not really worried about it in the 2.3 given the info we already have from those in service. Not sure if I'll get a catch can or just plan to have it blasted at the proper time, but once powertrain warranty is gone, it'll probably be meth time.

 

[qwertisk]

So obviously many people want the manual and would also like to have the 2.7 but that most likely won’t happen for 2021. And if you plan to keep your Bronco 10+ years would it be feasible to just swap the 2.3 once you hit 150-200k miles?

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