Hello everyone!!! Just joined, as everyone else here looking for some ranger friends and help with my own! I haven't forum'd in a long time so bear with me with my HTML fails, picture of the beauty!! BTW after some light reading I couldnt find anything on good replacement clutch kits or full stainless exhausts for the oldies... mainly help on making them run haha

 

Welcome to the forum

Looks like a clean '87, brush guard and manual hubs as well.

2.9l is a good engine, '88 and earlier heads would crack if overheated just once so pull over if temps starts to rise above 1/2 way, '89 and up heads had better design casting and fit fine on the older blocks, if the need arises.

Spark is done by the TFI module on the side of the distributor, these would get temperature sensitive when older, hard starting after engine is warmed up or misfiring after warmed up is a sign of failing TFI module.

Bottom end and timing chain seem to last forever if oil is changed.

 

Thats some awesome info, that said do you know if / what it would take to swap the heads to the 89 2.9l heads?

I had an 89 about ten years ago and worked the **** out of it (overheat and all) and it still kept running like a champ. I'm probably going to restore this one from the inside out so a motor rebuild will happen eventually and would be a great time to change out the weak points ^_^

 

I would look around for a good deal on '89+ 2.9l heads, no rush.
Then wrap them up and wait, lol.

If '87 head cracks then get the upper gasket set and install them at that time.
If it doesn't then swap them when you do the rebuild.