How did you improve your 2.5l

MLILLPOP

New member
Anyone with a 2.5l 4 cyl knows that they aren't the most powerful beast under the hood so I am wonder what you have done to better its performance!
 

Well, on mine the p.o. had installed a t.b. spacer, it's debatable if it does anything as a standalone upgrade. I added a highflow intake, a 6 cylinder t.b., a highflow exhaust, and most recently replaced my shot cat with a magnaflow high flow unit. It helps...but I've also added a lift and larger tires...(I know gearing deeper will help but when I do that I want to swap at least the rear axle, if not the front as well). Next year I plan on adding the yella terra roller rockers. Also I'm doing my best to keep the Jeep light, no stupid heavy front bumper ( I boxed in the ends, cut it for clearance and built a stout but lightweight tubular brush guard on the factory bumper).
 
Also depending on which year your Jeep is swap out the injectors for the Ford Injectors which are the Bosch 4 hole injectors. This gives better fuel atomization and a better burn with increased power.
For a 4 cylinder up to 95 use the 18 pound yellow top injectors.
For 96 to 02 use the blue top injectors rated for 24 pounds fuel pressure.
I did this on my 99 with the 4 banger and it helped quite a bit with the idle and acceleration. It also helps a bit up inclines as it doesn't loose too much speed.
I'm running a 2.5 inch lift with 32's and I also changed the spedo gear to match. I didn't do the cat or exhaust yet but I like the way it drives not.
 
If you have a mechanical fan swap Ina electric fan. The mechanical is a consistent load on the engine. It is not a lot but frees up those horses for turning the tires.

You could regear to make better use of the torque and Hp you have.

IMHO there is little you could do without turbo or swap. I put over 2k in intake and exhaust bolt on parts with little gain measured in mpg. The largest sustained improvement was the fan.

#1 avoid chips.
 
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Also depending on which year your Jeep is swap out the injectors for the Ford Injectors which are the Bosch 4 hole injectors. This gives better fuel atomization and a better burn with increased power.
For a 4 cylinder up to 95 use the 18 pound yellow top injectors.
For 96 to 02 use the blue top injectors rated for 24 pounds fuel pressure.
I did this on my 99 with the 4 banger and it helped quite a bit with the idle and acceleration. It also helps a bit up inclines as it doesn't loose too much speed.
I'm running a 2.5 inch lift with 32's and I also changed the spedo gear to match. I didn't do the cat or exhaust yet but I like the way it drives not.

Do you happen to have the part number of the injectors you used? (mines a '97 so what you used should carry over)
 
Bosch Part number 0280150947
Ford part number FiTE-D58
Blue top EV-1 Series III
I got mine on Ebay for 27.00 each with 8.00 shipping.
Just search for the ford 7.4 injectors.
It will work just check the plug and make sure it's an EV-1 type plug not the EV-6 or it will not work.
Good Luck!!
 
Bosch Part number 0280150947
Ford part number FiTE-D58
Blue top EV-1 Series III
I got mine on Ebay for 27.00 each with 8.00 shipping.
Just search for the ford 7.4 injectors.
It will work just check the plug and make sure it's an EV-1 type plug not the EV-6 or it will not work.
Good Luck!!

Thank you.
 

REalistically speaking, you can improve the power, but nothing is going to be a DREASTIC improvement (well, not counting superchargers or turbos!). The good thing is that the little 4 banger is a relatively light engine, will run forever if taken care of, and will cause minimal breakage to your drive train.

If you really want to know everything you can possibly do to the engine, go to www.4bangerjp.com as bounty mentioned (if you cannot sign on, shoot me a PM with your mail and I'll shoot it over to Jeffy, so that he can let you in). But in summary, you can:

1. Regear, so that the engine hits the sweet spot when out in the street (not cheap, but the most effect I have felt from all my mods)
2. eFan (as already mentioned)
3. Air intake improvement (CAI, filter, TB, Spacer, etc.)
4. Ignition improvement (you can gap your plugs to.060" and use the Performance Distributor kit - Screaming Demon Coil, Cap, Rotor and Live Wires)
5. More aggressive cam (not many of these left around, though). You can also change the rockers to 1.7 ones
6. Go from stamped rockers to roller rockers (less friction, and the stamped ones bend, so they're not REALLy 1.6 as they should be)
7. Improve fuel delivery (make sure fuel filter is not clogged, improved injectors as already recommended, and, in case of YJ's, increase fuel pressure with an adjustable FPR).
8. Reduce load on the engine (replace water, alternator, power steering pump with more efficient ones)

Other things others have done is deck the block to increase compression, balance engine components, port match the block, etc., but the effects are varied. If you REALLY want to add power, a turbo is probably the cheapest (althgouh NOT cheap OR easy) route, but you need to deal with fuel management, and you have to keep in mind there is fabrication involved (not to mention the added power will now make the drive train behind the 4 banger more fragile - transmission and D35 would be my main concerns!).

I have yet to see a chip (or one of those MAP sensors add-ons) that actually work, and stay away from those "vortex" type spacers, as they do nothing for you except slow down the incoming air!
 
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