2.3L Performance/buildup

SmallBlockFloyd · 06-29-2006, 02:55 PM

Hey, guys I posted about a month back asking how possible it was to do a turbo addon to my stock 89 2.3L. I heard it was doable but much more preferable to get a 2.3L Turbo instead. I think I want to eventually add a turbo to the 2.3L, but I do not want to have to spend a lot of money to do so.

At this moment, I am looking to get more power out of the motor, because it lacks entirely in that department. I was thinking a new, peppier cam, maybe some new pullies if a person could locate a set, and possible a 'CIA' if I could fabricate one.

Is there anything that I could do, that I haven't listed, or heard about? I have been looking for a 2.3L turbo, even if it is blown up, for some parts, such as a new head, the ECU/VAM/Wiring Harness/turbo. I also would like to put a whole new exhaust onto the setup. I was thinking about making a 'tubular' exhaust manifold to the turbo, and then getting like a 2.5 inch pipe to follow the turbo. I need to get the exhaust fixed anyways, because there is a leak, and it is very obnoxious, both sound and smell.

As I asked before, what else can be done, just tinkering and tuning wise to get more power out of the engine? It is in a 1990 Ford Ranger, and it is beat up, and I eventually planed to get bucket seats out of a turbo coupe and put those in, instead of having the bench seat. I also planed to find a t5 tranny and put that in as well, because that mitsu tranny will probably give under the 200+ horses of a turbo engine.

Thanks for reading, and any suggestions are welcomed. As anyone who has seen a 1990 ranger knows, there is very little room under the hood for upgrading to a bigger engine, so, that throws my 5.8L in my garage out the window

. Thanks again, Floyd.

99STEEDAGT · 06-29-2006, 10:50 PM

hey whats up man? i had the same inqury myself. not for nothing but the people on this forum aren't very friendly, and they break balls because our cars aren't turbo. the only person who was helpful was mr. merk but he suggests going turbo.

ARdoller · 06-30-2006, 12:23 AM

yes you can put a turbo on a 2.3, but not without forging all the internals, upgrading the injectors, running plumbing to the turbo for an oil feed, and such like that. if you dont want to get into dismantling the block/macgyvering an oil line, then this project isnt the best choice for you, but it can be done.

we usually dont say its possible because its just not logical to do all that, just because 1 it will more than likely just be cheaper to get the whole turbocoupe engine (espically after adding on the cost of the turbo itself), and 2, you will probably have to find a turbocoupe engine just to get the internals you need out of it. there's probably other engines that come with the same forged internals that i cant think of at the moment.

SmallBlockFloyd · 06-30-2006, 01:54 AM

I have heard so many times now that forged internals are a must! I am not going to run, but 8-12 lbs of boost. It isn't going to be a full breed race engine. I am simply putting the turbo on to boost the power out put. So, this means I will only need to get a new exhaust setup, possibly a T2.3L head, a VAM, an intercooler, and a turbo itself. I can get all of that for roughly 400 dollars. So, spend 400 dollars, and do it yourself, or spend 900 dollars on a turbo motor you are going to have to purchase via internet, and look at digital pictures that can be from any t2.3L, and wait weeks to get it, and still need to get things to put it all in.

I am sorry, but I don't think I will need forged internals running roughly 10lbs of boost. I have seen stock non-forged internals run 60k miles of street/strip driving under 18lbs of boost. Maybe I saw a blessing of God on the internals, but no, unless I run 8,000 rpms and 400 horses, I don't think the forged internals are going to be a must.

I was thinking a new cam, about .420 lift, on a T2.3L head, bumping the timing, and getting a new coil, with fabricating a custom exhaust manifold, matched to a t3/t4 hybrid turbo and a stock turbo t-bird coupe ecu/vam setup would do the trick for hitting me into the ballpark range of 250 horses. Maybe I am crazy.

Thanks for the bumps guys, I was looking more for some information on what could be done, and other idea's of what could also help. I will try to keep you all posted.

While I am thinking about it, a PC1 turbo t-bird ECU will work with the 'bigger' VAM's off of the 'newer' turbo'ed 2.3L's? I was previously unaware of the 'enlarged' VAM after a few years of the turbo'ed 2.3L's being around, but apparently there was a change. Thanks for all of the help again guys, Floyd.

88 rubber eater · 06-30-2006, 02:38 AM

You sound like you know ebough about that engine, you dont need any help. lol. Now Im definately not an expert with turbos, but I think you'll need a boost controller, to adjust to desired boost amount. Plus wont the moter need to be tuned by a shop to run properly with a turbo? I could easily be wrong though

. Maybe in a couple years Ill get another stang that is 4 cylinder and turbo it, then it could be my daily driver with some balls and decent gas mileage. Not to mention you could make it handle like a dream. In fact you could probably come close to perfect weight distribution, hmmmmmm? the possibilities are endless...... -Matt

SPE926 · 06-30-2006, 04:26 AM

if you are looking for the n/a power from a 2.3 there really isn't much you can do. you can get a later ranger header and fab up a cold air intake for cheap, After that you will need to be prepared to spend lots of money without going turbo.

If you plan to go turbo check out www.ford23.com/stinger/stingerperformance.html and llok at his tech threads also try www.turboford.net and www.fordturbo.com for differences in parts and turbo swap info. Also if you search the internet for ford 2.3 turbo you will get a few good sites for info.

Its not that the people on this forum are mean or not nice its just that only a few have a 2.3 turbo and most everyone else has either a n/a 2.3 or v6 so they can't really give much info on something they don't know about

wiseguy · 06-30-2006, 09:16 AM

If you want to make good power with a N/A 2.3, then I'd suggest having some serious work done on the head or getting an Esslinger head. You'll also need to upgrade the cam, put a header on, and work on the intake manifold. You might also want to consider increasing the displacement to a 2.5. The power will still be limited because you'll want the engine to be somewhat streetable. Take your pick, turbo or N/A. It all depends on how much power you want to make and how much money you want to spend.

Mr. Merk · 06-30-2006, 11:08 AM

you're on the right track, an A237 cam would be nice (i run that in my ranger) and its roller too, port work always helps and with that cam you'll need a cam gear

the tranny will hold up fine, my ranger's stock tranny held over 300hp and over 400ft-lbs for a couple years, the hurst shifter was eventually what killed it (leaked fluid) and then i swapped in the T5

if you're not gonna do the whole engine swap, maybe just an FMU (instead of ecu swap) will do for no more boost than you're gonna run, i wouldnt expect much over 200hp without the swap, most of the older turbo 2.3s were rated for 145hp and they were running low boost like yours although they were lower compression

i say if you want to, try boosting the stock motor, but have a 2.3T on stand by, the swap is defineately the way to go

SmallBlockFloyd · 06-30-2006, 12:05 PM

What is the difference between a FMU and an ECU? This is my first EFI project, everything else has been carbed, and the same with my father. His young years were the early 80's so, he got to play with everything that was late 60's to late 70's :\. I have done a lot of reading and learning, but I have never heard of that, unless that is a 'piggy back' system.

I am just trying to buy up old parts being sold off of ebay, or swap meets, very cheap, and put something together, both for a learning experience and ovbiously cheap power. My 90 horse 2.3L is just killing me. I hate having to go back to 4th gear when on the highway just to make it up a hill without going back to 60mph(I can floor it in 5th and still loose that much speed

...)

Does anyone know what transmission/year the PC1 ecu came from, and will it work with a manual transmission, if it is an auto tranny ECU?

I was thinking of fabbing up an exhaust manifold with the fitting for a t3/t4 hybrid/garret t3 because they are the same flange, and I won't be running huge amounts of boost, or wanting that much of a boost on power.

What is everyone's view on my head swap? I am taking a T2.3L Head, and putting it on my N/A Block. It should just bolt up, but, I heard the turbo head had a different valve design, or something to the extent that it worked better under forced induction, where as the N/A head would tend to over heat? I don't really know, but I am doing it anyways, because if it even flows remotely better than the other head, I am trying to get it for roughly 100 dollars, that is cheaper than a port job.

My main concern with the head swap, is if I put in a higher lift cam, with the flat top 9:1 cast N/A pistons, will I come close to tapping the valve train? I know that the turbo had dished pistons and ran 8:1 compression, so I was worried I may have troubles with the valve clearance. Any thoughts, or knowledge on this area?

Ok, I am trying to think of what else I should need to know... I was thinking of also fabbing up a CAI for the turbo, but looking inside of the big mess of the small space of the ranger, I have no idea were to go, any advise? I was thinking possibly rout it 'beneath' the engine bay? The only trouble then, is the filter getting ruined... I would like some input, and possibly some inginuit.

Thanks for all of the help again, Floyd.

jthorn9 · 06-30-2006, 12:20 PM

Not 100% sure, but I think, key word there, think an FMU means fuel managament unit, like ECU means electronic controle unit. Ecu controles pretty much everything throughout the car, an FMU, if I'm right, would just control the fuel delivery.