A few questions about a 2.3t swap.
06-05-2009, 12:12 AM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 240
A few questions about a 2.3t swap.
Well guys, I sealed the deal and I have an 88 turbo coupe ready for a swap into my 93 mustang lx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been reading as many articles about this swap as i can, but i do have a couple questions. I'm not an expert with turbo chargers and fuel injection, planning on learning as I go.
If my new 2.3 block is good, still i decent shape internally and all i would have to do is a quick re-hone so I can reuse all the parts, pistons, connecting rods, etc. and I did some porting and polishing in the head and exhaust manifold, my be add a roller cam, what kind of power would I be looking at? I dont have a lot of money to throw around right now, but I do have the skill to do a good port and polish job and other various things. Also, I have seen many pictures of the upper intake manifold turned 90 degrees, is there any advantage to that or is it mainly to give it a modified look?
And one more thing before I forget. I have read that you should use the original wire harness out of my mustang and re-pin it at the computer and do some additional mods to make it work. Why would you do that instead of just swapping the wiring harnesses? seams easier, but there has to be a reason why you would do this.
Thanks for your help and im sure many more questions will come up as I start to dig into it!
I have been reading as many articles about this swap as i can, but i do have a couple questions. I'm not an expert with turbo chargers and fuel injection, planning on learning as I go.
If my new 2.3 block is good, still i decent shape internally and all i would have to do is a quick re-hone so I can reuse all the parts, pistons, connecting rods, etc. and I did some porting and polishing in the head and exhaust manifold, my be add a roller cam, what kind of power would I be looking at? I dont have a lot of money to throw around right now, but I do have the skill to do a good port and polish job and other various things. Also, I have seen many pictures of the upper intake manifold turned 90 degrees, is there any advantage to that or is it mainly to give it a modified look?
And one more thing before I forget. I have read that you should use the original wire harness out of my mustang and re-pin it at the computer and do some additional mods to make it work. Why would you do that instead of just swapping the wiring harnesses? seams easier, but there has to be a reason why you would do this.
Thanks for your help and im sure many more questions will come up as I start to dig into it!
06-05-2009, 07:05 AM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: north carolina
Posts: 159
swaping wiring harnesses is alot harder than it sounds you have to pull the whole dash out Repining is alot easier than it seems pull wire here put it there pruty much that simple you also have to change the pigtail on the VAM and do a little wiring on the ignition wiring since your 93 is Coiled the 88 had DIS.
on honing the block if you replace the rings make sure they are the right size honing makes the cylinders bigger so you cant go with stock also if you replace the rings then you have to replace the crank bearings other wise the raise in compression in the top end will spin the lower bearings since they are no longer use to the hightend compression just get the whole block checked honing and crank alignment it only costs about $50-100 i got quoted for $75
on honing the block if you replace the rings make sure they are the right size honing makes the cylinders bigger so you cant go with stock also if you replace the rings then you have to replace the crank bearings other wise the raise in compression in the top end will spin the lower bearings since they are no longer use to the hightend compression just get the whole block checked honing and crank alignment it only costs about $50-100 i got quoted for $75
06-05-2009, 10:37 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 240
ok, I was planning on new bearings and seals, freeze plugs and things of that nature when i put the block together. That sounds like a good plan, and a lil cheaper than i would have thought.
so the main reason to not swap harnesses is just because their difficult to get out? thats a good enough reason for me, but seems like there would be something else. I know stinger's site in great big bold letters says not to remove it. I'll have to read through that article again and see if i missed anything. Thanks guys and I appreciate the input so far!
so the main reason to not swap harnesses is just because their difficult to get out? thats a good enough reason for me, but seems like there would be something else. I know stinger's site in great big bold letters says not to remove it. I'll have to read through that article again and see if i missed anything. Thanks guys and I appreciate the input so far!
06-05-2009, 03:14 PM
#4
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: north carolina
Posts: 159
well you have to change the ECU i would recomend the LA3 most Agressive ECU for these cars the wiring for the VAM is only 4 wires the ignition wiring is your big problem it probably has about 10-20 wires you have to do at the least so its alot harder than it sounds well maybe not hard but time comsuming work as long as you know how to solder.
06-05-2009, 07:14 PM
#5
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 2,171
If you were to change wiring harness. Would have use the entire car harness, probably gauge pod and maybe column from a pre-8plug engine. The ICM on the passenger fender takes the place of another circiut for the cooling fan, fuel pump relay and AC. These are in the body part of the 4plug car. So the best thing is to repin the the 93 car harness from stinger site. Just use the 87-88 turbocoupe computer if using the pre86 turbocoupe there is more wiring differences and the pre86 is a lower hp computer. Hope this helps. Maurice
06-05-2009, 09:47 PM
#6
2nd Gear Member
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 240
ok, so from what you guys are saying, my 88 tc should have the LA3 computer? I'll have to look at it in the day light. Also, still curious about the turned upper intake. Does anyone know anything about that?
06-05-2009, 10:50 PM
#8
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: sunny California
Posts: 494
For a new TurboFord convert I would recommend reading these two excellent books. They will expand your knowledge base immensely!
Ford Fuel Injection & Electronic Engine Control
Corky Bell's Maximum Boost
Your 2.3T came from the factory with 200 hp. I assume it has 175,000 miles or so on it. I'm sure it's lost a little power but nothing a good freshening up wouldn't cure! If money is an issue and the motor was running when you bought it, I wouldn't bother pulling the internals. Simply give it a seal & shine. Pull all the peripherals, head, oil pan, etc. With the pan off, now would be an excellent time to replace the oil pump. This is the one you want......................
Melling M86E
Clean the block, clean out the water jackets, replace all freeze plugs, install all new gaskets and paint. Be careful if porting your own head. The factory castings are far from perfect. There are many thin spots that you could easily go through (ask me how I know)! Throw in a Ranger roller cam from the junkyard. If you can save some money, your best bet would be Bo...............
www.bo-port.com
With Bo's head, a ported E6, a T3 turbo and 3" exhaust you could come into the 300 hp range.
As everyone said, forget swapping wiring harnesses! Repin. It's easier than it sounds. And yes, you have an LA3 ECU.
Rotated uppers are used to give a straight shot to FMIC's (Front Mount Inter Coolers).
Here's a shot of mine.
Ford Fuel Injection & Electronic Engine Control
Corky Bell's Maximum Boost
Your 2.3T came from the factory with 200 hp. I assume it has 175,000 miles or so on it. I'm sure it's lost a little power but nothing a good freshening up wouldn't cure! If money is an issue and the motor was running when you bought it, I wouldn't bother pulling the internals. Simply give it a seal & shine. Pull all the peripherals, head, oil pan, etc. With the pan off, now would be an excellent time to replace the oil pump. This is the one you want......................
Melling M86E
Clean the block, clean out the water jackets, replace all freeze plugs, install all new gaskets and paint. Be careful if porting your own head. The factory castings are far from perfect. There are many thin spots that you could easily go through (ask me how I know)! Throw in a Ranger roller cam from the junkyard. If you can save some money, your best bet would be Bo...............
www.bo-port.com
With Bo's head, a ported E6, a T3 turbo and 3" exhaust you could come into the 300 hp range.
As everyone said, forget swapping wiring harnesses! Repin. It's easier than it sounds. And yes, you have an LA3 ECU.
Rotated uppers are used to give a straight shot to FMIC's (Front Mount Inter Coolers).
Here's a shot of mine.
06-06-2009, 10:56 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 240
Wow, thanks for all the help guys! I already have the ford fuel injection book, used that to trouble shoot some areas in my 2.3NA, but I will definitely have to get Corky's book. Bo-port looks like a good way to go and maybe in a couple months i might have enough money to send a head to him. And the engine has 107,000 miles, a little less than what i thought we might be looking at! Thanks for all the help so far and keep the info coming, I'm going to need as much info about this swap as i can get my hands on!
By the way evintho, the engine looks amazing!
By the way evintho, the engine looks amazing!
Last edited by Babybudistmonk; 06-06-2009 at 11:00 AM.
06-06-2009, 11:16 AM
#10
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 240
also, i have a turbo sitting around my house. I believe it is off of a gm car, but not sure. My buddy in college had it kind of as a conversation piece. If i remember right, the shaft that runs down in there is a little loose and will have to be rebuilt, but what I want to know is how I can tell what kind of turbo it is. Because if it is a T3, that could be a pretty inexpensive swap.