motor differences
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1
motor differences
I've tried to find out if the 1979 SVO 2.3 motor/block is the same through 93. I got it yesterday and it still has the carb setup but I'd remove that right away. My big question is can this motor make power? I've been dealing with turbo 1.8DOHC making 350whp on stock internals so I'm hoping this motor can do better. Also I need a strong tranny and was told I could use a 5.0 T5 with the 2.3 bell housing(true?)
1st Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 79
From:
Wow this forum section doesn’t get much action does it?
Well the short answer is that the blocks are fairly similar over the years – with exceptions as turbochargers, fuel injection etc. were added. I suspect since you’ve a turbo motor block it should suffice for whatever you wish to do with it. The crank is the same from 1974 to 1991 as far as I can find on the ‘net. The big addition you’d need you should already have, an oil return boss for the turbo.
You can make as much power as you are willing to spend money on. However almost all the performance adders are going to be geared towards a EFI using EEC IV – which means you’d probably want to upgrade to any later SVO/Turbocoupe/XR4Ti engine harness and plumbing (Fuel injection/O2 sensor/Vane air meter – or better yet MAF). That is very easily accomplished when you find a donor car for parts, especially since you’ve already sourced a motor so you can just buy a shell with the appropriate wiring harnesses. You could even get lucky and find a car that has a T5 installed already (I’d look for a 88 Turbo Coupe as a donor – as I recall that was the first year the WC T5 was used in the Thunderbird. It also has the LA3 ECU which is very good, though an 85 SVO PE ECU would be even better in some instances.
The only issue with a V8 T5 is the input shaft diameter for the pilot bearing. However there are plug and play solutions to that - special pilot bearings.... The 2.3 bellhousing is of course required, but it can come from any 2.3 rear wheel drive Ford (the Lima 2.3 that is). That and finding the World Class T5. Check the tag on any potential T5 for it's actual spec's - just because it is in a Mustang V8 or I4 doesn't mean that was it's original home...
The nice thing is that there are places that still offer 2.3/2.5 performance items. Companies such as Esslinger, Racer Walsh, and 40BOB offer Turbo Ford parts, just to mention a few of them.
Well the short answer is that the blocks are fairly similar over the years – with exceptions as turbochargers, fuel injection etc. were added. I suspect since you’ve a turbo motor block it should suffice for whatever you wish to do with it. The crank is the same from 1974 to 1991 as far as I can find on the ‘net. The big addition you’d need you should already have, an oil return boss for the turbo.
You can make as much power as you are willing to spend money on. However almost all the performance adders are going to be geared towards a EFI using EEC IV – which means you’d probably want to upgrade to any later SVO/Turbocoupe/XR4Ti engine harness and plumbing (Fuel injection/O2 sensor/Vane air meter – or better yet MAF). That is very easily accomplished when you find a donor car for parts, especially since you’ve already sourced a motor so you can just buy a shell with the appropriate wiring harnesses. You could even get lucky and find a car that has a T5 installed already (I’d look for a 88 Turbo Coupe as a donor – as I recall that was the first year the WC T5 was used in the Thunderbird. It also has the LA3 ECU which is very good, though an 85 SVO PE ECU would be even better in some instances.
The only issue with a V8 T5 is the input shaft diameter for the pilot bearing. However there are plug and play solutions to that - special pilot bearings.... The 2.3 bellhousing is of course required, but it can come from any 2.3 rear wheel drive Ford (the Lima 2.3 that is). That and finding the World Class T5. Check the tag on any potential T5 for it's actual spec's - just because it is in a Mustang V8 or I4 doesn't mean that was it's original home...
The nice thing is that there are places that still offer 2.3/2.5 performance items. Companies such as Esslinger, Racer Walsh, and 40BOB offer Turbo Ford parts, just to mention a few of them.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 38
From: Florida
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 735
From:
When the engines switched to DP the front cover changed and they went to smaller journals. I believe that was in 91. And yes, the turbo motors can make power on stock bottom ends. I believe there is a guy on stingers website in the 10's on an untouched bottom end.
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