2.3 Turbo Build Questions

[GratefulShred]

I've owned both 2.3 and 5.0 foxes in the past, and having recently moved to Virginia Beach, I have a strong drive to build a convertible. I'm in the planning stages of buying and building a 2.3 LX Turbo. I'm not looking to build a race machine, just a nice street cruiser with a little turbo-pep in its step. I've read that the common swap is a turbo 2.3 engine from a Thunderbird, but they are hard to find in my area, and I don't have the space to buy a donor car anyway.

My main inquiry is what are the actual differences between the N/A mustang 2.3 and the TC? Can I buy parts to add to my stock mustang engine instead of doing a full engine swap? I already planned on dropping forged pistons into the fox, so if it's just a matter of finding intake and exhaust manifolds, intercooler and a few other parts to turbo it, I'd prefer to go that route instead of trying to source a whole TC engine. Keeping the matching engine VIN with the original car would be cool, too.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Noobz347]

A junk yard Explorer 302 along with the harness and ECU would be a cheaper, more reliable, more powerful swap.

You didn't mention transmission but that might also need accommodation.

 

[RangerJoe]

If you are wanting to turbo your stock 2.3, I would look at forged pistons and research the availability or strength of your rods. Add to that some quality fasteners and I would think you will be in business.

Joe

 

[Black1987]

I've owned both 2.3 and 5.0 foxes in the past, and having recently moved to Virginia Beach, I have a strong drive to build a convertible. I'm in the planning stages of buying and building a 2.3 LX Turbo. I'm not looking to build a race machine, just a nice street cruiser with a little turbo-pep in its step. I've read that the common swap is a turbo 2.3 engine from a Thunderbird, but they are hard to find in my area, and I don't have the space to buy a donor car anyway.

My main inquiry is what are the actual differences between the N/A mustang 2.3 and the TC? Can I buy parts to add to my stock mustang engine instead of doing a full engine swap? I already planned on dropping forged pistons into the fox, so if it's just a matter of finding intake and exhaust manifolds, intercooler and a few other parts to turbo it, I'd prefer to go that route instead of trying to source a whole TC engine. Keeping the matching engine VIN with the original car would be cool, too.

Thanks in advance.

Stinger Performance has everything you need to make a swap without a donor.

Noobz has point about just going with JY Explorer set up. However, if you are set on a turbo four, buy another 2.3 short/or long block and modify that while get your build together. People basically give those engines away.

Also buy jackstands

https://stinger-performance.com/

 

[85ragtop]

Never messed with a regular 2.3, but I've built/ helped with many TC and svo builds. If you are dead set on a 2.3 then you better plan on a lot of headaches. They are temperamental.

 

[yldouright]

The advice to get a junkyard 302 is solid if you're not going to roadtrack the car. Good power naturally and great power if you turbo it but you might have to brace it if you go above 450hp. The only advantage of a turboed 2.3L is the weight and handling difference. Alternatively, you could put in an LS, it's all the rage nowadays

 

[General karthief]

@yldouright whats with you and ls stuff? We already have one agitator here!
seriously though, build that 4 hole, throw a hair drier on it and be a little different, anybody can do and have already done v8s to death.

 

[yldouright]

@General karthief
When you consider the aluminum block LS weighs about as much as the Lima, breaths twice as well, can be mounted just about front mid and couples to a vastly superior T2 I don't know anyone who wouldn't be a impressed. Is it worth the headache? I plan to find out. I'm thinking about a thread describing the whole process but I'll need some hand holding. It'll be in the Fox body section if it happens.

@85ragtop
You stated you were familiar with the SVO and Turbocoupe and I'm researching an idea for that platform. How much space is under the top mounted intercooler?

@GratefulShred
If you have Ford's stock E6 manifold on your Lima, then you may not need a new manifold to get good power. Good porting and valve work do wonders on the Lima when you got a snail on it.

 

[Noobz347]

@General karthief
When you consider the aluminum block LS weighs about as much as the Lima, breaths twice as well, can be mounted just about front mid and couples to a vastly superior T2 I don't know anyone who wouldn't be a impressed. Is it worth the headache? I plan to find out. I'm thinking about a thread describing the whole process but I'll need some hand holding. It'll be in the Fox body section if it happens.

Or it wont...

Alternatively, you could put in an LS, it's all the rage nowadays

For you perhaps. There's a ton of bookface groups that cover this. I'm not interested in covering this subject to exhaustion on SN. We have a couple one-off builds going on here that happen include an LS motor where it's [not] the topic of discussion but some portion of the total build. This will not become the wasteland of LS swaps.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

I've owned both 2.3 and 5.0 foxes in the past, and having recently moved to Virginia Beach, I have a strong drive to build a convertible. I'm in the planning stages of buying and building a 2.3 LX Turbo. I'm not looking to build a race machine, just a nice street cruiser with a little turbo-pep in its step. I've read that the common swap is a turbo 2.3 engine from a Thunderbird, but they are hard to find in my area, and I don't have the space to buy a donor car anyway.

My main inquiry is what are the actual differences between the N/A mustang 2.3 and the TC? Can I buy parts to add to my stock mustang engine instead of doing a full engine swap? I already planned on dropping forged pistons into the fox, so if it's just a matter of finding intake and exhaust manifolds, intercooler and a few other parts to turbo it, I'd prefer to go that route instead of trying to source a whole TC engine. Keeping the matching engine VIN with the original car would be cool, too.

Thanks in advance.

The general engine design is the same, but you do have some things to contend with.

#1 - You did not mention what the year of your car is, which matters because in 91 the 2.3l became a dual plug setup with coil packs instead of a distributor. This also matters with regard to wiring. If the car is a dual plug then I’d recommend the PiMP ECU which will make a turbo swap plug and play. It is more expensive, but if you can swing it I would do it on any turbo swapped mustang rather than rewiring and using an ancient ECU. Incidentally, it also will run 5.0L and 5.8L engines if you decided to swap in the future.

https://www.stinger-performance.com/universalparts.html

#2 - the challenge when converting your engine, and why most don’t do it, is that the stock pistons are not up to handling any boost. On top of that, the Turbo head flows better, and the Turbo head bolts are designed for a boosted application. Stock TTY head bolts will cause the head to lift under boost. The standard 2.3l head, or the dual plug head, can be made to work in boosted applications. There are other head options, but they are expensive, such as this head from esslinger...

https://www.raceeng.com/p-32916-esslinger-aluminum-d-port-head-each-e2724.aspx

for the low, low price of $1,885.

Read up on the FAQ here, it should answer most if not all of your questions.

https://www.stinger-performance.com/faq.html

 

[91TwighlightGT]

A junk yard Explorer 302 along with the harness and ECU would be a cheaper, more reliable, more powerful swap.

You didn't mention transmission but that might also need accommodation.

The transmission gear ratio isn't ideal for a boosted 2.3l, but it should work okay if it is in reasonable shape for a mild build. As with anything, more torque means more breaking!

I don't know that the explorer swap is more economical than a junkyard 2.3l swap. There is still a lot to contend with on the 5.0L conversion - The 2.3l transmission (if made to work) won't hold up to 5.0L torque for long. The 7.5 rear end also is suspect with that swap, where as it lives with a mild turbo build. Plus, there is a fair amount of miscellaneous crap to chase down.

If he can source a junkyard turbo motor (car-part.com is your friend) there are a ton of turbo options, so he mainly just has to contend with some exhaust issues. If he goes with PiMP (pricey, I know - but plug and play) then he doesn't have to rewire anything or track down a crusty ECU from the yard.

 

[Noobz347]

The transmission gear ratio isn't ideal for a boosted 2.3l, but it should work okay if it is in reasonable shape for a mild build. As with anything, more torque means more breaking!

...and braking! You need brakes!

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[90sickfox]

I've had huge success ot of 4 cylinder t5 transmissions. Mine have held up better than a couple v8 t5s and a t5z.

The old performance swap for the SVO is swapping 2.3 Volvo heads on it. A bunch of folks used the 2.3 on dirt tracks.

http://www.merkurencyclopedia.com/Dyno_results/dyno_Randy.html

I see exactly why you're interested in a turbo 2.3 build.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I've been waiting to comment on this all day....

The Lima 4 banger is a waste of time as a street engine.

It can be made to make decent power with the addition of a turbo, ( 200whp) but that power will come in a very peaky , very narrow, very high rpm window that will last only a few seconds before forcing a shift.

And all the rest of the time will be spent waiting......

Waiting for the power to come online.

When I decided to get back into this arena, back in in 2010 I planned to do that with a turbo 4 banger.
https://stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/want-advice-for-turbo-build-up.819402/
I did all the home work...I bought a JY SVO engine, I bought a Volvo B234f head, I built a Megasquirt PNP to run it...
Spent over two thousand dollars in between....before any new parts were ever bought.

Then called around and found out that it would suck as a street engine.

I decided that a v8 would be an easier way to accomplish the end goal, and found a 75k 2v4.6 for 350.00

As for the Lima junk,...I Sold what I could, gave away what I could, and threw away the rest...( the Volvo head went straight to the scrap yard)

A " Folvo" B234f head conversion is the best thing you can do to make a 2.3 do more than fall out of a tree..But it's not for the faint of heart...it requires a decent amount of fabrication skill,...and a great deal of understanding engine mechanics for the complex issues regarding cam timing....and you'll have to make a set of headers , and an intake to make the damn thing run.

You are far better applying the oldest hot rodding rule in existence to this plan for every possible reason....

There's no substitute for displacement.