Anyone Spray Their 2.3?

[Swarzkopf]

Anyone on here throw a little giggle gas at their 2.3L?

I've got a 93 LX 2.3 that I'd like to make a little more enjoyable to drive...I'd like it to at least run 15s.

I don't want to swap the motor. I don't have the garage or tools for this.

I'd like to spray 50-75 on it. I think that the Zex kit for 5.0 Mustangs (that I have on my GT) would probably work- the 2.3L has a TPS, right?

Feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Red_LX]

I've heard of people doing it before although I don't think anyone here has, probably just because of the fact that a nitrous kit is around $500.

Might be worth a try, you could probably get away with a 75 shot, just gotta be careful.

 

[Swarzkopf]

Yeah...I spray 125 on my stock bottom end 5.0, so I'm pretty familiar with basic nitrous applications.

I'm going to try it. Earliest will be in the spring, latest will be next fall. I need to address some issues with the 5.0 first.

I'll give you a report when it's done.

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

is it an auto or a manual.. if its an auto you will probably just kill the tranny

Dr.

 

[bhuff30]

At one point in my cars long sorry history, I was spraying a NA motor with a dry 75 shot. I was VERY disappointed with the results actaully.
At the time, I basically had a CAI, long tube header with 2.5" exhaust, and 9.5:1 compression. I was spraying the 75 shot in just before the throttle body, and running an A4ld automatic. NA, I was running high 18s@74mph, and with the N20 from the line, I was running mid/low 16s at a pathetic 81mph. However, I didn't have bigger fuel pump at that time, and I could literally watch the fuel pressure drop by 5-10psi as I ran through the rev band. It was lean enough I had to let off on several of the runs because of detonation, so it may have actaully had some high high 15s.
I know there was a past project in a magazine where they tried killing a 2.3 with nitrous before dropping in a 5.0. They were barely able to kill it with a 175 shot running 14s on a stock engine.

 

[Red_LX]

Actually, it was MM&FF that did that (I have the issue). They bought a clapped out 2.3L auto and ran a 150 shot of nitrous through it on the stock fuel pump. It was running so lean it was melting the electrodes off the spark plugs. They did about 6 passes on it and it never blew up! However they said there was aluminum on the plugs so eventually it woulda burned a hole through a piston. Anyway they said the tranny was slipping bade and the best they could manage was a 16-something I think. I'd have to dig the issue out for the actual times.

 

[stackz]

you say you dont have the ability to swap an engine but yet you have the ability to put on a nitrous kit?

if that's the case, just do like bhuff did and toss the 2.3turbo upper components on your car and run with the 2.3t tophalf on your n/a bottom for a while.

It shouldnt cost you any more than the nitrous kit would and you wont have to refill the bottle all the time

 

[Swarzkopf]

At one point in my cars long sorry history, I was spraying a NA motor with a dry 75 shot.

What kit were you using? Was it TPS or microswitch activated?

I was spraying the 75 shot in just before the throttle body, and running an A4ld automatic.

I'm suprised the torque from the nitrous didn't grenade the automatic...

However, I didn't have bigger fuel pump at that time, and I could literally watch the fuel pressure drop by 5-10psi as I ran through the rev band.

The 2.3s use the same fuel pump as 5.0s, right? If so, you can buy 190lph pumps for ~$100 so I'll probably drop one in.

I'll have to look, but is the 2.3's pressure regulator the same as the 5.0's regulator?

 

[Swarzkopf]

you say you dont have the ability to swap an engine but yet you have the ability to put on a nitrous kit?

I don't have a cherry picker, an engine stand, or a garage. Like I said, I don't have the garage or tools at this stage of life to swap engines.

if that's the case, just do like bhuff did and toss the 2.3turbo upper components on your car and run with the 2.3t tophalf on your n/a bottom for a while.

I'm not interested in this. Installing a nitrous kit takes all of 2 hours. I'm not getting into a multi-day project for this car.

It shouldnt cost you any more than the nitrous kit would and you wont have to refill the bottle all the time

I wouldn't have to fill a 10lb bottle often at all running a 50 or even 75 shot. I get about 15 full quarter mile passes out of my 10lb bottle squeezing 125...and that translates to alot of street use as you generally aren't making 12 second long nitrous runs on the street.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[bhuff30]

I was just running a NOS kit. it had a WOT switch.

Fuel pumps and regulator are the same as the 5.0 counterparts. In fact, a 5.0 kit should bolt onto a 2.3 just fine.

The automatic didn't seem to mind the nitous too much. It was only good for a 2.4s 60' time, where I have run a 2.2 60' with the turbo engine.

If I were to do the nitrous thing again, I would definaty go with a wet kit for easy of tuning. With a wet kit, you probably wouldn't even need a fuel pump because you are keeping the pressures way lower. The dry kit raises fuel pressure to about 60psi and the pump has to work a lot harder for that.

What kit were you using? Was it TPS or microswitch activated?



I'm suprised the torque from the nitrous didn't grenade the automatic...



The 2.3s use the same fuel pump as 5.0s, right? If so, you can buy 190lph pumps for ~$100 so I'll probably drop one in.

I'll have to look, but is the 2.3's pressure regulator the same as the 5.0's regulator?

 

[140cilx]

I use a wet kit on my turbo LX. 75 shot. 22lbs of boost and nitrous. It's a very scary fun. Burnouts at 60+ mph. I've still never had the car to the track.

 

[GREYFOX4INCH]

correct me if im wrong, but if you use the kit from a 5.0 and a 75hp jetting its not gonna produce 75hp right?
you have the same amount of nitrous going into 4cyls instead of 8cyls. plus i think the zex kit routes the vacume line from the regulator into the nitrous unit,then into the back of the manifold. and the pressure tricks the computer into supplying more fuel. i wouldnt trust it to give the right amount of fuel. im just throwing this out there but i wouldnt think that the 2.3 is gonna have the same relationships between the two. does that make any sense????

 

[140cilx]

You've got to make sure you've got the proper A/F.

And things are obviously gonna be different car to car. That's why a dyno is your friend.

A friend of mine had a 25 shot wet setup on his SVO at the dyno recently. The 25 shot gave a 62 hp increase. The 75 shot gives me a lot more hp than 75 horsies, but I couldn't tell you what that hp is actually. buttometer measurements only.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

correct me if im wrong, but if you use the kit from a 5.0 and a 75hp jetting its not gonna produce 75hp right?
you have the same amount of nitrous going into 4cyls instead of 8cyls.

A shot is a shot. It doesnt matter what engine it's going into. 75hp worth of nitrous will add 75hp to a 460 or a Honda 1.5L. You might be thinking of fuel injectors. If eight 36lb/hr injectors are good to 600hp on a 5.0, then they'll only be good to 300 on a four cylinder since there are half as many.

 

[mr_woodster]

I ran a Nitrous Exspress Wet kit (foger) upto 150hp shot without any trouble. I did go with a colder plug,a 255lph fuel pump and dropped 2* timing when spraying the 150.

Ps: not nearly as fun as a turbo

 

[351wcoupe]

I spray my 100% stock 2.3 turbo with 100shot on 20psi everytime it maks a run,(over 17 bottles run through so far).

Its weird to take a mild mannered 4cyl car and have a ride that at the flick of the fog light switch will ROAST 275/50 street tires from the above mentioned 60mph roll.

 

[GREYFOX4INCH]

I spray my 100% stock 2.3 turbo with 100shot on 20psi everytime it maks a run,(over 17 bottles run through so far).

Its weird to take a mild mannered 4cyl car and have a ride that at the flick of the fog light switch will ROAST 275/50 street tires from the above mentioned 60mph roll.

do the terms "100% stock 2.3" and "20psi" really belong in the same sentence? lol
what did you do to make that much boost, a boost controller? or is there more to it?

 

[140CILX-Coupe]

I was thinking about it throwing a 150 at mine but I would want to forge the bottem end, but as some may reed this there like "just do a turbo swap" meh just something I can throw around till I can sell for an rx8 this car is pissing me off to much.

 

[86bluecobra]

geez i hope i don't meet you guys on the street i don't want 4 bangers beating me up.

 

[GREYFOX4INCH]

I ran a Nitrous Exspress Wet kit (foger) upto 150hp shot without any trouble. I did go with a colder plug,a 255lph fuel pump and dropped 2* timing when spraying the 150.

Ps: not nearly as fun as a turbo

hey did you ever make a pass with that setup? i m curious what it would run.
if so what else was done to it???????????