Hey whats up! More 2.3 power needed

Piranahbite · Aug 24, 2023

chilsam said:
What does your manufacturer recommend ?...Should be on the box....I can't remember but I went with but thats what I did...contact Chip at https://bigrmotorsports.com/ or shannon at https://www.stinger-performance.com/store/index.php?route=common/home.... he has this for the replacement rings he sells tho they are diff from stock or stock replacement https://www.stinger-performance.com/Pics/cp_instructionsheet.pdf

Nice, i already bought stock replacement, and they just need to be filed, the ring gap never came with them

Piranahbite · Aug 31, 2023

Hey guys, just got off the phone with the state ref, he said i need a matching transmission for the thunderbird 2.3 UNLESS i can pull a fast one on the inspector and have him not notice my na 2.3 5 speed... i wasent able to get the matching tranny when i pulled the motor, some shmuck swiped it when i was pulling the motor. What should i do? Source a thunderbird tranny to use for the inspection? Try to pass with what i got? Whats better? Id prefer to not have to use a hydraulic clutch, i like my cable driven clutch thats already with my car

evintho · Aug 31, 2023

OK.....there's something wrong here. The T5 from a N/A '87 2.3 is the exact same tranny that came in a '87-'88 Turbo Coupe. The only difference is a higher tooth count on the speedo drive gear. I've had to deal with the BAR refs on 2 different occasions. Once for my avatar '89 and once for the roadster. Never has there been an issue with the trans. The whole point of a BAR inspection is to have them pass your car as legitimate. Then you can bring it to any smog shop, every other year, smog tech looks at your 'Vehicle Information Label' and realizes BAR has certified it and the turbo is legal then they do the dyno/sniffer test and you're done. This VIL is your end goal........................

Piranahbite · Aug 31, 2023

evintho said:
OK.....there's something wrong here. The T5 from a N/A '87 2.3 is the exact same tranny that came in a '87-'88 Turbo Coupe. The only difference is a higher tooth count on the speedo drive gear. I've had to deal with the BAR refs on 2 different occasions. Once for my avatar '89 and once for the roadster. Never has there been an issue with the trans. The whole point of a BAR inspection is to have them pass your car as legitimate. Then you can bring it to any smog shop, every other year, smog tech looks at your 'Vehicle Information Label' and realizes BAR has certified it and the turbo is legal then they do the dyno/sniffer test and you're done. This VIL is your end goal........................

Thats what i figured! . i guess the way i told the guy on the phone made him think i was putting somthing different in there, i said its the same tranny, except ones a hydraulic clutch and the other is mechanical. The mechanical is what i got, cable driven and all that And i shouldnt even have to touch it since all im changing is the engine.

Also, i have one of those stickers it dosent say a different engine, but it says somthing. Ill go look at it when i get home (in the middle of doing tranny work... sounds like theres a can bouncing around in the bell housing)

Potomus Pete · Aug 31, 2023

I just went through a bunch of this build. Really cool attention to detail, but I wish it had more pictures. Super nice car.

Piranahbite · Sep 6, 2023

Potomus Pete said:
I just went through a bunch of this build. Really cool attention to detail, but I wish it had more pictures. Super nice car.

well, your in luck. i might kick this project into high gear. Something funky happened to my transmission the other day, and now im pulling it ( i think my clutch went bad) and im considering just putting the turbo motor in the car right now! since i have the tranny pulled. and i just got it to pass smog

Piranahbite · Sep 6, 2023

@evintho bro! I got some questions, I'm kicking this project into high gear! september 20th is my next drag race and I think I can get the swap done by then, All I need to do is buy my exhaust manifold, turbo, VAM connecter, and exhaust kit from Stinger or some random shop that can beat stingers prices... and a cat... I called Chip from Big R and he recommended I buy a Gnari high-flow exhaust manifold because it will be more likely to pass smog and all that, and it will also match up with my new T3 turbocharger. do you have any advice for putting this thing together? I have 2 years till I need to smog it again, and I already am pulling the transmission for clutch work. Everything else I can just re-use right? intake manifold, EGR stuff, and all that? the state ref said all I'd need to do is have all the smog equipment and or carb-compliant parts (How is he gonna tell if it's carb-compliant if the motor is pre-carb law?)

P.S. jumped the gun a lil bit, i dont have the money to buy both, turbo and exhaust manifold at the same time DEFINITELY don't have enough for a $800 cat

Cat i plan to buy 2.5"
Exhaust manifold Kit

evintho · Sep 7, 2023

You don't need an $800 cat. Just buy a regular California CARB compliant cat for an '88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. Should be around $200. You should be able to use everything else. Make sure your EGR is functioning and all smog equipment is working properly. Replace all vac lines. You don't want any leaks. The Gnari manifold and T3 will be fine. The only thing that needs to be CARB compliant is the cat.

Piranahbite · Sep 7, 2023

evintho said:
You don't need an $800 cat. Just buy a regular California CARB compliant cat for an '88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. Should be around $200. You should be able to use everything else. Make sure your EGR is functioning and all smog equipment is working properly. Replace all vac lines. You don't want any leaks. The Gnari manifold and T3 will be fine. The only thing that needs to be CARB compliant is the cat.

I tried looking one up, only thing that iv been able to get up was that magnaflow cat would you be able to point me in the right $200 direction? I was planning to have a functional EGR system just so i can get all the turbo coupe parts out of my side yard

evintho · Sep 7, 2023

Well, I was looking at this.........

https://www.autozone.com/emission-control-and-exhaust/catalytic-converter/p/magnaflow-california-carb-compliant-universal-catalytic-converter-2-5in-334006/273513_0_0?spps.s=4073&cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:GEN:19502231967&&CATARGETID=120054150001287187&CADevice=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxuCnBhDLARIsAB-cq1qUflnTEHuZsipdH-tZdXx8IjIH0qUyQtqAWzTi7AtyYOmQFYYgEbsaAmAMEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I think your best bet is to call a local muffler shop and ask them if they can get a cat for an '88 TC. You want everything in your drivetrain for an '88 TC cuz that's the motor that was swapped into your '87 Mustang. When I did mine I got a cat for an '89 Merkur XR4ti cuz that's the motor I told them I swapped. I think I paid about $140 for it but that was 10 years ago. Before you do anything, you should contact your BAR ref and verify what cat he wants to see installed and go from there.

Piranahbite · Sep 7, 2023

evintho said:
Well, I was looking at this.........

https://www.autozone.com/emission-control-and-exhaust/catalytic-converter/p/magnaflow-california-carb-compliant-universal-catalytic-converter-2-5in-334006/273513_0_0?spps.s=4073&cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:GEN:19502231967&&CATARGETID=120054150001287187&CADevice=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxuCnBhDLARIsAB-cq1qUflnTEHuZsipdH-tZdXx8IjIH0qUyQtqAWzTi7AtyYOmQFYYgEbsaAmAMEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I think your best bet is to call a local muffler shop and ask them if they can get a cat for an '88 TC. You want everything in your drivetrain for an '88 TC cuz that's the motor that was swapped into your '87 Mustang. When I did mine I got a cat for an '89 Merkur XR4ti cuz that's the motor I told them I swapped. I think I paid about $140 for it but that was 10 years ago. Before you do anything, you should contact your BAR ref and verify what cat he wants to see installed and go from there.

Sweet! Im not sure how to get ahold of a bar ref without scheduling an appointment to have them look at my car. I would like to figure that out tho

chilsam · Sep 7, 2023

Piranahbite said:
well, your in luck. i might kick this project into high gear. Something funky happened to my transmission the other day, and now im pulling it ( i think my clutch went bad) and im considering just putting the turbo motor in the car right now! since i have the tranny pulled. and i just got it to pass smog

fix the trans with the pass engine then put the turbo in....

evintho · Sep 7, 2023

Just walk into the BAR facility. Mines at the local junior college, be polite and ask your question. Give 'em a quick synopsis. '88 TC motor into '87 Mustang. Exact same engine, only turbocharged. All factory '88 TC smog equipment. Can I use an '88 TC replacement cat from the muffler shop or do I need an aftermarket CARB compliant cat? They should be able to answer your question.

Piranahbite · Sep 9, 2023

evintho said:
Just walk into the BAR facility. Mines at the local junior college, be polite and ask your question. Give 'em a quick synopsis. '88 TC motor into '87 Mustang. Exact same engine, only turbocharged. All factory '88 TC smog equipment. Can I use an '88 TC replacement cat from the muffler shop or do I need an aftermarket CARB compliant cat? They should be able to answer your question.

Thanks! Will do! Ill look up if theres one near me

Piranahbite · Sep 9, 2023

I also am in the middle of fixing the NA 2.3 still in the car. It developed a sound that reminded me of a crushed aluminum can bouncing around my bellhousing, and on my way home from work, it started making a low hissing sound and i had now power, as if it was slipping, today i pulled the tranny and found that my clutch has been glazed and has a couple rings on the pressure plate side the throughout bearing is dry, and grinds occasionally, and the pilot bearing has a lot of play, the flywheel seems fine. Im going to take the clutch to autozone and see if i can get it warrentied, and through it all back together with new bearings and stuff.

Piranahbite · Sep 9, 2023

Heres pictures of the parts! Theres also a ring in the throughout bearing were the pressure plate meets, i feel like the fly wheel is still usable. There are also gouges in the springs on the clutch, more than a 64th of an inch

Piranahbite · Sep 9, 2023

And my clutch fork seems to be worn were thr throughout bearing is retained

Piranahbite · Sep 17, 2023

Shimming da Big R ranger X cam! Any advice on how to shim this thing? I vice bled all the lifters, and my tolerances are from 0.030-0.050, i find myself having to push the lifter down a lil bit to fit my guages in between thr lobe and rocker, but i am not able to push it all the way down, and im getting measurements of .058 or .056 or less, so im using my size 1 and 2 shims that are includes, there about 0.015" thick to 0.020 ish for size two. Am i doing this wrong? Or is it sounding good?

Piranahbite · Sep 17, 2023

Heres how im bleeding these things! Got them in a vice with a rag so they don't get scored ( dont worry im cleanin them before installing) and im test fitting em!

chilsam · Sep 17, 2023

Piranahbite said:
Shimming da Big R ranger X cam! Any advice on how to shim this thing? I vice bled all the lifters, and my tolerances are from 0.030-0.050, i find myself having to push the lifter down a lil bit to fit my guages in between thr lobe and rocker, but i am not able to push it all the way down, and im getting measurements of .058 or .056 or less, so im using my size 1 and 2 shims that are includes, there about 0.015" thick to 0.020 ish for size two. Am i doing this wrong? Or is it sounding good?

I'd contact Chip and do what he says.....

Hey whats up! More 2.3 power needed

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