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How can i ID what car the motor came from?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 1992 2.3LX
  • Start date Start date Mar 11, 2004

1992 2.3LX

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#1
  • Mar 11, 2004
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Is there a way to tell what car a 2.3L Turbo motor came from?? Also how do you tell a difference between a large and small VAM?

a guy near me has a complete motor all the way to the downpipe.

Would like to know how i can find out what it came from and if it's worth my time?
 

Stinger

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#2
  • Mar 11, 2004
  • #2
They are all essentially the same so it shouldn't really matter.

Small vam is 2.5"...big is 3"

The style of intake, cam cover, motor mounts, injectors, vam, etc. will tell you what it came out of.

Stinger
 

1992 2.3LX

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#3
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any ideas??

View attachment 526455
View attachment 526457
View attachment 526459
View attachment 526461

how much would you give for this sucker?
 

kiddiccarus

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#4
  • Mar 12, 2004
  • #4
I bought 2 complete engines for 700 both run.

Smooth upper intake like this is common on 85.5 86 SVO
If it has brown injectors it is a post 85.5 motor
quad intake is also a 85.5 86 part
large VAM is definatly a SVO while a small VAM can only be a Tbird, Merkur, or Cougar XR-7 because the Mustang GT, and Capri did not make a turbo in 85- 86
 

Stinger

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#5
  • Mar 12, 2004
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Looks identical to the one in my 85 TC (and the one that came from an 85 TC that's in my 91).

What size injectors?
 
P

Pro-Hawk

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  • Mar 12, 2004
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Who knows, it all depends if what you see is stock or not. I would guess 86' TC or 87(and older) Merkur

The only things I can think of to worry about is the head and mainifold. Look at the castings numbers on the mainifold; it would either start with E3 or E6. The E3 are usualy cracked or about to crack. Look at where the turbo bolts to the mainifold you will probly see a small hair crack running top to bottom, that will soon kill your boost This isn't a real bad thing since you can get the newer E6's pretty easy but may let you knock the price down some. The next thing is the head, 86' and unders 2.3T's from what I hear didn't come with hardened exhaust seats. They say these heads ( have to pull the vavle cover to check castings) like this are concidered cracked. Also what color are the tops of the injectors ? The brown tops are 35lbs which most people upgrade to and will require a large VAM and a EEC that will open them like a LA3, LA2 or PE. You can get these parts off a 87-88'TC. Well I hope that helps you out some and if I'm wrong that some one sheds some lights on this for us both
 

1992 2.3LX

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#7
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so does that look like a t3 or an IHI?

what do you all think is a fair price for this motor?

he wants 200 and that's with the VAM and intercooler and an extra exhaust manifold.

is 200 too high??
 

Stinger

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  • Mar 12, 2004
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You didn't notice the big "Garrett or AiResearch" writing on the turbo? It's a T3.

200 sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Find a hood yet?
 
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Pro-Hawk

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1992 2.3LX said:
so does that look like a t3 or an IHI?

what do you all think is a fair price for this motor?

he wants 200 and that's with the VAM and intercooler and an extra exhaust manifold.

is 200 too high??
Click to expand...

Is the extra exhaust a E6? and the VAM a 3" ID ? What injectors does it have ( color of the tops of the injectors)?

200.00 don't sound to bad as long as it had a E6 mainifold in the deal and maybe some brown tops
 

1992 2.3LX

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#10
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he says the injector tops are orange. which would those be out of?

i am not sure how to identify between an E3 or E6 here is a pic.
http://www.stangbangerz.com/images/23turbo/23Lturbo6.jpg

and what is that big black thing on the right side of the VAM. i don't see that present on any of the turbo motor pics that i have.
 
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Pro-Hawk

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1992 2.3LX said:
he says the injector tops are orange. which would those be out of?

i am not sure how to identify between an E3 or E6 here is a pic.
http://www.stangbangerz.com/images/23turbo/23Lturbo6.jpg

and what is that big black thing on the right side of the VAM. i don't see that present on any of the turbo motor pics that i have.
Click to expand...

I'm a little lost on the injectors, maybe he is getting confused with another car/injectors he has. Iwill double check my imfo but so fair I think the 2.3T came with either a 30lbs which is green or a 35lbs that is brown.

The oval looking box attached to the VAM is the factory air box from the car it came out of, (That is where the air cleaner goes) Other than that the rest is air hoses. I hope that is what you are talking about. You usualy don't see this because most people replace it with a K&N filter. Ifv you click on here you can see my stock SVO air box and how it looks before people change things up.

http://www.amwlawncare.com/wastedspace/peoples/rayslocks.htm

As for the mainifold, look for the casting numbers that should be located on the side that faces away from the motor when bolted on. They will look like this kinda; E6256453Z3. The fist number after the "E" is either a 3 or a 6.
 
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