Just bought an 89 2.3L notchback. Help me get it going

natejones75 · Mar 5, 2004

I just bought an 89 mustang with a 2.3L It is not currently running (missing serp belt and battery) and the guy wanted it gone. I only gave him $200

1) The 5 speed pedal goes to the floor like ther eis nothing hooked up. Is something broke here? What should I be looking for? Is this tranny a T-5?

2) I am going to hit the salvage yards this weekend. After I get a serp belt and battery in it, if it doesn't run (I assume it won't), what should I look for first? Soemoen who is familiar wiht the 2.3 L help me out here, give me some steps.

3) This helps wiht the other two questions.. When I am looking for parts in a slavage yard, what all 2.3L motors are the same as the one in the 89 mustang? Tbird?, Merkur? Ranger? I say Merkur because in the local salvage yard there is an 88 Merkur with a 2.3L and 5 speed. Is this the exact same motor, tranny, and ECU as the mustang I bought? What parts can I rob off of this to fix my motor / tranny.

Any help will be greatly appreciated natejones75@hotmail.com

Asha'man · Mar 5, 2004

1) Your clutch cable or dogbone cable is/are broken. The dogbone is the 2" cable that goes from the bellcrank to the clutch fork - get under the car and look at it. And yes, it's a T5.

2) Depends on what you're looking for. Performance? Ranger header and cam is about it...turbo motor otherwise.

3) Do a search, both Google and here. Ranger is the same until the mid 90's, T-bird Turbocoupes and Merkur XR4Ti's have the 2.3T motor, which is desirable because it actually makes some power.

Ash

BELL · Mar 6, 2004

advice from all of us would tell you to take the motor from the merkur. You could make that little $200 car a pretty fast and enjoyable ride. About a grand you could throw that puppy in.

natejones75 · Mar 7, 2004

Here are some follow-up questions?

1) I will check the cables wiht the clutch, but someone suggested it might be the "quadrant". I have no idea what this si? Ideas?

2) Yesterday I was at the salvage yard, and they brought in another Merkur complete with a 2.3 L Turbo , automatic. What would I need besides the complete motor, exhaust, and ECU to make this work in the mustang? How do I verify that the turbo on the merkur is not screwed up? There are also another merkur and a turbo coupe in the yard.

Keep in mind I want to get this together in-expensively.......

Asha'man · Mar 7, 2004

The quadrant is the thingy on the clutch pedal under the dash that the clutch cable attaches to. Do you get a ratcheting noise when you push the pedal in? Try pulling the pedal up all the way and then gently pushing it in a few times....this works the self-adjusting mechanism and, if that's your problem, should fix it. I'd lean more toward cables, myself.

Ash

i4power · Mar 7, 2004

Wow, they have three turbo 2.3 cars at your junkyard?! Grab em all if you can! Completely strip out the t-bird, as that car has most of the desirable parts (depending on year). Do you know what year it is? Actually, before I ask more, are you interested in swapping the motors? It doesn't take too much to get it swapped.

muh'stang · Mar 7, 2004

you could probably buy the whole car from the junkers for a couple/few hundred dollars, and then you wouldnt need any parts.

natejones75 · Mar 7, 2004

Answer me this!!!!!

1) How can I verify that these turbos and motors in the yard are ok?

2) Give me a parts list that would be needed to put this motor in?

3) Anyone interested in buying parts of these cars? Givew me a list, give me a price, I will pull parts and sell to you

Just bought an 89 2.3L notchback. Help me get it going

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BELL

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