Progress.. With Pics!

Dr_EluSivE

Founding Member
Apr 24, 2002
2,155
0
56
Central Illinois
Well over christmas break i was finally able to make some progress on my turbo motor. Since i got the motor it has been sitting in the corner of my garage, untouched and unloved. Over break we got a sweet new engine crane from sams (very nice unit and great price) having the crane enabled me to remove the 302 currently resideing on the stand and put the 2.3T on it. During the process of moving it though we broke a wheel on the stand and was forced to get a new one anyway. But i finally got the motor stripped of all of its accessores and got it mounted on the stand. The Intake was covered with oil so i am guessing the motor had a bad turbo on it BUT the intake gaskets and the head look new, even the valve cover gasket looks pretty new. The head has (RBLT) stamped with ink on the back so i have high hopes that this head is gonna be good. The motor turns over quite nicely. Almost too easy, it made getting the flywheel off a pain. The water that drained out of the motor was nice and green so i doubt it even has a bad headgasket. The motor is getting rebuilt anyway but i see this as a sign of a fully intact block. Pulled the fuel rail and injectors off and have them bagged and boxed to be sent off for a cleaning. once spring comes i should be able to crack open the block and see how the insides are but i figured it best to leave it sealed for now. So.. on to the pics....
motorfront.jpg

motor front
intakeside.jpg

intake side
exaust-side.jpg

exit side
sprite.jpg

the Austin-Healy Workbench/project/parts storage car
garageout.jpg

Looking out (gotta love a 1200Sq ft garage)
garagein.jpg

Looking in. My Mg is hiding under the blue car cover.

Dr.

P.S. Hey 140, Pm me the name of the injector place when you get a chance.... Thanks!
 
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Looks good so far!

Do yourself a favor and go ahead and tap the oil pan for an oil return line. There is so little room in there, even working with the stock line is a pain. I ran a -10 AN line to a fitting on the right front corner of my oil pan. Makes removing the turbo MUCH easier!
 
Brantley said:
Looks good so far!

Do yourself a favor and go ahead and tap the oil pan for an oil return line. There is so little room in there, even working with the stock line is a pain. I ran a -10 AN line to a fitting on the right front corner of my oil pan. Makes removing the turbo MUCH easier!
I was actually gonna ask which oil pan is the best to use. the TC looks to have a stamped steel pan, but the mustangs looks like cast aluminum. which pan would be a better choice? and if i do tap the pan, what do i do with the stock oil return boss? And How high up do you tap the pan? if its below the oil level it wont drain.

Dr.
 
If I were you (which I'm not) I'd pull the VC and oil pan, have a look see, put them back on, clean the engine up, paint it, and drop it in. I would NOT rebuild it. They really seem to do better when left as a virgin engine that hasn't been "broke open". I'm serious...I've done it both ways...10k on a rebuild and 125k on a stock build and they both have the same compression...Since yours sounds like it's in such good shape (spins free, good fluids, etc) it's just iceing on the cake IMO.

It's your engine but that's my suggestion.

Stinger
 
Dr_EluSivE said:
I was actually gonna ask which oil pan is the best to use. the TC looks to have a stamped steel pan, but the mustangs looks like cast aluminum. which pan would be a better choice? and if i do tap the pan, what do i do with the stock oil return boss? And How high up do you tap the pan? if its below the oil level it wont drain.

Dr.

I'm using the TC pan since my N/A pan was kinda boogered up and I didn't feel like messing with it anymore. I put my return line about 1" from the top - where it bolts to the block. I found the pictures - check this out.
 
Stinger said:
If I were you (which I'm not) I'd pull the VC and oil pan, have a look see, put them back on, clean the engine up, paint it, and drop it in. I would NOT rebuild it. They really seem to do better when left as a virgin engine that hasn't been "broke open". I'm serious...I've done it both ways...10k on a rebuild and 125k on a stock build and they both have the same compression...Since yours sounds like it's in such good shape (spins free, good fluids, etc) it's just iceing on the cake IMO.

It's your engine but that's my suggestion.

Stinger
I hear what you are saying, but since i do not know any of the history of this motor (other than its origin) i feel it best to at least pull the head off and have a look. It may have 50K on it, it may have 250k i really dont know. I have never seen it run and i have no means of doing a compression test on it so i would feel very stupid if i put in a motor that had a bad ring or something. I am gonna have the block checked for taper and the professionally honed by a machine shop (i know some people so i can get this cheaply done) and then either put standards, of 10over rings in it.. whatever is needed. I will however check both the bottom end and the top end before disassembly and make my final decision. I will most likely leave the head AS IS for now. it looks to be a fairly new rebuilt unit so i figure that will be fine. I have however thought about just leaving it stock but with all the stupid problems some of these motors have i just dont wanna spend the new few years band-aiding problems when i can do a ful inspection and make a reliable good running motor from the start.

Dr.