upgrades?

Stocker has cast pistons...so throwing a turbo on is not the best idea. You can run about 6-7 psi max and even that isn't a sure bet.

Even with that you still have to swap the injectors, ecu, manifold, turbo and some other bits.

Best bet is either a turbo swap, or do some minor bolt-ons and leave it alone otherwise.

Would running a turbo with low boost through the mass-air not work? Intercooled or not, you decide. Let's say you get some bigger injectors (say, 35lbers) and a matching mass-air meter. Forget the pistons and valves for a moment and tell me why this wouldn't work?

The ECU simply isn't setup to handle the added complication of forced induction. The N/A computer won't be able to provide the longer duration injector pulses required for the added air volume. You can get a rising rate fuel pressure regulator, but I highly doubt that'll take care of all the fuel needs. Not to mention there will be no knock sensor, so if you run into detonation, the computer will have no clue when to pull the timing back, or by how much. Plan on changing head gaskets frequently. And eventually you'll want more power, and you'll turn up the boost, and you'll melt the stock cast pistons. If you wan't a turboed 4, just get the proper engine and supporting equipment.

The 2.3 n/a has a knock sensor, just not in the same location as the turbo motors.

Also, the n/a engines had high impedence injectors while the turbo engines had low impedence ones. Far as I know, the n/a computer won't even work with turbo injectors.

bonestock87 said:

Would running a turbo with low boost through the mass-air not work? Intercooled or not, you decide. Let's say you get some bigger injectors (say, 35lbers) and a matching mass-air meter. Forget the pistons and valves for a moment and tell me why this wouldn't work?

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I don't think you will find a 'calibrated' MAF meter for the 2.3 ecu's.

Most guys out there running 2.3 MAF with boost, seem to run an LA3 with MAF conversion. This REQUIRES the use of a tuner like Moates QuarterHorse or a TwEECer, which makes the aftermarket MAF meters useless.

I recently finished getting a LA3/MAF setup in my '87 LX... no boost.
Still need to fine tune, but almost everything is functional now.
It isn't too tough, and there is a fair amount of documentation out there.




Above someone suggested setting the TPS to .98v
This is straight BS, and will do NOTHING for performance.



If the 2.3 is down on power, then I suggest checking the cam timing. I had a belt slip a few years ago and that dropped power almost as bad as putting a hole in one of the pistons

72COMETGT said:

You can set the TPS sensor to .98volts (closed position). It is usually around .80 volts. The object is to get it as close to 1volt as possible but DO NOT go over. If you go over it puts the ECM in tip in/ part throttle mode. This makes sure the ECM sees 5 volts @WOT. You may have to elongate the holes in it to get it to adjust. You can bump the timing 2-4 degrees , just look out for pinging/detonation issues. If you have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator you can raise the pressure from around 36psi to 42psi. Just make sure it doesn't run fat.

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As I said... setting the tps is BS.

Fuel pressure should be 39-41psi anyway.

Just buy a 83-88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.

87 TC's have a LA2 compared to the 88 which have an LA3 which is a more agressive computer your next bet is to buy a 83-86 TC in which case you have to buy an LA2or 3 and a large VAM so you can use the same wiring conversions for the car if you buy a late 85 or an 86 you wont have to change the injectors they are #35's and the LA2/3's need those injectors to function properly if you buy an 83, 84, or an early 85 you will have to change the injectors they are #30's the quick way to tell is if you look at them an they are brown on top the most common name for the #35 injectors is called Brown Tops hince if they are brown your good.

that should help you alot



now turboing you stock motor is just plain dump you gain 20hp and your motor blows up in a month the cast pistons cant handle 6psi even for very long plus all the stuff you have to get just to do this is rediciolus it would cost you a good $500-$600 to do. me im doing my TC swap right now and i bought an 86 TC for $450 which is cheaper and i get the resale of the shell.

here it is plain and simple JUST BUY A TURBO COUPE

here it is plain and simple JUST BUY A TURBO COUPE

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I agree 100% that this is the easiest way. I just have never gotten any concrete proof that on a '91-'93 DIS motor, one could or couldn't incorporate the MAF. As I said earlier, let's put the fact that you need forged pistons and better valves aside. For someone like myself who does not have the time nor the room to do a donor car motor swap, I just have a hard time believing that what I'm proposing can't be done. I don't need 250hp out of my daily driver hatch. So if the effort was minimal and the cost was low, why not add some low-boost FI into this otherwise indestructible motor? Heck, an additional 30-40 horses would make a world of difference. What I think is that not enough folks have tried and/or documented the addition of low boost to an otherwise stock 2.3. Every single post you read where a newb is curious about going turbo ends up in everyone warning against frying the pistons and valves. Who here has the first-hand exprience to say that? It's usually just someone repeating what everyone else is saying so they can appear knowledgable.


Sorry for the long post.

if you can devote one complete week to the swap you can have it done i have spent about 5hrs on the TC trying to remove the engine and i have three bolts left to remove the motor and tranny in the stang it will be much quicker because there isnt any turbo so that is a full days work if you started at 10am and didnt stop until 8pm to have two motors out then doing the wiring and the other stuff you need to do it truthfully doesnt take as long as you think as long as you can devote a week or so to it. its been slow going for me because i have to drive 50miles to work on the car which means i can only work on it on the weekends.

bonestock87 said:

Who here has the first-hand exprience to say that? It's usually just someone repeating what everyone else is saying so they can appear knowledgable.

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bhuff did it.

bhuff did it.

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I wonder at what level of boost. I would also be curious if all the other systems were up to snuff. (Enough fuel, good plugs and wires, 93 octane, etc.).

I'm not trying to grind an axe, I truly am just seeking answers. Normally I can sort through all the information and come up with something close to the facts. In this case, I just haven't seen enough info for me to say, "I can't put 6 lbs. of boost into my stock motor utilizing my MAF meter setup".

I really do appreciate everyone's input!

I can't remember...search his posts here, you should find it eventually, I'm pretty sure he posted about it here.

If not you may also be able to find it on turboford.net.

"if you can devote one complete week to the swap you can have it done i have spent about 5hrs on the TC trying to remove the engine and i have three bolts left to remove the motor and tranny in the stang it will be much quicker because there isnt any turbo so that is a full days work if you started at 10am and didnt stop until 8pm to have two motors out then doing the wiring and the other stuff you need to do it truthfully doesnt take as long as you think as long as you can devote a week or so to it. its been slow going for me because i have to drive 50miles to work on the car which means i can only work on it on the weekends. "






you only need about 2 days if you have everything you need in 0ne weekend i swapped my car from auto 4 banger to a 5 speed turbo banger i can redo the 87-90 wiring in like 30mins and after that its a straight foward swap bring it to me and ill do it 4 ya for the right price lol

Just put a 5 liter in it and be done with it, or put a super coupe 3.8 s/c engine in it