ford 2.3 turbo swap success

[jon.haas]

hey guys,

it's been a while since my last post, (been busy on the GRM 2003) but i have just gotten the turbocoupe engine swap to run. we started running wires thru the fire wall last night. we got started @ 2pm today and had it running before midnight. of course lots, and lots of wiring gremlins to hunt down, then i had a bad coil!?, and we spent the rest of the time looking for grounds and lose conections...but it runs!!

tommorrow i am going to cut all the old mounts off the ford 8.8 rear and narrow it to fit...

pictures soon...jon

[husker]

Keep good notes and take allot of pictures... You will be my new best friend if I decide to go the 2.3 route.

[austinm]

Jon;
I'd like to echo what Husker said- PLEASE take good notes and lots of pics. I'm looking at doing the same thing and would appreciate your voice of experience!

[spdkilz02]

I am planning on doing the 2.3L Turbo engine swap on my GT, and I was wondering what parts I will need to complete this swap. And also if anyone can give me any information on the best way to go about this swap.

Adam

[jon.haas]

i would recomend getting an entire running car. the thunderbirds are the cheapest, and easiest to find. they have either 150-190(ic) hp and came with a 5 spd and a posi rear end with disks. i am using the entire thunderbird driveline... and front spindles and brakes. you will need entirely too much to complete the project if you buy it piece at a time. i made back all of the 700 i paid for my car just by selling what was left, and i still have parts.

i plan to take it for a ride around the block by next week...jon

[spdkilz02]

Should I worry about the mileage on the car?

[oldopelguy]

Two schools of thought there:

Get the cheapest doner car that runs, work out the bugs during the install, and plan on having to do the work again when the time comes to freshen-up the motor.

Or, "do it right" the first time so you don't have to do the install twice.

I subscribe to the first school of thought, because of the lower buy-in and the fact that I know I will change my mind several times during the adventure. If I change my mind and decide not to use a $5 part, I'm only out $5, but if it is a $50 part... Also, the second-time-around plan gives me the opportunity to chrome/paint/gusset/clearance/lighten/strengthen all the parts I need to fabricate before I close the hood for good.

I'm also sort-of cheap......

[RallyBob]

Originally posted by oldopelguy
I'm also sort-of cheap......

An Opel owner that would admit to that? Come on, you're pullin' my leg!!

[jon.haas]

oldopelguy, you hit the nail on the head. this is not a bolt in by any means. you will have the engine, etc in and out a dozen times. probally break stuff, and buy stuff you don't need. (i sure did) try to do it as cheap as possible to start...you are going to have to repaint after this install because of all of the modifications, so you can make it look pretty, and freshen it up then.

then your going to need this one little part that is going to make everything work so smooth, and you won't have it unless you have the entire car.

good luck dude, jon


attached is a pic of my custom front mount IC, hope it can hold 20psi

[husker]

That looks like a small intercooler... what are the dimensions? Will it be enough?

[jon.haas]

it actually a 'slice' of a big rig intercooler. i picked it up at the welding/steel shop i buy from, it must have been sitting in the back for 5 years, it had over a 1/2" of scrap on it. but that why it was only $15 for the full 28x32 IC.

thats 2" id pipe going into it. the dimensions are about 9x32 core, thats 4.8 times larger than the stock IC, so it should be good for 250-300 hp. it was as big as i could go before it started to stick out past the bottom of the front spoiler.

i narrowed the ford 8.8 last night, i'm taking my axles to get them resplined this weekend...jon