thats funny, i'm just glad my 2.3 starts every morning, i had over 350,000 km's on my 88 block before i got a crack in the 2nd cylinder, i baught my 87 with 114,000km's 2 years ago it's got 135,000 on it now, by no means are they a strong engine but they are reliable. in canada around my place in ontario we have "dirt oval" racing, some of these guys i've talked to are putting out 350 horse out of a naturally asperated 2.3l no juice, carburated, extensive engine work, and head work, but i've seen these things go.some of these guys have been building these engines for 20 plus years. worth looking into i guess, but if you have money the sky's the limit.
If you wanna keep your car light and formidable keep the 140. But yeah the carbed ones are 88hp actually it gits 87 to the wheels but hey there are more lamer engines the type 1 VW beetle with 37hp for one. Im goin to run a turbo2.3 that will be built and I guess I'll save my stock 2.3 and build it up for if my lady wants a fox. I would love to have the inline six but not sure how strong an aftermarket they have. and I dont know what v8 I want.
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Foxy lady Roxanne 1981 2.3 hatch
Jax Rhapsody his life as a...
thats funny, i'm just glad my 2.3 starts every morning, i had over 350,000 km's on my 88 block before i got a crack in the 2nd cylinder, i baught my 87 with 114,000km's 2 years ago it's got 135,000 on it now, by no means are they a strong engine but they are reliable. in canada around my place in ontario we have "dirt oval" racing, some of these guys i've talked to are putting out 350 horse out of a naturally asperated 2.3l no juice, carburated, extensive engine work, and head work, but i've seen these things go.some of these guys have been building these engines for 20 plus years. worth looking into i guess, but if you have money the sky's the limit.
Power wise, no. Strength wise yes, 10's on a stock block (flanders hit low 8's with a 2.5 stock block)
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The sad thing is, with 15 PSI, straight back exhaust, and a bobs log, it still feels slow...
Maybe 20PSI, new computer, new 3" VAM, and some porting will make it faster
i might have been typing too fast and not thinking what i typed, when i said strong i meant torque wise, a stock n/a engine is not a strong engine, they can make good numbers with some internals, and still last a long time, but out of the box they were a dog. i've seen a article in a mustang magazine where the put nos to a 2.3 to see how it would last before they did a 5.0 swap and it took 5 trips down the track before blowing oil out the tailpipe, but to put a turbo on a stock n/a block is alot of pressure on those connecting rods and pistons, not to mension heat. but i do agree they are a awsome engine.
The only difference between the 2.3 turbo and 2.3 N/A engine is the camber shape, the pistons and the oil drain back. Everything else is the same, rods, crank, etc
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The sad thing is, with 15 PSI, straight back exhaust, and a bobs log, it still feels slow...
Maybe 20PSI, new computer, new 3" VAM, and some porting will make it faster
The 2.3 isnt to bad on gas though, at least its got something going for it.
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Probe Racing forged and balanced 347 stroker, AFR 185's, Comp XFI stroker cam .579 lift, Parker funnel web intake, MSD Pro-billet mech adv distributor, Scorpion 1.6RR's, bbk full length headers, Canton 7 Qt pan, Flow 40's, Holley 725 Double pumper carb jetted, 125 HP nitrous shot, Full QA1 front suspenion kit, BBk subframe ties, 3.73 rear gears, Barry Grant fuel cell, and no money for a transmission... or paint..
^^is that supposed to say CHAMBER shape?? i was unaware of the crank and connecting rods till recently, i knew about the pistons ,head,and drain back. i've never met a person that blew up a stock turbo 2.3. my buddie's rings were so bad the boost would push past them and blow oil out pinholes in the oilpan, and burn on the exhaust. took forever to figure where the oil was coming from.
one of the quick ways to figure out what your car makes at the crank is if you go to kbb.com type in your car and look at the specs it doesnt tell you what you make at the wheels but it gives you a rough guess at what you 2.3 makes.
I've gotten 29mpg on a fresh tune up. Thats around town. I'm dying to see that # on the expressway. I'm running a little taller tire than stock, so it ought to be a good'un. It runs 12.0's in the eighth mile, @ 55mph.
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'90 LX coupe , 2.3 Fi. auto. Grocery getter-1/8 mile killer. Mods: removed airbox and silencer, added short cone filter. New exhaust including header and 40 series FLOW, Weld Draglite Skinnies in front, 8.5's with 275/60/15 M/T ET Streets on the rear.Thats right, I EXPLODED a 7.5" posi unit at the track. I sure do miss it.
I'm like a duck, calm and cool on the surface, Paddling like HELL underneath.
horsepower from 2.3 
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Mods: removed airbox and silencer, added short cone filter. New exhaust including header and 40 series FLOW, Weld Draglite Skinnies in front, 8.5's with 275/60/15 M/T ET Streets on the rear.Thats right, I EXPLODED a 7.5" posi unit at the track.
I sure do miss it.
