What's needed to turbocharge 2.3L to handle up to 10lbs of boast?

78fastback4 · 10-03-2007

Im planning on turboing my carb'd 2.3 in my mustang II, but i was wondering if i have to get a different crank shaft if i want to push no more than 10lbs of boost. Or, if i should get the efi 2.3 out of a ranger. Either one would i have to change the crank, or can i just do the pistons and rods?

speedytang · 10-03-2007

Many run 15psi on the stock bottom end in my area. The 1st thing that they do for that psi is use a front mount intercooler to get the intake temperature down. To be honest since they get 2.3 engines around here for free they don't care much. lol

78fastback4 · 10-04-2007

Theres not too many 2.3s out here. So id be safe running 10 psi on the stock bottom end?

speedytang · 10-04-2007

10psi is not going to be your problem...Running Carb will be your problem. Are you changing to a Offy 4bbl setup ?
You can not produce enough fuel with a 2bbl and to be honest it will drive like crap even with the 390cfm 4bbl. Fuel Injection stand alone or factory unit you can tune will be the only way. Go to a wet nitrous kit would be better if you don't have a experience or have some local help. This is more difficult than you think when it comes to a Carb.

78fastback4 · 10-04-2007

Its either gonna be a barry grant blow through 4 bbl or something similar. If it works for the blower it works for me. Yes, with some sort of different manifold like the esslinger 4bbl manifold.

speedytang · 10-04-2007

Well your first mistake is, What works for a Supercharger/Blower does NOT mean it works well with a Turbo.

78fastback4 · 10-05-2007

I emailed the barry grant tech site and it says they work just as well with a turbo blowing into them.

speedytang · 10-05-2007

I don't want to write a article but because of fuel jet size and the time it will take your turbo to spool you will have a huge Dead Spot. This is not such a problem with a Blower since it has power/torque at lower RPMs. Been doing this since '82 and have built dozens of 2.0 - 2.3 Ford engines for all kinds of racing and street cars. The problem is cubic size to RPM and Turbo size to Fuel requirements. You will never get the vacuum response to fall into the rpm range of a Turbo and getting the fuel mixture to match the rpm. You will have a Huge Lag time before boost and the Fuel metering will never be steady enough. Go to the yard and get the fuel injection parts including the harness and computer and for $50-$100 you will be saving at least $300 on the carb and be able to tune your fuel requirements to your turbo/boost size. The extra work of adding sensors to make your car drivable and responsive with fuel injection is worth it.

78fastback4 · 10-05-2007

Ok, ill do the fuel injection. Theres a '97 ranger with the 2.3 and a 5 spd behind my shop with 60,000 on it and no title. So would i be better off doing that obviously?

svo_mustang841c · 10-16-2007

I totally agree on the EFI swap, but make sure that the upper intake is the right length, or you will need to swap the valve cover as well. Some uppers are a bit shorter, as I think the Ranger's are.
I own an 84 SVO and wanted to put the newer style manifold off of a Ranger on it, but the upper was shorter.