[theshadow]

Hi guys, Im new to the 2.3 section so a big aloha and if you can please bear with me. Ive got a 79 coupe with the 2.3 turbo and I know absolutely nothing about
these 2.3s, so my question is: is this motor worth rebuilding? Were the 79 motors notorious for anything? better to just source a newer year block or were they pretty much all the same? Thanks for any input you can give!

[turbo2.3]

We,ve replaced out 79 2.3 turbo,with an engine from a 88 tbird it has fuel injection and intercooled turbo. A lot more fun.

greetz

Hans

[b_chandler]

There's no reason why you can't rebuild that block and run it without problems. I personally prefer the 1pc rear main seal blocks, but the old style 2pc is just fine.

Anyway, the turbo is different from the EFI turbo cars. Since the fuel and air go through the turbo on the carbed setup, the seals are different. You won't be able to run the popular turbos talked about here and on TurboFord without at least changing the seals to work with a draw-draw through setup.

Stock, they don't put down the power that the EFI cars do, but that doesn't make them any less cool IMO.

[Mustang_Bolt]

They're rare and myself, I've never seen one.... especially since it seems most people replace it with a 302. I think it made 130 hp when new, which was pretty good in 1979 and for a 4 cylinder. It does have a bad rap though, it seems it was notorius for leaking oil.

I think it would be cool to rebuild it since you don't see very many.

[theshadow]

I was thinking the same thing, all original first-year fox body WOULD be cool to rebuild. Especially since I got it off of the wife of a good friend of mine who passed away a couple years ago. He had kept it because he loved the fact that it was a rare 2.3T and that he had both options, coupe and notchback in the 2.3T. The notchback was a car that he was supposed to put a new turbo on fro someone and then they didnt pay up so he kept it. The notchback ive started a 5.0 swap on but I would like to keep the 2.3T in the coupe since the car was actually his and he had a passion for it.

[79turbostang]

I have a 1979 2.3 turbo mustang and ill never get rid of it.. i would go ahead and rebuild that motor the only thing thats bad about the 79 was the stock turbo always blows up so just get a newer turbo and u will be just fine.!!!

[VFAST]

get a head from a turbo coupe....the valve are much better

is this a pace car?

[theshadow]

cool, thanks for the info guys!

Vfast, no its not a pace car, just a regular coupe