so before i swap the turbo motor into the new notch, i figured id test the strength of the little motor and grenade whats left of the massive leaker that is the original 2.3. theres only about a quart of oil in the motor, so i added a 2 liter bottle of antifreeze for extra lubricant. zip tie the throttle wide open, and let it rip at 6500+(?) till the end. no luck. all it did was rev. so drain the concoction in the pan for zero lube along with the antifreeze, take the belt off (hoping to save the heater core, in which i did) and let it rip. i added a few handfulls of small rocks down the intake tube, along with more antifreeze in the intake, and all it does is rev! what finally brings the fun to an end is the battery dieing from no alternator! 15 minutes or so of no oil or coolant, over redline, and it still runs like a champ!!
Last edited by orange88ranger; 09-02-2008 at 04:18 PM.
Reason: misspell
2.3L engines are ridiculously tough. I've seen one driven 1000 miles on 3 cylinders because the connecting rod on the 4th one was sticking through the block. Vibrated like crazy and had to add oil every gas stop because of how much was leaking through the hole, but it made it.
I've also run one with a 600cfm Holley 4-bbl on it with an open header and beat the daylights out of it around town... it did finally wash down the cylinders enough to start burning oil, but it never did quit running, nobody bought that engine when I tried to sell it locally, so I ended up selling it to a scrapper, who put it in an old Courier with a few bottles of "Smoke Away"... damned 32 year old Mustang II 2.3L engine, been beat to HELL, and still runs in this old timer's Courier... Most durable engine Ford ever built.
There's a reason they use these things in sand dragsters, dune buggies, and dirt-track cars.... dirt just doesn't hurt them...
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
Man, I knew these things were tough but dang! I love mine, even though it weighs a ton (1 and nine tenths if you wanna get technical, way to heavy lol) slow as a dog (for now) but it will go anywhere and it has never given me a single problem. other than what the previous owners neglected to fix, stuff that generally goes bad.
Man, I knew these things were tough but dang! I love mine, even though it weighs a ton (1 and nine tenths if you wanna get technical, way to heavy lol) slow as a dog (for now) but it will go anywhere and it has never given me a single problem. other than what the previous owners neglected to fix, stuff that generally goes bad.
the only problem i ve had was technically caused by me.
and i found today upon taking the motor out, the head got so hot it melted the boots off the wires, which would explain the loss of power my friends with me couldnt believe something can run so long with no oil. i guess we watch too many youtube videos of kids blowing stuff up like this, only we didnt have the big ending lol
They are tough my first one was in a 80 capri
carb turbo shifting at 7600 rpm on the street that was in 87 last time I saw it was 91 and it had 140k
on it still ran strong
obviously i have no intentions on saving this motor, or i wouldnt try this. besides, who needs a stock 2.3 na when theres a turbo 2.3 sitting 4 feet from it
Guy on turbo ford. Threw rod out side and drove home. I had a six banger Maverick. Dad said if I blew it up I would get v-8. Everyday would wind it till wouldn't and shift gears. Would drop into first at 35mph and gun it. A woman in a MonteCarlo 2 years later ended it for me. But another guy fixed it.
In an old Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords Mag they did a simalar thing. They wee gonna put a 302 in the car so decided to see how much nitrous the 2.3 could take. I really forget how much they added but it took them 3 or four times of cranking it up before the engine got damaged. Then even damaged it still would run. Those engines never give up. My first Mustang was a 2.3 89 LX that made me fall in love with Mustangs.
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2005 Ford Mustang GT Torch Red Manual
Saleen Supercharger 3.4 pulley/Brenspeed Tune
FRPP Stingers Axleback Muffler System
CHE Lower Control Arms
Pro-5.0 Super Shifter
CDC Sequential Tail Lights
Best ET NA: 13.408 @ 105.31
Best SC: 12.6 @ 114 on Pirellis
2.3 strength test 
I love mine, even though it weighs a ton (1 and nine tenths if you wanna get technical, way to heavy lol) slow as a dog (for now) but it will go anywhere and it has never given me a single problem. other than what the previous owners neglected to fix, stuff that generally goes bad.
