Best bang for the buck!!!

stradguy94 · 01-04-2009

Ok, I have a 1989 Mustang lx 2.3 EFI. I have a 268 cam in it with new comp cam lifters. It has a intake silencer but I have taken out the tube inside of it to help the flow. It also has a T5 trans. It is about all stock not counting the cam and lifters. What is the best bang for the buck for this engine? I am looking at about a $200-$300 price range it dosen't matter if it's a $30 bolt on of a $200 one, just the best bang for the buck.

madmaxx69 · 01-04-2009

75 horsepower of NOS. Your car has the same 88 liter fuel pump that the V-8 came with. 75 horse of nitrous oxide will not hurt it at all. I am putting together a 2.3 for a buddy. It will be running a 200 hp NOS kit. The 2.3L has a very strong bottom end.

m_williams · 01-04-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by stradguy94

Ok, I have a 1989 Mustang lx 2.3 EFI. I have a 268 cam in it with new comp cam lifters. It has a intake silencer but I have taken out the tube inside of it to help the flow. It also has a T5 trans. It is about all stock not counting the cam and lifters. What is the best bang for the buck for this engine? I am looking at about a $200-$300 price range it dosen't matter if it's a $30 bolt on of a $200 one, just the best bang for the buck.

I have a 88 mustang with a 2.3 that I am wanting to do something similar to. But I am curious about your cam?.... How are you going to tune for the cam? On the 5.0 liters that are speed density. They do not do well with mods that add air to the engine becuase there is no way meter the air flow. Aren't the 2.3's the same? What year did they put mass-air sensors on the 2.3's?

stradguy94 · 01-05-2009

can you get a nos kit for under $250, and about the cam, I just put it in yesterday and am still messing with the timeing. I have to put a finder and bumper cover on it before I test it. But i have reved it and everything and it sounds fine. If you do want to cam your 2.3 be ready for it because it's a pain in the ass.

stradguy94 · 01-05-2009

Also I know the bottom end of a 2.3 can take a beating but can the top end. Mine has a 268 cam and comp cam lifters in it with stock springs. Do you think that could hold nos?

ford45 · 01-05-2009

mass airflow came in to stangs in '91 also with dual spark plugs with distributor-less ignition

stradguy94 · 01-05-2009

well I got the 268 cam in my 2.3 to work. It has a good bit more poewer now and dosen't have that "im going to blow" feeling to it when it a reved pass 3,000 rpm. I sugest this cam swap to anyone who wants to have more power out of there 2.3

Matto211 · 01-10-2009

3" PVC pipe for cold air intake Cut it about 4" run it into the fender pop a cone filter on it. Boom 2-5hp $20.00
95lph fuel pump out of a 5.0lx Mustang (more fuel when needed there fore better throttle response also faster fuel flow) ( could be free if you have a local junk yard that doesn't check your tool's)
Ford Ranger tubeular style header ($10.00 at your local Junk yard)
Flowmaster 40's muffler if you like the sound of a big ol' V8 ($95) but if you'r looking for power/torque definatly go with a Thrush Cherry Bomb ($35.00) most people don't like the sound though.
wrap your header, cold air intake pipe with heat insulation to keep it cold but make sure it's flamable (ex. Header wrap)
Remove the spare tire for less weight because the spare tire and all that stuff weight's a good 50lbs that's almost 1/10th of a second off your time
Accel ignition coil ($50.00)
Also convert it over to MAF

There are some other pretty neat trick's you can do to these 2.3L's to make them scoot. I love mine, even though I am getting rid of it.

buggzb · 01-15-2009

how wold u convert it to a maf? also wat year and exact type of ford rangger do u have to get the header off?

Matto211 · 01-15-2009

Mass air flow is simply removing stock ecu, and installing Mass air flow ecu, run the wiring for the Mass air meter, and then Install the mass air meter, and test.

As for the Ford ranger header, I can't really remeber but I beleive it's any 2.3L past 1993. I am not sure on that, so don't qeote me. I simply would simply go to car-part.com and try to find it used from there.

I would recomend trying to find a good Ford Ranger engine, to just rip part's off of. Because that's where most part's come from.