[andy's89LX]

Found a turbo motor but I don't know if that is the route I want to take. I have a Torino GT for when I want tire burning fun. This mustang is a daily driver.

I love the car but like most of what I have read here, most want a little more power.

I know from reading posts, turbo will give lots of horse power. It might be more of a task than I could handle and would there be more maintenance issues with a daily driven turbo?

If I don't turbo, a better head from Esslinger might cost more but easier to maintain.

Any thoughts. This is a FI with auto transmission.

[evintho]

The swap itself isn't hard at all. There are plenty of websites out there with step-by-step instructions. As far as maintenance issues, there's no more maintenance to a turbo motor than there is to a n/a motor. If you do the swap right you shouldn't have any problems at all.

Good swap site..............
Turbo Coupe Motor Swap for 85 Mustangs

Stingers site..................
2.3 Tech Mainpage

My swap......................
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/530871

If you don't turbo, don't bother spending the money on the Esslinger head. You've got a stock 88 hp n/a 4 cyl with an automatic. To take full advantage of that head the motor would have to be built to the hilt and you'd have to go 5 spd and a comparable rearend.

[andy's89LX]

Thanks, that's what I needed to know. It's a great car, for what I use it for, it's plenty fast.

If I can get a turbo engine and brain cheap enough I just might try the swap.

Is the automatic transmission and rear end strong enough for the turbo or will I need more up grades?

[NavySVO]

First of all, the Esslinger head's intake and exhaust porting is no different than that of a stock head. It's just aluminum as the only perk.

The stock trans and rear are no biggie for a turbo motor. Your diff is actually stronger than what went in the SVOs.
As for the trans, you would probably have to upgrade it a bit if you go over the stock torque of the TC engine. Remember, the TCs had autos as well as manual.

[andy's89LX]

I don't think I would pass the stock turbo boost, I want it to last awhile and I don't plan on racing anything much more than another old guy at the red light.

Sounds like a plan, now all I need is a donor turbo.

[DBT4220]

sounds like a plan to me as for the head question. if you got aftermarket valves springs cam and lifter and just build up a stock head you could get a great deal of hp. my shop teacher used to race these 2.3L in stock car and that was the first tip he told me about these motors was to make a good head and thats the best start!!! jumped to i think he said 150hp+

[andy's89LX]

Are you not running a turbo DBT?

Andy

[Matt-Culpepper]

wow its a lot here to skip over to just answer your initial question:

The only difference is the spark plug interval. If the tune is good I go about 10k on a set of plugs.

[andy's89LX]

Are the turbo units still available?

[Matt-Culpepper]

....turbo units?