1990 Mustang 2.3L Carbed Motor. How much can I mill the head?
Ok i didnt find anything when i searched the site for carbed motors, so i started my own thread.
Heres what my situation is, i had a 78 Mustang II with the 2.3, the motor needed to be retired, and did, after i pushed it a little to hard one day.
So a buddy of mine gave a great freebie block,70 k miles its a 1990 Long block. I pulled off all of the efi stuff. I did some freshening up to the motor, new water pump, 160 deg therm. High Volume oil pump (im not taking any chances anymore!).
When i get my tax return, im buying, headers, Offy intake manifold, holley 2 barrel 350 cfm and the carb restrictor i need. but i was wondering, i do have the chance to mill the head down, what the most i could go with the stock cam. Ive been told it has the ranger roller cam and is a good torque cam, which is what i want, I dont want hp, just torque to throw me into my seat. lol.
So how much meat can i take off the head, and what CR would it give me, and about how much more power.
O yea, i almost forgot, i do plan on getting a sneeky pete 30 shot n2o system also very soon.
What do you guys think of this set up. Im shooting to get about 200 horsepower once im done. I wanna be able to smoke my younger brothers 01 Grand Am GT. Cant let him top me. lol.
The most I'd mill the head is .010-.020 if you mill off too much you can thin out the metal too much and/or alter your cam timing too much.
Another option for a 2.3 carbed motor is the EFI lower intake manifold with the Racer Walsh adapter to run a Holley 2-bbl. the EFI lower actually flows better, and is a long-runner/individual runner design. You'd simply have to plug the empty holes left from the fuel injectors (use a tap and four bolts coated in a Teflon thread sealant to be leak free, or you could run your nitrous nozzles in those holes and run you a little bigger system (50hp is probably a safe bet, I've seen 75 and 100hp kits on EFI 2.3s, but with the carb I'd stay with 50 or smaller to be on the safe side) Either way good luck, I've got a carbed 2.3 in my '74 II that has beaten up on a few V6 Mustangs and Camaros in her few short runs around town... I've got pics in the 2.3 Talk and Mustang II Talk threads, it's chromed out, with several hand-fabricated parts (done by me) running a Motorcraft 2100 carburetor (I've heard that it's 410cfm, haven't confirmed it yet) Runs like a scalded dog when it's not being tempermental (working out problems with the electric fuel pump, adjustable regulator and the carb... it all worked fine with my '74 bottom end an a mechanical pump! lol)
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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".)
There's enough meat in the head to literally mill it to the intake bolt holes. The circle track guys do it. I wouldn't recommend it for street use. The roundy-round guys are notorious for building grenades meant to hopefully last long enough to get a trophy, check, and a kiss from pretty girl
As '74Stang mentioned, the problem with shaving the head on an OHC motor is that it affects cam timing. I doubt you'll see a real issue staying within a reasonable range. Get crazy (i.e. milling it to the bolt holes) and you'll probably have to take measures to get you cam timing back where it should be. We all know how poor these things run being only 1 tooth off on the belt.
If you're looking for 200hp. You ain't gonna get it with the factory roller cam and a small nitrous shot, even if you do mill the head. You're in forced induction territory there.
MILD HIJACK: Hey '74Stang2togo. With your new fuel system are you running a deadhead regulator (typical Holley reg) or a bypass regulator?
I've found that a bypass setup is better at keeping fuel pressure where it's supposed to be. No build up or initial spike like the deadhead setup. The problem is creating the tank return. In cases where it wasn't practical or feasible to plumb the return into the tank, I've run it back to the suction side of the pump.
It's a Mr. Gasket deadhead adjustable regulator... I've got an inline "T" between the pump and the regulator to run a line back to the gas tank... My biggest problem is that the Motorcraft 2100's fuel bowl vents are positioned in such a way that even with the regulator at 2psi fuel comes out through them. I'm debating between a different carb or a different regulator... probably going to go with a different regulator since putting the T and return line didn't help enough. Worst-case scenairio will see the car sitting still until I finish rebuilding the original 1974 longblock (it has an '88 Ranger longblock now) so I can go back to using a mechanical pump.
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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".)
Does it spit out of the vent all the time or just under accel/decel? Float's right and needle/seat are good right? Without seeing it seems like there's too much fuel in the bowl.
I'm just the opposite. I prefer electric over mechanical. Just one of them things I guess.
1990 Mustang 2.3L Carbed Motor. How much can I mill the head? 
