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THE 2.3 Liter Natuarally-Aspirated Performance/Modifications Thread

239K views 243 replies 114 participants last post by  Fredness. 
#1 ·
Hey all this is my first post to this board and I'm hoping someone can help me out a little bit. I just bought a 1987 LX. Its 2.3L and 5 speed but other then that I don't know anything about it. The owners manual is long gone so I have no idea of where to look for specifications and stuff. Is it turbo or not? I don't have license plates or insurance yet so I can't drive it around any. Is this a fast mustang? More importantly, is it faster than the stock civics my friends drive? Its blue, does being blue make it faster? :cool: Anyways! Any help anyone could give me would be awesome. Thanks a bunch!
 
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#2 ·
Re: Just got my first mustang...

alexhawkins said:
Hey all this is my first post to this board and I'm hoping someone can help me out a little bit. I just bought a 1987 LX. Its 2.3L and 5 speed but other then that I don't know anything about it. The owners manual is long gone so I have no idea of where to look for specifications and stuff. Is it turbo or not? I don't have license plates or insurance yet so I can't drive it around any. Is this a fast mustang? More importantly, is it faster than the stock civics my friends drive? Its blue, does being blue make it faster? :cool: Anyways! Any help anyone could give me would be awesome. Thanks a bunch!
First of all, welcome to the board. Now let's get to work.

You can probably get another owners manual at a swap meet or from ebay, but if it's specifications you're really looking for, you'd probably be better off with a Haynes manual or a Chilton's manual.

The car is probably not a turbo unless it's had a 2.3 turbo motor swapped in from a Mustang SVO, Thunderbird Turbocoupe, Merkur XR4Ti, or Mercury Cougar.

Stock 2.3 cars that aren't turbocharged aren't known for being particularly fast, but there are some things you can do to fix that, all the way up to and including a turbo motor swap from one of the afore-mentioned turbo-equipped cars. You can find some discussion on this in other threads in this section and the SVO/2.3L Tech section.

As for it's performance compared to Civics... It all depends. On your driving skills, their driving skills, which bodystyle/engine/transmission they have and the conditions at the time.

No, there isn't a magic paint color to make your car faster, some, including gloss black, Ferrari Red (or Yellow) or Viper Blue do make them LOOK faster though....:cool:

Also, posting some pictures of the car and its components to either this forum or your personal gallery would probably help myself and other members to help you out with your ride. Good luck!
 
#4 ·
Thank you for the prompt reply. I picked up a chiltons manual this afternoon so I'll have a look through there. How much do you think a 2.3 turbo engine would cost? and where might be a good place to start looking? And if I got one, would this be something I could do on my own (keeping in mind I have only basic knowledge)?

I'll go pick up a camera and try and take some pictures today. Thanks a lot! Cheers
 
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#5 ·
You can get a 2.3 turbo engine from the junkyard, but its better to pick up an entire car as you'll need the wiring, plumbing, and some other stuff from it. I'm not sure I'd recommend an engine swap to someone with just basic knowledge, but we've all got to start somewhere.
 
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#7 ·
1. K&N FIPK, I don't know if they make one for the 2.3, but I'm betting that you can fabricate one using a K&N cone-style filter without too much trouble. You can also go with a Cold-air intake system, I don't know of anybody that make them either, but they shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate.

2. Exhaust, There are literally thousands of choices here from nearly 100 brands, the most common include: Flowmaster, Dynomax, Edelbrock, Hooker, Thrush, MAC, Walker, Cherry-bomb(my favorite), and about a dozen styles(cat-back, header-back, off-road, glasspack, dual-chamber, dual outlet/inlet)

3. a T-5 tranny, if you have an automatic, consider switching to a T-5 manual, the performance and reliablitly increases are amazing.

4. Ignition system: Options here range from just upgrading the plugs and the coil, to a full-on MSD ignition box.

5. Camshafts, go down to your local parts house (Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys, etc.) and have them look up cam shafts for your car in the computer, see if they offer a high-performance option, you may be pleasantly suprised.

6. Intake setup, If street legality isn't important to you, you may want to look for the all-rare, but all-awesome Offenhauser 4-barrel intake for 2.3s, these are designed to allow you to bolt on a Holley or Edelbrock 4-barrel carb to your 2.3, Recomendations state not to go bigger than a 390cfm Holley, but a 400cfm Edelbrock is much cheaper and is of comparable quality.

7. If street legality is important, but you already have a carb 2.3 intake (2-barrel) you may want to consider looking around for an older Holley 2--barrel carb, or getting a Holley 2300 model (available in 350 and 500 cfm)

This is basically the same list I typed up in this thread: http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9706
 
#11 ·
Sorry, but the only thing I can think of is nitrous. MM&FF had an article about spraying the non turbo 2.3L a while back. It made a huge difference. You might can go to links at the top and search for a dedicated 2.3L site.
 
#14 ·
Henner,
Look at my replies in previous post. Lists just about everything possible without a power adder.

The knock sensor drops timing about 20 degrees when the faintest sign of knock, that you would never hea,r is detected. The computer then slowly adjusts timing back to normal over the next several minutes. This kills performance big time.

Disconnecting it prevents the ECM from getting "knock" signals so the timing remains constant.
 
#17 ·
I am looking for something to do with my wifes 92 2.3l also. One thing i did was installed a resistor inline with the wires that go to the air intake temp sensor. That doesnt do alot but it did help. It tricks the computer to thinking it is taking in cooler air than it really is.
 
#20 ·
Im all set to modify my 2.3

What are the first things I should do? Cold air intake and exhaust are no-brainers but what about a chip, spark plugs, porting the manifold and so on??????
 
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#21 ·
Well, as far as spark plugs go, Autolite or Bosch Platinums are great if you upgrade your ignition system.

Manifold porting is best left to a good machine shop, and though I've yet to hear of a chip for the 2.3, I do know that you can do some amazing things with Ford's engine computers.
 
#22 ·
Ok what excatly can you do to the 2.3 n/a to get more hp without going turbo?{with a limit about $600}

KnN filter?{hear about 1 to 2 hp lol?
remove knock sensor?NoHPgiven here but if your knocking it helps and i am}
headers ?
remove 2 of the silencer esgust of intake if there are 2?{seen 1 so far not 2 but heard there 2}?
mabey port and polish the heads?
boring the clyinders out ?
get higher conpresion piston?
have the miled?

this are things that i've thought would help with hp on the 2.3 n/a what would you think they cost and how much hp they mite add?:green :help: :green

One more things cuz im new to messing with engine work is there anything else that you can do free to speed it up too?:anianger:
 
#23 ·
swap that 2.3 for a 2.3 turbo. thats what I did to my 87 lx. the motor came out of a turbo coupe. the swap was pretty easy. the motors are pretty much the same. if your going to spend money dont even bother with the n/a 2.3., you wont make it any faster.
 
#25 ·
2.3L 1988 LX mods

Hey all, I'm sort of new to the modding, but next week I'm looking to get in a new exhaust + probably some other stuff like intake, and anything else that might help. I've been trying to find how to do a dual exhaust setup, does anyone have any good ideas ? Now, intake wise, do I just switch the air box with a 9" (I think) K&N Cone Filter, or is there more to it / better ideas ? Also, any other suggestions on some relatively low cost mods that increase performance/power would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
 
#155 ·
Hey all, I'm sort of new to the modding, but next week I'm looking to get in a new exhaust + probably some other stuff like intake, and anything else that might help. I've been trying to find how to do a dual exhaust setup, does anyone have any good ideas ? Now, intake wise, do I just switch the air box with a 9" (I think) K&N Cone Filter, or is there more to it / better ideas ? Also, any other suggestions on some relatively low cost mods that increase performance/power would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
Alright;its been said lots before, speed costs and how much do u want to spend. Also what are your goals expectations out of your Mustang.
I havn't found anyone making a dual exhaust setup for a 2.3 altgough there may be some out ther. I made my own Cat-back dual exhaust
syatem using Cherry Bomb glasspacks, a tail pipe , a Y pipe and some other misc parts. Cost roughy $200.00. It dosen't sound bad, bur hard to notice any preformance improvement wiout some mearsuments. A
cat-back sys like that on this eng probably only gives you mabey 10 hp
gain, if that.

Another good optionIs to find an engine out of say a 83 or so Ford
Crown Victoria. get a carbed one. You can get one used for about $300.00 if u shop around. Stock they're about 145 hp, but thats a good gain for the money. Also a reliable hp gain w/ a good engine. Your state emissions may be a factor here

For an intake manifold on the 2.3 eng I'd go with the cone K&N to about a 3" pvc to the Throtle body. Try adapt it to cold air if u can.This step will eliminate removing the air silincer found on other post on this board.

Also a 65mm Throttlebody from (I think a 94 or 95 V6 must) will help.

Amost forgot, removing wire from knock sensor ( located on underside
of intake manifold helps a lot.

These are just some of the thing you can do, there are others of course, like cam, head, underdrive pullys and others i may have forgotten about.
I woudn't expect much if any hp gain out of spark plugs and wires, mostly for reliability at higher rpms. If your still undecided, read other posts on this board. Some good ideas here. I don't know if there are any correct methods here or not. some just better than others for what u want.. Janstang
 
#26 ·
First of, duals would be a really bad idea unless you are going to use 1 inch pipe LOL. The 2.3 does not need a lot of exhaust and you would kill your bottome end. Just a good single setup would be fine.

You can adapt a ricer style inlet to the 2.3, but a cone style filter is not an absolute must. A panel style in an airbox, although flows less, still is an upgrade. You could try a larger 5.0 air box.

Other ideas. A 96 Ranger manifold is a tube steel header. Get one from a wrecker cheap. Remove the air silencer. Half shaft the TB and port the intakes. Unhook the Knock sensor if the engine is not detonating. There are bolt ons as well but they cost.
 
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