Actually my Saab had a far LOWER C/R than any Ford 2.3turbo engine.
The mechanical C/R was 7.2:1.
the later "APC" equipped single cam engines were at 8.6:1
The 16Valve engines were somewhere over 9:1.
the secret to the saabs whas that they had a "True" 5sp trans (5th was 1:1)
but their "overdrive" was accomplished without increased frictional drag
by doing it in the chain drive between the clutch shaft and the transmission
input. (this also allows you to "quick change" the overall gear ratios by
swapping out input sprockets)
And I'll concede that the Saab engine was MUCH better built than the ford 2.3T.
Their Steel crank alone was nearly bulletproof as was the block.
And the Mahle pistons used in the turbo engines are quite frankly
the best pistons that can be bought at any price.
I've run a Saab single cam turbo engine with a certified EGT showing 1600-1650F for more than 90minutes and that engine went another 100,000 miles after that little demonstration.
Typically ford turbo engine owners freak the Fok out when they et to see their exhaust manifold glow dull red.
I had to put stainless steel heat shields on the inner fender to keep
from burning the undercoating out of the wheel well AFTER I had burned the paint off the engine side of the inner fender.
While the Saab engine really wasn't designed for turbocharging from
the beginning, it was a MUCH better engine to start with than
the 2.3Lima ford engine is and the engineers putting a turbocharger
onto it were not particularly disturbed by the cost of "doing it right"
Let me point out that one of the 4400 1978 Saab 99 Turbo's
(I have two in the yard and I've parted out several others)
actually sold for essentially the same price as a Corvette in in78,
The various small "flaws" in the turbo installation in the Saab 99 led to
the redesign of the front of the car (basically everything forward of
the front door hinges)that created the Saab 900
Ford probable sold more turbocoupes in 1987 than saab sold 900's that year.
And they probably sold more BLACK turbocoupes than Saab sold 900turbos.
a more appropriate analogy is comparing a piece of pickled herring to an apple.
But after all that the 2.3T has several things going for it.
The first that it is practically a bolt-in to a Ranger.
Putting a turbo onto a 3.0Vulcan is an entirely different kettle of fish.
AD