Towing with a 2.3t

[therieldeal]

I'm picking up a clean 89 2wd in a couple days. I plan to drive it through the winter stock, and in the spring I'll swap in a 2.3t (already have the motor lined up and everything). The hope/plan is to give it enough guts to tow a 2300 pound car on a dolley, on the highway, for fairly long distances... several times a year. i also plan to locate and install a 4.10 explorer lsd rear end.

Think this is a reasonable plan?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

No.

If you want to pull that trailer, keep the stock engine, and regear to 4.10's. Even a stock 2.3L will pull better then a 2.3LT, a 2.9 will annilate one (with a load).

2.3T's have very little low end torque, which is what you need with a load. 2.3T's are good for going fast, not towing.

later,
Dustin

 

[therieldeal]

In my experience with turbocharged 4 cyls (300+ hp fwd escort that runs low 12's) they build plenty of torque at low rpm as long as the turbine housing is sized correctly. Do the 2.3t's have unusually large turbine housings?

 

[fastpakr]

Ignore Rusty - he chooses to be ignorant about certain things. For about eight years now he's been pounded with facts and real world evidence of turbo torque numbers and he continues to ignore them.

Ensure that you've got adequate cooling for the engine and the turbo itself, and tow away.

 

[therieldeal]

Haha, alright thanks. I guess they better take the turbos off all of those diesel trucks, 18 wheelers, and busses...

The truck has a brand spankin new stock radiator, I was planning to run an electric fan and hope for the best there. If its not enough I'll upgrade. Definitely going to grab a cheap FMIC and most likely an oil cooler as well.

 

[fastpakr]

I definitely would NOT recommend the e-fan for your application. Use a stock or flexalite fan with the biggest radiator that fits.

 

[therieldeal]

alright, i'll stick to the stock one then. i figured with an electric it would be able to flow more CFM when i'm at lower RPM's in boost, since the stock fan is RPM dependant...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Diesels do alright because they are capable of tons of low end torque anyways.

Talk to anyone with a 2.3LT, and they dont make any power till like 4500rpm.

Oh, and ignore fastpakr, he labors under the assumption anything you slap a turbo on is the be all and end all of engines.

later,
Dustin

 

[fastpakr]

Diesels do alright because they are capable of tons of low end torque anyways.

Talk to anyone with a 2.3LT, and they dont make any power till like 4500rpm.

Oh, and ignore fastpakr, he labors under the assumption anything you slap a turbo on is the be all and end all of engines.

later,
Dustin

Nope, I just like to quote facts and figures over myths, fairy tales, and pipe dreams.

Why don't you go find some of the multiple 2.3t owners on this board and see how many of them will back up your claim that 'anyone with a 2.3LT' says 'they dont make any power till like 4500rpm'?

 

[therieldeal]

turbos CAN add torque at any and every RPM, it depends on how they are sized. with a huge turbo, sure... it wont spool till 4500rpm. my escort doesnt have full boost till about 3800rpm. the thing is, a 2.3 with something like a small .48 a/r exhaust housing it should boost pretty damn early...

rusty have you ever driven or ridden in a vehicle with a turbo 4?

 

[BlackBII]

The 2.3T was rated at 240ft/lbs at 3400 in '88

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ive riddin in a few turboed vehicles, and not really impressed.

Im a big block guy.

later,
Dustin

 

[fastpakr]

Ive riddin in a few turboed vehicles, and not really impressed.

Im a big block guy.

later,
Dustin

Feel free to be a fan of whatever you want as far as personal taste goes. But when you start posting outright garbage nonsense about performance numbers, people will call you on it.

 

[therieldeal]

to each their own

i like running low 12's and getting 27mpg personally...

 

[turbo cat]

I wouldnt re-gear the rear end too low. Otherwise your turbo will be spooling latter in the lower gears. Turbos need load to spool. The lower the gear ratio (numerically higher) the less the load/cylinder pressure/energy.