2.3L ('83-'97) NA performance upgrades that will benefit a turbocharged engine?

[JoshT]

As of right now the NA build comes first, but I don't want to forget about that end goal of 2.3 turbo. To that end I'm biasing time and money towards improvements that will also be beneficial for the turbo motor.

At this time the list of planned improvements for the naturally aspirated engine are below and pretty much in the order I intend to do them:

• #1, before anything else, GET IT RUNNING
• Larger radiator (need one anyway)
• Roller cam upgrade, possibly an aftermarket NA roller cam
• Adjustable cam gear while I'm in there
• ECU upgrade
• Injector replacement
• Later model factory "header"
• Head work, porting and maybe larger valves
• Intake porting

If/as necessary or at some point... just cause:

• Thinner MLS cometic headgasket <for a slight bump in compression, but only if replacement is necessary>
• Distributorless Ignition, coil-near-plug <just cause>
• Sequential Injection <just cause>
• Performance transmission upgrade/rebuild or swap <when/if needed & just cause>
• Electric fans <just cause>

I think the lists are pretty self explanitory, but I'll be happy to explain my reasoning for any of them. Nearly everything on these lists are beneficial for both the NA and Turbo build. The exceptions are the NA camshaft, header, and thinner headgasket.

I'm not too sure about the later model factory header, I haven't paid attention to what's on the truck now. It seems like a relatively inexpensive upgrade that will help take advantage of better cam and later porting.

In a previous post I promised more about the ECU situation and here it is. I'm not going to use Moates Quarterhorse, MegaSquirt or MicroSquirt ECU.

Ok that's not entirely accurate. I will be using PiMP EMS which is MS based, and potentially use MicroSquirt TCU to control a transmission. PiMP is a MegaSquirt 3 attached to an adapter board in an EEC-IV style case, that is designed to be nearly plug-n-play compatable with a Ford 60 pin engine harness and fit in the factory ECU location. There are three versions; the "x" which is a basic batch fire EFI system and works with stock injectors, the"xs" that adds sequential injection (but still batch fire capable) and requires high impedence injectors, and the "xshift" that is the same as an "xs" but adds a built in MicroSquirt module for transmission control.

The old DIY MS units are a thing of the past, it seems that now they are all pre assembled. Those systems start at around $650 for the MS3 and shoot up to $1500 plus for a MS3Pro, for either of them I'd have to build out my own engine harness. PiMP (MS3 based) starts around $820 and plugs into the factory wiring harness and mounts in the factory location. The "x" is $820, the "xs" is $950, and the "xshift" is $1400.

Since I will not need the transmission controller features for the A4LD, I am planning to go with the "xs" to gain the capability for sequential injection. That will require replacing the injectors with high impedence injectors, but I figure after 30+ years it could probably stand new ones anyway.

There is one drawback to not selecting the "xshift" and that is the function I don't currently need. It's not officially supported yet, but the 4R44E was added to the latest beta version of the TCU firmware for MicroSquirt. That carries over to the PiMPxshift since it uses microsquirt for the trans controls. Since the 4R44E was found behind the 2.3 and 2.5L in later Rangers, I can bolt it in place of the A4LD in my earlier Ranger giving me full electronic control of the transmission through PiMP. Since the transmission is not officially supported yet I'm not sure it's worth spending the additional $450 on it and I can always add the feature with a microsquirt TCU tied into the canbus at a later time. The biggest advantage on having it built in would be simplicity of it all being in one unit, but I'd have to custom wire it through the expansion port either way.

As for using the A4LD. I plan to have it upgraded well before I even reach the 200 hp mark. At 37 years old and unknown history, I can't imagine a Ford automatic overdrive transmission not being nearly ready for a rebuild/overhaul. The stronger guts of a 5R55E will fit into the A4LD and there is a build guide over on Explorer-Forum for doing that and other upgrades. I intend to follow this guide with oversight from an experienced transmission guy and personal friend or buy a prebuilt unit from PATC that is built similarly and then some. Same stuff could be done on the 4R44E. After the upgrades it should handle anything I'm planning to throw at it. If it doesn't, hopefull it'll go out with a bang not a whimper and I'll reconsider a 5 speed swap.

 

[Roert42]

From what I understand about these auto trans.

The A4OD and be upgraded internally be better shifting ect. Good upgrade, @lil_Blue_Ford did a write up and swears by it. For the new 4R and 5R trans, they are heavily computer controlled and upgraded the internals will have less a noticeable effect, since the computer will simply adjust for the heavier springs to make the shifts sloppy again.

My guess would be that the easier way to go would be to upgrade the A4LD to avoid needing to reprogram the 5R55E. I also know that the only difference between the 5R55E and 4R55E is the software, but I believe the 4R44E is a lighter duty internals.

 

[bobbywalter]

I think you would ace this with just the 400 dollar microsquirt...just use it's base 8 foot harness and their free software and training ...those guys are awesome and just a phone call away ..just start out with what you have....and dial it in just like it sits....what you will learn will help us all.



Anybody that knows about the lima..knows...
A fully built 2.3 is good for 9 to10k rpm

Friggin animal.

Forged crank is ideal.

Bad ass rods and Pistons for sure to maximize safe power potential ....

But ...

Lack of Torque management combined with boost creep will spank a guy even with top shelf parts... Timing and fuel control are necessary.

This is where the MS3 can shine...well the micro anyway .... over say a haltech in cost and for diy.........it is a good thing.....and can allow you to get over any stock lima to the 300ish area....with inferior parts....running what you have...with a fair margin of safety.

Like I said earlier... I too am looking at the 4 whizzers....in this case the Mazda l.....and the Ecoboost....

With . ..

gasp .

A 4r55e...and the m5odr1 on the back of it....

I have both setups in development....which is stalled due to my son's preferred direction at the moment.....which has any free time working with the LS platform.


and the 3rd option is forthcoming. That is running the full size ford transmissions....for me this is the best option as it allows me to run the standard doubler transfer case options from northwest fab with the 205 case....the opposite of your build. If we would not have picked up the z that is what would be in my bronco now.


The original plan for sticking with the oem system with a 2009 style ee6 or the ee7 stuff via hp tuners was the robustness of them and the tunability... and they are fairly young and readily available...and of course.... Mostly because I have all of that hp tuner stuff. Problem is it is not as easy as the microsquirt....

This of course with the hopes it will eventually transfer over to the Ecoboost setups....


I think this system can be adapted to the lima... though I have interest to whether or not the ms can control the 4r55e....I just don't know anyone that has tried it.



On edit ..I forgot the point of the sbf adaptation...the lima has that ability too ...this allows you to upgrade to a 4r70 or mild AOD...

 

[bobbywalter]

For a booster engine you would want a forged bottom end with dished pistons and a cam setup for the psi and turbo size you want to run. All paired together. Lower the CR so you can run higher boost.

For a NA build you would try and raise the CR with convex pistons, stroker, ect.

So, all of that and your previous post on the 1st page are factual... But it's not so simple.....

Josh wonders why I would qualify as a tech homo ...

I have been into several platforms like always just recently...and work on allot of stuff all the time.

Ring gap and 300 dollar turbos are a thing ... On stock bottom....worn out junkyard LS engines...

and Romeo's can just take a fair amount of boost with just injectors.

I am working on 25cc engines up to 15 liter cats.....and never know where I am going to be next....all in the same day sometimes.....

Willis Performance Enterprises, the shop handling the build, had already fitted the 7.3 with Stage 3 heads, a new camshaft, a dry-sump lubrication system, an OBR ECU, upgraded pistons, and MGP Rods. The compression ratio is 12.5:1, up from the stock motor's 10.5:1. Perhaps most impressively, the block, crank, head castings, and ignition coils are all stock.

Ford's 7.3-Liter Godzilla V-8 Can Make 1450 HP With a Supercharger

With the help of Whipple Superchargers, Brian Wolfe got the massive pushrod engine to make 1450 hp and 1030 lb-ft of torque.

www.roadandtrack.com

.

 

[JoshT]

Josh wonders why I would qualify as a tech homo ...

That might have more to do with how you present your knowledge, than with the knowledge you possess.

I'll admit that a lot of times it's difficult for me to figure out what it is that you are trying to say.

 

[fastpakr]

It's hard to keep up with the way Bobby's brain works sometimes. But if you can work out what he's getting at, you start to realize there's an evil mechanical genius at the wheel and the content of his message is pure gold.

 

[JoshT]

For the new 4R and 5R trans, they are heavily computer controlled and upgraded the internals will have less a noticeable effect, since the computer will simply adjust for the heavier springs to make the shifts sloppy again.

That would be a function of the stock computer control. If I were to use a 4R based transmission in this, it would not be controlled by a stock computer.

My guess would be that the easier way to go would be to upgrade the A4LD to avoid needing to reprogram the 5R55E. I also know that the only difference between the 5R55E and 4R55E is the software, but I believe the 4R44E is a lighter duty internals.

I can not use a 5R or a 4R55E behind the 2.3L in stock form, they did not come with a 2.3l compatable bellhousing. The 4R44E and A4LD are the ones with a 2.3L bellhousing. The "55" versions have the stronger components, but those components can be swapped into the "44" versions and the A4LD.

No doubt that upgrading the A4LD would be easier. Ease is not the reason for considering the 4R or 5R. The transmission swap would be to support the features offered by a MicroSquirt transmission control unit. Namely full electronic control over when and how the transmission shifts, and potentially the ability to enable a manual shift mode akin to paddle shifters or manumatic.

You don't reprogram the transmission. There's nothing in the transmission to reprogram. The electronics are just a bunch of solenoids controlled by the ECU.

 

[JoshT]

I think this system can be adapted to the lima... though I have interest to whether or not the ms can control the 4r55e....I just don't know anyone that has tried it.



On edit ..I forgot the point of the sbf adaptation...the lima has that ability too ...this allows you to upgrade to a 4r70 or mild AOD...

According to MS support forums, experimental support for the 4R44E was added to the pre-1.2 beta 1 version of the Microsquirt trans code back in 2020. It's up to beta version 4 now, but I haven't seen much feedback on the 4R44E. I may just be failing in the search attempts.

Potentially using a SBF transmission is something rattling around in my head too.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

From what I understand about these auto trans.

The A4OD and be upgraded internally be better shifting ect. Good upgrade, @lil_Blue_Ford did a write up and swears by it. For the new 4R and 5R trans, they are heavily computer controlled and upgraded the internals will have less a noticeable effect, since the computer will simply adjust for the heavier springs to make the shifts sloppy again.

My guess would be that the easier way to go would be to upgrade the A4LD to avoid needing to reprogram the 5R55E. I also know that the only difference between the 5R55E and 4R55E is the software, but I believe the 4R44E is a lighter duty internals.

Yeah, I did the shift kit and some mods from the Explorer forum to an A4LD and it became an entirely different animal. I went pretty much full boat with the mods for the valve body. Adjusting the bands like you’re supposed to makes a difference too. There was another place I had seen a good A4LD write up, but my tabs got accidentally closed and somehow I had failed to bookmark it and have not been able to find it since. After having gone through the tedious task of doing the valve body work, and seeing how well it works, I don’t ever want to own and un-modded one again. No slop, nice crisp shifts, no hesitation, and it would light up a limited slip rear if you were a little too generous with the throttle. Something that took some getting used to because it was a habit to give it that much just to go before the mods. Oh, and fuel economy took an uptick too, at least one mpg if not more, unfortunately the truck I did it to got wrecked about a month after the mods.

For the 4R and 5R transmission valve bodies I’ve been told the shift kit and mods are well worth it plus a composite gasket thing instead of the two paper gaskets of the A4LD, but they don’t make that sort of thing for the A4LD yet