94 2.3 Ranger N/A to Turbo

[Backwoodz]

Well time to play has come, pretty mechincally inclined. Bout 16 years experience mechanically. Not my first rebuild just first 2.3 rebuild and to turbo swap. I know I can do to esslinger spend thousands to do it as well. Hard to find donor 2.3 turbo engines. So what’s the cost effective go to reliable build. The ole girl 267k popped a gasket. Exhaust gas to coolant. Red devil pour and go to get home, dried it up drove it another 4 months. She has now started loosing coolant again. She burns some oil, leaks it etc. pulled valve cover normal wear I would say for a 94 and mileage. In progress on doing a head gasket, etc and bunch other stuff. Coils, wires, plugs, hoses,timing, head rebuild bo port cams, pretty much give her the ole rebuild.

86 T-bird 2.3 turbo vs 94 dp 2.3
1. Drill hole for oil return in factory spot.
2. Forged pistons
3. Aftermarket eec ( piggy back or etc)
4. Brown top injectors and Walbaro pump?
5.Looking for i guess 250hp

4. Heard the lower end in ranger is already forged just not the pistons ?? Do they mean the crank and the rods?

5. I heard there are certain headers that can retain ac that’s a must to me.

 

[scotts90ranger]

crank and rods can handle like 350hp from what I've heard so no worries there, you are correct on the only differences. With modern injectors not necessary to go brown top with aftermarket fuel system, something more modern would be easier... the brown top are peak and hold or otherwise known as low impedance where pretty much everything from the last 30 years is high impedance, either way just make sure the system can support the injector load, low takes more amps...

If you can find forged pistons and do what is needed to get oil to and from the turbo you should be good to go, it might be easier to deal with the oil drain by drilling the oil pan instead of the block, the drain line is pretty flat out of the turbo in stock form, going down 2" or so would likely help... I'd have to crawl under mine again to refresh as it's been a while.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Just to add, the 2.3L is known for cracking heads between the valves not blowing head gaskets, so you might want to look for a head...

 

[Backwoodz]

crank and rods can handle like 350hp from what I've heard so no worries there, you are correct on the only differences. With modern injectors not necessary to go brown top with aftermarket fuel system, something more modern would be easier... the brown top are peak and hold or otherwise known as low impedance where pretty much everything from the last 30 years is high impedance, either way just make sure the system can support the injector load, low takes more amps...

If you can find forged pistons and do what is needed to get oil to and from the turbo you should be good to go, it might be easier to deal with the oil drain by drilling the oil pan instead of the block, the drain line is pretty flat out of the turbo in stock form, going down 2" or so would likely help... I'd have to crawl under mine again to refresh as it's been a while.

awesome good to know. I’m have a spare engine long block. If head is cracked: yeah pan be easier for sure just a line, weld a fitting on.

 

[Backwoodz]

Just to add, the 2.3L is known for cracking heads between the valves not blowing head gaskets, so you might want to look for a head...

Any eec controller recommendation for the tuning of computer?

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'll have to leave that to others, I'm running the stock '85 thunderbird stuff, switched to DIS since I had the stuff and it was wired that way, ported the head, random bigger turbo and a vacuum leak boost controller thing set around 14psi (lost like 2psi after porting the head), stopped there so I can run plus fuel with minimal detonation... there's room for improvement but good enough for what I do, if it was a daily driver it would probably drive me nuts but I literally threw this engine together by just buying rings, bearings and gaskets in 2 months on a deadline out of parts on hand...

 

[Backwoodz]

Who’s done this before?

 

[Backwoodz]

I have found a soft called TWeecer for the running side in stock computer.

 

[bobbywalter]

Core Tuning

Ford Tuning

coretuning.net

i suggest going with ms3 and getting all new pcm and wiring...

 

[bobbywalter]

curt uses them and can comment on things.

79-93 Mustang 2.3L Thunderbird Ranger T3T4 .63 Turbo Kit Manifold Intercooler CH | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 79-93 Mustang 2.3L Thunderbird Ranger T3T4 .63 Turbo Kit Manifold Intercooler CH at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.ca

remember....never buy any car parts from e bhey.

 

[Backwoodz]

Core Tuning

Ford Tuning

coretuning.net

i suggest going with ms3 and getting all new pcm and wiring...

So is it pretty user friendly. ?

 

[racsan]

Ive not done turbo on my 94 2.3 (but have thought about it!) I did run into valve seat cracking issues, and my junkyard head had them as well, ended up with a remanufactured autozone head as a replacement.

 

[bobbywalter]

So is it pretty user friendly. ?

not for me...


i would prefer holley or microsquirt...they are dumber for idiots like me.

the quarterhorse was a godsend when it first appeared compared to regular tweecer.

eec5 stuff definitely made power levels in the v8 community into 800 hp territory that was streetable.

i was putting powertrains together and wiring and plumbing them up...and having nerds tune them. i only know enough to fawk stuff up in regards to tune.

 

[JoshT]

I wouldn't count on using Core or TwEECer for tuning of one of these. I know Core used the Moates Quarterhorse hardware. Moates closed up shop earlier this year, or lat year and the quarterhorse is no longer being made. I don't recall if TwEECer used the QH, but neither the Ranger or Mustang are listed in compatability menu.

I'd second Bobby's suggestion for MS. If I do this on my 85 that's the route I'm taking. I'll probably go with buying a new EFI harness and a megasquirt based PiMP system from Stinger Performance. Pimp is essentially a MS system built in a Ford ECU case and adapted to use the factory, typically Mustang, wiring harness. Could probably build a MS system for less, but I like the simplicity and clean installation I've seen from the PiMP offering.