Help for my build....?

[ShotnVA777]

N/A 2.3l Lima Motor.... That's the motor I'm building.

Right NOW, my 1997 has the 8 plug (non distributor) version of the motor.

After taking a trip to my local Pick n' Pull, it was safe to say Lima Motors with distributors/heads/etc. are in abundance where I live!

I absolutely DO NOT want to go turbo, so here's my question!

I would like to take my head and mill it, P&P it, the works! The one I pick up, when I purchase my longblock from the yard. I work at a machine shop, so that's nothing, with the flow bench and all...

THAT said, not only do I want a high compression FLAME THROWER, that revs HIGH! How would I achieve this, what motor would be best?

I'm thinking a carb (IE: walbro side drafts or crotch rocket carbs), paired with a nice flowing head and a good distributor would do it...

OR, SOMETHING LIKE THIS! BBWAHAHA! lol

Remember.... I don't want a gas sipper, I want a sleeper that's all motor!

Anyone?

 

[adsm08]

So you want a high-power sleeper truck, but you are dead set on a carb'd, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder?

 

[ShotnVA777]

So you want a high-power sleeper truck, but you are dead set on a carb'd, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder?

Carbs not necessary.... If not needed. But 100% N/A

 

[hoosier1104]

Just remember it takes money play. I would go fuel injection w/ FI. Do it right the first time unless you got money to burn.

 

[fordboy077]

old school 2.3 look in speedway motors . com a lot of parts

 

[Road Angels]

Visit some of the circle track websites, they run 2.3 on carbs, fuel injection will give you more power but will give headaches retuning for a heavly modded motor, as well as a big bang to your wallet, just beware that big cams also cuts your vacuum down so you may need a vacuum pump to aid with power brakes and such, you are limited to 500 cfm 2bbl. on your carb unless you can find a old 4 bbl. manifold, then you could go 650 cfm. Also the later head will flow better, D port, you can run 13:1 compression but you got to have gas that has enough octane to handle it, so give it some real thought, cause once your in $$$$

 

[ShotnVA777]

EDIT: Cam2 (110 Octane Gas) is readily available near my house! haha...

I want nothing to do with FI unless something just "falls in my lap" for the RIGHT price!

I just want something that will handle nicely and have some get up and go, I LOVE high revving vehicles and I think, if I've read correctly, these motors can handle it!

The reason I want to go carb'd is because of the ease of tuning the ignition, as well as the carb/jets/etc....

Can someone point me in the direction I would need to go? Or what all would need to be done? Will the stock internals handle, say, 150+hp? (IE: crank, pistons, rods, head) I'm not trying to go BALLS TO THE WALL (yet!), but I want this thing to atleast keep up with the Civic (with the fart can) sitting next to me at the light!!!

I'm not a fan of this 8 Plug block and not even sure I could throw a carb ON IT...

I'm a simple guy... I just want a dizzy (WITH 4 PLUGS!!!!) and a carb! I can handle the head porting, polishing and milling. I can also handle the HANDLING portion of the truck (no pun intended).

Let's not get TOO mixed up... I have a little money, I get lump sums here and there, so this will be a slow build, more than likely on a engine stand and not in the truck - this IS my DD btw. I was just wondering what EXACTLY will I need to get to my previously stated HP rating? I have an AMAZING Pick n Pull near me with TONS of 2.3 and 2.5 Lima motors, MOSTLY newer, but there IS some older blocks/heads lingering out there too. I'm guessing building this motor from "junk" is not a huge thing around my area. MOST want to go FI and I've had enough turboed/supercharged cars, I want something different and RAW!

Thanks guys for all the help so far... can someone throw up a parts list or point me in the direction of someone that has a SIMILAR build? I will start a build thread soon, once this gets underway! I just need to get this longblock FIRST, wanna make sure I grab the RIGHT one though!

 

[ShotnVA777]

OK!!!! So I have ran across a couple things and I would like to know everyones opinion!

First this....

http://racerwalsh.zoovy.com/product/RWA1232A_ALUM/adaptor-efi-2bbl-1-Alum.html

Will this work (with some modification) for my truck?

Secondly...

THIS.... is EXACTLY what I would like to do! What do I need?? I'm thinking just a block w/ the dizzy "hole"? Correct?

Can someone tell me exactly how he did this?! It's an 8 plug head and he's got JUST the exhaust side of the spark plugs in??? How is that possible? Did he just use bolts or something to block the other 4 plug holes? I would figure it would have to run on the intake side, since that's how the 8 plug head is ORIGINALLY configured. What gives? I would REALLY like to do this setup....

http://youtu.be/FZSbqxyUaBM

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Visit some of the circle track websites, they run 2.3 on carbs, fuel injection will give you more power but will give headaches retuning for a heavly modded motor, as well as a big bang to your wallet, just beware that big cams also cuts your vacuum down so you may need a vacuum pump to aid with power brakes and such, you are limited to 500 cfm 2bbl. on your carb unless you can find a old 4 bbl. manifold, then you could go 650 cfm. Also the later head will flow better, D port, you can run 13:1 compression but you got to have gas that has enough octane to handle it, so give it some real thought, cause once your in $$$$

What would a NA 2.3 do with 500 or 650cfm?

I had to jet/rod my 400cfm 4bbl down because it was too much for my 5.0HO...

 

[Kenneth S]

What you want to build won't be a sleeper, or reliable, but it would cost you ton's of money. The carb to efi intake adaptor works good on a race only engine, but not on the street. On the 8 plug head using only 4 of the plugs using a set of old plugs, and not runnings any wires to them will be fine, but you don't need that head to make power, if you want to build the monster engine you will want budget a minimum of $5000 - $6000 on just a complete aluminum cylinder head with all the trick goodies (big titainum valves, big cam, etc). Another $1000 + for a dual weber sidedraft carb setup, then figure a bare minimum of $2000 + for a shortblock (now you know why the efi/turbo setup is so popular, it's alot cheaper for the same amount of hp of a bad ass non turbo engine).

You can build a sensible non-turbo engine that will make good power, and be streetable. First off a 1989 to 1994 2.3 block, a 2.5L crank, and rods with good rod bolts, some good aftermarket 2.5L .020" - .030" over size pistons.
A d-port head from a 1979-1992 Mustang, or 1983-1988 Ranger, a pre 1994 stock Ranger roller cam, and followers, some oversize stainless steel valves, along with some good port work on the exhaust ports, the stock intake ports just need a little cleanup in the bowl area.
If you don't have power brakes you can use a stock d-port intake from a N/A d-port headed Mustang along with a Holley 350 2bbl carb (if you have power brakes a OMC d-port boat intake is a good choise for a budget build. Finish it off with a complete Ford Duraspark ignition system.
The build I just described except I used stock 2.3L crank, rods, and pistons along with valves, and a OMC boat intake with a 350 Holley 2 bbl carb is what I'm running in my 1986 SuperCab Ranger XLT with a 5 speed, and 3.73 gears. It does pretty good for what it is , it will do killer smokey burnouts, out accelerate most cars on the road, haul 1300 lbs of scrap metal in the bed, and still knock down 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving at a max of 65 mph.

 

[Road Angels]

What kenneth says is good advice but you could also just blue print the 2.3 do a mill job on the head and the porting, turbo forged pistons, mill the head to bring the compression up, cause turbo are low compression, you should be able to get 10:1 then add go juice (nitrous) kit prices have come way down, and vey simple to do, stage one esslinger cam, 200hp on the stock parts is not a problem, dont forget the turbos use the same rods and crank

 

[Kenneth S]

Don't forget that when you start milling the head you will need an adjustable cam sprocket to get the degreed in right, and, or also running a bigger cam you also run the chance of bending valves, or worse should the timing belt ever break. Back when I raced a 2.0 EAO in a 72 Pinto with all the goodies (milled head, a fairly radical cam, etc) I'd change the timing belt at the same time I changed oil, and did a tuneup.

 

[Road Angels]

your carb was miss jetted from the get go, had nothing to do with only being 400 cfm my 1.8 modded vw ran a 350cfm holly, and yes I had to rejet but it kicked but, my L88 427 ran a 1050 cfm 3bbl nascar holly, could have gone 2x650's, if your running a 400cfm on your 350 unless its the 225 horse engine then your choking it regardless of the cfm the air fuel ratio has to be in spec so if you take a quadracrap of a 455 olds its not going to be jetted right for your motor, if you mod your motor even with the same carb you will need to rejet

 

[ShotnVA777]

Thanks guys.... I think I'm going to get some bike carbs or some Weber Sidedrafts. (WHEN I come across a good deal!)

I'm guessing I would have to make my own intake manifold/runners from another mani ...

It would be NICE to be able to carb this thing somehow and still keep the 8 plug head! Only problem, I dont have a place for a distributer!

So I figure, grab me a longblock (for $150) from my local Pick n Pull, then just GO HAM on scooping up parts! Build the motor out of the truck and THEN dump it in! .

There's absolutely NO WAY to carburate a dual coil motor without the dizzy hole?

 

[Kenneth S]

Your pick-n-pull shopping list:
1) 1989 - 1994 2.3 short block
2) 1979 - 1988 d-port cylinder head
3) 1989 - 1994 roller cam, and roller followers
4) 1977 - 1980 Duraspark distributor

You could carburate a 8 plug, no distributor hole block "but" the intake would have to be custom made (can be expensive if you can't build your own). There is a stand alone ignition module for the Ford EDIS (distributorless ignition) "but" it's also not cheap, and you would have to program it. In other words you can make the same power with the single plug, distributor engine for alot less $$, and headaches. Another plus on the single plug is that carbed intake manifold setups are readily available. Since you don't want to do a turbo you could run a 75 hp shot NOS system (which would be different) provided you use forged pistons. Then just swap engines once it's built.