PlumCrazy's 88 SuperCab 2.3T Build

[PlumCrazy]

It's no where as clean as yours but this is what I did to use the stock filter box, I found a 2.9 from I think '88-89 before they went MAF at the junkyard and took the top and hose and made it work, if you look close you will notice I spliced the hose with a hose clamp over the middle, on the inside I put a smoothed piece of PVC to not interrupt flow too much... I needed the 2.9L lid because of the stupid giant air muffler they put on the 2.3L lid that stuck out sideways basically to where the VAM is. This way I kept the stock ducting to suck from behind the grille, I haven't put a gauge to check restriction on the inlet side of the turbo to see if I'm losing anything but it meets my needs... Oh, that iteration is much cleaner than the metal clad drier ducting I used at first , hey I was young and dumb and it was of course my daily driver...

View attachment 140671

The first gen EFI airboxes have the inlet on the bottom vs on the side, which should help me keep the inlet away from the hot ass turbo. The 2.9 airbox lid looks like it may be the perfect angle to line up with a straight pipe from my turbo inlet boot, but I think the 2.3 lid I already have may work with the same bend that I am using to the cone filter.

I really just want the airbox because it will make it easier to pull cooler air and give me somewhere to vent the valve cover back into as well as the boost controller vent.....also will look cleaner IMO

 

[PlumCrazy]

it idles like an angry massey.

The lopey idle is my favorite part.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Those are pretty much the same reasons I kept the stock filter housing, that and it was easier

 

[PlumCrazy]

My valve cover gasket finally showed up. According to the 2.3 gods this is the most robust gasket out there. It fit great and everything but the front cam tower is rigid metal with a rubber over mold.

Replaced the cam seal while I had the truck apart (having the cam pulley off makes getting the valve cover off way easier)

Used my specialty Ford 2.3 timing tool (AKA the dipstick)

Valve cover back on

Went for a test drive to see what else leaks...Valve cover seems sealed, but obviously the valve cover vent still puked because its hooked to nothing still lol....but I think the oil level sensor may be a large portion of the leak. Which is odd because it didn't leak previously when the NA engine was in the truck.

After my test rip I had a pretty big scare. Sounded like a rod knock, but I couldn't confirm/pin point it with my stethoscope. I was a clank that matched crank shaft speed, but sounded like it was up front. Started pulling timing covers and anything running on the accessory drive (fan, alt, tensioner) When I found the smoking gun.

The crank pulley had a little slope on the crank....even though the bolt was tight (I ugga dugga'd it on 30 mins prior)

Turns out...when I stole the crank pulley and and bolt off a 97 engine I should have looked closer at the bolt length. The crank snout must not be drilled as deep on the older crank....The bolt was bottomed out about 1/16" from actually clamping the pulley tight. The keyway on the pulley has a little slop now...but Im not using a crank trigger or anything so as long as it stays tight now Ill be fine