North American Turbocoupe Organization



motor swap
Noname
Unregistered
#1
i know this is for 2.3 turbos but id like to move up to a 302 or 351. i just cant get that deep agressive sound from my 2.3. and the expense part is to much it seems like the 4cyl is just to much to much to hook up even though it is half the weight. i just want some raw power. i love my 2.3 but here in buffalo all the stangs/camaros/firebirds/big boys have to much power to keep up. how much would it cost to put a serious motor in my bird. and what exactly do i have to change to complete this project. i seen in the showroom somebody has a 351. thanks for any help sorry to bash the 2.3 its a great motor but i need much more peace!
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imjamesw Offline
Senior Member
#2
Quote:Originally posted by lighting:
i know this is for 2.3 turbos but id like to move up to a 302 or 351. i just cant get that deep agressive sound from my 2.3. and the expense part is to much it seems like the 4cyl is just to much to much to hook up even though it is half the weight. i just want some raw power. i love my 2.3 but here in buffalo all the stangs/camaros/firebirds/big boys have to much power to keep up. how much would it cost to put a serious motor in my bird. and what exactly do i have to change to complete this project. i seen in the showroom somebody has a 351. thanks for any help sorry to bash the 2.3 its a great motor but i need much more peace!

The 2.3 is more powerful than the stock non-HO version of the 302 (5.0) of the same years (87-88). I have a Merc. Cougar with a 302 and it makes 150 HP stock, yet my dad has an 88 TC (2.3, obviously) and it produces 190 HP stock. Check out this page, it may help your decision greatly: http://members.tripod.com/~extreme_tbird/tc-comp.html . If you want "serious" power, stick with what you have. It's cheaper, easier, and is more preservative of our rare cars than what you plan on doing. To each his own, but it doesn't add up to do it any other way. There don't seem to be any pros otherwise.

Good luck with whatever you do.



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I want to trade my Jeep Wrangler for a Turbo Coupe! I'm sick of my dad being the only one with a fun car! Click here !

”Growing up happens in a heartbeat, one day you’re in diapers, the next day you’re gone.” -Kevin Arnold, The Wonder Years
88 Medium Red Turbo Coupe. 172K. Stock. Horrible A4LD. 5k miles since 2006. She will be a part of my family as long as I am.
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imjamesw Offline
Senior Member
#3
no flames... gotta be nice! [Image: rolleyes.gif]

[This message has been edited by imjamesw (edited 09-15-2002).]
88 Medium Red Turbo Coupe. 172K. Stock. Horrible A4LD. 5k miles since 2006. She will be a part of my family as long as I am.
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Glenn 88TC Offline
Posting Freak
#4
I agree with keeping the 2.3 also. It is YOUR car though. Check out the site below for some info on the swap you are looking into. It will not be any cheaper though. You will still need a turbo or supercharger to run really fast. The 351 in the showroom has a SC on it. They cost what $3500. Now that is expensive! DFor the cost of the SC alone you could have your TC running 12's with the 2.3. Good luck.
http://www.toohighpsi.com/

[This message has been edited by Glenn 88TC (edited 09-15-2002).]
NO TC and NO headaches.
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segfaultxr7 Offline
Posting Freak
#5
The 2.3t is kind of slow in stock form. But you can get into the 13's on considerably less than $1000. For an 87-88 (intercooled), it's $40 for a boost valve, $50 for a K&N cone and intake plumbing, $400 for a custom 3" exhaust including cat/downtube/muffler, $50 for a junkyard T3, and whatever labor is to have the E6 manifold ported. And those prices are generous, too.

With my 88TC, I've just turned up the boost and made a better intake. I test drove a '95 5.0 Mustang GT, and noticed that my TC was actually quicker on the highway. To be fair it was a convertible and had an automatic tranny so it's probably the slowest 5.0 GT, but still. [Image: smile.gif] If you haven't done any modifications yet, at least start out with those two. It'll feel like a whole different engine!
88 TC 5-speed
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Chuck W Offline
Posting Freak
#6
I'm not even going to comment aside except to say if you want to put that boat anchor in the front of your car then by all means do it....
If you spend a little time and get to now the 2.3T you'll like it a whole lot better.
"i just cant get that deep agressive sound from my 2.3. " BAH! if that's what you think you need your priorities are out of whack. It's much more fun to beat the Camaro's and such with a 4 cyl..that really pisses them off. What are you proving beating a 5.0 with a 351???? Bigger isn't always better.

Ok, maybe I lied when I wasn't going to say anything. It's just this swap grates on me almost as much as seeing a Ford hot rod with a friggen bow tie motor ARGH!!!

I'm taking an ex-5.0 TBird and dropping in a 2.3T...that's what I think of that.

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I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
83 TC Clone, 85 Mercury LTS, 97 Volvo 850 T5 Turbo, 78 Volvo 240, 93 F150
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Wags88TC Offline
Senior Member
#7
"A serious motor" Open up the motorsports catalog and pick your "crate" motor --- $3500 and up dumb-ass!!! And that doesn't include the installation and the rest of the parts your gonna need to put the V-8 in the TC.
For the $5-10K, how fast do ya think you can make the 2.3 - 10's!!!
True, it will never "sound" like a V-8, but that's what I love - spankin' the V-8's with my little 4 banger! [Image: biggrin.gif]
Sell your TC and buy something with a V-8, you'll be money ahead, and you'll have your "aggressive sound" and we'll still spank ya at the race! [Image: tongue.gif]

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Steve Wagner
Nato member

88TC, 5 speed, StageII Star clutch w/ StageIII pressure plate,lightened flywheel, K&N in fender, gillis valve, 255lph Walbro, Kirban adj.FPR,Bypass valve, 3" exhaust from turbo to tip (high flow cat/ Magnaflow muffler), A-pillar gauges(A/F & Boost), 16" Prime 5 spoke wheels(245/50VR16 Yokos'). Workin' on the front mount IC and some exterior mods
Steve Wagner
Nato member
84 SVO
88TC, 5 speed, StageII Star clutch w/ StageIII pressure plate,lightened flywheel, K&N in fender, gillis valve, 255lph Walbro, Kirban adj.FPR,Bypass valve, 3" exhaust (high flow cat/ Magnaflow muffler), A-pillar gauges(A/F & Boost), 16" ARE 5 spoke wheels 7" front 8" rear(225/50VR16 / 245/50VR16 Yokos'). Subframe connectors
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oldraven Offline
Senior Member
#8
"i just cant get that deep agressive sound from my 2.3. "

You've got to hear mine. Nothin' wimpy about the growl I get out of her. A deep window shattering roar. It's just a matter of doing the exhaust "right".

If you do make a swap, keep your tc styling, but drop the logos, and don't be calling it a turbo coupe. That burns me. I don't think you're getting much help from this crowd. ezboard fox thunderbird/cougar has a lot of this being done. Go ask them.

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I'd like to think my life has a soundtrack, and it sounds just like the white album.

1987 Turbo Coupe, 5-spd. Burgundy, soon to be black oldraven.
I'd like to think my life has a soundtrack, and it sounds just like the white album.

1987 Turbo Coupe, 5-spd. Candy Apple Red w/ Charcoal Smoke Accents, k&n drop in, 2.5" duals. Stirring from her winter slumber.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/oldraven

http://www.cardomain.com/id/doasa
http://www.cardomain.com/id/jeepishltd

CAW!!
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Allan S Offline
Member
#9
Quote:Originally posted by Wags88TC:
..you can make the 2.3 - 10's!!!


Yup, it is so easy to do that everyone here has already done it and several are getting ready to get into the 9s. [Image: rolleyes.gif]

It's your car. If you want to change the engine, go for it. Just remember it will take a lot of work, especially if you want the V-8 to be fuel injected. A twin turbo 5.0 would be a nice thing to have. [Image: smile.gif]
SCMC Marketing Director
www.svtcobraclub.com

2004 Redfire SVT Cobra
87 TC RIP 10/2003.
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Glenn 88TC Offline
Posting Freak
#10
Yes the 10's are achievable and the 9's have been done.

It is his car! It is a turbo coupe! I don't like the fact that he is considering the 5.0 swap either. Guess what? I almost did the same thing this past spring. It is hard to not go the 5.0 route for easy fast performance. You can just drop in a 5.0 and run 13's. You can also spend the same money and run 13's with the 2.3. Turbocoupe5.0 and strimbird(?) both run V-8's and I can't think of a 2.3 on here that can out run with them. I hope to run well into the 12's by Carlisle next year. My goal with the turboed 351 was going to be 10's. I have a ton more money to spend on the 2.3 to try to reach that goal.

All that said, I am just happy that they own a turbocoupe. How many of our cars have been parted out to use the engines for swaps into notches and Pinto's? Yes they took the 2.3 out but they still have the body. It isn't on a scrap pile somewhere to make another piece of shit stang faster. Sorry, just my $.02.
NO TC and NO headaches.
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