Well it seems the troubles I've been having with the 2.3T in the '83 are becoming terminal. The blowby has gotten worse and the death tap from a few weeks ago is back. No more money is going into the 2.3T.
The plan that is formulating....
The X-Flow/US200 hybrid is planned for this car, but is going to require ALOT more work to get together, and I don't want the car down forever.
So, here's what I'm thinking. I'm going to use the '83 as the mock-up/install mule for my SHO swap. At the very least get the basics sorted out and make sure my adapter is kosher, etc. This will get the car back on the road with "little" fuss. Yes I have to make motor mounts, rotate the intake and mod the cooling system...but that's nothing compared to what needs to be done for the X-Flow hybrid. I have a couple SHO motors, but I know where a good running one is for a good price, so no rebuild needed at this point.
This will allow me to keep the 83 on the road next spring and give me more time to sort out the intimates of applying boost to the X-Flow. Then I can drop the lot into the 84TC when the X-Flow is ready.
I also need to mod the K-member, etc for the X-Flow...so that's more work too.
I'm a little miffed, but not much I can do and I'm not going to beat myself up over the 2.3T dying. Too much to do to take the time to ;)
well, thats an interesting develpoment....
2.3Ts are starting to become my unicorn. Can't wait to see that turbo 6 swap tho... or that SHO swap... or those rear shock mounts... or that custom IRS... or those Pics! :D
Rear shock mounts might be able to ship early next week...
The IRS..well there is an interesting wrinkle in that whole plan ...
Pics...perhaps....depends on the weather.
Chuck has spoken and the 2.3T world will change as you all know it....
:headbang::headbang:
This is awsome. Aside from your 83 being down for longer than you (we) had hoped.
The wrinkle on the IRS isn't a good one..... :dunce:
boy, do i love a good thread where you hafta know whats goin on in order to know whats goin on :rollin:
Yeah, I don't see any work happening on that in the forseable future...
LOL the headbanger and the next sentance were two totally different parts! I do know whats going on :D
Chuck, do you need/want tailights and a cowl cover for your box cat? I have them. I cant even give them away, you want em they're yours.
Come on Chuck you can't give up now. I'm one my 2nd block and I can tell you how many heads I've bought. I think out of 9heads I've got 3 useable ones. So the 2.3 can suck at times. But if you stick with it will pay off. Trust me. Even though i'm running a round port ranger head nonported. Even though I still don't have my front mount becuase all the extra time with the motor. But it is all coming together now. Have been driving the car or about a year and a half as my everyday car. I only put on the ranger head about 3mos ago.
If I can do it I know you can.
Oh I'm not giving up, but I already had other plans for this car, and messing around with fixing the 2.3T will just detract from that financially and timewise.
I don't NEED to drive the car, so it can sit for a bit while I sort out the other stuff I need to get out of the way first. I've been messing with the 2.3T's for 10+ years, and just have some other things I want to do. I may put another 2.3T together and drop it in the 84TC to shake the cobwebs off it before I get the X-Flow done and the SHO swap into it, but it's not a high priority.
OK, I took a step back and did a little digging on this.
I did a compression check Fri ... 150/130/145/35 (<--yes that's a 35). I put a little oil into #4 and retested it and it only came up to 50. So the issue may not be the bottom end.
I am going to pull the head and check a couple things and perhaps throw another one on it....
What is the X-Flow?
Are you going to turbocharge the SHO engine? Just keep in mind that all the added 4V complexity and wonderful intake ports will not necessarily increase power production under forced induction. There comes a point where the dominant power producer becomes the turbo/supercharger itself and the critical components become those taking the beating from the cylinder pressure and heat.
I'm certain you already know that. But the idea does sound good.
BTW - those cylinder pressures are pretty similar to the numbers I had in mine when this happened. Best of luck with yours.
"He's dead Jim....."
*pulls sheet up over block's face*
#4 cylinder wall is toast...
:( :sorry:
You put so much work into that car to make it look great and the engine goes down before you get to enjoy it. I hope the swap goes smoothly so you can drive it in the spring.
well it was worth the look, i guess
chuck, i thought you would had been interested in a 2.3 duratec swap? i know, how about a volvo head on another 2.3?:D (ok, don't through rocks at me on that one!)
Not enough budget for that one....eek!
yeah shock mounts!!!!!!
The X-flow is the Aussie cross flow head on a ford small block Inline 6 motor (were you doing a 200 or 250..) speaking of unicorns, the bird with the I6 is mine, i have been eagerly awaiting it for a while now.
If you want more info on the ford 6's that could, head over to fordsix.com or classicinlines.com