Im alittle surprised there isnt a sticky on this.
When I do a rebuild Im going with a stock rebuild on the shortblock, some headwork, rebuilt turbo, better exhaust, and an intercooler.
The engine runs fine now, the oil pressure reads low on the stock gauge, as soon as I dig out a mechanical guage I will check that out.
So here are my questions:
1. Is a turbo head any different than a non-turbo head. I would like to pick up a head and have the work done on it prior to doing the rebuild, hopefully less downtime.
2. All else being equel, is there a hp difference between running a 87-88TC intercooler vs a FMIC? How much?
3. Are my stock injectors enough?
4. Do our stock computers allow for dyno tuning, or are we stuck with what we have?
5. Any better computer than my 86?
To get you started of on your extensive search
1. Yes it is and most of them are cracked (get them magnafluxed before investing)
2.You would gain some (maybe up to 15hp?), but have to run an 87-88 tc hood and reclock your turbo.
3. If you have an '86 TC, yes. They are the same as the 87-88's (35lb'rs).
4. Search "eec tuner" and "LA3"
5. Yes, many.
Oh yea, and you'll get the most results for this info on turboford .org and turbotbird .com
The answers to questions 1-5 is depends. I know a ranger 2.3 head. I think the casting numbers contain BO. They can be made to out flow the turbo head. Just takes alot more machine work to get there.
The FMIC would be the way to go. I'm sure front mounting the factory 87/88 top mount should be a little better than stock location. More air to blow thru the I/c at all speeds if front mounted. Also no heat soak from sitting above the turbo.
The stock injectors can be enough depending on your HP goals.
There isn't a way to tune the stock ECU without a tuner or chip. LIke said before look into Shiftmaster's EEC tuner.
There are better ECU out there but depending on your goals you might just wanna stick with the PC1. Also to upgrade to anything other that is better than the PC1 you'll need to add some wires to the harness.
I tell you to get it rebuilt and up and running good before you start doing all sorts of mods. It always helps to be able to tell witch mod cuased your motor to act funny. If you do it all at once you have to by pass stuff until you find the one that is causeing the problem.
If it runs good, why are you rebuilding it?
140,000 miles. The rebuild will be the last task I tackle.
Im very picky about my cars. I want them to look and drive like new, and be just as reliable.
For some odd reason I keep my new car in the garage and drive my older DD. I bought a new Wrangler in 88, when I sold it in 95 it had 4,000 miles on it. During the same time I put 75,000 miles on a 67 GTX.
You'd be surprised at how many miles you can get out of the stock longblock. 140K is just barely broken in. ;)
The turbo and NA heads are different. The combustion chamber is shaped differently (smaller) on the NA head as well as a couple other differences.
The difference in the intercooling depends on what FMIC. The stock core is decent, but mounted in a bad spot and gets heat-soaked.
Stock injectors are good only to about 300hp with the f/p pumped up a bit.
The PC1 ECU is a good stable unit, but no tuning is possible.
The SVO and the 87-88TC ECUs are more aggresive, but require some acilliary mods to get the most out of them. A couple factory 2.3T ECUs are able to be tuned with the proper hardware and software. None are tunable "stock".
Chuck,
The TwEECer supports the LA2/LB2, LA3/LB3, and all of the PC's and PK's, so his computer IS tunable.
OK, I wasn't aware. I skipped over all that and went straight to the MegaSquirt. :hick:
I knew the LA/B3 was, but didn't know about the others. I knew at one time the LA2's weren't due to the way the code was "organized" as compared to the LA3's.
LA2's have been for about 2 years, the PC's/PK's are fairly recent (at least going full line is). I didn't even know this until I got my TwEECer Retail kit... :sneaky:
It would more than exceed my expectations to get 250rwhp.
That should be attainable with mostly stock parts. A good exhaust and a good intercooler will go along way. You may not even really need much "tuning". A fuel pump upgrade should be considered too. Nothing outrageous, but you'll be maxing the original out.
What happened to the GTX? Just curios.
Chuck, you need AIM.. lol I'd ask so many 2.3T questions. :)
-Mike
No...you need MSM or YIM ;)...
I drove it from Washington State to Miami. 9-10mpg the whole way. I would leave a town with 1/2 a tank of gas and see a sign that said "Next Services 50 miles", get nervous and turn around for a fillup.
Once in Miami with a wife and 2 kids it was pretty rough having a car with no a/c.
Like an idiot I sold it for next to nothing, the wife has joined the list of ex's, the kids are teenagers and dont even know Im alive, and the GTX is probley in a boneyard somewhere down there. If you ever see it, you will know it, Big Daddys sig is on the glove box.
My fondest memory is that trip across country with only an AM radio. By the time I hit Salt Lake City I was well versed on the crop and farm report as well as the entire John Deer lineup.
i am on, your not! lol on YIm.
-Mike