Well, I caught Brian today (nobody from on here, local guy) and limped the turbo coupe over there. Problem number 1, timing was at about 1 degree instead of the stock 10... ugh. Set it to 11, move some vaccum lines around run a test drive and it starts falling on it's face again.
Get back, pull the turbo system out of the equation and run it na by shoving the vam on the throttle body. Go for a test drive, runs as good as a low compression na 3400 lb car can do. Get back, start poking at the turbo system again.
Brian being the master of the 2.3 turbo engine had a billion random parts and we threw a different elbow on taking the intercooler out of the equation. Test drive it and yeah, it pulls great, but decides to stop idling when you stop it. Get back and all sorts of vacuum lines are blown off the car. Reconnect them all and zip tie them, pull the intercooler tubes out, get to the intercooler and find that it's actually come apart!
(http://ferdbird.com/88tc/elbow.jpg)
(http://ferdbird.com/88tc/intercooler.jpg)
With the intercooler out and the vacuum hoses all secured we decide on one last test drive. Get down the street open it up, it's great. Turn the corner and pull in to a lot for a quick visual, all looks good. Pull back out, run through first gear in heavy boost, don't remember if I even hit second and POP no more head gasket. Pull it over and it had popped off the coolant overflow hose, filled the battery tray with coolant, coated under the hood, all sorts of messy badness.
His sister came and towed it back to his house and now I get to change some more parts... woohoo :shrug:
It sounds as if you're having the same amount of fun that I'm having with my turbo 2.3.
I blew the headgasket betwixt the #1 and #2 cylinders back in October. After pulling the head, I learned that it had been changed in the past. What a history my 2.3 has already had.
Now that I'm losing the turbo and the fuel system, I'm questioning how much I like the car anymore. I've actually considered selling it.
In any event, you're making progress; even though it's a rough ride.
What else is up with the car Zach? The guy helping me out is really good with these engines and I'm definately learning a lot about them quick. He had a 2.3 turbo ranger running 12's all day and apparently the motor he's building for his mustang is gonna be even better :D
So far with my turbo coupe this year I've eaten a set of plugs in a month (black as night when I pulled them), written off 2 sets of autozone special wires, had the schrader valve on the fuel rail go replaced the fuel pressure regulater, eaten the turbo to manifold gasket, blown up a head gasket, blown up an intercooler, etc. They're pretty finicky, but as soon as you get em fixed up they're fun as hell!
Sucks to here about these problems. Atleast is sounds like you are getting things lined out. I know all to well about how frustrating these 'cars can be. I'm on my 2nd motor and I'm on my 5th head. So trust me I fell you pain. SO keep the head up and keep pluging away at it. It will come together sooner or later.
This is turbo coupe number 3 plus I have an SVO if I ever get it put back together, so I know exactly the trouble I'm getting in to ;) But I love em anyway!
Alot of the times these cars suffer from shoddy maintenance, or have sat for a while and thus once they are put back into service they start having failures.
If they are put together right and maintained, they run just as well and as long as any other. My Ranger swap, once complete, ran well and the only thing I needed to do to it during the year plus it was used as a daily driver was change the oil. I just finished getting the '83 running again after the #4 piston in the old block decided it wanted to end its miserable existence late last fall.
Are you talking about brian rasey from lambertville?
If so, yea, he rocks. He let me take all 4 PRC shocks and struts off a tc he was parting out for free last year. Then last month or so he sold me a fuel pump for my car on the cheap and then gave me the wheels off that same TC. Great guy in the turboford world. Too bad he got rid of his ranger.
That's him :)
I took the tranny and rear from that tc as well as the sunroof glass and a few odd and end parts. The ranger may be dead, but the mustang is in progress and it's gonna be even better! I'm helping him finish off the bodywork on it in exchange for his help with my motor troubles.
You think this guy would take a look at my 86' turbo kitty? I could bring it to him and let him take his time with it. I know ur 3 hours away, but I have a feeling it's a simple fix. Let me know what you think.
What's the car doing? I've picked up a few things from him fighting with this car and the other 2 turbo coupes I've had. If you want hit me up on aim (opeth13) I'm almost always set to away but around a good amount, so try me anyway :)
He hangs out around the turbo ford board a bit, so you may wanna post up on there.
Yeah, he showed me the stang when I was up there. Cant wait to see him at Milan with it.