I know.....I know, this question has been beaten beyond recognition. After searching for years I finally found a good 88 T/C auto, so I brought it home. The A4LD had went south and was pulled by the previous owner. I have gathered everything needed for 5 spd swap. now I am at a cross roads and cant come to a decision, Do I keep the 2.3t or swap to a 302 or 351w. I have most parts for either swap. I have wanted a T/C for as long as I can remember, but I have never driven one. So I am trying to get an idea of how the 2.3t performs in such a heavy car. I'm looking for a fun to drive daily driver that will hang with the mustang crowd. So if anyone wants to toss their opinion at me please feel free, criticism welcome. I'm a small block guy at heart and guess I'm kind of a skeptic that the 2.3t will be able to do what I want from it. If there is anyone from the marietta ohio area that has a 2.3 T/C and is willing to take a fella for a spin let me know.
Well if you have a 351w with a set of Twisted Wedge 205s sitting around than go with that. Otherwise a 2.3t would make a good dd. Probably about as quick as a 5.0 HO Mark VII.
Its your car. screw what anyone else thinks. either one will get you to what you want.
There you go, but a few thoughts...
If you want to run with the 5.0 Stang crowd, you'll have to make at least as much HP and really should have a little more... For a 2.3 it's possible but as far as dependable everyday driver, be prepared to walk a lot...
As already mentioned heads are everything on a 5.0/5.8, aftermarket is the best option... A alu headed 5.0 won't weigh but maybe 75Lb more than a all iron 2.3T...
I've never regretted the swap and I did mine back in the last century('99)...
Myself I prefer keeping the 2.3T in a TC, mainly because every other one you see someone shoved a sbf into. Been there seen that, I like to be different!!! Ive taken one of mine to a car show and gotten more compliments and stories about how someone used to have one and missed the fun!! In my eyes if you want a V8 Tbird find a 5.0 powered Sport or LX, if you want people to be shocked when they see a big car moving like they can and pop the hood and it be a little turbo 4 buy a TC. Agian thats just my opinion, But Ive seen to many TC's ruined that way. Ill run the little 2.3T til I cant find parts no more.
Besides that they can be kept reliable modded, you just dont go hog wild!! Thats actually the direction Im going with mine, tastefully modded for more power but not over the top crazy.
The shop I worked at built the boss a 2.3 turbo for a sand rail. it pulled 400hp with an esslinger head and t3/4 hybrid that came on the motor with a fast computer and no tuning. although I have no idea how this would perform as a grocery getter, it never did break down. the vw and tossle rx7 motors didn't fair as well.
keep the half-motor, swap in a t5. meanwhile, build a badass stroked windsor, and sometime when you're bored, pop that in there.
I prefer the V8 myself. I do know, however, you can make just as much power with the 2.3 and have better gas mileage to boot.
Yeah and when one of the 2.3 fanatics at Carlisle asked how's the gas mileage on that 5.0, and I said "dunno but we can figure it as I just filled up when I got into town"... When it came out to 26.3 he didn't want to talk any more...
With a 5 speed a 2.3T is a fun car, but with automatic they suck even with tune and increased boost... Some of us are wayyy past wanting to shift gears all the time... I have one with manual(no not a TC), that's enough for me...
Personally, I would be more likely to put fender skirts & curb feelers on an 88TC than to put a V8 in it.
With a few fairly simple upgrades on an 88 2.3T you can pull over 250 hp and run with any nearly stock 5.0 that you will encounter.
Plus you should still get upwards of 28-32 MPG which is a lot better than any 5.0 that I ever owned. I always felt pretty good if any of my 5.0s (the ones that ran good enough to get out of their own way) got 20mpg.
Ron
I'm getting about 30mpg out of my 86 right now.
I've had both v8's and 2.3t's. They both have their fun points. I usually try to keep one of each, lol. I love both the rumble and torque of the v8, and the scream of a high-revving turbo. I just can't pick a clear winner for myself.
Yeah but Trick Flow headed & cammed plus a Cobra intake, 1 5/8" BBK shorties and a full 2.5" dual exhaust system, my 5.0 wasn't stock by a long shot... It would club stock stockish 5.0 Stangs like they were baby seals(see link in sig under white TC)...
Still if all I had to swap into my TC was a stock 5.0, I wouldn't have bothered...
The new 331 has a E'brock performer intake, 70mm TB, 30Lb inj plus few other enhancements... Should run 12.60 easy at full weight(3700+ with me), that's with every original system still in place and operating...
Most of the fast TC I've seen with 2.3 were gutted tin cans...
I had my 83 Turbo Coupe in the later eighties and always liked the car but after getting nailed by some drunk idiot then repaired, the car was never the same. After a lot of searching i traded it in for my vert. I had not driven another since last summer when i used my recently acquired 85 TC for commuting. The big difference is the lack of torque. Once I had the car into third it would pull good enough but 1st and second sucked after being used to a nice sbf fox stang. I yanked the drivetrain out of the car recently and sold it as I am installing a stroker Windsor for drag racing. If I ever get another one of these cars I would install one of the new ecoboost 2.3 engines from the new stangs. 300 ft lbs from 2500 to 4500 will make for an excellent 4 cylinder engine and there is going to be a lot of hi-po upgrades for these engines in the near future, you can bet on that. The only problem is going to be the 10k price tag for a crate engine, I am going to hunt for a written off car in a few years and yank that drivetrain for a future build one day.
If you do not mind low bottom end torque run the 2.3 if you want nice streetable power run a small block but run good heads.
Any old pictures of your 83TC?
The ecoboost 2.3 swap is one I'd like to see and I'm sure it's just a matter of time till someone does it! Could give new life to some of our cars. :hick:
Bad gas mileage out of a good running 302 is a crock. I've been able to constantly get my cars beyond 25mpg almost every time I fill up. in my last two tanks of gas, I've hit over 1000miles and the gauge still reads above 1/4. I I put in 15 gallons when I filled up, but I forgot to clear the trip computer. even if you assumed I ran two tanks dry that's 22.5mpg. I'm guessing when I fill it up, it will be between 30 and 33mpg.
I am keeping my TC as a 4cylinder. With the new computers you can pull 400 easy and still get good mileage. I am looking at the Holley Avenger set up. You have to do a cost compare as well as you cant just drop a 5.0 in there. You need the oil pan and headers, plus the computer and harness unless you are carbing it. Just toss a junkyard holset on there and boost away! LOL
I looked at all my old pre digital pictures that I still have and could not find one of that car. It was a white 5 speed car and was in good shape until the accident. One thing I do remember about it was that it had those bs metric trx tires. That was not one of Fords better ideas! I drove it across the country one summer, it was a good car. The only problem I ever had with it was the clutch quadrant failed one day (broke into pieces while using the clutch).
I am sure I am not the only person thinking about doing an ecoboost swap. I am really interested in that engine, looking forward to seeing what people do with it.
Thanks for all the replies. After alot of thought for the past few days , I have decided to swap to a small block. I'm wanting low end torque for this car and I don't think the 2.3t will be able to deliver. I would really like to put a 351w in there but not sure if it will clear the hood. Definitely gonna be EFI for drivability.
Unless you get real crafty, an EFI Windsor won't clear a stock hood. You can space the K member down a little bit, and use custom mounts to gain a little more clearance. I believe Chuck W's mounts are a little "shorter" than stock type, as well as much stronger. As to whether he has any in stock, you'd have to communicate with him. I've got a set, ed good stuff, in case you were wondering. As good or better than anything you'd ever find in a catalog, which, of course you can't for these cars.
There's a fella here that has a 460 under a stock hood, but I believe his carbed.
I've wanted to do a 351w with Cleveland heads for years...before the end of the year, I'll have something going on. One can get pretty decent C heads out of Australia, at some expense, and they're better than anything you'd find in a junkyard, or from someone old stash of parts that may be shot to hell anyway..
Never really gave much thought to the whole "gas mileage" argument between the two engine types. That being said, my 2.3T averages 17-19 mpg but I just can't grandma drive it everywhere, lol! This is also a 2.3T that will flat ass embarrass a new 5.0 stang, new camaro and outrun GT500's unless they are heavily modded. I run a C4 auto and it takes off from a dead stop just fine. No overdrive keeps it from being a long distance cruiser, but my bird is probably a bit much for what you are wanting to do anyway.:hick:
Edit: And mine is not a "tuna can", lol. Rear seat delete, no A/C and Kirkey front seats. Still has P/S, PB, PW, the PRC suspension and a 8pt mild steel rollbar. Tuna can.....hadn't heard that one in a long time.;)
Id really like to see a clevor efi setup. ever since the trickflow manifold, I've been tempted.
I've always liked a V-8. I can't claim great gas mileage, but with the 3.55 gears and the "fun driving" I do, I can't complain either. It still does pretty good. I'd guess about 22 to 24 on the highway. But that V-8 sound and tire melting torque are pretty sweet too. I have NO doubt that there some Turbo Coupes that could outrun the Sport, but I really couldn't care less. There's ALWAYS somebody faster. I wanted what I have called a great "all around" car. Quick, comfortable,, has the options, A/C, etc. and it's own unique special features.
I didn't mean to step on any of the V8 guys toes. I just wanted to make sure the OP knew that a streetable, fast 2.3 is very doable. By all means, everyone's idea of the perfect hot rod will be different. Carry on:cool:
I felt no offense. There are two sides, plain and simple. I always think the owner should build for themselves, not by popular vote. Believe me, that is how I built the Sport.
I like the uniqueness of a 2.3. If I could ever find a tc cheap id rock one out.
Fast. Cheap. Reliable.
But you can only pick two....