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2.3 t-bird turbo motor in a 240z?


BIGJIM

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ok, i was thinking about a 2.3 t-bird turbo coupe motor for a 240z. i figured i could buy a whole car for under a grand, then i would have the motor and trans and the efi harness and ecu. i drove one of them a few years back with a 5 speed, and the car hauled ass. so this motor would have to be able to pull a much lighter 240z around. what do you all think?

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Guest ON3GO

same motor thats in the SVO mustang. those cars are into the 10's last i heard. easy to mod, cheap parts! and would work great in a Z.

i dont think its been done before but im sure its doable, the T-birds engine bay is kinda like a 240Z's (i said kinda) so with some custom mounts i dont see why not.

do it! would be a 1st and would be a damn quick car for cheap.

 

mike

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same motor thats in the SVO mustang. those cars are into the 10's last i heard. easy to mod' date=' cheap parts! and would work great in a Z.

 

mike[/quote']

Let's not give the impression that an SVO that runs 10s is easy to mod and cheap. This engine is an alternative but IMO, has no advantage over the L28ET for anyone with a modest budget.

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Guest ON3GO

if you read what i said it says nice and clear "last i heard those cars are in the 10's"

its like saying "last i heard theres L28ET's in the 11s"...

 

there is a advantage... there lighter then the L28ET, and parts are easy and cheap to find.. and its nice to be different

 

mike

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There is turbo coupe across the street from me i could have for 400 bucks, but I am too chicken to go the hard route. all those wires scare me :shock: Would be a cool xplant but for the sake of KISS, SBC for me.

 

Guy's are running N/A versions of this in there dunebuggies at over 300HP. I don't know how much all the parts cost, but they are out there. Would be cool to see done.

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:D Just like to say hello first, since first post and all (currently buying a 76 280Z).

 

I also have a 1986 Mustang SVO, these engines rock! As long as you get either a PE computer or a LA3 computer (86 svo, 88 t-bird respectivly)these engine are sweet for the price. I push 18psi all stock on mine with a k&n 6" cone and easily beat out brand new 04 GT's (on 91 octance pump gas too :-D while getting around 34mpg highway). I just wrecked the car (damned if black ice and potholes don't mix :cry: so I am purchasing the 280 for the purpose of swapping in the motor I've already got. You can torture the hell of the blocks and trans (world class t5) but two things to watch for. #1 They don't rev very high stock (~5500) you CAN rev them higher to about 6500 before bad things happen but power drops off at 5000 with cam anyway :roll: . #2 The heads crack :evil: I've NEVER seen a 80k+ car with a uncracked head, luckily heads are cheap and the cracks rarely cause problems. But for the money it's awsome, I've seen #'s around 350hp and 400ft/lbs with stock internals :shock: I wouldn't push mine that far... but you get the picture :)

 

I would assume that others have done this swap as the engines are cheap and plentiful. Can someone point me to a place where I could check out previously done ones? Perhaps the motor mounts could be copied? :wink:

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Guest KSGerry

If you are considering a Ford four cylinder why not go with the latest model? The all-aluminum dual overhead cam Ford-Mazda 2.3. It weighs less than half (about 200 pounds) of the obsolete 2.3 Ford sohc Lima engine and has much more potential as it is derived from a Cosworth engine intended for Formula 1.

 

These Duratec I-4 engines are standard in Ranger and Mazda trucks, the Mazda6 (zoom-zoom!) and the Ford Focus (not the Zetec engine). Volvo will be equipped with a Duratec I-4 engine in 2005 and Mazda plans to introduce a 285 h.p. turbo-equipped Duratec with 4wd.

 

Ed Bergenholtz ran his Duratec-powered and boosted Mazda6 in a few exhibition runs at the NHRA event a few weeks ago at Pomona. He stumbled and still ran in the low 8 seconds.

 

If you don't want the grief of dealing with fuel injection, John Ehrlich at Al-Tech Precision makes all sorts of adapters and manifolds to use carburetors and a stand-alone ignition that requires no computer. John also makes driveline adapters to use a variety of transmissions and even a trans-axle. His website is http://www.quad4rods.com

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Guest JAMIE T

I'm gonna play devils advocate here. The 2.3T is NOT a light engine. When compared to an iron head V8, maybe. But, not compared to an aluminum head L6. I just finished selling off the rest of the parts from my brothers project that we never finished('88 Turbo Coupe engine and T5 into a '86 Mustang). I've still got the IHI and the hood, but that's it. Having experienced both the L28ET and the 2.3T, I'd still choose the L28ET. If you can get a running '87-'88 TC five speed dirt cheap(we got ours for $140), then go for it. But if you've got to spend more than $1000 then I'd say pass on the idea. FWIW, an aluminum head is available, but very pricey. The L6 still has more potential.

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My daughter in Seattle has wanted a Nash Metropoliton forever. I have been thinking of bu;ilding one for her when I finish my ZX. I figured that the Turbo four would be just the thing for her coupled to a nice C-4. I've seen Metropolitons on the net with v-8's, and Turbo coupes are a dime a dozen. The Ford Mazda sounds cool, but dirt cheap iron engine sounds even better.

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