V8INtheZ Posted November 27, 2007 Author Share Posted November 27, 2007 Update 11/27 I weighed my 2.3 yesterday. 420 pounds with the following: Full long block-valve cover to oil pan Full intake manifold with rail and injectors Complete turbo and manifold Air Meter Starter AC compressor and bracket Alternator and bracket PS pump and bracket -NO flywheel/flexplate or transmission Basically the engine was weighed as a running engine without fluids. I will be using a smaller turbo (19 PSI, Im hoping it will still reach close to 300 crank HP) no AC compressor, or PS pump, and a smaller "mini" starter. I estimate the egine will weigh around 380 pounds fully dressed. I will weigh it again before it goes into the car to give an accurate drivetrain weigh loss. The T5 and flywheel/clutch assembly should be around 100 pounds, and I will be weighing those as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8INtheZ Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 Reweighed my engine. This time it was ready to use as I am going to use it. No ac compressor or ps pump. 378 pounds! I was hoping to get it down to 380, so I am very happy I havent weighed the L6 yet, but Im sure its what I have been told in the past. I took a bunch of pictures of the engine, its in the car now. Im going to make mounts for it today, it looks killer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Yes want as many pics as possible for my swap. I'll be building the engine though first to around 400hp. You going with a FMIC?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8INtheZ Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 The engine and transmission are in the car. I have to fab one more engine mount for it to be solid. I dont know if this engine will fit in the car. The oil pan sits very low and is exposed a good 3 inches. I dont know if I feel comfortable with it. The trans and engine are as high as I can go without altering the transmission tunnel.... I will take pictures and would like to hear what you guys think. Yes I will be using a large FMIC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hmm, I'd kinda like to see pictures of that. Guys here fit the T56 six speed into those cars without there being too big of a problem. How far back do you have the transmission? Where exactly are you running out of room? Worse case scenario I'd imagine you could notch the crossmember and mount the engine forward a bit more to give you more clearence in the tunnel. Just seems strange to ever have a problem fitting a T5 in there as it's been done plenty of times before with no issues. EDIT: Maybe now is a time to look into how much a DIY dry sump system would cost? Usually people try to get their motor as lowe as possible. You've bypassed this issue all together. Maybe that's a good thing? Or is this motors oil sump really that low? Seems a bit extreme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8INtheZ Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Its not the T5, that fits fine. The sump is a fairly deep one, and it hangs down pretty low. I havent decided if it is a big deal or not. I just dont like how low it sits, and how much of it is exposed. I will work on getting pictures up in the next couple days. I put the T5 up into the tunnel as far as it will go to help bring up the engine. The ford ones are a bit different then the chevy T5s, but not by much. The shifter housing on the tailshaft is almost touching the shifter opening in the trans tunnel. I could have put the engine higher, but I didnt want to go too far so I could still have a decent driveshaft angle. I dont know, like I said, I might just be over reacting hehe. I imagine for the pan to get struck, I would have to hit something so hard there would be other problems as well, or I would have to run over a small mountain. I plan on going with a fairly stiff suspension, so that will help too. Check back for pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Well the L28ET came with a T-5 that was pretty similar to the old ford T5, but I might be completely wrong in that. Even in the 280ZX the T5 came insanely close to the shifter opening, so close that it's nearly impossible to get the shifter plate off without dropping the trans mount to give you some clearence to work. It pretty much sits about less than an inch from the tunnel itself in the 280ZX car, which as far as I know has a very similar trans tunnel in shape and size compared to the S30 cars (they use the same transmission mount even). If it were me: If it hangs too low = Cut and weld it to clear If it hangs too low for comfort, but is probably ok = Make some support bars to go in front and back of the sump to act as protection so if you bottom out the weight hits the bars, not the oil pan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8INtheZ Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Yeah, I was thinking a "rollbar" for my oil pan might work. The transmission is about 1/8" below the shifter opening in the trans tunnel. I will probably end up making some sort of basket undercarige thing, I could use some chassis support anyway. Overall Im super happy with the way the ening sits. The valve cover is under the hood latch bracket and about 1.5" in front of the firewall. The shifter comes right up the center of the stock Z boot/console. I have like 14-18" of open nothingness in front of the engine. The whole thing is behind the steering rack, save for a small portion of the water pump pulley. It should be a really fun car. the oil pan issue is really the only problem I have come across so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 When/If you get around to taking pics, please take a few shots of the shift hole in the tranny tunnel to give an idea of how it sits. I have a feeling it's gonna be nearly identical to people who have the T5 in a S30 from the L28ET swap. It'd be nice to have the pics for comparison. You're making great headway so far. Keep it up! It'd be nice to have another 4 banger option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I haven't seen a turbo-coupe Thunderbird in YEARS AND YEARS, possibly not since I heard/learned of the potential of this motor (I am only 27) and I drove all the way in to work alongside one the other day. Naturally, I thought of this thread... Nice to hear the rapid progress updates! My uncle has a machinist friend who has done alot of work on his Roadster engines (1600 and 2000) who absolutely LOVES these turbofords. (to me, "turboford" is the name of this engine, kinda like "L-gata" or "the iron duke") Good luck getting your machine figured out; I am sure it is only a matter of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 this thread needs some kind of pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete84 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Didn't realize that the Turbocoupes came intercooled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 The 87-88's came with top mounted intercoolers. I want to swap to a FMIC to up the boost to around 20psi and then a copper head gasket and such for more hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 the TC I saw the other day was all white, with black rubber spoiler and air dam, possibly side skirts as well... and had some fox-body Cobra rims on it. looked DAMN hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Those "cobra" rims were actually from the t-bird to begin with, and SVT fitted them to the cobra. Not quite the other way around. The funniest thing about it though is that there's gotta be 10 times more thunderbirds out there with those rims than they ever made cobras, but the cobra made the rims popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyZ Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Those "cobra" rims were actually from the t-bird to begin with, and SVT fitted them to the cobra. Not quite the other way around. The funniest thing about it though is that there's gotta be 10 times more thunderbirds out there with those rims than they ever made cobras, but the cobra made the rims popular. That's the first I've heard of this. Where did you get this information? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 uhhh yeah the cobra rims are on the mustangs not the t-birds. To get the cobra rims you have to do a 5 lug swap on them. The most common ones up to 87 were slotted mags and the 87-88's had the snowflakes like on mine. Now even the SVO did not have cobra styles on them. The reason you see t-birds using tghem is because they came out with a 4 lug rim and the aftermarket choices for us to use are pretty much non exsistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Actually just the cobra R was 5 lug in 93'. And I think I know, as I've worked on a guenine all stock 93' cobra. I'm looking up the info on the web, but the info is from a 99% accurate mustang "red book". IIRC Ford had thousands of the rims lying around because they were for a thunderbird project that was never realised, and many of them rims DID make their way into many production t-birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Whats the link? I would love to show my t-bird forums the info. Any how, Hows the project coming along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I'm not finding anything concrete. If I find the reference in the book I'll be sure to post the name of the book, author, publication date etc. But I'm 100% positive the cobra's back end was directly taken from a t-bird from rotor to rotor, all to incorperate vented rotors, thus the cobra simply can't be 5 rotor unless they modified the piece. Though the cobra R WAS a 5 lug car. Good luck finding one of those though. The good news though is that means the 4 lug pattern on the mustang should fit the t-birds, and companies make 99% accurate 93 cobra rims for under $500 w/color and finish options. Pretty nice rims for the price if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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