[IgotStang]

hey guys
so i got a 1991 mustang 2.3l lx hatchback and i want a bit more hp then 108,
can anybody give me a list maybe also print how much hp ill gain by installing each item if its no problem i mean unless theres already a list out there if so can you guys possibly link me to it please i drive this car daily to let everybody no
and it doesnt have to all do with improving hp it could also be about average performance upgrades please and thank you

[zonker]

welcome to the forum.

hp = money.

how fast do you want to spend?

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by zonker welcome to the forum. hp = money. how fast do you want to spend?

Very well said!

[IgotStang]

well honestly id like to buy parts every month and put it into my mustang
on average like maybe about 800 to 1000 a month
so let the hp flow

[IgotStang]

I decided im going to buy the 44 flowmaster i read on the forums that
they have nice tone to them unless someone has any suggestions

[IgotStang]

so if i get a supercharger how much hp would i get from that and im guessing id have to get forged pistons how hard is that to install and also how hard is it to install a supercharger and what has to be done to the engine thx

[OHC230]

Let me ask you this, are you handy with tools and accomplishing your own work? How much power are you looking for, 175, 300?

[IgotStang]

well ya i got the tools and im handy haha but honestly i decided this stang is
going to be an everyday driving car so i just want atleast 175 hp in it and just make it look pretty and im good to go because in the near future i will be buying a 5.0l.so any suggestion ohc230?

[OHC230]

OK...if you are going to swap to a 5.0L engine, it makes financial sense to start collecting parts for that swap, which will work for both cars so you aren't wasting money. Things like; larger volume fuel pumps, a Moates 1/4 horse tuner, aluminum drive shaft, possibly some fuel injectors, the left side of a 5.0L exhaust system.

Is there a reason that you prefer the V-8 over the 4 cyl?

To answer your earlier question, any power mods that you do to your Mustang, weather it has a V-8 or 4 cyl, will require you to address the fuel system. On that note it would be a good first step for you to pick up some kind of tuner device, like the Moates or Mega- Squirt or some supported system for the Ford EEC computer and start teaching yourself how to tune your engine using one of these devices.

[vernon]

i have 95 mustang 3.8 one day it was running fine then started ideling about 1500 rpms the when i started it the next day it was going from 500 to 1000rpms i shut it off now it wont start it just turns over and a slight back fire but wont start i have changed the coil pack andthe crankshaft sensor what else should i change im lost thanks if you could help

[IgotStang]

lol sorry i meant im goin to buy a second mustang with a v8 in it and keep the v4 mustang but honestly i love the 2.3l couldnt get rid of it haha
is it easy to take a a turbo from a recked 2.3l engine and build it into your mustang or to just find a 2.3t engine and just swap the whole engine?
and i will definatly try and get a hold of a tuner
my father law might have one tho hmm ill ask him

[OHC230]

In a perfect world you might find a pristine turbo Ford in the wrecking yard and you’d buy the whole thing for just a few dollars, but realistically, what you will find in the junk yard, is junk.

I scour the yards in Cali once every few months and once in a great while, I’ll come across a handful of usable parts from a turbo Ford, but that has now become the exception and not the rule, thanks in part to the federal and state “Cash for clunkers’ programs and the fact that these cars are now over 20 years old. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try, but your expectations should match reality.

I prefer to work with new parts myself and for the cost of a piston set, rings and some block boring, you can adequately prep a standard 2.3 engine block for turbo use.

That’s just the block though and there is a laundry list of other items you will need to complete a swap, which I am not going to list here.

Like I stated earlier, you should address the fuel system first if you want to make more power.

Your next question should be why.

[IgotStang]

why would i address the fuel system first?

[IgotStang]

i got this from a link i found on these forums
mso wrote it and i just wanted to check if you guys would change anything
on the list

Cheap/easy upgrades

Air intake: This is easy. You can use anything for this, your average everyday Civic intake from Autozone if you want.

Ranger Header: This is also pretty easy, you get a header from a 94-95 Ranger and it’s a direct bolt-on.

Ranger roller cam: This cam comes in 89+ Rangers and 91+ Mustangs, so if you have a 91+ Mustang, don’t bother with this one. It gives a slight boost in horsepower by reducing friction in the camshaft. Roller cams also don’t wear out as fast as flat-tappets.

Injectors and MAF: This is something I don't understand too well, so I'll just link to a site that gives some rather good information Moved to www.hotrodhigh.ca

Knock sensor: This is extremely easy. You just unplug it! Set your timing correctly and take it off. This sensor is designed to lengthen the life of the 2.3 by setting the timing back at the slightest ping in the engine.

Muffler: A nice little upgrade to make your 2.3 sound different from the others. It's good for a few horsepower, maybe 3-5. A recommendation? Flowmaster 40 muffler will "make it sound like a big ol' V8." (thanks Turbo )



Medium difficulty/cost upgrades

Milling the head/Thinner head gasket: Fairly easy operation for a machine shop, material is removed from the head surface which increases compression. The thinner head gasket does the same thing, but doesn’t require work. Usually you do both when you get the head shaved. The increase in compression creates more horsepower.

Stage 1 cam: When I say stage 1, I’m referring to the level of performance it gives you. A relatively slight increase in horsepower without sacrificing too much gas mileage and without requiring you to change the valve train at all. These cams are relatively cheap from just a few horsepower increase around $110, to maybe a 10-20hp increase from $150-$200.

Cam timing gear: This is just a gear to adjust the timing of your camshaft. It doesn’t increase horsepower, but it allows you to adjust where your peak hp/tq is. This is especially useful with an aftermarket cam, as you wouldn’t notice much of a difference with the stock cam. These usually go around $80-$100.

7.5 rear: Yes, you have a 7.5 rear stock on your car. So why post it as an upgrade? Well, the pre-’86 Gts and SVOs had 7.5 rears with T-loks. The T-lok is really what you’re aiming for, a rear from a junked Mustang would be cheaper than a T-lok. So why not just get an 8.8? Honestly you can, but the increase in weight wouldn’t be worth it, as you will NEVER break the 7.5 with a n/a 2.3.

Exhaust: A lot of people make the mistake of getting an exhaust that is too big. A single 2.25” to 2.5” exhaust is fine. If you want duals, you’ll need smaller pipes. High-flow cats are advisable if you need to pass emissions, otherwise a straight back exhaust would be cheaper and create more power.

Aftermarket header: After you start upgrading to stage 2 cams and stroker kits, you’re going to need a bigger exhaust system to push all the gas out, a long tube header from an aftermarket company would do you good at that point. These only cost around $180 so it’s not out of your price range, but if you only have or plan to have slight mods, stick with the ranger header. Aftermarket headers are aimed more towards higher RPM applications.

Ignition: An aftermarket ignition system would give you a nice little boost in performance. A few horsepower, a little increase in gas mileage, and the ability to safely regulate your rev limit (in some systems). This is also a fairly cheap upgrade, going for around $200-$300.

Aluminum driveshaft: This is a relatively good upgrade. It reduces weight in the drive train, helping to get that power to the ground faster. It will help your engine rev faster and make the car feel peppier. Should go for around $200-$250.

[OHC230]

Why would I address the fuel system first?

Good question!

The simple answer is that you are locked in terms of a power increase without more fuel supply to the cylinders, which your stock fuel system is not capable of supplying.

While it is true that the stock fuel system can adjust fuel trims slightly, it is not capable of effectively adjusting fuel trims beyond 10% on either end of the spectrum.

Most naturally aspirated Ford 2.3/2.5L engines require .5 pounds of fuel for every HP they produce per hour. Anything south of that and the engine will run lean, causing detonation and an excessively lean fuel mixture.

The standard fuel pumps found in most 2.3L Mustangs are rated “when new” at 110 liters per hour capacity or 29 gallons per hour. Now that sounds like a lot doesn’t it?
It is not enough unfortunately, to keep up the fuel supply when the engine starts to produce more than 180 HP and that has do with the multiple restrictions found in the rest of the fuel system, which cut the supply drastically, by the time the fuel reaches the injectors.

To effectively meter the fuel going to the engine, your cars computer must operate on some assumptions, which are in the form of bits and bytes or code. When you make changes to the intake and exhaust systems of your engine, obviously the assumptions or code may no longer be valid, so the input signals coming to the cars computer may not be interpreted correctly and this results in an engine that runs poorly, if at all.

The way to fix this is to buy a tuner device, which allows you to change the code in the cars computer, or buy a carburetor and deal with that instead.

[IgotStang]

well what would be the better choices lol tune the computer or buy a carburetor or both?

[OHC230]

Well, ultimately your fuel injection system is going to be far more efficient than a carburetor. If you are planning on turbo or supercharging the engine the carburetor can be very challenging to tune. If your state requires emissions testing, than the carburetor becomes a moot point as does your strategy for building a high performance engine within the limits of the law.

[IgotStang]

lol well i live in canada bc
in Small town
as long as your not driving a drag car out on the street its all good lol
and turbo or supercharger well im not going to put one in my mustang but
id still like to reach 150-175 horse power if possible so give me a list in your opinion what would give me that kind of performance and i will buy the parts and stick em in my mustang and then i will take a picture and let you see my handy work

[Mikel89us]

my sugestion is if you are looking for that kind of hp, get injectors, and a tuner, or a carb (350 cfm at largest) then buy an esslinger aluminum head and a cam.

[IgotStang]

heres some item links
aluminum head
SVO Aluminum Head Holley Manifold: Esslinger Online Store

roller cam-but i thought 1991 mustangs lx hatchbacks already have them installed?tell me if im wrong
Cam only 620 lift 269 dur.@ .050 103 centerline 5000-8000 rpm solid lifter: Esslinger Online Store

and could you link me to some good online stores for injectors and tuner?
and what kind of injectors should i be getting please and thank you
oh oh and also should i get the ranger headers or just something from esslinger?
should i get 44 flowmaster or just a stock muffler id like to get that done tomorow my tail pipe is rusted out lol