[sam89]

So i've been looking at prices for machining the head on my 2.3 and I think I am going to go for it. How much can i get taken off the head and still be able to use all my stock stuff without getting it tuned or upgrading all the fuel system. Im only looking for maybe 20-30 more hp. I know thats probably asking way to much for just head work but I'm not sure how much you can get from this kind of work.

Also what parts will i need to replace and where can i get good parts. I've also been considering getting it bored .020 over if possible. I know that one would require a lot more in terms of fuel system,tune, etc. Where is a good place to find the parts for this stuff.

Sorry if this is the same stuff asked over and over again.

[sam89]

Can anyone provide some input before I spend/waste all the money on this.

[BrianF]

I dont know if you are going to reach you 30hp goal by just boring the head, im not the right person to tell you what to do , but i think that you will need a larger cam, a good exhaust and intake setup( header, 2.25" or 2.50" pipe and a CAI ) , and more fuel ( i really dont know how much hp you can produce with the stock injectors) but will need more fuel to produce more power.

here are some links where you can find nice stuff =).

http://www.esslingeracing.com/
http://www.bo-port.com/
http://racerwalsh.zoovy.com/
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/
http://www.ebay.com/

[OHC230]

Brian got it right when he suggested that you need more fuel to produce more power. 19 lb per hour injectors will work with the stock computer and will provide enough fuel for roughly 135 HP. Milling the head .050” will bring the compression to around 10.0:1 which should be adequate for what you want to accomplish. Some clean up of the intake and exhaust ports, directly below the valve, will increase the total volume of gas entering and exiting the engine, without destroying the port velocity. (See pics; stock intake port is on the left) A stage 1 cam won't be required at this power level, but a small tube header (available from Racer Walsh) along with a 2.5" exhaust will help to accomplish this goal.

[sam89]

Would this be bringing me to the point where i need to run premium gas? or something more than that. Are there any negative things that can come with milling the head that much? and will i need a different belt or will the tensioner be able to compensate? I'm gonna see how much a junk yard head runs go from there. I'd rather not be waiting on a shop to get my car back on the road. So if anyone has a head or any other parts they wanna sell let me know.

And thanks for the great information. I always love hearing such helpful answers from people on here.

[BrianF]

when you rise the compression, the engine will work under hight pressures and the engine wasnt desingned for that from factory so it will reduce the engine life. But we are lucky guys, the ford 2.3 is an awesome engine and one of the strongest too so it will hold very well this modification, maybe the only weak parts of the NA engine are the pistons im not very sure if you will need to change them but wouldnt be a bad idea to change them for a forged units. You will need use a higher octane gas too to avoid the preignition, I said all of that just to give you an idea. OHC230 know a lot about this engines and alot about how to mod them so i think that he can give you the right answer for your questions.

[OHC230]

Again, Brian is right on with the stated information. Detonation can be controlled by careful adjustment of the ignition timing and use of water injection, as well as the use of higher octane fuel, which isn't absolutely necessary, but will ultimately allow for more HP. Raising the compression will increase the thermal efficiency of the engine, so a small gain in mileage is possible, with the modifications mentioned. If you were planning on re-boring the block, than I would also agree with Brian, that a set of forged pistons would be a good idea.