[darionvowels@gmail.com]

so im 16 and im looking at a 89 coupe lx 2.3l and everything is really clean it has a radiator out of a v8 with a new electric fan should i buy this car? and what all should i do to it with little money? please and thank you

[Matt Cramer]

Originally Posted by darionvowels@gmail.com so im 16 and im looking at a 89 coupe lx 2.3l and everything is really clean it has a radiator out of a v8 with a new electric fan should i buy this car? and what all should i do to it with little money? please and thank you

That depends on what you eventually plan to do with it. If you really want a 5.0 Mustang, keep looking. If you want cheap, basic, easily maintained, America made daily transportation, and don't care if it's fast, it's a good choice.

[darionvowels@gmail.com]

like i thought it was kind of a small engine but then looking around and seeing that im just now starting to learn how to work on cars i think its all i need, im paying 1700 for it its in perfect condition only thing is, is thats and automatic, but i want to make an air intake and lower maybe and when i get out of school i may put a 5.0 in it

[92mustang04yfz]

The air intake will be really easy and only cost you about $60

[TaterTodd]

I learned on V-8's ... I've owned a few Mustangs and I first went looking I wanted fast. the choice is really up to you and what you're wanting. Buy what you want or you'll be unhappy down the road. If you're wanting a v-8 in the future and still buy the 4 banger now I wouldn't hop it up at all and I'd save your money and pick up a v-8 and build it yourself the way you want it. But either way, enjoy every step you take and take lots of photo's. I wished I took some when I was your age. I only have one of my 1st Mustang and it's rather worn now.

[OHC230]

Matt and Todd, you both make good points. Building any car takes a good bit of $$ and effort. When you are starting off, money is going to be your biggest hurdle and getting the most out of your cash is the key to building a nice ride. I have thrown good money away on lots of junk in the past, its no fun.

Cheap, clean V-8 fox bodies are getting hard to find these days and depending on how far you are going to take your project, you might wind up pulling the motor out of the car anyway, but having a nice clean chassis to start with is always a good thing in my opinion.

Either the V-8 or the 2.3L engine is capable of making some serious HP and either one can be built up in small increments. At the 1000 HP level, both engines are going to get expensive, but both are capable of that power level. Cost per HP starts out with the V-8 having the initial advantage, but somewhere in the middle the 2.3 starts to pull ahead. After that it is anybody’s game.

I would highly recommend starting with the exhaust system as a first mod on the 2.3 and just putting the $60.00 towards that purchase. If one were planning a V-8 upgrade down the road, you would all ready have half of the system done. I have said this before; I have run many a 2.3l on the Dyno and pulled the Air filter off of the engine while it was running and you just don’t see much if any HP difference, indicating that there isn’t much to be gained by adding a cone filter. This is not true of the exhaust, where I have consistently seen gains between 15-20 HP.

+1 take lots of photo's

YouTube - Jon Huber's 9 second Mustang

YouTube - Jon Huber's 9 second Mustang

9 Second 1979 Mustang 4cyl Turbo | Wrencheads.net

[TaterTodd]

On all of my muscle cars I always went with Flowmaster American thunders. Always sound good and good performance ... Now with the V-8's a company called Pypes is coming out with some very nice set ups. Also the sound coming from SLP is intimadating. Good hp gains from the two ..

[zonker]

Underdrive pulleys are a nice addition to a street motor and are relatively easy to install... most 4 bangers see a 7-10hp gain as well as an equal number of ft lbs of torque.

If you've never driven a car with one, the comparison to make is with a udp installed, driving with the a/c on feels like the old stock pulley did when the a/c was turned off, and turning the a/c off feels that much more powerful....

Also, regarding fuel injectors... the 00-up Focus 2.0 Zetec uses 17lb Bosch III injectors and would be a good choice for a 91-93 EFI upgrade once intake and exhaust have been opened up.

[OHC230]

OK Rob, what's in your profile picture? Share please.

Underdrive pulleys are a nice addition

+1

[zonker]

lol - like that? esslinger sent that to me - it's a new SVO manifold
he sent lots of pics - haven't opened them all up yet, i'll post more when i get them up.

[brianlepard28]

i have a 93 2.3 what all do u have to do to the computer when blocking off the egr. im looking re building the engine and want to find a performance rebuild kit can u tell me where i can find it?

[zonker]

if you don't mind the check engine light on then you have to do nothing to the ecu when blocking the egr.

if you want the light out then there's a couple ways to go...

1. buy a programming software like moates 1/4 horse and turn off the egr function in the ecu.

2. keep the egr valve and it's sensors and vacuum lines, except disconnect the pipe between the exhaust manifold and egr valve and replace it with a vale cover breather on a cut section of the original egr tube. This will bring fresh air in thru the egr valve port instead of the heated burnt exhaust.


for wet dream 2.3 parts - Catalog

[89Bullitt]

Got my block off plate today!

[89Bullitt]

So.... it cost me 25 bucks to pay for it and get it to my house.... 15 for the plate and 10 for shipping.... And the damn holes were not big enough for the bolts. No big deal but still. They need to actually TEST there product....

[89Bullitt]

Msd coil is highly recomended on my end for any 2.3 Also a good tune up will help. Spectra intake is definatly a plus

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by 93fourbangerstanger and blocking (egr valve) give you about 10 free hp and better gas milege and when i say better gas milege i mean it, you can most def tell a diff.

Im just reading into this, so i dont know if this has been addressed, but you are wrong. EGR only works at PART throttle aka cruising conditions, and i shuts off completely under a heavy load. Therefore it does not gain you any HP by blocking it off. The theory of EGR is to lower the usable oxygen in the cylinder by replacing an amount of it with burnt exhaust which results in less fuel being used (in theory). I personally disconnect them, but they are supposed to be a fuel saving device. Im not sure about the fuel savings, but i know for a fact that you arent going to gain HP.

[mattabater]

i know this is kind of a newbish question but i just dont know how to...

how do i set the timing up 5 degrees? (92' 2.3L lx)

[mattabater]

was wondering cause i dont wanna just pull the knock sensor out and see what happens lol
the start of the thread says to unplug it and >adjust timing<

[89Bullitt]

Originally Posted by Mikel89us Im just reading into this, so i dont know if this has been addressed, but you are wrong. EGR only works at PART throttle aka cruising conditions, and i shuts off completely under a heavy load. Therefore it does not gain you any HP by blocking it off. The theory of EGR is to lower the usable oxygen in the cylinder by replacing an amount of it with burnt exhaust which results in less fuel being used (in theory). I personally disconnect them, but they are supposed to be a fuel saving device. Im not sure about the fuel savings, but i know for a fact that you arent going to gain HP.

You know you can hear the difference between a egr car and a non egr car at idle, right?

[89Bullitt]

Originally Posted by mattabater was wondering cause i dont wanna just pull the knock sensor out and see what happens lol the start of the thread says to unplug it and >adjust timing<

its already timed, just unplug it! You can actually get up hills!