So it's still not complete yet, but I've re-wrote the entire thing. Feel free to comment and advice/more info is always welcome!
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 http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/Ranger/efi.html
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.
Expensive/difficult upgrades
Stage 2+ cam: Stage 2 and 3 cams aren’t more expensive in themselves, it’s the cost in fuel economy, engine aggressiveness, and most of all, the cost of upgrading your valve train. These cams (esp the stage 3) will give you a nice increase in power, however it is necessary to replace your valve springs, valves, retainers, followers, etc. In some cams, oversized valves are necessary for proper geometry. An increase in compression is recommended for some, as is a proper exhaust/intake set-up and air/fuel ratio.
Swap to T5: You’re not going to gain any horsepower from this, but you would free some up and definitely notice a substantial increase in performance switching to a manual transmission from an automatic. However, this is a very difficult swap and usually costs a pretty penny.
Long rod/stoker kit: This is a relatively expensive mod, especially the stroker. The long rod kit can be obtained for around $550. It works by using longer rods to push a smaller piston, increasing the time the piston spends at the top of the combustion chamber, allowing the fuel to burn more and creating more horsepower. A long rod kit does not change stroke or compression. A stroker kit, on the other hand, uses a different crankshaft (thus being more expensive) to change the stroke. It too uses a longer rod and smaller piston, and does about the same thing. However, along with keeping the piston at the top longer, it increases the stroke, effectively burning the fuel even further. A stroker kit would change the displacement of the engine, for example, it would go from a 2.3L to a 2.5L with certain kits.
Port and polish: We all know what porting and polishing does right? This upgrade will open up the passageways that allow air into the engine. From what I understand, one of the main problems the 2.3 has with making power is the restrictive airflow. Solve this problem and you’re on your way to making big power.
Tuner/Computer: I don’t really understand these too well, I need input from more experienced people.
Gears/T-lok: Gears are a very easy way to get an increase in acceleration, at the cost of gas mileage. On an n/a 2.3, 4.10s or even 4.30s wouldn’t be a bad idea. (insert calculator here) See for yourself. Also, if you didn’t/couldn’t get the 7.5 rear from an early GT, you can always buy one. I would get both at once, since it would cut the install price to do both at once instead of coming back twice. Putting power to both wheels is important as you start to make more and more power.
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 http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/Ranger/efi.html
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.
Expensive/difficult upgrades
Stage 2+ cam: Stage 2 and 3 cams aren’t more expensive in themselves, it’s the cost in fuel economy, engine aggressiveness, and most of all, the cost of upgrading your valve train. These cams (esp the stage 3) will give you a nice increase in power, however it is necessary to replace your valve springs, valves, retainers, followers, etc. In some cams, oversized valves are necessary for proper geometry. An increase in compression is recommended for some, as is a proper exhaust/intake set-up and air/fuel ratio.
Swap to T5: You’re not going to gain any horsepower from this, but you would free some up and definitely notice a substantial increase in performance switching to a manual transmission from an automatic. However, this is a very difficult swap and usually costs a pretty penny.
Long rod/stoker kit: This is a relatively expensive mod, especially the stroker. The long rod kit can be obtained for around $550. It works by using longer rods to push a smaller piston, increasing the time the piston spends at the top of the combustion chamber, allowing the fuel to burn more and creating more horsepower. A long rod kit does not change stroke or compression. A stroker kit, on the other hand, uses a different crankshaft (thus being more expensive) to change the stroke. It too uses a longer rod and smaller piston, and does about the same thing. However, along with keeping the piston at the top longer, it increases the stroke, effectively burning the fuel even further. A stroker kit would change the displacement of the engine, for example, it would go from a 2.3L to a 2.5L with certain kits.
Port and polish: We all know what porting and polishing does right? This upgrade will open up the passageways that allow air into the engine. From what I understand, one of the main problems the 2.3 has with making power is the restrictive airflow. Solve this problem and you’re on your way to making big power.
Tuner/Computer: I don’t really understand these too well, I need input from more experienced people.
Gears/T-lok: Gears are a very easy way to get an increase in acceleration, at the cost of gas mileage. On an n/a 2.3, 4.10s or even 4.30s wouldn’t be a bad idea. (insert calculator here) See for yourself. Also, if you didn’t/couldn’t get the 7.5 rear from an early GT, you can always buy one. I would get both at once, since it would cut the install price to do both at once instead of coming back twice. Putting power to both wheels is important as you start to make more and more power.
