The Official 20th Anniversary Mustang Website & Registry
2.3 litre Turbo Performance Tips(Not all of these modifications will work on the 1979 thru 1981 carburated Turbo Engines)
Thick Film Integration module (TFI) info
Turbocharger Information
How to decrease your Turbo Spool up time for less than $5!
Transmission Gear Ratios
#1 INTERCOOLER
Get an SVO intercooler or similer intercooler - THIS MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE! made around 23-28 horses for mine!
#2 K & N AIR FILTER
A K&N conical (Part No. RE-0930) is a snug fit but bolts directly to the stock Vane meter box. This simple modification should be worth 10-18 HP, and looks much better that the stock air box.
#3 FUEL OCTANE
Always use the highest octane fuel you can get and always use the same octane.(important for step 4)
#4 TIMING
DONT use a timing light to set your timing, Every Turbo engine runs different from another. What you do to time it is this... Warm up the car, get in, Drive down the road, FLOOR IT to full boost, while at full boost listen to see if you hear any pinging (detonation/spark knock) basically what you want to do is advance your timing to the point where the timing is "just under" the point where it spark knocks at full boost pressure. This is a "Trial & Error" method and requires a lot of driving, pulling over, bumping timing, over and over, but is worth it !
#4 BOOST PRESSURE INCREASE
The cheapest mod, but you had better supply enough fuel for it. This is easily accomplished in one of 5ways. Worth 15-20 hp from 14 to 18psi (you will have to re-do the engine timing if you do any of these steps)
1. Put a "T" fitting in the line with an adjustable valve to bleed off the pressure to the wastegate.
2. Remove the "T" fitting provided by the factory and bore the hole in the solenoid side oversize. This will take some trial and error.
3. Replace the wastegate with an adjustable one.
4. Install an electronic boost controller.
5. Add in an electric vacume switch to the turbo's waste gate hose. basically you want to be able to select normal waste gate operation or, with the flick of a switch, "bypass" the wastegate. you will need to put somekind of adjustable air valve, like for a paint gun or somthing, on the "open" hose from the electric vacume solinoid. This way you can set the max boost pressure level when the "switch is flipped" - I call this the "FUN SWITCH". dont set your boost pressure past 18 or 19 psi though.... you may blow the head gasket and the engine actually runs worse at pressures over 19psi as this is out of the EEC4 computers range of operation.
#5 Nitrous Oxide Injection:
This is the best bang for the buck. Works great as an intercooler and power adder. The amplifier switch can be used as the arming switch and the throttle activated switch activates the system. 50HP Shot is recommended. Use a single fogger plumbed into the throttle body. The 50hp shot is good for 50-70hp depending on efficiency of the current intercooler setup.
#6 Computer Enhancement:
Superchips Inc. Most economical, best if used with 42# injectors, Performance benefits: 7200 rpm redline, and increased spark and fuel curves, best if purchased before internal mods.
TEC-II A stand alone aftermarket engine management system. Offers the most options and flexibility, but it costs over $1000, but for the serious enthusiast, its worth it. Can control many functions, including Nitros and is programmable to your needs and modifications.
#7 WIEGHT
Weight is also a place you can optimize.... your car is typically 300 to 500 pounds lighter than it's 5.0 counterpart. (No big heavy V-8 under the hood)... BUT you can still lose more weight depending on what you want to remove from the car... on of the best things to do is "LOSE" all the air cond. parts....they add upto 150lbs. to the car. thats like always driving around with a passenger in the car all the time. If you want to go all out you can remove the entire interior down to the drivers seat. but this is only cool if you only plan to race the car, it also greatly increases "Road Noise". You can also relocate the cars battery to the passenger side of the trunk area, this provides better weight distributuion throughout the car and improves handling.
#8 SUSPENSION
The best modification in this department to add poly bushings, at least to the swaybar. For the increase in performance, the effort and cost make this the first modification for all Mustangs, whether it be a '69 Fastback or an '85 1/2 SVO
DO NOT use "HOP Bars" the factory "Quad shocks" are the best thing for turbo cars. they allow the wheels to "plant /stick" better to the ground when "launching" from a dead stop. all hop bars do is keep the wheels from hopping when doing burn outs. you dont get any traction when your wheels are slipping/burning out. (most 1983 Turbo's had the factory hop bars instead of quad shocks)
#8 SHOCKS
Always use shocks (Front and rear) that are in good shape, bouncing around the road robs horsepower.
#9 ALTERNATOR
Always use the stock alternator on the engine. the "bigger" or even police style alternators will fit and work on your car, but they rob from 5 to 10 horsepower...
#10 IGNITION SYSTEM
Be SURE your distributer is in TIP TOP shape (as little free play in the rotor as possible). Ignition timing and accuracy is the # 1 MOST CRITCAL item in getting the most power from ANY engine. be sure to use Motorcraft Plug wires and cap & rotor too! Also use "Motorcraft" plugs they seem to do the best job for me as turbo cars tend to melt down most other plugs. DO NOT use ANY platimum type plugs no matter what anyone tells you, THEY SUCK, they always melt down in a turbo car almost within the 1st 50 miles or so....they may work in some cars very well, but a High horsepower turbo engine is just too demanding. Use standard AUTOLITE plugs as a second choice. The Factory Ignition parts (not Motorsport) are pretty much the best for the turbo engines.
Get a spare TFI (Thick Film module) wiring harness and an extra TFI mmodule from a junkyard and use it to relocate your cars TFI module off of the distributer (its best to put it somwhere near the brake master cylender. this gets the module "out of the HEAT" and it helps the ignition run at its best. not to mention it GREATLY prolongs the life of the TFI module. (your TFI module is the little grey box on the side of your distributor) dont cut your original car wiring, make an adapter harness to go from the distributor to the TFI module using the spare TFI module and spare harness. the TFI module from the junkyard doesnt need to be a good one, you will be destroying the circuits inside to make the adaptor anyway. You can use spade crimp connectors instead of the spare TFI module but, this setup allows water and dirt etc... to get into the distributor, the spare tfi module "FILLS" the hole where you took off the cars original one.
#11 Head (SOHC)
Get a better Cylender head , Ford motorsport offers a really nice head for this engine or...
#12 INTAKE
Install the 1985 1/2 ~1986 Head and Intake assembly. You will need the fuel rails/injectors and Matching throttle body... This setup was designed for 200hp & higher from the Factory!
#13 CAM
Install a high performance CAM w/ Roller Followers
#14 UNDERDRIVE PULLYS
Install Underdrive Pulleys
One way to get 400+ horsepower from a 2.3L Turbo Ford:
(Re-printed specs from "Turbo Joe's" 2.3 Turbo Pinto)
Intake - K&N air filter ->Mounted directly to air meter
Vane Air Meter ->Stock SVO 3" (E4ZZ-12B529_A)
Throttle Body ->Stock
Intake Manifold ->86 style, ported lower half,
gutted upper half
Head - Cast Iron ->Port matched to intake,
big valves, good valve job
->Esslinger hardware
Cam - Engle 55 ->Installed with stock pulley
Exhaust - Manifold ->Ported stock ("E6SE" casting)
Pipe ->3" to rear of car + Borla
muffler
Block - Cast Iron ->Head and Main bearing studs
->O-ringed
Pistons - Stock Ford ->Modified for floating pins
->0.0045" skirt clearance
->Back-cut upper ringland
Rings - Stock Ford ->Total Seal second ring
Bearings- Ford ->0.002" rod/main
Rods - Crower Sportsman ->Stock length
Misc. - Nitrous ->90hp dry-manifold type for 5.0
Adds fuel by closing stock
return line to increase pressure.
- Fuel System ->Stock 86 SVO computer ("PE")
->chip to raise rev limiter to 7K
->Stock 35lb/hr injectors
->Two full-size Ford truck pumps
(E7TF-AA) in series, with 3/8"
factory plastic lines and an
F1SZ-9155-A filter.
->Stock pulse damper retained.
->Ported Ranger fuel rail.
- Turbo ->"S" trim T04 compresser with a
dynamic seal, and an 0.82 A/R
bolt on Turbonetics exhaust
housing. Intake side is a T4,
exhaust side is a T3 with
stock turbine wheel.
- Intercooler ->Aftermarket Garret designed for a
Toyota truck, with modified tanks
and 2" inlet and outlet.
- Boost Control ->Simple "fish-tank" style bleeder
valve, courtesy of Superchips.
Set to 16-17 psi.
- Ignition ->Stock TFI with an MSD 6.
->Motorcraft wires and stock 10 degree
timing.
->AWSF32C spark plugs gapped at
0.030"
- Head Gasket ->Felpro
One way to run 10's with 400+hp 2.3L Turbo Ford:
1. Buy a Pinto (2500lb w/mild steel rollbar and subframe connectors,
without driver), and put this motor in it ;-)
2. C4 automatic transmission, stock ("F29") torque convertor.
3. 4.62:1 gears and a locking differential in a stock 8" Pinto rear end.
4. Use the N2O system right off the line to eliminate lag.
5. Use very sticky tires for consistent low 1.5xx 60' times.
6. SPA-1 Koni shocks, and home-built leaf springs with Global West
bushings.