Never has a Mustang been so controversial as the Lima 2300 engined Mustang II and, especially, the early 2.3 Fox Stang and Capri's. The versions before the EEC IV EFI 2.3, are an acquired taste, and aren't for everyone. More of an acquired taste than I6's, as they are quite rough and sound more like a Works Escort race car than a traditional Mustang, and they require a little bit of smart management to get them to really cook. Since it doesn't rumble like a dual exhaust I-6 and V6 can, or every V8 does, that puts the concept on the outfield from the moment you see one in motion on the street. The Lima 2.3 will always be a European style engine.
After the amazingly smart M81 and IMSA GT variants never got sanctioned as road going staple diet 2.3's.
They had it all in detail, but Ford SVO waited four long years to fix up the 2.3 turbo for proper high boost, V8 beating performance.
Ford had won everything, Le Mans, European Touring Car Challenge, World Rally Championship, and it had the ability to head hunt Porsche at production car racing with just a little Lima 4.
Instead it let Porsche off the hook.
I've been told the 2.3 Carb Turbo got 132 hp stock at 5200 rpm with the factory standard 5.5psi, then 175 hp at 7 psi, and 190hp at 12 psi. , the prospect of the Indy car style variable HP screw, hi boost carby 2.3 turbo was ditched forever.
More so when the 5.0 got its increasingly fortified 157, 160, 175, 200, and 225 HP factory options. As an engine base, though, its probably the strongest potentially.
The best thing in its favor is that you can convert to the old 2.3 Turbo draw through. It
can work exceptionally well if you keep the compression ratio down, and the fuels aki/octane ratio up. The stock exhaust and split carb to turbo intake manifold with too small 5200 series carb were the reasons the Turbo 2.3 never hit the big time. The 9:1 compression ratio, and some complicated O ring and clocking details at the oil feed and acres of vac tubing were others. The basics were there.
And it still can be a very reliable package
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...3-turbo-engine
There are a few accounts from
ohc230 on allfordmustangs.com of what happens when the exhaust, carb and vac restrictions are cleared.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...-pace-car.html
When they are, and using a proper good OHC Lima internals, a bigger 500 cfm Holley 2300 or staged 350 cfm Holley 2305 or perhaps a Weber 320 cfm DGAS38, the whole thing set sail. 275 to 330 flywheel hp (220 to 260 rwhp) with a better stroker 2.5 liter crank
Massively.
See all Chris and Paul's # 143 79 Notch. I think its Chris Miller owned, and often Paul Johnston or Ron driven.
See all
cpstang43's you tubes
https://www.youtube.com/user/cpstang43
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNxDbYINe1c
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