Save your money and do what I did.
 

All right fella's, so you have an underpowered 2.3L that can get beat by a school bus. Sure you could add exaughst headers, exaughst, cams, chips, filters, injectors, bigger fuel pumps, larger fuel regulator, port/polish, valve jobs,underdrive pullies, and so on. But do you really spending all of that money and still not obtain 200 or so hp? I think not.

You could drop a 5.0L in but you had better have the tools, parts, time, buddies, and the $ to do this. It is really just a big headache.

I would suggest, if you want more hp and speed, to sell that 'little' pony of yours and buy a 5.0L. But if you are like me and can't or don't really want to then here is the next feasable option.

Drop in a 2.3L turbo! Yes it is extremely simple and the wiring is not as bad as it sounds.

The 2.3T will bolt right up just like the n/a 2.3L, essentially it is the exact same engine but the 2.3T block has a higher nickle count (which makes it stronger) and forged pistons. And accessories from your n/a 2.3L will even fit the 2.3T!! You could swap this engine out in about a day or two it is so simple. As for the wiring, piece-o-cake. You don't have to replace the entire wiring harness you only need a couple of wires and the computer from the 2.3T donor car.

From the 2.3T car you would need the boost control solenoid and the vaf/vat wires from the wiring harness, you then just splice this into your n/a's wiring harness, match up the pins to the computer and your set.

Gentlemen start your engines!!!

The best thing about these engines is they are much more easily modifiable than the n/a 2.3L's. You can do all kinds of things and you can even get up to 500hp, I would like to see you do that in a n/a block, heck I would like to see you get 170hp!

You can obtain a complete 2.3T from anywhere to $250-$800, I got mine for $500, but, I got everything I needed to make it run, including the rear end which is posi lok with 3.73's.

If you want more performance specs. and lots of advice and suggestions then go visit this site.

www.turboford.org

Check out everything on it!!! Believe me it is the best place for information on performance.

Brad.

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Brad
88lx 2.3T soon to have 350hp
www.turboford.org

Jett's right on this one guys. I sold my 2.3L Thunderbird Turbo Coupe for $700. The tranny was good, and the engine ran great. The boost still ran to 15psi too. The only problem, it was rusty. Everything mechanically on the car was great. So the deals are out there, you just have to look. $700 is pretty good when compared to a $1500+ good 5.0L changeover.

Just for those who might want to think twice before trying to put a 302 in place of a 4cyl.

Brad.

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Brad
88lx 2.3T soon to have 350hp
www.turboford.org