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PKRWUD · 09-19-2001, 04:18 AM

I had a customer about 4 years ago who thought he needed a new engine for his 1983 Turbo Ford Thunderbird. He had found an ‘87 Turbo T‘bird that was being parted out, and supposedly had a complete, running engine, and he needed “help” swaping it into his T’bird. To make a long story short, I took the job. His idea of helping me was keeping his Aunt’s stupid little Mexican barking machine from biting my legs. It was a much bigger job than I had originally anticipated, mostly due to changes in design between 1983 and 1987. When I was finished, he took it to get it smogged, and it passed everything with flying colors (amazingly), except that the timing was retarded 10 degrees. That was my mistake, because the emissions label that was attached to the underside of the hood had rubbed on something in just the right place. It removed the “1” from the “10” where it stated the recommended timing. Took two minutes to correct, and he went back and passed. If you decide to take on this challenge, make absolutely sure you get everything you can from the donor vehicle, including the wiring harness and all sensors. When you purchase components that have been taken from a “parts car”, the simple fact is that at least some of the items you will need have been pilfered or damaged, and will leave you needing something more. Because of this, I always recommend purchasing the entire car, where possible, and then parting it out after you’re done. That way you get to be the pilferer! When I did that job, I wasn’t so lucky. I spent hours at junkyards and looking through repair manuals trying to determine what was missing, and trying to replace it. There had to be at least 3 or 4 electrical connectors that to this day, I never figured out, but it all worked in the end.

Take care
~Chris

BTW, during the 6 months that T’bird was in need of an engine, that guy and his tweaker buddies managed to disassemble most of the top end of his original engine, and left the parts sitting in the dirt yard along the side of his house where they kept the trash cans. When I was finished, he asked me if I could dispose of them for him. I took it all home, and after a week or two, started to look them over, and couldn’t find anything wrong. I tore everything down, cleaned it all up, and discovered I now had a perfectly good 2.3L Turbo, complete from the head up. I reassembled it with a little flare and a few dress-up parts I had laying around, and even repainted the valve cover with wrinkle paint. When all was said and done, it ended up in my office at the end of a workbench. It’s been sitting there for nearly 4 years, waiting patiently for me to get a 4 cylinder craving. If nothing else, it has become a conversation piece.

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

[This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 09-19-2001).]

09-19-2001, 04:18 AM	#3
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	I had a customer about 4 years ago who thought he needed a new engine for his 1983 Turbo Ford Thunderbird. He had found an ‘87 Turbo T‘bird that was being parted out, and supposedly had a complete, running engine, and he needed “help” swaping it into his T’bird. To make a long story short, I took the job. His idea of helping me was keeping his Aunt’s stupid little Mexican barking machine from biting my legs. It was a much bigger job than I had originally anticipated, mostly due to changes in design between 1983 and 1987. When I was finished, he took it to get it smogged, and it passed everything with flying colors (amazingly), except that the timing was retarded 10 degrees. That was my mistake, because the emissions label that was attached to the underside of the hood had rubbed on something in just the right place. It removed the “1” from the “10” where it stated the recommended timing. Took two minutes to correct, and he went back and passed. If you decide to take on this challenge, make absolutely sure you get everything you can from the donor vehicle, including the wiring harness and all sensors. When you purchase components that have been taken from a “parts car”, the simple fact is that at least some of the items you will need have been pilfered or damaged, and will leave you needing something more. Because of this, I always recommend purchasing the entire car, where possible, and then parting it out after you’re done. That way you get to be the pilferer! When I did that job, I wasn’t so lucky. I spent hours at junkyards and looking through repair manuals trying to determine what was missing, and trying to replace it. There had to be at least 3 or 4 electrical connectors that to this day, I never figured out, but it all worked in the end. Take care ~Chris BTW, during the 6 months that T’bird was in need of an engine, that guy and his tweaker buddies managed to disassemble most of the top end of his original engine, and left the parts sitting in the dirt yard along the side of his house where they kept the trash cans. When I was finished, he asked me if I could dispose of them for him. I took it all home, and after a week or two, started to look them over, and couldn’t find anything wrong. I tore everything down, cleaned it all up, and discovered I now had a perfectly good 2.3L Turbo, complete from the head up. I reassembled it with a little flare and a few dress-up parts I had laying around, and even repainted the valve cover with wrinkle paint. When all was said and done, it ended up in my office at the end of a workbench. It’s been sitting there for nearly 4 years, waiting patiently for me to get a 4 cylinder craving. If nothing else, it has become a conversation piece. ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!! [This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 09-19-2001).]