2.3 turbo conversion

okay, I have a 87 2.3 with no turbo. What exactly do I need for the conversion, other than a full motor with turbo? Do I need the computer and full harness? Is there an easy way out? Full exaust? Cat converter?

Use the search function in this forum, you'll find plenty of helpful answers.

It's not worth all the trouble of making your NA engine turbo ready. Find a turbo motor and swap it out. You'll need the motor, all attached wiring/accessories and the computer.
And welcome!

The question is, outside of a donor car, where is the best place to find all those things?

Thou is diredcted to consult Stingers Tome Of Knowledge and drink deeply from its knowledge

http://www.stinger-performance.com/

went there, but still have some questions, how much of the wiring from the TC do I need, from his write up I was left with the idea that he did not use the TC computer. Just the VAM harness, and for that matter what is VAM? I am new to the whole fuel injection deal, tearing the engine apart and rebuilding it is no problem.

All you really need is 6" of the VAM harness (Vane Air Meter) and computer from the TC. You'll need to repin a few wires on the computer but that's very simple. A donor car is the only way to go. You could piece everything together but it would take forever and cost you a fortune! Buy and read either of these 2 books and you'll learn all about fuel injection and engine control management.
http://search.ebay.com/ford-fuel-in...0QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQssPageNameZRC0021

Will going to an older engine be any sort of problem when time comes to smog the car in CA?

One other dumb question. What would happen if you would use a TC engine with the full turbo and not change the stock mustang wireing or the computer? Would it run?

I've always wondered that myself. Any takers?

The tc and svo run the vam, where as the na cars pre 1990 run speed dencity. The speed dencity is premapped and can not tell if a car is making boost, It will run lean under boost and lead to rapid catistrphic failier. The 90 and newer 2.3l cars ran massair, you could potentualy run that computer but it would requier alot of tuning with a programer and alot of dyno pulls. In short, the turbo computer and vam is the quickest, cheepest, and most direct way to do the swap

"VAM"(Vane Air Meter) is the metal box that goes inbetween your air filter and the turbo, it has an L shaped flap inside that moves when air is being pulled past it as its sucked into the turbo. This is the tool the computer uses to read air flow in to the engine.

Thank you very much that makes alot of sense.

YES! It will be a problem. California law states that a car with an engine change must have the same year or newer engine than the car it's going into. And yes they will check. As soon as you pull into a smog shop, they'll type in your VIN. The car will come up as a non-turbo car. The tech will spot the turbo right away and send you off to a referee station. The ref's tend to crawl up your butt with a microscope.

So what is the loophole,? I have to get a newer engine? If it is a newer one then there is no problem?

Yep, you need an '87 or later turbo block. In addition, all the smog equipment has to be what came on the year of the engine in question. There really isn't that much smog equip on turbo engines. Your choices are '87-'89. '87-'88 TC or '87-'89 Merkur XR4ti.

However, I've got an '88 block in my '89 'Stang. The year of the motor was cast into the block. I just ground it off smooth and applied a heavy coat of paint. If the refs can't verify the year of the block, they take their best guess.