Hey guys, haven't posted in awhile. CLIFFNOTES VERSION 1) How big do I want intake runners? Gasket match too big? 2) What do I do in the intake head ports, just polish it up? 3) Where do I get manifold porting done? I have an N/A 2.3 and have done all of the following to it: Overbore to .020" and rebuild Shaved head 9:1 -> 9.7:1 compression Ranger 2.3 roller cam Ignition timing at 16BTC 5.0L airbox and open intake pipe Ranger 2.3 header and full 2-1/4" catted exhaust Running Mobil 1 5W30 All ignition components/sensors ok, good state of tune This thing STILL gets going about as fast as a 3 legged goat. My other car was only 141 horsepower and it would TOTALLY rape this stupid thing. I think I may have gained like 3 hp with all the **** I did to it. The only thing left I can see holding it back is throttle body, intake manifold, and cylinder head. At first I didn't want to port anything because I wanted it to make great low RPM torque, but I give up. This thing is useless below 1500RPM anyways because it just shakes like a retard with a bee in his pants, probably due to the lack of balance shafts, and I don't want a snapped crank. SO I'd like to maintain what torque I got at 1500-2500, and really open it up from 2500 on. I enjoy revving it off the tach so high RPM horsepower would be useful. Want to grab a manifold and injectors off a junk car (get the injectors reconditioned cause car only makes 27mpg and that might be part of the problem) and send the manifold in to have someone fix it up and swap out mine with it. Who can do a good job on a port and polish? Then while I swap manifolds, I wanna get a dremel and go to town on the intake ports. NO I am not taking this apart to "do it right", I got it buttoned up good and I'm not going in there again... so just grind out the port to a gasket match and taper it in and smooth and polish everything I can reach without hitting a valve stem? How much torque loss am i looking at at low RPM, and how much gain up top, if the intake is ported out to the gasket size (approx 1/4" larger runners)? I seen pics of a 5.0L manifold, it seems to have larger runners and still makes good torque... input?
ttt... SOMEONE must know where I can get the manifold ported and polished? I found this, I will be following along with this guy's advice as far as I can:
I don't know about you but I have never been able to find the appropriate sanding drums for a Dremel. I have the Craftsman dremel and a flexible shaft. I think it would be good for gasket matching but not porting and polishing. Your post really alarms me, maybe it is good that my N/A project never really picked up steam...not to be critical but I think you really erred when you didn't open that head up a little, but maybe that would'nt have made a difference. Sorry, Ray.
if I were back to the point that I had to rebuild the motor, I would have put the correct pistons in it just and built it as a turbo motor and be done with it... as it is I'm just going to play with the intake and then what I got is what I got. I'm sure that SOME power is being lost because of the manifold choking the engine... In the wintertime when temps are freezing or below, the engine REALLY wakes up because of the higher air density... it must gain 10-20hp, no kidding. Not keeping this car forever... get an 89 GT and build a 351 for it eventually... just want the damn thing to go a little faster.
well if you got a flexible shaft for a Dremel... I guess I should be able to do it myself if I can find a flapper wheel that can be poked down in there.
all that reading... wouldn't some nice videos showing the porting job be alot easier to follow? i cant figure out why, now that everyone has broadband, people dont show us more instead of telling us. digital vid cameras aren't that expensive anymore... o well... cheers, eric.
Thanks Mike! $200 is a tall order for that stupid motor of mine, but I will definitely consider it. The runner walls are gutted from the upper -- anybody know how bad this is going to be for torque? These intakes aren't very well designed in terms of intake tuning anyways. Try grammar school? lol I know if I did a writeup I wouldn't give any of you slackers the luxury of a video either.
in the most friendly manner I say, "you still haven't learned your lesson yet eh?". I bet you won't be able to tell the diff after you port the head and open up the intake. Probably no noticable loss in torque. It's n/a, they are just dogs in n/a form. I hope you cut your losses soon. I went through all the same crap w/ my LX and beyond back in 2000. Ugh. Finally bought a turbo motor. FWIW, my LX has the square intake, gutted and ported, completely ported head. My SVO has not been ported at all and has the more restrictive (torquey) inline intake. The SVO def has more torque at low rpm - but it's barely noticeable. This is all at 8:1 non-boosted low rpm stuff.
is that the only difference between the turbo engine and the n/a engine? or was the block made from a stronger alloy for the turbo?
nope, no stronger alloy. You'd have to punch an oil return hole in the passenger side of the oil pan for the turbo drain back line. Other than that and the forged low compression pistons, you can do it two ways: 1. Run an FMU or 2. buy a reman computer and vam and repin your computer harness for the turbo computer. Then add some 35 lb used turbo injectors.
I'll probably leave it alone. Like I said if I could go back I would have got the right pistons and punched that oil return and slapped a turbo on it. It runs good now and that's what's important. What I really want to do is build a 351. I'd like to put it in an 89 GT but they aren't that easy to find and I like the color of my car and all. One day I will also get a Ranger and put together a 2.3 turbo for that.
Yes! A turbo Ranger would rock! That's a project I am planning on too, though a clean notch would be cool too!
yes, FMU = fuel management unit Vortech Super FMU is a nice piece. I use one for my blown 5.0 mustang. I have a Kenny Bell FMU for my 2.3 turbo stang. I like the vortech FMU better.
An FMU is not something I usually hear about TFers having on their cars. What exactly does it do? Ash
Thanks for the answers! I am going to check out the Vortech FMU(hopefully on their site)and learn what it does! And here is a link so you can learn too! http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/support/fmu_sfmu.html
