Question from the new gal

[itsgreat2bme]

Hi everybody, I'm new to the 2.3L board but since I have a 2.3L I figured I'd better see if I can get help from the experts over here.

Anyways, my question/problem is like this: I was raised in a completely car-iliterate family, but I want to learn about cars now I know it might be late to be come an expert like some people who grew up around cars, but hey I'm tryin my best! My mechanic friend has been bugging me to do up my car for the last year I've known him, problem is I have no clue where to start
I come to this board and try my best to read and follow along with all the car jargon, but I'd like to know the basics (in layman's terms) of what options I should consider as a start for my project. So any help would be greatly appreciated, like any links to basic info, or even just sharing your own knowledge and opinions of where to start with fixing up a gutless stang such as mine
Thanks in advance
-Sarah

 

[Lex]

Hey Sarah, your no stranger to me, I'm here most of the time. First off you should let us know what year your stang is and if its auto or manual transmission, then we can go from there and is it just a 2.3 or a 2.3 Turbo? Answer those questions and theres tons of experts that helped me out that would be more then happy to give you advice, and me too.

 

[itsgreat2bme]

2.3 Turbo? no dice!
Ok well I drive a 1989 2.3L mustang lx, auto-magic transmission with stock everything! . . except for the posi I helped put in, that's from an aerostar van and I love it
And well basically if it helps I'll tell you what I'm looking for: I'm in University right now, so something that is a cheap but worthwhile, and since gas prices are retarded, if possible something that won't cause my gas mileage to go down the crapper.
I'm mostly interested in knowing the ins and outs of the options, like a side by side comparision kind of thing, even if something isn't right for me now, I'd still like to learn how it works and what it does.

 

[Red_LX]

Welcome to the board!


In my opinion, it's never too late to learn about cars. In my family, my dad knows plenty about cars but he was never willing to show any of us (me and my brothers) how to do anything. Most of what I know, I learned by reading and doing. Pick up a chilton's manual for your car, read some stuff in it, and then start trying things out yourself. I've surprised myself a couple times by just jumping into a project headfirst and finding out just how much I knew (and I did need some help along the way which I got from my dad). So my advice is start reading car mags and soaking up what they say in there, and also like I said pick up a chiltons and check that out. You can also check out stuff right on here and read some of the tech articles as well.

Hope that helps

 

[Bearded Forever]

I'd like to know how you got a posi to work. That takes some skills.

 

[Pro-Hawk]

Welcome to the boards and I hope you find SN helpful

I'm with Red on never to young to learn about automotive stuff There will be some stuff that is plain simple and other things that takes some time to understand. The best thing to do is buy the manual on your car which Red sujested also and another company that makes one is called Hanyes. I would start off with small stuff to get your feet wet and then move on to the bigger stuff. Probly the first and simple thing to do is make a CAI= Cold Air Induction. This allows your motor to recive colder air which can add some power to your car. Now don't expect great gains from a CAI on a 2.3L. Its probly worth 2-3hp Heres a link to probly the best site on making one for your car

http://jman.stangnet.com/coldair.htm

The next easy thing to do would be to find a Ranger header off of a Ford Ranger pick up (91-96 I think) This would allow your car to pick up a few more hp from a better free flowing exhaust system. Sometimes you can pick these up a Ranger header off Ebay for 50.75.00 bux. Speaking of the Ranger your car has a stock cam which you could pick up about 17hp by swaping in a roller cam shaft from a 91-93 mustang 2.3L or cam from the same motor out of a Ranger. This will be a small project but its not as hard as made out to be exspecaily if you got your friend there helping ya. Click on my link its got a few picks of a stock cam and a roller cam..well you really can just tell by the roller lefters on the new head I'm installing. That should give you a idea of the differemces in the two are. See the Roller cuts down on friction and spins more freely which is good. Should not hurt fuel economy if anything it will be the same or slightly better.

How much do you really like your A4LD? A4LD = stock automatic w/over drive transmession for some of the fox body mustangs ( 79-93) I think they still used it on the 94-96 mustangs also. Anyways if you want to free up some HP you could swap in a T-5 trasnmession which is a comon easy to get since they used it from like 83-96 ( not sure on exact years). This swap would be a little indetail and would be nice if you frind could help you out on. Here is a site that has how to do this if you want to check it out.

http://projecthp.ford23.com/dailydriver.html

Alright...up untill now its been some pretty simple hp gain adders but now its time for some real power

There are two ways of adding power to your car.

1) remover the head from your car and port, polish, and mill the head. This will add a little more compression and better flow. Now there isn't a lot of power gained by this problu only 15 more hp if lucky which for the time and money sux.

2) Turbo charge it They made a few different 2.3L with a turbo on them 2.3Ts. Now you could bolt a turbo set up to your motor but its WAY easier to find a donor car and swap the motor from it into your car. The best car to look for is a 87-88'TC w/T-5 that way you get a turbo motor and a standard gear box (transmession) A TC is a Ford Thunderbird or better know to us as a Turbo coupe. There are more cars out there that came with this motor but the 87-88'TC is easier to find and has the latest 2.3T stuff on it. A 87-88' TC w/T-5 is rated at 190hp stock which your car is around 88hp stock. Now that is more than double your power and worth talking about Now if you did a few things to a 87-88'TC motor you could get 250hp which is Bad A$$ On that link I gave ya about the T-5 swap its also got site on it to swap in a turbo 2.3 into your car. You can do a search and find more imfromation on this swap since its our main goal as a 2.3L owner

I hope this gives you a slight idea on things to do to your car and Good Luck

 

[mr_woodster]

Welcome, You have an 'internal combustion' engine. Basicly your motor makes power by mixing Gas and Air at certain ratio's in each 1 of your 4 cylinders, then it compresses that mixture with a piston, the piston on the "compression" stroke sqeezes the air and fuel very very tight, then at a set time the spark plug Sparks in that compressed enviorment, Booom. That boom forces the piston back down , then it starts all over. A few reasons your slowstang feels like a dog is:

A poor flowing head (the head holds the valves that let air in and out of the cylinder)
Also lacking some higher compression ( the more the air and gas are compressed, the more power)
Your A4ld autolagic trans, sucks up quite abit of the 88hp your car was rated at.
Even perhaps some more agressive timing curves (which the computer controlls 'how fast' everything happens in the boom department)

There's alot to learn here, but really its never to late...ive drooled over many fast cars before i knew what made them fast.

 

[Pro-Hawk]

There's alot to learn here, but really its never to late...ive drooled over many fast cars before i knew what made them fast.

I'm still drooling over fast cars whether I know how they work or not

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

As its been said, open up the intake, then do the exaust by removing the cat or replacing it if you have to pass smog. When your transmission blows Put in a T5 5 speed transmission and you will feel the difference right away. Makes the car MUCH more fun but that would require some skills to be learned first. Next time its due change your own oil, Check your air filter and Inspect your brakes. Its simple stuff but it gets you familiar with the different things, what they look like and how they work. These cars are great to learn on because parts are cheap, the motors are very forgiving, and they have lots of room, and are very simple to work on. As always feel free to post any questions you have. Welcome!

Dr.

 

[itsgreat2bme]

wow, that's a lot of info in just one day, thanks guys! I love learning stuff, I'm sucha nerd!
Anyways, I suppose I'll have lots of time to read those links and a manual after I'm done my psych 220 summer class but for now I have to just kind of skim over things.
Thank you Red_LX, pro-hawk, mister woodster and Dr. elusive for all the info and support, and Dr. you'll be happy to know I know how to change my oil, where the air filter is, and my brakes just got re-done.
And Crovax, what do you mean figure out how it works? I just hit the gas pedal and I get out of snowbanks way better than I did before What's to figure out?
I would love nothing more than to just dive in and start taking things apart and putting them back together just to see how they work, problem is that I need that car operational practically 24-7 since I do sooo much driving (go to school, go home, go to work, go home, go out, come back home, lather rinse repeat ) So I'm afraid that I won't be able to figure out how to put something back together in enough time to be able to drive to school or work.
The other thing is that I have no clue what tools I need for what jobs and alot of things like that are expensive to buy just for the sake of putzing around y'know?
But once I'm done school for the summer, I'll be able to ride my bike to work when it's nice while my car sits in the garage, and I guess I'll just take things apart as much as I can and then once I hit a snag just put it back together

 

[351wcoupe]

I'd like to know how you got a posi to work. That takes some skills.

ok nobody got it so obviously you shouldn't have posted that.
But it will work all it takes is....
1 roll of duct tape, 14 popsicle sticks, 1/2 roll of tin foil, and 2 cups of Lucky Charms.

 

[itsgreat2bme]

well NOW i'm REALLY lost. Help a girl out

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

well NOW i'm REALLY lost. Help a girl out

"Posi" short for Posi-Traction what GM calls their limited slip system. Ford Calls theirs Traction lock (trac lock) so you could not have put Posi in your car you Put in a Trac Lock unit. Cro' is just being a smartass.

Dr.

 

[itsgreat2bme]

"Posi" short for Posi-Traction what GM calls their limited slip system. Ford Calls theirs Traction lock (trac lock) so you could not have put Posi in your car you Put in a Trac Lock unit. Cro' is just being a smartass.

Dr.

Well it's not my fault that SPEED FREAK misinformed me! lol, I'm here to learn, so thanks for the joke at my expense, I love laughing at myself, as long as I learn somethign in the process

 

[Pro-Hawk]

I love learning stuff, I'm sucha nerd!
Anyways, I suppose I'll have lots of time to read those links and a manual after I'm done my psych 220 summer class but for now I have to just kind of skim over things.

I love learning stuff also its not a nerd thing at all If I could give ya some advice...That would be forget the car and study Its like our brains can only process so much new imfo at a time before it starts dumping imfo. I lost a whole semister just setting here researching crap to do to my car and I payed the price for it These cars will be here when your through with school and making the big bux. Once that happens you can mod your car all you want or buy a fast car straight out

 

[Red_LX]

I would love nothing more than to just dive in and start taking things apart and putting them back together just to see how they work, problem is that I need that car operational practically 24-7 since I do sooo much driving (go to school, go home, go to work, go home, go out, come back home, lather rinse repeat ) So I'm afraid that I won't be able to figure out how to put something back together in enough time to be able to drive to school or work.

Trust me, I know what you mean. I do most of my major projects during the summer since I only work during the summer, but I have to drive 35 miles to work (yes I live in the middle of nowhere) and I don't have anyone to bum a car from. Back when my '90 LX was my only car, there were times when I was wondering if I would be able to make it back into work or not But that's the name of the game sometimes.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I started off when i was 16 with a 1990 2.3L Mustang and didn't know a damn thing about it.

Over time, i learned a TON of stuff. It's to the point now where i am rebuilding engines and transmissions for my cars and getting good enough to do it in my sleep. I just spent a lot of time reading and absorbing things. Plus i had a lot of free time when i was bored in class. I mean who really wants to learn about Dynamics or Thermodynamics? Just kidding. I paid attention.

Anyway, just read. That's the best advice i have. If you have a question ask away, but if you browse the boards and read different posts, you really pick stuff up fast.

Oh yeah, where are the pictures of the stang!

 

[Pro-Hawk]

Its because its summer time that I got my SVO a part my self. I don't need it or a car to drive to school since I live a few blocks away but its to easy to get side tracked working on a car during school months.

 

[Mustang5L5]

easy to get side tracked working on a car during school months.

I wish i had time. I'm just so busy with work and school and socializing that installing stainless steel inserts on my '03 is about the biggest mod i've done in months. Meanwhile you go in my garage and there's a t-5 90% rebuilt for my '88 and a 306 75% built for my '85. Not to mention the STACK of parts i have sitting that have no been installed yet. I just have zero time these days.

 

[chaka]

Mustang5L5, I have no time, but I would make some if you let me have all those parts. .

Just keep reading tech stuff, and it will eventually sink in. I know my way around cars, but you can never stop learning.