91 2.3l Exhaust And Intake Questions.

[Adam taggart]

To start, I'm very new. I bought a 91 mustang vert, with 26k original miles in really good shape but runs a really weak. Cruises fine but has no power at all it seems like. I am wondering what the pipe from the header that goes into the bottom of the factory air box is for?

I made my own cold air Intake and now the tube from the header just dangles down.

I havnt seen any posts about this tube.
It's not the egr I'm talking about either.

So after sitting for 12 years it's started right up and drove but what should I do to tune this thing up besides plugs and fuel filter/air filter?

It's the 2.3l by the way

 

[MustangIIMatt]

To start, I'm very new. I bought a 91 mustang vert, with 26k original miles in really good shape but runs a really weak. Cruises fine but has no power at all it seems like. I am wondering what the pipe from the header that goes into the bottom of the factory air box is for?

I made my own cold air Intake and now the tube from the header just dangles down.

I havnt seen any posts about this tube.
It's not the egr I'm talking about either.

So after sitting for 12 years it's started right up and drove but what should I do to tune this thing up besides plugs and fuel filter/air filter?

That tube is the factory pre-heater tube. It was used to promote faster engine warm up in cold weather by feeding heated air from around the exhaust manifold to the airbox in certain conditions. It's not absolutely necessary unless required for smog checks in your area.

After sitting 12 years, change EVERY fluid, and give the brake system a very thorough inspection, you'll probably end up wanting to replace or rebuild calipers and wheel cylinders and bleed the system at the bare minimum.

A 2.3 having "no power at all" is a fairly normal feeling compared to 99% of all cars built in the last decade. 88 horsepower in a 3000+ lb car just isn't going to feel like much.

 

[Adam taggart]

Thank you for the quick reply, have any pointers on making some quick tune up in the engine bay? I read about the egr valve and made a block off plate but it made it run worse with the plate installed?

 

[MustangIIMatt]

Thank you for the quick reply, have any pointers on making some quick tune up in the engine bay? I read about the egr valve and made a block off plate but it made it run worse with the plate installed?

Disabling the EGR will make it run worse.

 

[Adam taggart]

Thank you, do you know any good trick with the intake? To make it run better

 

[MustangIIMatt]

Thank you, do you know any good trick with the intake? To make it run better

Not really. You could take it off and port it, but you'd be picking up single digit horsepower for a lot of work.

There are ways to make 2.3s make power, but they're all much deeper than simple bolt-ons and tricks.

https://www.powernationtv.com/episode/HP2012-16/building-a-competitive-dirt-track-engine

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Welcome to Stangnet.

Look through our ‘79-‘95 subforums. We have one four the four bangers there as well.

Post a picture or two of your mustang for us.

A turbo would make it more powerful.

It’s good to have you with us.

 

[MustangIIMatt]

Welcome to Stangnet.

Look through our ‘79-‘95 subforums. We have one four the four bangers there as well.

Post a picture or two of your mustang for us.

A turbo would make it more powerful.

It’s good to have you with us.

Have to upgrade the bottom end of the N/A 2.3 for a turbo. Cast pistons don't like boost.

Good news is, the crank journals and main caps on 2.3s are seriously beefy, and there are connecting rod and piston upgradres out there since these engines are still popular.

 

[Boostedpimp]

Check your exhaust manifold for cracks.. it's common and robs allot of power. If so do the Ranger header swap. I did used a 93 header to replace the badly cracked stock manifold on mine and it made a big different. Not only does it weight twenty pounds less (26lbs vs 6lbs) but it also made a noticeable difference in throttle response and power. Not sure if most of the difference was from replacing a cracked manifold or if it's the tubular header design over the manifold.

I used mustang exhaust manifold gasket with the mustang bolts without issue. Only thing to look out for depending on what year and what you want to do is the EGR tube and o2 sensor port.
Rangers built with Cali emissions have the EGR tube, O2 sensor port and the hot air tube so they are a direct bolt up to the mustang.
The mustang EGR valve will accept the Ranger's EGR tube, but the Ranger header will not accept the mustang EGR tube. So make sure you get the EGR tube with the header if you are going to keep your EGR functional. Other Rangers other then cali I believe did not have the EGR tube or fitting