Our motor only weights 10lbs lighter than the 5.0??

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Wrong.

A complete bare 2.3L motor without accesories weighs 306lbs. A fully "dressed" 2.3L with alternator, power steering, air pump, brackets, etc. weighs in at 425lbs.

A complete bare 289/302 weighs in at about 460lbs. and a "dressed" 302 weighs in at about 550lbs.
 
I've heard that a carbed 302 with aluminum heads is lighter than a stock 2.3T. That's not really important since it's not a stock vs. stock comparison, and who wants to run a carb? But I thought it was interesting.

Even if it's true, all the extra space in the front of my engine compartment leads me to believe that the weight distribution would always be better with the 2.3, and to me that's more important than just how much it weighs.
 
I haven't believed any of the weights I've read on the internet for a long time.

I can lift an assembled 2.3L shortblock to put it on an engine stand by myself.
With one other person, I've lifted an assembled 2.3L N/A into the back of a Volkswagon Rabbit.

I struggle to even drag around a BARE smallblock Ford block.

Also, one 2.3L cast iron head weighs about the same as 1 smallblock head.


Between the difference in weight of the block/rotating assembly + half the number of heads, I can't see the weights coming even close... Then there's the fact you can throw a V8 into a 2.3L Mustang II without changing front springs and effectively lower the front 2", and the noticeable handling difference between a V8 Mustang and a 2.3L Mustang which doesn't feel like a 20lb difference.
 
(&) said:
Even if it's true, all the extra space in the front of my engine compartment leads me to believe that the weight distribution would always be better with the 2.3, and to me that's more important than just how much it weighs.
it can't be more than an inch or two shorter. I mean they're both 4-cyls in length front to back. I guess it'd be better but it doesn't seem like it would be that signifigant.
 
That list is a bunch of garbage. it doesn't show what is included in the wieght.
It is very likly that the 2.3 was fully dressed with starter, alt, and flywheel, where as the 5.0 was probably just a long block. I thought Anlushac's numbers looked quite accurate.
 
Anlushac11 said:
LOL it lists 4 different weights for the 2.3L?

And the 2 turbo motors are 75lbs difference?

Don't look at me I didn't make the site lol

I'm sure its based on three 2.3Ts, one carbed, two EFI and third EFI W/IC. The N/A 2.3L is probly the same one older and two the newer DP verison. This is just my best guess on that chart :shrug:

I would guess there is about 50-75lb difference between a 2.3T and a 5.0L . There are different things that effect the weigh I'm sure ,like EFI or carb etc, but that is all I could find on the motor weigh differences.
 
a351Must2 said:
I haven't believed any of the weights I've read on the internet for a long time.

werd...

the way to find out is with a bathroom scale and a motor in your hands, or out of a service manual, not from some kid on the internet who heard from his friend who heard from his uncle who heard from his mechanic who heard from his brother that when he lifted the motor it felt like about ____ pounds.
 
nomuffler said:
it can't be more than an inch or two shorter. I mean they're both 4-cyls in length front to back. I guess it'd be better but it doesn't seem like it would be that signifigant.

Good call, but I could probably step inside the front of the engine compartment with my 2.3L, and I've never seen a 5.0 with that much room up front...
 
(&) said:
Good call, but I could probably step inside the front of the engine compartment with my 2.3L, and I've never seen a 5.0 with that much room up front...

I did stand in front of it. Removed the fan first though. No way I was getting in front of a 5.0
 
(&) said:
...and who wants to run a carb?
My '82GT has a carb. Why woulden't you want to run carb? Sure they can be tough to tune perfectlly but if you dont have the money to convert your 5.0, for example, to EFI and on top of that MAF (Retail $500+), then why NOT run carb? People do it to save time and money, and some prefer carb over fuel injection.
 
Carbs are easy. You don't have to understand fuel/air mixture tuning on a dyno with an aftermarket ECU in order to have a good running engine.

I didn't say that EFI is worse than carbs (if it was, it wouldn't have become the standard for modern engines). When tuning a small engine to its highest potential, EFI and a custom ECU lets you do that a lot more precisely than more/less/different carbs :)
 
I don't think there is a 10lb difference since the branch I hooked my chain block to only lowed by an inch and with a V8, it will lower by 2 inches... So according to my branch twisting calculations there is an 80 lb difference lol

:shrug:

And yeah carbs are great :D I am going CFI for now because to keep EFI on a stroker engine, I'd need a custom ECU, larger injectors, MAF, TB, etc... The list goes on and on... So something like a 408 V8 engine with good heads, etc... won't cause people to think "poor guy is on carb'd power" lol.
 
When I had my 86LX and was going to install EFI I was looking at $700+in wiring harness, computer, intake, fuel pump, mass air, injectors, etc.

84 Mustang GT 4bbl intake off ebay $50, 600cfm Holley 4bbl off ebay $50.00, dual snorkel air cleaner $35

If the car had come with a 5.0L EFI I would keep it but for me it wasnt worth the hassle to upgrade to EFI and I sure didnt have the money.