First off hello to everybody this will be my first post to share the details of my swap for anybody else who might want to do it Reason why: My car (73 maverick grabber) got 6 MPG with the 400 hp 302 and so it hardly gets driven, and I pretty much got a 88 t-bird turbo coupe donor car for free. And I will use the 302 in my 67 mustang as a temporary engine Things needed (engine): *High pressure fuel pump ( I chose an inline Walbro 255 lph) *Fuel lines to connect to fuel rail (I made custom ones using AN fittings) *Return line for fuel system ( again custom line with AN fitting to connect to the tank vent line) *modify wiring harness ( got a lot of good information for this on the internet) *Different alternator mount because of removed p/s pump ac and smog pump( I got one that should work from a pinto) *Front sump pan and pickup from pinto *Just found out it wont fit with turbo coupe exhaust manifold, puts the turbo in the shocktower I even tried to cut out a section of the shocktower but there still doesnt seem to be enough room so I ordered an aftermarket header, and now I will also most likelay have to change the oil feed and drain lines as well as clock the turbo in the corrct position because the header rotates the turbo. Also because the turbo rotates, the stock wastegate housing will not work it would put the downpipe into the shocktower, lukily I have had experience in researching this and have a wastegate housing from a saab that will work, but now I will also have to get the downpipe modified. Things needed trans: *clutch pedal (got a stock maverick pedal) *hydraulic setup( I am going to try to use the turbo coupe assemby, it has a cam lock style mount in the firewall so I cut out the mounting hole from the t-bird, I will have pics later) *cut hole for shifter *trans crossmember ( so far it appear that I will be able to use the stock c4 mount ,bolts right to the t5, and stock maverick crossmember, also the driveshaft yolk is the same so I should be able to use the stock Maverick driveshaft. Although during mockup with the engine in what appears to be the correct spot I had the crossmember in backwards for it to work but then the driveshaft was too long. I may just move the engine forward) *I may need to pound up the trans tunnel a little *custom speedo cable I will eventually put in a front mount intercooler I just need to get it running first, hopefully before the autocross coming up on may 16th. I started 2 weeks ago and so far I have got the old engine out and got to the point where I should be able to have my final motor/trans mounts figured out by tommorrow and start on the clutch setup (I have already installed the pedal). I have already modified the t-bird wiring harness so I shoud just be able to put it in and attatch a few wires to it. I have already got the fuel pump connected to a fuel filter so I just hae to mount it and make one hardline and adress the return line. I know there are going to be a lot of other misc things I will have to adress I have taken pics but have not gotten them off my camera yet so I will post some pics when I can. I will also try to upload a video of the car doing donuts/burnout pre-swap
Sounds awesome! I've always wanted to do a 2.3 Build, but with a Volvo 4V head. the last turbo 2.3 maverick was running 11's. You can find videos of it on youtube.
Here are some pics from my phone, I havnt downloaded the ones from my camera yet, I have to do it at work.
Sounds like a good project. If I remember correctly, this has been done before and was featured in a Modified Fords mag about a year or so ago. The guy really had done a good job and was getting ~22-23mpg. Good luck.
what is involved with the motor mounts as far as the 2.3l is concerned? I almost did this swap in a Ranger and had the same issues with the stock manifold/turbo. I was going to have to change it or do without ac.
Looks great! What Turbo are you going to use? the stock T3 or a T3/T4 Hybrid? A precision 6262 would really liven that thing up top
I put a Turbo 5 spd. behind an EFI 302 in a Cobra years ago....Loved that tranny....Had better gear ratios than the v8 tranny.....Also had a Merkur XR4-ti...What a great little car
hmmmm.....the first gear would be so steep you couldnt drive it in a v8 car? also the input shaft is a different diameter and unless you changed you did not install a turbo t5 in a v8 car..... Love turbo coupes owned an black 88 for a few years my second car while built the mav the first time....mine ran high 13s after alotof money was spent
if a guy was really slick he would use an original tbird inter-cooler from 87-88 and use the grabber hood vents for the airflow over the cooler kinda like the factory turbocoupe hood from 87-88
Actually they do make a pilot bearing to run the 4cyl t5 behind a v8, seen afew of them when I was collecting parts for my t5 swap. I wouldn't mind eventually putting a 2.3L in my maverick or some other newer more effecient engine...
diameter isn't the only issue it's the length.....unless they have a bearing that does that and I am not saying there isn't but you learn something new everyday here is a list of all t5 specs http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/09/t5swap/index2.shtml
I have a 4 cyl t5 in my car right now. I haven't ran it down the road yet. I got the pilot bearing off ebay for mine. We shall see soon how it runs behind the v8.
The thing i noticed the most about the turbo T5 tranny was that 5th gear was a shorter gear than the V8 tranny, a true 5th gear as opposed to an overdrive..The car that it was in was a road race car that had ran on a track with a long straighaway
That has to do with the load on the turbo, I've seen plenty of Tubo'd civic guys blow their engines trying to do a pull in 5th gear OD I don't know if that's the reason Ford did it, but it was a safe thing to do.
