White Rabbit
(First Picture - May 2, 2012)
Why "White Rabbit"?
Well, it's Oxford White and it's going to be used as a Rabbit! [Convoy lead vehicle - sprint ahead/observe/report back]
(And, you know, White Rabbit > Rabbit Hole > like any REAL 2.3L Lima Information...). Maybe we'll get some stuff straight....
Note: This info is posted for public knowledge as a means to get ACTUAL 2.3L Lima SOHC information/Mods and not some splashy website dribble and Internet hoaxes. It is not for reuse or reposting and in no way a means to recruit or solicit funds in anyway. No parts or items are currently being sold.
This is going to be a pure fun car. It is a 1989 Ford Mustang Convertible, 25th Anniversary Edition, 2.3L Lima SOHC 4cyl, OBDI EECIV Code 8CB, A4LD Auto, 7.5" Rear w/ 3.73 (open) gears. This car was purchased May 2, 2012 and every step was photographed, annotated and stored as a "Build Log" on Ultimate Foxbody - and it was all lost when the site ownership was transferred circa 2016. By June 2017 the site had this. By then over 2 years of the build had been lost. Truly a sad day.
As will all my builds, this will be 100% street legal, undetectable during a visual inspection, pass a "sniffer test", and put more power to the ground than the factory rated crankshaft numbers.
This will be an especially stealth build in the early phases in keeping with the build plan (below).
The rescue...
WARNING: Extreme Nerd Alert
What started life as an industrial engine, found it's way into the Ford Pinto, Mustang II and Foxbody Mustangs, it is the Grandfather of the 2.5L Ranger engine and the 2.3L EcoBoost!
Part Numbers, casting marks and hardware: Here
Day 1: 10-12lbs air pressure in all 4 dry-rotted tires (from the 90's - 14 years old in 2012!); No left turn/brake light - $.99; No horn, no cigarette lighter (12v power connection) - 20 amp fuse 5 for $1.19; No lights on chime, no seatbelt light/chime, no key chime, no dash lights, no low fluids light - 15 amp fuse 5 for $1.19; No cruise control - 15 amp fuse (already had); All fluids low/old; brakes locked due to hard/bald tires.
Doubling the value of your car in 30 minutes for less than $5 - PRICELESS
Phase 1: Testing and evaluation:
"As delivered" (7 years later), baseline dyno run to be followed up with 0-60 runs along the way (because Dyno time isn't cheap!).
- Baseline Dyno run - 70HP, 100TQ
- 0-60 runs - 19.2 Seconds/18.8 Seconds/19.0 Seconds - Calling it 19.0 Seconds [8.8" rear had 2.73:1 gears and not 3.73:1 gears!]
[Edit: Ford Performance 3.73:1 gears and Auburn Pro Limited Slip Diff installed] - 0-60 runs - 16.5s/17.0s/16.8s - Average: 16.76s [Baseline]
Note: LONG delay due to diff. regearing, and 2004 Cobra/Mach 1 Brakes/5 Lug upgrade (front) and 5 Lug 10"x2.5" Aerostar Rear Drums - Intake Mods: Stock vs. "Mod'ed" and the Final version.
- '89-'93 5.0L factory [MAF] Airbox, filter, no inner fender "Snorkel"
- '89-'93 5.0L factory [MAF] intake tube
- '89-'93 5.0L Mustang Cobra factory MAF
- 6" Aluminum 3" diameter intake tube (Off the shelf parts store) $15
- Silicone 3" - 2.5" diameter reducer (Off the shelf parts store) $9
- 0-60 runs - 16.6s/16.5s/16.4s [Ave: 16.5s]
[Down 0.26s]
Note: Since doing intake, the 0-60 times are easily repeatable, unlike before. Nice intake growl! - Installed Snorkel without the inner intake "silencer"
- 0-60 runs - No change, but intake noise is slightly reduced.
Trim intake "silencer" sheet metal(Can't be done while retaining factory inner fender "Snorkel".
- [Starting at the back and moving forward]
- 2.5" AP X5002 (Left) mandrel bent tailpipe clamped using a
- Roadformer 2.5" Lap Joint Exhaust Band Clamp to a
- Dynomax 2.5" Offset Super Turbo Muffler P/N: 17734 welded to a
- Walker 2.0" Intermediate Pipe P/N: 42783 [Use 2.5" ID to 2.0" OD Adapter] and bolted to an aftermarket cat using a
- Fel-Pro Exhaust Flange Bolt & Spring Kit P/N: ES 72142 and a
- Magnaflow 2" mandrel bent Catalytic Converter (Federal - 400cpsi) - Manifold back, all at one time.
- 0-60 runs - 15.8s/15.7s/15.7s [Ave: 15.733s]
Down 0.767s [Down 1.027s from Baseline].
Note: Intake noise all but gone, exhaust sounds quieter than stock at idle! Nice exhaust note on heavy throttle. '93-'94 Ford Ranger tubular header For P/N: F37Z-9430-D (w/ proprietary mods)Still doing this as a side project.
- 4.10 OEM FORD gearset, and diff rebuild. [re-shim Auburn Pro Diff, new bearings, seals, and crush sleeve]
- Foxbody Brakes Rear Cobra Kit (w/ 1R3Z-2A753-BA E-Brake lockout, Cobra E-Brake cables, E-Brake "T" connector)
- SN95 Yukon Axles with Yukon 1541H 31 spline SN95 axles
- [Drive test/Noise check was AWESOME!]
- Ford/Motorcraft OEM TFI Module with remote mount kit(s) (Texas heatsoak burned up my TFI on it's first real road trip - 2hrs each way in 100° temps. Checking out 2 kits for options - 1989 OEM TFI Module tested good 11x in a row, max temp 113°F, Confirmed distributor reaches 163°F after a 30min test drive.)
- Motorcraft CM4768 Fuel Injectors (4 NIB leftovers from a 1994 Thunderbird Cougar 4.6L V8 OEM set) EV6CL 4 Hole 17.1Lb injectors (@39PSIG fuel) - probably clogged due to bad fuel/sitting.
MotoRad Thermostat P/N: 7207-192 (192°F) "Fail-safe", Dorman P/N: 902-1039 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing, FEL-PRO P/N: 35562 T Water Outlet Gasket- Motorcraft RT-1055, E6FZ-8575-A (192°F) Thermostat (replacing the Motorcraft F8CE-8575-AA 192°F TStat that was installed), Dorman P/N: 902-1039 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing, No Gasket (Flushing cooling system with White Vinegar as there was some rust/corrosion in the engine.)
Notes: Random misses, loss of power, may be residuals from some old fuel problems I experienced trying to get the car 2 hours for the rear diff work. On the way it exhibited the infamous "TFI Overheat" issue 80's/90's Ford were famous for.
Intermission: Troubleshooting LOW temps on the dash gauge, suspected wrong/no T-stat.
Confirmed, 192°F T-Stat at open, ran to compare laser temps to gauge. T-stat appears to open at ~160°, 158° at Radiator inlet, gauge shows 160ish (between the 2-3rd "tick mark"). So glad I ordered parts. However, testing the thermostat in a pan with water revealed the T-Stat opened and closed exactly as expected, leading me to believe the thermostat was not seated properly in the Thermostat cover.
- '93 round tooth timing gears (also most Rangers)
- 0-60 runs - 2 minimum
- Replace cam and followers with "Ranger Roller" pieces
- 0-60 runs - 2 minimum
- Adjustable timing gear - Ranger cam advanced 12°
(8° to counter the factory retarded cam grind and an additional 4° for performance) - 0-60 runs - 2 minimum
- '94-'95 5.0L factory 60mm throttlebody, IAC and TPS with harness ends
- 0-60 runs - 2 minimum
- Cam Profile for 1995 Ford 2.3L Ranger (w/ 1998+ Roller Followers)
(AKA: The Route 66 Hot Rod High "Inexpensive Hot Cam Setup") - Cam Profile for 1986 Ford 2.3L Thunderbird Turbo Coupe (Slider)
- Cam Profile for 1986 Ford 2.3L Thunderbird Turbo Coupe (w/ Roller Followers)
- Cam Profile for 1989 Ford 2.3L Mustang (Slider)
- Cam Profile for 1989 Ford 2.3L Mustang (w/ Roller Followers)
- Cam Profile for 1995 Ford 2.3L Ranger (w/ Roller Followers)
I am having to reinvent the wheel here and will be applying new thoughts, methods and tools to this task.
Go to Rogue Performance!
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