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Category: General 2.3

Comments

There are some serious misconceptions in the 2.3 world. 

Well, here's the straight poop on a few important facts that most of the newcomers, and too many of the old guard are not "getting".

1. The 2.3 is loved because it is easily modifiable for lots more horsepower.  It also does not break hard parts, when the power is substantially increased over stock levels.
   
   
2. The engine is not weak.  In fact, just the opposite.  Flip over a 5.0, and flip over a 2.3 engine, pull the oil pan off, and look at the main webs.  The 2.3 is MUCH beefier.  A normally aspirated 5.0 makes roughly 225 hp.  A normally aspirated 2.3 makes roughly 100 hp.  Now Turbo/Super-charge both engines, and triple their output.  Have fun collecting all the pieces of the 5.0, from up off the ground.   They *should* be in the oil pan, but that was destroyed by the explosion.  The 2.3 will be still running strong for years.  IOW the 2.3's strength is disproportionally more than it's displacement.
   *** I've never had a bad engine, or received one on ANY car I've bought.  I've only seen engines go bad after some body blew theirs up by abusing it.
   
   
3. The turbo is not troublesome.  In fact, just the opposite.  If your turbo is bad, you either;
   1. have over 150,000 miles on it.
   2. have overboosted it, over 22 psi (Garret) or 20 psi (IHI), repeatedly.  You deserved to have it break, and you need a bigger turbo, anyway, you power hungry madman!
   3. the engine has been starved for oil, or it wasn't changed at any kind of a decent interval.
      *** I've never had a bad turbo, or received one on ANY car I've bought.  I've only seen bad turbos after some body blew theirs up by doing one (or more) of the above.
      
      
4. Lots of people email me saying they want 300 or 350 hp.  I believe, for the performance desired, vs, what it will take to get there, that many people should stop at about 280 hp.  I also believe that they would be very happy there.  See my other tip, with that title, for my rationale on this opinion.

Why am I writing this?  Cuz I get riled up when I receive comments from people asking for advice, in their search for more power from their 2.3 turbo, and yet they don't understand some of the realities of dealing with the 2.3 Turbo engine. Read the tips, look at the results, talk to others. 

Make an informed decision.

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Last changed: February 18, 2006