Go to
www.turboford.net and start reading. That website is the authority on the 2.3 turbo motor. Also check out
www.turborangerforums.com for ranger-specific stuff.
The turbos that ford put on the 2.3 are as follows (at least the 3 most popular, anyways)
1) 85.5-86 SVO mustangs and some Merkurs (I think) got a Garrett T3 with 0.60 A/R coldside and 0.63 A/R hotside. Using all stock parts these will spool at about 2700 RPM. They are efficient up to about 300-320 Horsepower.
2) Most 83-86 thunderbirds, and a lot of Merkurs got a Garrett T3 with 0.60 A/R coldside and 0.48 A/R hotside. This turbo will spool a few hundred RPM sooner than the 0.60 hotside model, but are good for about 20 less horsepower.
3) 87-88 Thunderbird turbocoupes got a much smaller IHI turbo that is making full boost at 2100 RPM but chokes out pretty good much above 225 Horsepower. This turbo is a good option for a 4x4 ranger that gets wheeled and needs a motor with a strong low end.
Actually these ideas were discussed to DEATH back in the mid 90's
but "urban legend" keeps comming back.
1)the .63A/R turbine housing
a) a .63A/R spool at 2700rpm? Not a chance in hell.
b)On an SVO? ALL
c) Merkurs?No but some were retrofitted on because
ford parts didn't reliably seperate the .63's from the
.48's in the replacement parts supply chain, so if you
replaced a turbo with a factory reman there was a
certain "luck of the draw" element.
d)Thuderbirds? 5-speed turbo's? often, but not all.
2)the 48A/r turbine housing? Make 20hp less?
Only by the often quoted (but usually wrong) "butt-O-meter" dyno
The .63 turbine FEELS faster because as the car starts accelerating the turbo spools late (I.E. "LAG") and the sudden bulge in the boost really gives you a kick in the seat. the thing is that an utterly identical car with a .48
is rapidly becomming nothing but fading tailights at this point...
3)the IHI? These really do spool down low you start getting useful boost and torque down around 2400-2500, generally a 2.3turbo with an IHI and an intercooler has a torque production curve a lot like a 2.9 engine
If you drive a manual trans watching the tach and are used to driving
a 2.9 and actually KNOW how to drive a 2.9 you'll have very little adjustment to driving a 2.3T with an IHI, with one noteable exception... you'll be accelerating 50% faster, because you'll have a bit more than 50% more torque.
AD