2.3 distributor

[Ramcharger90]

I have that old 2.3 and transmission lying around and my friend has a 47 crosley frame lying around I basically want to build a 2.3 extremely mini truck with it but im not sure if the 1990 2.3 can take a distributor like the 5.0 can

 

[tomw]

Look for the distributor or oil pump drive on the drivers side, rearward of the timing belt. If the hole has been drilled and the boss machined, it will likely be doable. I think some have bored a hole when it was 'there' but unfinished.
You could use a 'points' distributor for a 1974, along with vacuum advance. (and a two-bbl manifold & Holley-Weber) to make things simple. (actually complex, but in a different way) The dist would need only 12V and ground, along with a dropping resistor for the RUN mode, switched out in START.
tom

 

[Dirtman]

I'm pretty sure they didn't eliminate the distributor mount location entirely on the block until 96+. Before then the distributor hole was just plugged or used for the cam position sensor (which technically just read off the oil pump gear). Pre 96 should still even have a fuel pump spot. (Think they did close off the casting though).

In 96 they cut that whole chunk of the block out of the casting. No way to do a distributor on those at all.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I wasn't sure I just put that motor and trans in the corner. I know it didn't have the plate you can remove to use the old school fuel pump. I was gonna sell it to someone who races dirt track with those 2.3 mustangs

 

[Dirtman]

You would clearly see the casting for where a fuel pump would have been, it's just not cut out. However I'm like 90% certain the distributor hole was still machined out and they stuck a plug in it held down by an actual distributor hold down.

Edit... found this pic that shows what I mean. I think they always machined that hole for use as a cam sensor. The later cam sensors ran off the oil pump gear and never the actual cam for some reason.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I think this would be a good donor for the crosley frame but it might require rings bearings etc. So I do have a 99 izuzu rodeo v6 collecting dust rn so I have to see what will be more cost efficient for something that isn't much more than a go cart

 

[Daniel Black]

To my knowledge nobody makes a carb intake for an 8-plug head so that would have to be fabricated or find a 4-plug head to go on the newer block.