Get by with a little help from my friends..

[roosterrusek]

Good morrning, I am new here to the forum, and I have I guess an odd question...

I am new to this, and my situation is that I have dropped an engine from a 1988 Thunderbird (the 2.3 turbo) into a 1971 Opel GT. I am wondering if there are any tricks that folks can pass onto me about these engines, tuning them, new intercoolers that work well ( I have to replace the top mounted one for sure), spark plug/wire/distributer cap upgrades...etc.

Any advice on what I can do to make this engine run smooth, things I can to do to maintain it properly would be of great help.

BTW, the 2.3 in the Opel is sick fast. The Opel is really light and low to the ground so when I step on the gas I am gone.

Thanks folks

Paul

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[oldraven]

Hey, Rooster. 🙂 I'm a 2.3Ti owner too. So much fun. Odd, to say the least. 😱 I don't think there are ANY 2.3Ti's in a GM. (assuming GM owned Opel back then).

Your first major upgrade should be to a Garrett T3 turbo from an '83-86 TC. This will spool a little slower, but it won't choke off at 4500 rpm like the Borg Warner IHI from the '87-88s. You'll boost and breathe full out until redline.

I would get myself a boost control valve right away, from Rick Gillis (boostvalve.com) so you don't deal with the pesky stock BCS. It's the cheapest upgrade, next to a 6" K&N cone, and will let you boost up to 18-19psi. (The IHI is good for 24 and the boost valve will let you, but any more than 18 and the smaller IHI is superheating the air. The T3 will take care of that, too).

Try getting a 255plh fuel pump, because after all these upgrades, you're going to need more fuel. 🙂