The Estate has a dead 2.0 DOHC engine and it is getting a new lump. I have a 2.3 Turbocharged engine from a Thunderbird and I'm going to throw it in. I will keep the 4x4 system and figure out a way to mate it to the 2.3T. I started working on this a couple of months ago so I'm kind of back dating posting but nevertheless here we are.


We got the engine removed out of the Sierra and set it aside for now.

 

I turned my attention to the 2.3 where I disassembled it. The head removed and bottom end totally disassembled.

 

A closer look at the internals of the 2.3

 

We didn't get the 2.3 Lima engine over here, I'm sure I've read about Volvo head swaps somewhere ...

 

i second that.

Interested to learn more about these engines.

 

Yes the Volvo B234 16v engine fits although some work like water jackets and some welding are required but the bolt holes line up.

It was the engine used in a Mustang SVO, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Cougar XR7 Turbo and Merkur XR4Ti.

It is a SOHC 8v iron head and iron block. Forged pistons from the factory but cast rods. It's origins are the 2.0 pinto but was then bored out to 2.3 then they gave it forged pistons and slapped a turbo on it. Stock the head flows poorly so you just cram a bunch of boost in it. Internals in good condition have been known to handle up to 400 hp although that's not the goal. It will just be a solid runabout.

 

cool. Thanks for that. Ive read it doesnt really share any parts with the our 2 ltr 'pinto' .
are they cheap as chips over there or getting harder to find etc.

 

Oh dear. My previous comment is missing a giant chunk of words. Anyway to sum up the missing part of my post. The engine's origins is the Pinto *car* not the Pinto *engine*.

They can be cheap and plentiful in NA format as they were used in a number of vehicles especially Rangers for years. However the turbo versions are drying up. Only 4 cars got them and about 200k were made between all 4 and all of which are at least 30 years old.

Also the cars themselves are collectable to a certain extent so not as many parts specials kicking about as people want to restore them.

 

How are you getting the front diff to fit?

I assume you can't use a Cossy / UK Pinto style sump on the Lima engine ?

 

That's the million dollar question isn't it? I'm thinking of maybe cutting the top off of the 2.3 oil pan and the 4x4 oil pan then welding the 2.3 top to the rest of the 4x4.

Here are the oil pans next to each other. The 2.3 on the left and the 4x4 on the right or I could go through expensive route and design a new one which will work.

 

Real PITA problem as the Lima pan looks like a steel pressing and the DOHC 4x4 is aluminium, did you not get the 16 valve I4 2.3 engine in the US?

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/engdata2.htm

Was fitted to the hideous people carrier that soiled the Galaxy name over in Europe along the the almost as ugly Scorpio...

DOHC sump would fit as it shares the same block design and you would get a newer engine.

 

No we never got the 16v 2.3. I do have this one pan mock up of the only other guy who actually made this type of pan welding those two together. He gave me the pan because he was done with it and it took up space. He said welds probably aren't that great so he suggested not to use it but at least it is a visual of how it should look.



So that is the previously made template so it has been done. Now I need to figure out how to re-create it but in a cleaner and reliable fashion.