I want to put a t-bird turbo coupe motor into my Pinto. Has any one done this? Any help would be appreciated. I think I have the general info. But how much of the t-bird wiring harness do you need? Will the Pinto 4 speed bolt up and hold up? I have a 8" rearend ready to go in or will the stock rear work okay? it has been converted to 5 lug front and back. Any and all info I would be grateful, especially from some one who has done the swap. THANKS
I am getting ready to do the same swap.
I have an 84 turbo coupe (complete) for engine, trans and electrical donor
and plan on using the rear out of my 89 stang.
I haven't unbolted anything as of yet, still getting the shop setttled and fixed up.
I found most of the answers I needed just searching here.
Not sure if your bellhousing will bolt up or not.
thanks for the response. Anything you learn please pass it on.
The Tranny will bolt up, as for hold up? I really couldn't tell you for sure. If you've got acess to a 5spd I'm SURE it'll hold up better. If you've already got 8" Rear end it'd be in your best interest to go ahead & put it in. You'd be putting it in sooner or later anyways.
I just put a 2.3 turbo into a 71. The Turbo Coupe wiring isn't the easiest way to go, but it'll do if it's what you have. Merkur wiring harnesses are easier to pull out at the junkyard.
The stock rears won't last, especially if you get your 2.3 running like it should. My SVO with just exhaust, some home porting and a fuel pressure regulator put down 304 ft/lbs. It's not too hard to get good power out of 'em!
The 89 Mustang rear is going to be a chore to put in. It's wider and doesn't have the spring perches that it'll need.
I wouldn't bother with the stock 4 speed either, since an 87+ 4-cylinder 5 speed is a pretty solid tranny and is common and cheap.
Basically, I used about 5 different sources for the wiring. Go to the swap/publications section of www.turboford.org, and look there. You'll find a LOT of helpful stuff (use the search button). Also, there's a Haynes manual for 79-93 Mustangs which is helpful, since a lot of the turbo 4 wiring is similar to the non-turbo 4 wiring. There's the Alan Slocum book, which has all the pinouts and assorted info for all the turbo EEC-IV computers and sensors, and that was REALLY helpful.
Beyond that, there are a few other helpful things... The alternator bracket for the early 2.3 Mustangs and Pintos puts it about where the power steering is on a T-Bird. That's a nice piece to have if you want to rotate your upper intake for a frontmount I/C.Â
I put in an 8-gallon fuel cell and actually used the factory metal lines to run up to the fuel rail and back. I just connected everything with fuel injection line and clamps. Ghetto, I know, but I'll get around to fixing it sometime. Those f'n turbo coupe fuel lines are a PITA to work with. Â
For the engine placement, I had to swap mounts. Assuming you guys are smarter than I and are using a 74+ car, you won't have to do that. In my case, the stock 4-speed crossmember worked with the T5 tranny, though I had to drill 2 holes to make the tranny mount bolt into it. The 8" I got was from a 76 Mustang II V8, and completely bolted right in. To connect those two items, I was told a Fox Mustang driveshaft would fit perfectly. That's only half true... I got a 90 5.0 driveshaft and it DIDN'T work because there's a flange you have to take off the u-joint to bolt it into the 8", and the U-joint was too big. So I took the driveshaft out of my SVO and pulled off the flange, and IT'S u-joint went into the 8". The 90 5.0 driveshaft fit into the SVO because the flange acted as an adapter. IOW- You need an early Fox driveshaft to make it work. I don't know exactly what year the change was, but I'll guess that any pre-87 Fox Stang driveshaft will go in.
The speedo cable for my 71 Pinto went right into the 87 Turbo Coupe T5. I used the original clutch cable, too. The throttle cable was too short, so I had to get one from a Fox Mustang with a non-turbo 4. I used the original radiator, but it's a VERY close fit. On my 71, the hood won't totally clear the intake, so I'll be changing the intake sometime so I can keep a totally flat hood. For the time being, I put some spacers between the hood and hood hinges, which jacks up the back of the hood enough to clear (only needs about an inch or so).
The car runs right now, but I'm by no means 'finished'. I have a tiny little underdrive pulley on it, and I don't think that with the stock radiator and alternator is a good idea. I have no cooling fan right now. The brakes need more work, etc... A cage is going in too, since this thing is a total deathtrap right now...haha... I have a set of 10-hole LX Mustang rims on it, and with the 2.3t swap and those tires, it weighs 2280 (it's a Runabout).
Good luck and ask any questions! Â
-Mike
Thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it. I have access to a 85 turbo coupe and Merkur. Sounds like the Merkur is the way to go considering the wiring harness. I have been thinking about going to a automatic for ease of installation, but really want a stick. But reading your comments it sounds like the stick wouldn't be that bad from a installation stand point.
If you use the T5 does the shifter come up in the same place as the Pinto 4 speed?
Glad I found this website, sounds like there is a lot of expertise out there.
Again Thanks
Actually, the stick comes up about 2" closer to the dash. It's a little wierd at first (with the TALL factory shifter, that is), and you DO have to trim the tranny tunnel hole about 1.5" to get it in without hitting anything.
Believe me, I wouldn't let that stuff stop you from putting a stick in. It really was easy.
Check out my posts here in "carbed turbo", lots of info and pics. Let me know if you need more.
Bill
Sorry I am new to this site, so I am still learning. How do I get to carbed pinto? Is it in the general help section?
this one? http://www.fordpinto.com/smf/index.php?topic=1368.0
Mike and RKK, I used the stock 77 driveshaft with the 8" rear and stock pinto tranny. As for the hood, I listed details (carbbed turbo) on how to install the engine with no hood issues using ford parts (non-rotated upper). Keep that sleeper look.
Bill
Yeah, I thought the stock driveshaft would have fit into the 8". It wouldn't fit into the T5, though. I won't be keeping this stock for too long, and I don't expect that the stock Pinto tranny would have lived long. I have a Holset waiting to go on, but I'm not going to use it until I have the thing running WELL with the stock setup. As it is, I think the fuel pump I'm using is junk. It'll go up to about 55 psi under full throttle/boost and hold for a second, then just fall off really quickly, to about 30 psi.
To go along with the Holset I'll be putting in a big ole frontmount at some point. Because of that, I'm already planning to rotate the intake. Once I do that, the stock hood will clear just fine. I do NOT want to cut up the stock hood (I'll bet that would be a fun thing to replace...)
This weekend, I'm going to be working on the suspension and brakes. I have a set of lowering blocks for the back, a front sway bar and springs, a rear swaybar that'll be a retro-fit job and then maybe some front calipers and rotors, too. Long story, but I got a TON of parts available to me.
As you have read I haven't done my swap yet. But one of my questions was about the stock 4 speed. If it will hold up to the power, which it sounds like it will. One of the things I have done is install a Racer Walsh shifter. If the shifter is the weak link, this thing will solve it. It is billet and has a great short shift pattern.
I am going to follow this with great interest, I just got a 2.3 EFI turbo unit from an '85 Cougar, along with trans, computer and most of the harness. I couldn't take the time to un-ravel that mess that goes down in behind the steering column. Does anyone know if I can just shop-make the rest of my harness? Just test-light it and find a way to get to the ignition switch and coil and regulator? This may be a little more than I can do, but I don't know how much luck I'll have finding a sympathetic mechanic who wants to put in the time to do it. SAM
There probably isn't a transmission that came from the factory in any Pinto that could tolerate a mildly modded 2.3t. If you put it in bone stock without an intercooler and don't upgrade anything else, you might be OK. But really, look for an 87+ N/A 5-speed T5 if you want to be sure that it'll be OK. They're cheap.
As for the wiring, I don't know what that harness is like, from the Cougar. I know the XR harness is pretty simple and could be pared down quite a bit. I didn't alter the Pinto wiring in any way on my car, aside from the battery cables and the wire that connects to the ignition coil (and that just goes to the new coil).
As far as the wiring, I did little trimming of the tc harness, and none on the pinto one. You need a bunch of wires from the t/c harness to read all the sensors in that thing, and some reallly should be soldered if cut for any reason (low voltage). Take your time, not too many wires in each harness need to be connected to each other anyway, don' let it scare you.
Bill
Fellow Pintonians,
I am trying to sort out some issues I have relating to a turbo conversion I am in the beginning phases of. If anyone can offer an opinion and some sound advise I would greatly appreciate it. I have done a lot of reading on this topic and feel comfortable with most aspects of the project ahead of me. It seems the possibilities for a good reliable and fun to drive car are endless and only limited by my average mechanical ability and budget.
I have a running 87 Turbocoupe with manual T5 tranny and LA3 computer complete with all electrical and related plumbing as the donor car. My questions are. What is involved with converting a rear sump oil pump and dipstick arangement to a front sump oil pump and dip stick arrangement? I still have the original 2.3 in the 74 runabout. Second, my 74 Pinto has a C4 auto with less than 4000 miles on a complete overhaul which worked flawlessly until I parked the Pinto in 2003. Since I am planning on keeping the 74 Pinto street legal and registered in Maryland with modest upgrades to the turbo 2.3. Would changing over my C4 auto Pinto to the T5 manual be worth the effort in terms of any performance improvementsr? When I drove the turbo coupe, the 2.3 and T5 was a nice driving combination without modifications and would probably be even nicer in a smaller car like my 74. The specs I have seen on the turbocoupe show as much as 50 horse power difference between manual and auto transmission. I am also planning on a 8.8 or 9.0 rear axle upgrade in my 74 for reliability.
Thanks
4R11Y
Oilpan, dipstick (+ tube), and pump: all pinto (I used a new pump for a t/c). The block has two dipstick holes, one for front sump, one rear. With the pan off, pop the plug and move it to the rear hole.
The tranny question: what you like.
The engine power difference is in the computer/stuff, the basic engine items (block, head, intake...) are the same.
An 8" rear from a pinto/bobcat/mustangII will bolt in, those others will need to be modified.
If you want the hood to shut without cutting or lifting, read my posts.
Bill
Thanks Bill for the info,
I just pulled the engine and tranny from the 87 turbocoupe today. I see the plug on the block you are refering to right where it should be for a front sump. After I got the motor out today I looked it over good. The basic engine block is pretty much the same as my 74 block making the conversion appear easier than originally thought . I now have to tackle the rest of the engine harness and computer which will be easier with the motor pulled. I think I will stay with my C4 for now. Less modification involved and I have read about built up cars running great with the C4 after a couple of mods.
On another note, the turbocoupe donor car seems to have been a really nice car when it was newer. It has all the bells and whistles like auto ride control, moon roof, Premium stereo, and power everything. The only reason I don't feel that bad about stripping it is because it was already neglected and I like my Pinto better.
Thanks again,
4R11y
I am in about the same stage as you on my project. Anything I learn I will pass on. I am going with the 8" rearend which looks fairly simple and the T5 for a transmission, but that is purely my preference. I have used C4s on other project cars and they work great. There is all kinds of good stuff you can buy for them to make them perform great. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes. Like I said I am in the same stage.
The guys on this site are great they have all the right answers. That is where I got most of my info.