Thread: Help with a Stang...

Tweet

Hey guys. I'm a new member to Club Hot Rod. I also relatively new at the whole rebuilding, car tuning thing. I try, but am not quite the professional yet. I have a 1975 Mustang II with a 140 in it. I get crap about it alot by the guys, but hey, I have a mustang. haha. Im not sure what ford was thinking, or what I was thinking when I bought it, but hey, its a car and it runs.

Anyways, I have the Mustang II Ghia. It came stock with the 140, but i was thinking of puting something a little bigger in it...possibly a 302. I ran into a little trouble with the rearend tho. I'm not sure what size to use. Thats a separate project though.

Right now, I am driving it with the 140, but it smokes blue really bad. I tried pouring some diesel down the spark plug holes and letting it set for a week before dry-firing it and cleaning the holes out. I was hoping that would loosen the rings and clean everything up a little to help cut back on the smoke/oil usage but it didn't work. Any ideas??? It gets good mileage and i would love to drive it back and forth from college!!!

Like i said, I'm new at this. I hope I'm not too dumb for you guys.

Once they start smoking there is almost no "cure in a can" that you can add to fix them up. The engine is just not seating in the rings, but probably the valve guides and more.

You could try a heavier weight oil, like straight 40 to see if that helps. I have also kept cars alive with a few cans of STP in the crankcase. I know lots of mechanics will shudder at that suggestion, but I kept a Pontiac 389 alive with 3 pounds of oil pressure for a few months until I could tear it down.

The 302 swap is a natural, in fact, didn't Ford make a Mach I version or something with this engine in the MM II already?

Good luck, and welcome to the forum.

Don

Thanks Don! Yes, I'm sure Ford did make MMII. They made a Mustang II stock with a 4cylinder, 6cylinder, and the 302. I've been told that the 4 cylinder has a smaller rear-end though...not really sure. One guy told me if I didn't change the rear-end with the engine swap, I'd tear it apart really quick.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

The 302 swap is a natural, in fact, didn't Ford make a Mach I version or something with this engine in the MM II already?
Don

The King Cobra's had V8's

The 302 was available for the Mustang II in 75-78 (sorry, no factory V8 in 74). Parts for the swap are available, as is a 8" rear end for the V8 equipped cars, while the 4-6cyl cars used a 6 3/4" rear end which will be short lived in any V8 application.


Bill S.

So an 8" rear end is all i really have to worry about? I'm assuming the swap will go kosher as long as i change the pilot bearing and the rearend. Will the stock 4 speed trasmission still be ok?

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

So an 8" rear end is all i really have to worry about? I'm assuming the swap will go kosher as long as i change the pilot bearing and the rearend. Will the stock 4 speed trasmission still be ok?

the 140/ 2.3 4cyl retains the same bell housing, but I'm not sure if the transmission is a standard T4 4spd, if it is, it could hold the power but it could be a light duty unit and blow up..

you want the truth, I'd get another 2.3 block, start building a turbo motor. 2.3's respond well to turbocharging and Ford did it from the factory in the T birds... 2-300 HP and 20-25 MPG if you keep your foot out of it.

I like your way of thinking on the turbo charged 2.3L. Is that a very hard, expensive, and time consuming job? I guess I've never really heard anything about turbocharging. Is it just performance parts or what? I'm not really sure of all the little secrets...let alone some of the building.

I've thought about it. I've heard so many diff things. One guy advised me to put a 4 barrel and a header on my 2.3. Here i'm getting ideas of turbocharging. They both sound like good ideas. I've thought about a 2.8 but nobody has every really given me any spectacular reason to go with one i guess...its always about the 2.3 or the 5.0. I guess that's why i'm here asking for your guys input. I'm looking for some speed, and mileage, yet affordable. Afterall, I am a college student.

The old 200 cu in straight sixs get good gas milage, have decent torque and if it's just for commuting, get great gas milage! My mom has a 69 6cl 200, with a three speed. Fun old car!

Originally Posted by DennyW

The 6 would be cool...is there enough room ? Your adding 2 more cylinders in length. I can't remember right off.

IIRC the 200 I6 is 3 37" measuring front to back across the block face.. I measured mine a while back when I was rebuilding it

"...as is a 8" rear end for the V8 equipped cars, while the 4-6cyl cars used a 6 3/4" rear end which will be short lived in any V8 application...."


True Bill except a lot of the V6 cars also came with the 8".

The V8 (289/302) is pretty much a bolt in with.....bigger radiator, V8 springs, V8 Frame perches and motor mounts. The Mustang IIs had a unique (smaller) bellhousing flywheel/flexplate for both 4 spd and C4 cars than the standard V8 cars and as such also a special pan with clearance for the starter, however a standard oil pan and bellhousing can be made to work.

A nice addition for the V8 cars is the "performance suspension package" 1" front and 1/2" rear sway bars.

THe V8 RAD 4 speed is heavier duty when compared to the 4 and 6 Cyl units but they still break. A RUG 4 spd OD from an 82-3 mustang is a good unit even behind a 351.

Here's my wifes 74 2.3 auto car, my dailey driver 351/4sp car, and the old Cobra II we had a few years ago.

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

I like your way of thinking on the turbo charged 2.3L. Is that a very hard, expensive, and time consuming job? I guess I've never really heard anything about turbocharging. Is it just performance parts or what? I'm not really sure of all the little secrets...let alone some of the building.

just get the cyl head and turbo from a Thunderbird Turbo coupe.. they were factory stock 2.3 turbos and the stuff will bolt to your block.. and theres room for upgrades w/ the Tbird setups.


Turbocharging is not cheap tho. I'm working on a Turbocharged Ford 200 I6 and I built the engine for the turbocharger to get the most out of it.. I'm in it $6k so far but that's for the rebuilt engine, new fuel system, ignition system, Turbo piping, intercooler ( turbo was free ) ect...

Nothing cheap about putting a turbo on a 4 cylinder!!!! For the same or less money with the combos Mike suggested you can swap to a V-8 quite easily and cost efficiently. Switching to a 6, be it an I-6 or a V-6 is probably going to be just as expensive or possibly even more then a V-8 swap. Resale considered, a V-8 Mustang of that vintage will attract more buyers then a weezy old 6 popper.....

Lots of V-8 conversion parts around cheap, check eBay and other resale sources.... If you're going to go to the work and expense of switching engines, might as well go for the gusto!!!! Or, as they say on TV....."I could have had a V-8!!!!!"

Puting a SB Ford on a diet is a little pricey, but not a big deal. My 351 car is actually lighter than it was with the 302. Aluminum head, aluminum intake, Optima Battery, Sanden compressor (yes it has AC). With the sway bar package it actually handles and rides considerably better than the wifes 2.3 car and is A LOT more fun to drive.

At 75 with the OD trans it actually gets about 3 MPG more the the 2.3.

Besides what you you rather see when you open the hood,

a 2.3

a reasonably stock SB (I went the sleeper route on the 351, stock valve cover and painted the heads and intake)

or a dressed out SB