Powertrain

I'm almost bashful to even put this stuff up, but I'll elaborate a bit on my engine. This one's a dual plug 2.3L SOHC I4 that puts out a measly 105-hp, but a fair amount of torque at 135 ft-ft. It's completely stock as of now, alhough I want to switch out the plugs to Bosch Platinum +4 plugs and put on 8MM MSD spark wires. Just a few minor things to help the engine out a bit without letting myself go overboard and end up rebuilding the internals. It's a strong durable and reliable engine for the Mustang, even if the Mustang may be missing half it's engine.

To other 2.3L Mustang owners, here's a tip: In the large 3" tube section of your air intake is a tiny 1" silencer that can be taken off to free up some intake flow.

Got a Spectre conical air intake filter today (4/31/05) at AutoZone for $25. Was gonna get a K&N, but they run nearly $40-$50 just for the K&N name. I got this generic brand just because it works as good, and you could get them in different colors too. Had to get a adapter so it could hook up to the MAF sensor, but it works! Can't tell much on throttle responce, but the engine runs much smoother with it on (The ability to sense heavy throttle changes sitting in the passenger seat is harder). Without the restriction of the stock airbox, it runs smoother under acceleration, and doesn't thrash much anymore (A common problem of the 2.3s). I can punch the throttle and it can now pick up pretty good now! I should expect about 4-5hp in power gains, and maybe just as much in torque. But once I get the Flowmaster muffler, this all should easily be worth a good 10-15hp gain altogether. Fuel economy should be a bit better, but I won't notice anything worthy like 2-3mpg gains until I also get a Flowmaster. I now plan on taking the stock intake tubing and replacing it with either my dad's stock Focus intake tubing (Since it's smoother than the tubing on my engine; The flow of airflow is slightly disturbed with the removal of the silencer) or get a CIA tube from a 1996-2000 Civic (They apparently fit on the N/A 2.3L I4s, according to some people on the AllFordMustangs.com forums).

Anyone who has an N/A 2.3L Mustang is recommended to get a conical air filter at the very least! As a matter if fact, it's a major MUST!

I hope that when I have the free time, I'll go over installation of the conical filter once more on page 11, so 2.3 Mustang owners will know exactly what to do when they want to do this to their car too.

8/13/05, I got a Flowmaster 40-series muffler at local shop Affordable Muffler! For a little over $150, I got a Flowmaster 40-series muffler, 2�" exhaust piping from the muffler out, and a chrome dual-outlet exhaust tip. It sounds nice as a 4-cylinder tone! It's really deep, but needs some breaking in before the true tone comes out. Hopefully, this'll boost my gas milage by a few as well (And every bit counts these days!). Couldn't tell about performance yet, as I didn't really kick on it on the way back home, but the apparent "oomph" in acceleration and smoothness is found even at cruising speeds. Now I'm definitly ready to cruise my style! :D

By this time, about 6 months later, I'm now noticing my muffler breaking in. And it's loud! For a 4-cylinder, it's really deep. At idle, it's got a semi-V8 rumble (And even with it's low tone, you could almost swear that my car is run by a pushrod engine), and when you stomp on it, the ecstacy kicks in at around 3000rpms (Totally beats out any fartcan muffler in the taste factor). No matter what car or engine it's hooked up to, Flowmasters are my aftermarket automotive orgasm! :D

3/19/06, I got the intake tubing for my car. Pep Boys and Autozone sells intake tubing pieces to cutstom fit an intake on virtually any car, and I finally got around to doing it. Couldn't wait any longer and said "Screw it". Simple and straight-up bolt on! Fits like it was made specifically for my engine too. It's a basic installation that anyone with a 2.3 Mustang should be recommended in doing. The stock intake is nothing more than a silencer anyway. Intake path isn't smooth, and heat's not going to disperse off of black plastic/rubber like that. Picks up a couple more horsepower, frees and smooths out airflow, recieves better throttle response, and the engine should operate a little more efficiently (Maybe even pick up a little more on fuel economy too). Plus, it looks damn good under there! :D While the 2.3 is not a performance engine, it still struggles in restricted stock form; Well worth the $50.

This is what I think of the old, stock intake tubing too. If you replace it, then you definitly don't want to keep it.