Naturally aspirated Ford 2.3L

Okay, so Aaron dropped off a Esslinger setup for a Merkur 2.3 to me last week. It's an intake manifod with carburator and a set of long headers for a naturally aspirated setup. Considering putting that together to get a low tech low cost setup and get back out in the car in the coming year. Carburation is new to me for the most part.
What do I need for:
Fuel pump - Shouldn't it be low pressure or something for a carb setup. I seem to recall there not being a need for a return line? Am I correct?
High compression pistons? Should I just find a NA Ranger and get the pistons or is there something else that's fairly affordable?
Camshafts? Similar to above question.
Head?

Esslinger is the obvious place to look at for NA parts, but I'm sure there are some others out there. Any recommendations?

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Grant Hughes

Whats the problem with your turbocharged setup?

Why reinvent the (xr4ti)wheel?

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yeah confused.
what carb thingie?
what "setup"?
What rods?

What happened to your plan to plant a nice YB in it?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

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CALL +1 206 431-9696
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Nothing wrong with turbo setup except it needs setup.
Just a NA setup would potentially be quicker since there's no fancy ECU required to control fueling?

I have the makings of too many different options.
NA carbed,
stock turbo
Volvo headed NA
Volvo headed turbo
Thing is, I have little to no budget at the time being so was thinking the NA carb setup would at least get me a rally car started...

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Grant Hughes

Quote
john vanlandingham
yeah confused.
what carb thingie?
what "setup"?
What rods?

What happened to your plan to plant a nice YB in it?

Grad school happened. 1/3 pay as before. Baby also happened but that's not nearly as large of a factor. Still want YB, it's another option.

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Grant Hughes

If you've still got the EFI bits in the car, you can get a bypass regulator for about a hundred bucks or so and leave all the old hardware in place, instead of buying a new carburetor fuel pump. I just picked up an Aeromotive that works from 3psi to 60psi base pressure.

Don't forget the distributor, if you're ditching all computer control then you'll need a different one.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

Carbed will need 4-6 psi at the inlet for the most part. Any older dizzy should work (needs vacuum advance) and I'd use the 2 plug ign module (EEC3 I think). What carb(s) do you have??

Quote
NoCoast
Nothing wrong with turbo setup except it needs setup.
Just a NA setup would potentially be quicker since there's no fancy ECU required to control fueling?

I have the makings of too many different options.
NA carbed,
stock turbo
Volvo headed NA
Volvo headed turbo
Thing is, I have little to no budget at the time being so was thinking the NA carb setup would at least get me a rally car started...

And tons of ideas originating in greed. (like greedy for MOAR POWERZ)
But a fucking stock T3 and T bird ECU and you have all the power you need to win.
More than that is self made problems.

The root of all unhappiness is desire.

Just because you were weak and thought about all those options doesn't mean you have to act on them.
You certainly don't NEED to.

A GOOD plan today---that you stick with--is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2013 11:22PM by john vanlandingham.

I like webbers!!!
A challenge to get it tight but when it is its fun!

A bone stock XR engine and EEC IV is a better set up than carbs. You have big elevation changes to deal with. The carbs will be a pain in the ass. Sean Medcroft and I were talking recently about na 2.3 circle track motors. Unless you are a good carb tuner don't mess with it.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Now I'd much rather muck about with carbs than ECUs and stand alones. But I'm an old fart and that is what I know how to do.

Most of the forced induction grief isn't from the system , it is from the people fawking with it. A stockish system with 7-10 psi, a good fuel pump and regulator will put most cars at 200 ish whp, run forever and never be a problem.

Put the rest of the car back together first, then when the engine is the only thing holding you up, figure out what you can swing cost wise. Trying to get you some more cage work...

Carbs are freakin' expensive unless they were gifted to you in perfect tune or they came with a small bucket of jets and bleeds and emulsion tubes and stuff.

Unless you mean carburetor, singular, meaning probably a Holley 2-barrel setup made for cheap circle track classes, in which case jets are cheap which is fine because you can't tune dick-all on a Holley anyway, it either runs well or it runs like ass and you have to get very creative to de-assify the tuning. EFI you reconnect the wires you cut when you took it out and you go drive it.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

What if they had no jets at all???

Quote
Pete
Carbs are freakin' expensive unless they were gifted to you in perfect tune or they came with a small bucket of jets and bleeds and emulsion tubes and stuff.

Hooey. A few factors and I can get him pretty good.

Its when people get clever that it gets 'spensive.

Like most other things don't be a Clever Trevor.
Pretty good is pretty good.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.