New dyno numbers

"Wagon Guy drives a Boostang" (gimmeboost)
08/29/2018 at 23:12 • Filed to: None

Late Model Restoration (www.lmr.com) hosted a big Mustang/Lightning meet at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX this past Saturday. I’m just slow in reporting on it. A good time was had by all.

They fea tured free drag racing all day as well as the requisite car show and a mobile dyno. I didn’t bother with the strip, since I know that’s not my thing. But I did hit the Dy no. So this car...

And here are the numbers...

414 lb-ft of torque and 308hp. Not bad for a little 2.3L 4-cylinder...

DISCUSSION (24)

Maxima Speed > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/29/2018 at 23:34

Technology really is amazing. Just imagine telling someone in the 90’s that we would be cranking those kinds of numbers out of a four cylinder car with enough reliability and usability to be a road going production car.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/29/2018 at 23:39

[sulks]

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/29/2018 at 23:40

I have always felt this motor in a Mazda RX8 would be the perfect sleeper RX 8.

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2018 at 23:42

That would be interesting.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Maxima Speed
08/30/2018 at 00:12

We live in glorious times.

AkursedX > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/30/2018 at 00:13

John Vitamas, a national championship autocrosser is building an SM RX-8 with an MZR (mazdaspeed3/6 engine) which is an older sibling of the current Ecoboost.

But yeah, those are nice numbers and over 250hp over a 3000rpm range is really nice to see.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AkursedX
08/30/2018 at 00:19

I didn’t want to cause alarm by pointing out this is an evolution of the MZR. But yeah that would be a hell of a car.

WilliamsSW > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/30/2018 at 00:30

Damn that’s a lot of torque from a 2. 3 liter gas engine. Nice!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/30/2018 at 08:18

Is it stock?

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/30/2018 at 08:31

“Little 2.3 4 cylinder”

Pretty sure 2.3L is pretty much the biggest 4 banger you can buy today. I known Chevy has a 2.4, but seems like most LITTLE 4 cylinders are <2L

Nevertheless less that’s BIG torque, all at the bottom of the range. Almost diesel- like power band!

CobraJoe > Maxima Speed
08/30/2018 at 09:49

I’m not sure anyone who was paying attention would be that surprised. The ‘86 Mustang SVO put out 200hp and 240 ft-lbs with a turbo I4, which is right on par with an ‘86 GT that made 200hp and 280 ft-lbs with a 5.0. (Plus, both were huge increases over the 132hp and 140hp the ‘79 Mustang turbo 2.3 and 5.0 produced, respectively, so gaining another 100hp in 30 years doesn’t seem too outrageous .)

The SVO’s torque curve also looks pretty similar to the new 2.3T:

Kinja'd!!!

(The lower lines are supposed to be stock, the upper lines are with 2psi bump and some timing tweaks).

Plus the old 2.3 Turbo is a pretty stout engine too. I haven’t owned one, but my experience with other Ford engines of the era say that the early EFI electronics are the weakest point.

CobraJoe > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/30/2018 at 09:51

The Outback is still available with a 2.5L.

CobraJoe > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/30/2018 at 09:55

Ok, I’m not really a fan of turbo engines, but that torque curve has me interested....

Does it have any noticable turbo lag or a threshold RPM where it makes no boost? The sluggish power delivery and lack of low RPM power are the two biggest things I hated about owning a turbo Subaru.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/30/2018 at 11:59

Mazda’s got a 2.5, too.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/30/2018 at 12:00

Beastly.

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/30/2018 at 21:01

And Nissan has a 2.5

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > CobraJoe
08/30/2018 at 21:05

As with any turbo motor there is a little bit of lag, but it’s not much. The Ecoboost head has an integrated exhaust manifold so the turbo is bolted directly to the head. This minimizes some lag. Once you get used to driving it, you hardly notice. Not like the Subaru I had in the late 80's with a hard point when it would kick you in the butt.

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
08/30/2018 at 22:38

yeah, no.

There’s a pretty long list of aftermarket bolt on parts along with a professional performance tune in the computer.

CobraJoe > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/31/2018 at 09:12

I’ll have to give one a test drive someday. I love engines with a lot of low end torque, but I also like instant power delivery. But, since no one builds big block V8s for normal vehicles anymore, I’ll have to give one an honest chance.

The ‘05 Legacy GT I owned sounds a lot like the subaru you had in the 80s. Nothing down low, then everything right at 3100 RPM. Above that, there was some lag, but it’d build boost pretty quickly. I could not drive it quickly and smoothly, so I ended up driving everywhere angrily.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
08/31/2018 at 09:33

I was figuring that was the case... OR the 2.3L Ecoboost is the most underrated engine on the market.

LOL

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > CobraJoe
08/31/2018 at 17:05

The stock ecoboost isn’t bad, but nowhere near mine, even though they’ve upped the torque from the stock tune. It takes just a little time, money and labor to get where mine is, and there are a lot of folks who go further with aftermarket turbo upgrades, built blocks, etc.

DJHeadphonesKid > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
09/11/2018 at 15:29

When your 4 banger makes a LOT more torque than my GT. ;(

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > DJHeadphonesKid
09/11/2018 at 17:19

More HP and Torque than every V8 Mustang sold from 1973 to 2010...

DJHeadphonesKid > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
09/14/2018 at 12:24

You got the Coyote in the 11-17 models beat for torque as well.