New Scorpio. Thinking of a turbo

[espacef1fan]

I just got a new 89 Scorpio.


I've searched and searched there isn't much info out there.

I was just curious if anyone here has turboed their 2.9 Scorpio. Ive only found rangers in the USA and some Capris in Sweden. Beyond that Ive just seen some references to old and expensive turbo kits in the UK that are NLA.

My basic plan is a standalone I have in a box on the shelf, some injectors, and a t3/t4 I have sitting in another box.

Why the 2.9 and not a swap? I like the exhaust tone, itll be unique and Im just looking for some more punch, not to win the big race. I also like the look of the intake manifold. Dumb reason, but it is what it is.


One unresolved question is whats the best place to tap for an oil feed. I understand the 2.9 has some oiling difficulties so Im concerned about exacerbating them.

[john keefe]

Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. But, I'd have to wait until after mine gets smogged in 2020, which gives me a little time, and see what develops from this thread. Someone sent me a copy of the CARB ruling that you can add components before and after the motor as long as you're not touching from intake post-TB to exhaust manifold.

Would need to verify that the 2.9L is ALL forged, not cast stuff.

I don't know about the EEC-IV requirements, though I'd suspect you have to go with a MegaSquirt or other stand-alone system. Don't know of any easy swap as we have with the 2.3L and the SVO, or TBird TC. Plumbing the exhaust to spin the turbo will be interesting, unless you're going to run "half" exhaust pulses from only one bank of the V6. The other issue is the problematic A4LD, and standing up to spikes in loads. Unless you're going to find/build a truly beefed up version. Adding some $$$ at that point.

[espacef1fan]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b6bq9aOk2qQ

So this guy claims to have a stock bottom end

Plenty of people turbo cast piston motors everyday(you’ve heard of turbo ls1 swaps I assume)
With that stuff in mind I feel like I might be ok

I plan on using a Holley Commander 950 I already own for management

The turbo plumbing is pretty easy. Just route both manifolds to the turbo mounted probably on the front passenger corner of engine bay.
Cold side is less complicated

Trans I’m looking at a t5 swap. I’m going to order a 4.0 mustang bell and see what kind of compatibility it has with older t5s

[brokencase]

Just buy a wrecked 2015-2019 2.3L ecoboost mustang from copart.com.

Swap in the engine, trans, ecm, dash cluster, etc...

You'll have a much more refined product in the end.

[espacef1fan]

What I’m doing is cheaper than trying to buy a whole wrecked car that would still need a control pack or whatever

If I went that route of a wrecked car I’d also do the 4.0 v6 just for the lineage.

I already have a Duratec I’m putting in the XR.

[john keefe]

I'd love to put a Lincoln LS & auto trans into the Scorpio... but I don't want spend the $$$ to find a suitable wrecked LS, then build a whole new wiring harness to integrate it with the Scorpio's, and then go through all the hassle of dealing with the Smog Ref again. Plus, CARB was cracking down so much on tech violators that nobody wants to take a chance on an old car with an updated Smog Cert ticket. They all think its a sting to catch them in something. Took quite a while to find a really good smog tech who also happened to be a Ford tech/mech. He has no problem smogging my 5.0L XR, and I doubt it would be any issue with an duratec LS/auto if approved by the Smog Ref. Its just putting aside the $$$ and time to do the swap, then getting it certified.

Turbo'ing the 2.9L would so much easier.

[my8950]

Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. But, I'd have to wait until after mine gets smogged in 2020, which gives me a little time, and see what develops from this thread. Someone sent me a copy of the CARB ruling that you can add components before and after the motor as long as you're not touching from intake post-TB to exhaust manifold.

Would need to verify that the 2.9L is ALL forged, not cast stuff.

I don't know about the EEC-IV requirements, though I'd suspect you have to go with a MegaSquirt or other stand-alone system. Don't know of any easy swap as we have with the 2.3L and the SVO, or TBird TC. Plumbing the exhaust to spin the turbo will be interesting, unless you're going to run "half" exhaust pulses from only one bank of the V6. The other issue is the problematic A4LD, and standing up to spikes in loads. Unless you're going to find/build a truly beefed up version. Adding some $$$ at that point.

Are you talking to just use 3 cylinder to run the turbo? Not a good idea....

[brokencase]

What I’m doing is cheaper than trying to buy a whole wrecked car that would still need a control pack or whatever

If I went that route of a wrecked car I’d also do the 4.0 v6 just for the lineage.

I already have a Duratec I’m putting in the XR.

The 4.0L is a non starter. The SOHC won't fit and the OHV only puts out marginally more than the 2.9L.

Nothing extra needed for the ecoboost other than adapting the driveshaft and some crossmember/oil pan clearance work.

This guy sells the whole extracted package on ebay. He'll sell you and engine + trans + ancillaries on a pallet that will start up on the pallet.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MFFAX6F8yQs?rel=0

But i think it would be much less expensive to just find a wrecked mustang on copart.com that is local to you.
I just looked and there are several 2.3 eco boost mustangs up there right now that are in Alabama.

It is actually kind of hilarious how many racked up Mustangs there are on copart.com.

Now - back to your turbo idea. Do you think the Scorpio ECM will work with positive manifold pressure?

[espacef1fan]

I wouldn’t use the stock ecu

I have a Holley Commander 950 leftover from another project

[john keefe]

[/quote] Are you talking to just use 3 cylinder to run the turbo? Not a good idea.... [/quote]

Totally agree, but it's been done on other applications by other "hot rodders." Not saying its smart, or was done "successfully."

Finding space to spin off both exhaust banks in V's is one reason why supercharging became popular again. IIRC, some years back in one of the mags, somebody gave up on trying to plumb a turbo in a Camaro, then tried the half-bank idea, then gave that up and ended up placing the turbo somewhere under the rear seat, plumbing all the way back forward to an IC. Got a lot of attention, but the lag must have been ugly.

[espacef1fan]

Also what is the size/fitment issue with the mustang 4.0 sohc motor?

[brokencase]

I believe the OHV is too tall to fit under the hood of the Scorpio.

I had a 2003 sport trac. The motor is not bad but the goofy timing chain arrangement is a mess.

The timing chains started to get rattley at around 115k miles (16 years of ownership). So I traded it in for a 2019 Ranger.

Don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed my Sport Trac, but the new Ranger's 2.3 Ecoboost is astonishing.
Not just in the power it makes, but it's efficiency. I think placed in the Scorpio you would have close to 5 sec 0-60mph
and well over 32 mpg. An LSD diff conversion would be mandatory.

But it would be awesome.

I think the general opinion is that the Scorpio was always considered under powered. It really does not need much more power to make it acceptable. I've put a K&N filter on mine. Put the 180F thermostat in and advanced the timing. These have helped a little but it still needs about 20 more ponies.

Another option is to drop the ohv 4.0L crank into the 2.9L block using Chrysler pistons That gets you to 3.4L and a 9.8:1 compression ratio. There are several folks who have done this. You could probably just install 19lb injectors and the stock ECM would work.
I would only attempt this if I had a spare 2.9L Scorpio engine to play around with. You have to machine the crank and grind clearance in the block to make it work. The advantage of this is there are no major external changes that impact the ancillaries.

[espacef1fan]

That’s some interesting ideas about the bottom end. Worth peaking into as I’m guessing I could find a highly desirable 2.9 pretty cheap if I’m patient

The concern I would have is the heads though. I haven’t been able to find any flow data on stock or ported heads but I’m guessing I wouldn’t be super impressed if I did based on the power numbers.

Like I said before the ecoboost is cool but I’m already building a similar engine for my XR and it’d be much pricier than using what I have laying around.

[Vovan]

I just got a new 89 Scorpio.


I've searched and searched there isn't much info out there.

I was just curious if anyone here has turboed their 2.9 Scorpio. Ive only found rangers in the USA and some Capris in Sweden. Beyond that Ive just seen some references to old and expensive turbo kits in the UK that are NLA.

My basic plan is a standalone I have in a box on the shelf, some injectors, and a t3/t4 I have sitting in another box.

Why the 2.9 and not a swap? I like the exhaust tone, itll be unique and Im just looking for some more punch, not to win the big race. I also like the look of the intake manifold. Dumb reason, but it is what it is.


One unresolved question is whats the best place to tap for an oil feed. I understand the 2.9 has some oiling difficulties so Im concerned about exacerbating them.

https://www.drive2.ru/l/479224892818981123/
https://www.drive2.ru/r/ford/sierra/455 ... ge=2#pager
maybe you will be interested. The guy made turbocharged 2.4 v6 + four-wheel drive (all units were removed from the scorpio and put in the sierra)