[BobA]

I am in the process of building up a 2.3L turbo motor for my 1930 Ford roadster pickup. I have what I think is a 1985 or 86 Turbo Coupe engine that I installed some time ago but to simplify troubleshooting and initial turn on I originally built it up with a 300 CFM 4 barrel. That way I didn’t need the ECU and all the sensors. Well, years have passed and now I am putting on the EFI and Turbo and I have a few questions. This will just be a street cruiser and not a street racer; just casual driving.
 
ECU. I have already done all the wiring and can make any changes I need to pretty easily at this point but I have a PC1, LA3 and 8AU computer. I can’t find any info about the 8AU other than it is the last of the early ECU’s. Which is best?(I know that there are only a couple of pins that are different and the PC1 is no intercooler and the others need the intercooler.)

I have a TC big VAM but also a MAF. I think the only way to use the MAF is to reprogram the ECU. Is that true? I would like to use the MAF mostly because it is smaller and easier to mount.

Intercooler. It’s going to be tough. The stock TC intercooler won’t fit but I am thinking I can maybe mount a slimmer one (like a BMW) down below the radiator. The plumbing will be hard but not impossible, especially if I rotate the intake 90*. I know Stinger does that. How much does an intercooler help?

Can I use the aluminum finned oil pan that is on the Ranger?

[TurboRay]

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WELCOME to TurboFord, Bob ~ your project sounds like a lot of fun (I'm jealous)!! ASSuming your '30 RPU is like most that I've seen, you should have a lot of "height" in the engine compartment ~ soooo........why won't the TC intercooler fit in the stock configuration above the turbo? Your idea to split the real estate in that A or deuce grill and mount 3/4 of a rad on top and an IC underneath doesn't sound practical to me ~ BUT.......do whatever blows yer skirt (kilt) up, lol.

Your question ~ "How much does an intercooler help" ~ brings up an interesting point. None of the early TC's had 'em and I personally think they're overrated for the street. Cooling the charge air is obviously helpful in creating max power ~ but, how often do most folks mat the throttle for long enough periods in a street-driven vehicle to heat the air so much that it needs cooling? For those worrying about the need for charge cooling on the street when fitment of a "conventional" A-to-A IC is challenging ....an "on-demand" boost-triggered water/alky injection could .be used instead. My 2¢.......   

Any of the three ECU's you have will "run" your turbo engine, altho my choice would be the LA3 or 8UA ~ BUT......they're designed to do so using a VAM. I've heard of several folks piggy-backing the turbo EEC's with various devices (like "Quarterhorse") in order to run a MAF ~ but.....IIRC, doing so presented a long row to hoe. If you don't wanna run a VAM, my suggestion would be to get a PiMP or other aftermarket speed-density system and ditch the VAM/MAF strategy. 

As for the finned aluminum Ranger oil pan......it'll work just fine, as long as it's used with the specific pickup tube that's designed for it. Regarding rotated upper plenums........I'm not a fan if they're gutted ~ b/c, altho most here will disagree, I personally feel that they skew the air distribution in favor of the two rear cyls. <shrug>  Have fun!

[evintho]

OK, I'll chime in on this one.  I have a '27 roadster with 2.3T/T5/8" rear combo.  Like Ray said, the LA3 or 8UA will work.  I personally went with an LA3 just for simplicity sake.  Again, I would keep it simple and run the VAM.  I mounted it up and off the frame.  Also, made a little cover for it so it wasn't so unslightly.......





As for the I/C, I had room so I mounted an Audi A4 I/C in front of my rad but I have a track nose.  Not sure where you could mount one on your 'A'.

[BobA]

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WELCOME to TurboFord, Bob ~ your project sounds like a lot of fun (I'm jealous)!! ASSuming your '30 RPU is like most that I've seen, you should have a lot of "height" in the engine compartment ~ soooo........why won't the TC intercooler fit in the stock configuration above the turbo? Your idea to split the real estate in that A or deuce grill and mount 3/4 of a rad on top and an IC underneath doesn't sound practical to me ~ BUT.......do whatever blows yer skirt (kilt) up, lol.

Your question ~ "How much does an intercooler help" ~ brings up an interesting point. None of the early TC's had 'em and I personally think they're overrated for the street. Cooling the charge air is obviously helpful in creating max power ~ but, how often do most folks mat the throttle for long enough periods in a street-driven vehicle to heat the air so much that it needs cooling? For those worrying about the need for charge cooling on the street when fitment of a "conventional" A-to-A IC is challenging ....an "on-demand" boost-triggered water/alky injection could .be used instead. My 2¢.......   

Any of the three ECU's you have will "run" your turbo engine, altho my choice would be the LA3 or 8UA ~ BUT......they're designed to do so using a VAM. I've heard of several folks piggy-backing the turbo EEC's with various devices (like "Quarterhorse") in order to run a MAF ~ but.....IIRC, doing so presented a long row to hoe. If you don't wanna run a VAM, my suggestion would be to get a PiMP or other aftermarket speed-density system and ditch the VAM/MAF strategy. 

As for the finned aluminum Ranger oil pan......it'll work just fine, as long as it's used with the specific pickup tube that's designed for it. Regarding rotated upper plenums........I'm not a fan if they're gutted ~ b/c, altho most here will disagree, I personally feel that they skew the air distribution in favor of the two rear cyls. <shrug>  Have fun!

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Thanks for the response. I will try to make comments that clarify and see if I can post pictures.

The IC won't fit in the normal configuration because it isn't the "normal" configuration. I am using a Stinger header and reclocking everything so that I can keep it inside the hood. The normal header would have required a bump in the hood. It's kind of a non-issue now because I am probably going to run with no hood sides anyway. But at this point I am not going back and change things. I think I can add the IC in front of the radiator and below it , between the front fenders. So I am hoping it will just be a plumbing issue.

I will probably run the VAM. I already have it plumbed in and hanging above the engine. I plan to put vents in the hood to help bring in cooler are for the intake. Using a MAF would just be easier to mount and I might be able to mount the IC above the engine then. I still might be able to as it sits now I haven't really explored the idea. I have heard the idea of using the PIMP but that's cost prohibitive for me. Well, not really but it's hard to justify for a toy.

I thought the Ranger pan would fit and it looks nicer than the stock pan. I just didn't want to pull it to find out. I hadn't thought about the oil pump though and that's a good point. I will look into theat.

I guess I don't know how to post a picture. I will see if I can figure it out and post again when I can add picture.

[TurboRay]

As you can tell from Evintho’s post above, there are several ways to “skin a cat”. He’s using a lakester nose to hide the IC & plumbing. OTOH, I ASSumed that you were gonna use a “standard” Model A or deuce grill. BUT, as you alluded to, you can obviously mount it underneath or wherever else it’ll fit. As I said earlier, however, I personally wouldn’t run one at all. 

You can at least get the project on the road w/o one ~ then, if you decide that you’d rather have an IC, you can add it later on.  <shrug>  BTW (you proabably already know) ~ BUT………a VAM IS a MAF. It’s just a mechanical version, rather that one using “hot-wire”, etc. strategy. OTOH, “speed density”, typically used in most aftermarket ECU’s, eliminates the VAM/MAF altogether, by substituting a MAP sensor to calculate fueling requirements. Have fun!  <thumbup>.