E30 Ecoboost Swap

This is a potential project and I'm asking for advice from the knowledgeable community here.

I would like to take the drive train from a salvage 2.3 Mustang ecoboost and mate it to an old e30.

One major problem is that modern Fords use electric assist power steering and have no mount or space for PS pump. Is there a solution to this that doesn't cost an arm or leg?

Also drive by wire throttle system. Can I utilize parts from the Mustang?

What would be the best route for engine management/ecu? Utilize an external controler?

If there is anything else to consider, all thoughts and advice are appreciated.

A lot of people do electric PS adaptations from later model cars. If memory serves, look at Prius, MR2 Spyders, and Saturns.

Some cars do hydraulic power steering with an seperate electric pump mounted on the frame. Might be another option to look into.

Mounting the pedal from the donor car will probably be your best option for the DBW throttle. Pretty common solution for Gen 4 LS and Coyote swaps as far as I know.

In reply to Daylan C :

Thanks for the info on the electric pump. That is a very viable solution. Do you know of any cars that use that type of system?

MR2 is the common electric pump solution

Saturn Vue is the common electric column solution

I don't think there is a common electric rack solution :(

In reply to bb4219 :

FRS/BRZ use that sort of setup and apparently so do MR2s.

Are you planning on using the Ford ECU controller pack or hiding all of the different modules that you need to keep the mustangs ecu happy?

R50/53 MINIs also use an electric P/S pump .

The 2.3EB doesn't have the bosses on the cylinder head for the hydraulic pump?

The transverse Duratecs with electric power steering have an idler pulley that mounts up there.  I have not examined a Mustang thoroughly enough to look at its belt drive, as I was more focused on the HPFP/firewall clearance interface.

RossD said:

Are you planning on using the Ford ECU controller pack or hiding all of the different modules that you need to keep the mustangs ecu happy?

I think it would be easist to use controllers from the donor car. But the electrical/computer side is not my specialty. Do you have any recommendations or what would be most effective? I.E. external controller or whatever else. I dont plan on utilizing the traction control or other variables like the sport mode so i wont need a lot of functions that are stock on the mustang.

Also. Update on EPS system. 2013 and newer altimas and maximas use a electric hydraulic system. I think i can pull the pump from salvage.

In reply to bb4219 :

Got $1700 for a controller pack, or the time and patience to transplant all the canbus connected modules? I am not trying to poo poo your idea, just giving you something to think about. Look up the ecoboost TVR in the build treads on here. He's using the controls pack.

Yes, this is literally what the controls pack is intended for.

This is the TVR thread that is worth reading on its own, but also specifically gets to issues around having gotten the controller and harness from Ford. My impression is that the Ford stuff in the existing cars is less friendly than, say, GM (or maybe just less well supported in the aftermarket) for being able to turn off the anti-theft stuff and the looking for modules on the CANbus you won't have. Thus the strong leaning toward the standalone package to run the engine without trying to lift all the wiring and ECU from a Mustang.

One of the great things about E30s is the steering feel (though the stock rack is way too slow), so I'd strongly lean toward running an electric pump and swapping in one of the faster racks out of an E36 or Z3.

The biggest issue with the TVR is that he's using a 2.0l engine, which isn't supported.  The 2.3l is- https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6017-23T

Isn't cheap, but other than hacking the stock computer to work, there are no other options.

Yeah, the control pack is a good way of getting crate-motor control over that engine.  Since the 2.3 control pack is still readily available I would say it's a good option if you're not controls-savvy.

I looked into other ways of using a stock ecu and having it modified - this seems to be possible with HP-Tuners.  I looked into other stand-alone ecu options.  Ultimately Ford Performance did fulfill my back-ordered control pack (yay).

If I were doing it fresh and were going to try and have the stock computer hacked, I would start with a donor car and have access to complete wiring harness and all the sensors and doodahs that may be mounted.  Engines from scrap yards get stripped and hacked in weird ways.  It can be a mystery just figuring out what's there and what's not.

alfadriver said:

The biggest issue with the TVR is that he's using a 2.0l engine, which isn't supported.  The 2.3l is- https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6017-23T

Isn't cheap, but other than hacking the stock computer to work, there are no other options.

Are there mechanical differences between the two, or could one just get the 2.3 controls pack and get HPTuners and blow in a 2.0 tune?  The Ford Motorsport computers are supported devices.

Knurled. said:

alfadriver said:

The biggest issue with the TVR is that he's using a 2.0l engine, which isn't supported.  The 2.3l is- https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6017-23T

Isn't cheap, but other than hacking the stock computer to work, there are no other options.

Are there mechanical differences between the two, or could one just get the 2.3 controls pack and get HPTuners and blow in a 2.0 tune?  The Ford Motorsport computers are supported devices.

Well, in this case, how the engine measures how much fuel to inject is very dependent on the displacement- so the obvious difference matters.  Seeing how HPTuners works, converting the 2.3 cal to 2.0l is far from trivial.  The terms that go into the calculation can't be simply scaled....

But for the thread in general, the 2.3l swap into a BMW would be supported by the motorsports tuner.

Depending on what your intentions are with the car, just depower the factory e30 rack and drive it without power steering. That would be, by a large margin, the simplest solution. With a small RWD car like an e30, you can get by in 90% of situations just fine without power steering. If you live in the city and intend to do a lot of parallel parking with the car, then you may want to put some more effort into getting power steering functioning. But if that's not the case, then I'd just re-prioritize power steering to the bottom of the list (after getting the car running and driving), then see how it feels and add power steering back if you feel it necessary. 

pretty sure there is something else in the mazda / ford parts bin for power steering pumps like a 2006 Mazda 6 would bolt up where the serp belt tensioner currently lives. You would probably have to play around with belt routes and clearance issues.