I have an '89 RS with a 2.8 and an automatic transmission.
I am thinking about putting in a v8 and a t-5 but I was wondering, how much power could I get out of the 2.8 and how much of the electronic crap can I get rid of?(assuming I want to stay naturally aspirated and run 87 octane)
and then what parts should I use?

Any help would be great!

 

the 2.8L is a mpfi motor and cannot run without it's sensors or computer control... aside from a/c and AIR system, there isn't much you can eliminate. It'd be smarter to keep all the computers and go turbo for more power from that engine... or just swap to a larger/newer v6 like the 3.4L which is almost a direct swap. V8 swap is fairly involved, but there are details for it in the engine swap section of the boards...

 

That was what I was afraid of, I've done engine swap's in older cars so I know I can do them I'm just horrible with computers in cars and I wanted the better gas mileage.

Thanks anyway!

 

then swap in an small block and carb it... you could still keep the computer and the basic sensors so your gauges work and the tranny shifts properly... but the engine won't need a computer to run proper... sounds like that would be right up your alley...

problem with putting a small block in the v6 car, means upgrading to v8 suspension, fuel lines, fuel pump, engine mounts, trans housing, and wiring... in a nutshell... like I said though, there is a detailed, almost step by step write up in the engine swap section..

good luck with whatever your planning...

 

It really depends on how involved you want to get. There's 300hp+ naturally aspirated v6's running around, but they're using aluminum fwd heads/manifold. You could boost the iron heads and make decent power, but you'll still be limited by the iron heads. Only real problem I've heard of is with 300hp 7000rpm circletrack motors developing cracks in the lifter valley after many seasons of racing. Sounds like you want to 'drop-in' a motor and not really build one, so a carbed v8 would probably be simplest.

 

well, i've gotnothing wrong with getting really involved just as long as it doen't involve computers, I'll pull out an engine and rebuild a carb or a valvetrain but if someone asks me to wire it...I'm lost. and I'm looking for more reliability and moderate power than really high power/high mainenance v6 so a 350 or a 305 sounds pretty good right now.

 

High output doesn't neccecarily mean high maintenance, depends on what you do with it. You could carb it with the edelbrock manifold... but why would you want to? EFI is the way to go if you want the most out of the engine you can get. It's really not as difficult as it seems, just takes practice. You need to look at what you want out of your car. Carbed V8= instant power, crappy mileage & mediocre handling; injected v6= decent power, good mileage and great handling. If you can build a motor you can put together a wicked little v6.