1988 Turbocoupe

Anyone know anything about the T-Bird Turbocoupe? I'm considering getting one, but I don't know what kinds of problems people tend to have with them.

So what're the turbocoupe (and 1988 T-bird) owners' experiences with the car?

*Bump*

Anyone here ever owned a Turbocoupe? Ever?

not very pop. cause it is lacking in power but it is a rare car to find. On the good side it does has rear disks with a posi in the rear.might have 3.73 gears in it as well?

I haven't heard of any normal problems they have, but they were usually driven very hard just because of the name. I would suggest a complete check over of the car before you buy it.

not very pop. cause it is lacking in power but it is a rare car to find. On the good side it does has rear disks with a posi in the rear.might have 3.73 gears in it as well?

Well, 190hp isn't too bad, I mean, it's within about 10hp of the 5.0L V8 in the same car... plus I have a friend who is a mechanic with some specialized knowledge on the turbocoupe. He's gotten a couple very fast, in fact, so I'm not too scared of the fact that it'll be about as fast as my Z when the car's stock... more worried about reliability, and parts (like the headlights) working... Stuff like that, since I've owned a 1993 T-bird 3.8, which was heinously slow... but worse than that, it ate headlight switches. Having to tear apart your dash on a long distance trip, and leave the windows open, when it's snowing, to allow the headlight switch to cool... well, that's just not acceptable.

- Dragoon

Sounded like your switch had some type of short in it. Most of the time these are cars reliable, but I'm not really experienced with the T-birds before 89.

sorry wish I could help more someone else probably can.

I haven't heard of any normal problems they have, but they were usually driven very hard just because of the name. I would suggest a complete check over of the car before you buy it.


I certainly agree with your suggestion of a FULL check. The autotrader ad for the one in question says that it has a new engine and turbo, which begs the question, what's up with the tranny and dif? Oh, and is the clutch about to bomb? Since turbocoupes are frequently manuals, after all...

I'm just lookin' for stuff like the light switch problem I had in my 1993 T-bird.

Sounded like your switch had some type of short in it. Most of the time these are cars reliable, but I'm not really experienced with the T-birds before 89.

sorry wish I could help more someone else probably can.

Well, it's long into the past now, but I replaced the switch, and the new switch basically started overheating too... within a matter of months. I think it was something fundamentally wrong with the wiring, somewhere in the system (further back than the switch itself), and and I agree with your assessment of reliability, my old T-bird was about as rock solid as a car could get... the light switch was only a minor problem, just shouldn't have been a problem.

Perhaps I should ask, also, if anyone has any experience with turboed four-cyl Fords.

Well, it's long into the past now, but I replaced the switch, and the new switch basically started overheating too... within a matter of months. I think it was something fundamentally wrong with the wiring, somewhere in the system (further back than the switch itself), and and I agree with your assessment of reliability, my old T-bird was about as rock solid as a car could get... the light switch was only a minor problem, just shouldn't have been a problem.

Perhaps I should ask, also, if anyone has any experience with turboed four-cyl Fords.


It has to do with the fog lamps. Call Ford and have them check Oasis for recalls on your car. Just about every '93 had a recall for the switch and modified wiring.

It has to do with the fog lamps. Call Ford and have them check Oasis for recalls on your car. Just about every '93 had a recall for the switch and modified wiring.

Ahh, ok, it's a little late for that car though... I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks,

I own an 88 TC. Its a great car. I don't know where the Idea that is has no power came from. The 5 speed left the factory with more HP than the 5.0 that year, 87 too.

With a few minor mods, these are really quck cars. Best ride of any of the Fox birds. PRC makes a difference.

Downside is parts are hard to find as it has been out of production for so long, and the 2.3t parts are not interchangeable with the 2.3NA.

If ou really want to know about this car go to www.turbotbird.com more info there than you'll ever need. Also people in these "no power" cars who are running in the 13's.

Thanks a ton, that was really helpful! :bigthumb:

Let me put it this way, I have approximately 1500 dollars in my car including the original cost of the car and rebuilding the engine myself and a few mods. The car is at least as quick as my dad's 88 GT mustang and the power hits really hard and quick on the 87-88 models due to the smaller turbo. 300 HP is possible on the stock computer system, more if you're creative, the stock shortblock if not totally worn out will take 400 HP (with some sort of fuel management) and there are a few people getting 600-700 HP (with many mods and internal part upgrades, of course, but the blocks aren't splitting even at that level) the only problem then is money to build it and put new bearings in after beating the crap out of them with all that power.
Basically, there is a lot of power to be had for very cheap, just don't get too crazy and you'll have a cheap, fast, and streetable car with all the creature comforts. Also figure that most of its parts (driveline, suspension) are just like the mustangs and many parts do interchange, and the aftermarket is growing once again for the 2.3 turbo.

Awesome, thanks for the input. That's about what I had thought I heard.

I bought one new in '85, and here are the problems I didn't like - can't do a valve job (needs new head replacement), burned dirty - hard to pass EPA, in-tank pump half died. If someone does a valve job, it will never breathe quite right again. When the pump went, it was actually a fuel hose rupture in the tank, almost ran acceptably with a FULL tank. This fooled the rail pressure test reading. Found it by process of elimination.

buddy gas one an its running mid 13's he has a merkurXr4 or whatever its called running 12's so the ford 2.3L is good enough to be called potent!

I just bought my friends 88 TC about 4 months ago with a complete engine rebuild. The only things I don't like about is 1)The headlights seem really dim even the brights, I drive with the brights always on and nobody I pass seems to mind. 2)The interior seems to be just falling apart especially the door panels. 3)The two electric cooling fans didn't work because of a bad relay that I couldn't find anywhere. I had to wire up 2 switches in the dash, and I have to watch the temp gauge like a hawk.

I paid $1200 and I can honestly say it's the best 1200 I've ever spent. In my opinion the turbo coupes offer the most bang for your buck and I say damn the nay-sayers. These cars are FAST. When you feel that turbo kick in its almost the greatest thing you could ever ask for. My advice like the others said look it over really good, and get the manual tranny. The automatic robs about 40-50HP.

'88 Turbo Coupe 2.3L 5sp 115K Burgandy

Something strange about Ford wiring, they obviously wire their cars as cheap as they can. I've seen wires of bad extrusion quality, that act as fusible links after drawing current a few years. Ford used a light bulb in the late sixties with their "Ford has a better idea" slogan.

For the turbo, change the oil often with 5W30. Don't buy one older than '85, cause then the turbo was water cooled. Don't shut down on a rev. Good luck.

I have a 88 Turbo coupe that I am putting back together(no motor right now). Sorry, I don't have any advise on the cars since I haven't actually driven one yet. I can say that I am in love with the 2.3T motors. :smile:

these cars are nice but off the line there a little doggy til the turbo goes in i had a 88 but the wiring harness went bad there was a short somewhere in it but i could'nt find it so i just keeped replacing wires as they burned out it also had damage on p/s corner panel.well i parted the car.anyway great cars when runnig right they handle realy good.if you have one w/a manual trans it has 3.55 in the rear they all come w/disc breaks and if you want put a 5.0 motor in it because the rest is done for you. hotrod mag did an article a year or two ago of the top ten later cars to be hotrods and the tc was #3 and they said the same thing about put a mustang motor in it because all the rest is done besides front springs/computerand ect.t-bird and mustang are both fox body so alot of the parts are interchangeable.but you cant beat the weight and balence of the 4 banger.also try www.foxthundercats.com.

"these cars are nice but off the line there a little doggy til the turbo goes in"

Yeah, turbo lag. You need rpms to get the boost to add the power, so power follows the exhaust buildup. My opinion is that 2.3 is underpowered for that size car despite turbo. They should went with Mustang only on this drivetrain. It does work, but don't expect to be pinned to the seat.