Hello Everyone ! Well I am still on the quest for the 5.0 EFI engine for my V8 swap, and my local junkyard has a running engine being pulled out of a truck (4x4 f150), I could get it with the computer, wiring harness, exhaust manifold for a VERY decent price but my biggest concern is regarding the intake manifold that seems to be too high , but I've a "Mustang-Master" (EFI Mustangs are his speciality and he is always working on his two stangs) a block away from home who offered me inexpensive stock 5.0 HO intake as he seems to have a couple of spear ones home and also a set of HO stock heads, of course he explained to me that if I can't get an HO engine I would be losing the benefits of the improved stock pistons on HO engines but that could be fixed if I ever rebuild the engine, I would like to have some comments regarding this f150 engine and if the swap could be performed or if I am better waiting to save some more cash for a Mustang engine. Or to avoid fuel pump installation (return line nightmare, gas tank removal, etc..) I should just get a "running" 5.0 and install a carb-ready intake, swap the distributor and all of the ignition crap that comes along ? and install a decent carb on it ? And what kind of difficulties am I going to face with that blancing thing ? 'cause I don't have a clue about that 50 oz. balance thing, would that 5.0 EFI engine would be "balanced" (whatever that means) ? Thanks, and please post any comments I really need your advices !
What year F-150? The stock truck manifolds probably won't work in your Maverick. www.fordfuelinjection.com is a good site, and has some Bronco build-ups that explain what you need to know. As for wiring it's much easier to use an aftermarket kit, like something from Painless, but if you want to be cheap you can spend hours to redo a factory harness.
The upper and lower intakes that your buddy wants to give you will work just fine, as the truck intakes would indeed be too tall for a Mav. And I wouldn't call the return fuel line a nightmare at all, it's really no big deal, accomplished with a length of braided hose and a small fitting plumbed into the side of the fuel tank. I've done this swap the hard way (before the kits came along) and would be glad to discuss the details if you decide to go this route. Don't let it intimidate you, it's not as hard as you think.
Thank you very much guys ! :bananaman You really help a lot with your comments ! I feel that this is a major step as winter is getting closer and I don't think I will be able to swap my engine before I will have to store my ride for winter, but I still feel like I should get the parts before winter so I can at least clean them up, collect them, prepare and plan as much as I can to make of this swap a pleasant nightmare... lol
I don't know what year motor your looking at but you need a lot more info about all this. Your Mustang 'expert' should know what you need. 1. the motor is speed density not mass air. 2. it is batch fire for injection. 3. the ignition fire order may be the old one like you now have. 4. there is only one ox sensor. 5. If it has the older v belts, it is not a HO type roller motor. The motor has a short duration cam such that the low end power is good but it falls down at about 4200 rpm. Just some of the things you need to get informed on. I would begin with an HO roller motor either Speed Density or Mass Air for a nice well manored street car and not deal with all this other stuff above.. You still need a two pipe fuel system and a hi pressure pump in line at some point near the tank. It's not as easy and you want it to be but still not a bad as long as you understand the issues going into it, before you start. Sam and I both run EFI in our cars, and I run a blown Speed Density 5L now built out of a 2001 Explorer motor with a Cobra cam and 40 p heads. Good luck.
Awesome respones ! I am amazed about your comments guys as I was even considering pulling out the 351 EFI from my new "old" F250 and start stripping the Maverick out and maybe shave the shock towers and ask a friend to help me out to weld some plates to cover the holes as the F250 (88 with 141,000 kms) is not really in use and I got it because I wanted to feel the power on it and it is still running very well (exchanged a Ford Ranger for a F250.. lol) and maybe install the I6 250 cid on the F250 lol just for the sake of it . But I guees I will forget it.. pickup engines and setups to pickups and try harder to get a Mustang 5.0 HO engine with all of the goodies... Thanks again to all of you for posting comments and advices !
You're right, he didn't specify the year. However there were some years that had MAFs on trucks. The firing order is standard 302 on ALL trucks. Only HO got the 351w FO. Some years got multiple O2 sensors as well. Just clarifying your blanket statements. For the original poster: Trucks had roller timing chains. They got roller blocks in the late 80s, but not roller cams. HO heads are nothing special. My 90 F150 came with the E7 head castings that came on HOs. Sounds like this guy is interested in pawning some of his old parts off on you. You should change the timing cover so you can use a front mounted dipstick. The engine is balanced. The 50oz thing is the external balance weight. This is different than older engines, so you must use a 50oz flexplate and balancer. Other than that, other stuff should mix fine. You probably want an aftermarket 'brain' for the system. The trucks came with a huge amount of emissions crud on them and the computer likes to operate with it all intact. Especially if it is a MAP system. The MAP (SD) system does not like any change to the engine or it's systems. There is more room to modify with a MAF system. A MAP can be freaked out by headers... good heads, cam, etc... are out of the question unless you get it professionally reprogrammed via custom chip/module.
Some Lincolns and T-Birds/Cougars also came with the HO. I would prefer one of those because you know the Stangs will have been flogged hard. All the "goodies" are only good if you don't have to rebuild the engine. If you are going to do a rebuild, you could just start with any old non-HO roller block and add the goodies and then some. The forged pistons you mention are only used until 92, so keep that in mind.
We were trying to be of help by alerting you to the differences between the trucks and the cars. The trucks were later in tranfering to the good car based systems like roller blocks, mass air etc. since trucks were used to haul loads and do some towing where they needed the low end power and not the air and fuel requirements of a car. The tall intake manifolds were used to enhance the low end pulling power to match the cam as well as having room under the hood. If you are willing to alter the spring towers, I would consider a 351w roller motor out of a 93/94 truck. Outfit it with a car type roller cam and a Mustang control EEC system with Mass Air. Then you have a real basis of good power without winding the motor to the moon as long as you don't use a long duration cam. Even the stock Explorer cam will pull very well in a 5L and even better in a 5.7L and still have some upper rpm power but are not considered performance cams. There are lots of way to go when you have the info. Good luck. Winter is long and time to make decisions.
The statements about SD being so poor with other heads, headers etc is flat out wrong. Please don't make those statements based on what you might have heard otherwise, without knowing. The MAP cannot see the headers or their effects no matter what heads are used because there is no valve overlap with stock type cams, to affect the intake vacuum. Head used has little effect either except to flow more air the Ox sensors detect and can do so up to the point the injectors become to small to feed the motor. That dosn't happen until an N/A of close to 280hp. The SD EEC can trim up to 24 lb injectors. I have been supercharging SD for more than 4 years with a Kenne Bell on a stock 5L and now with a Cobra cam, 40 p heads with FMS headers. The power is in the 350 range now and still SD. I could raise the boost but it's enough for me. I'm not looking for an arguement but everytime I reply, I get the same thing on this board and get fed up sometimes and don't come often because what do I know after being at this for over 50 years.. Cheers.
Here's some info on the truck 5.0's from 87-up : All had roller blocks, but the trucks didn't get roller cams till 92 and then it was the "base" roller used in the big Ford's, lincolns & Mercs. In 94 they got the better F4TE roller which also had the 351W firing order and only slightly less lift & duration than the HO roller, in effect, the 94-97 Truck 5.0's had only slightly less power than the Stang 5.0. All had the same E7TE heads, all other parts same as the HO motor except for the cam, pistons (after 93, even these are the same parts)and induction. I would never pass on a truck 5.0 and hope for the Stang HO, the parts they're made up from aren't all that different. If you're going to rebuild, then there's no reason not to go with a truck 5.0 as a core.
is it true that SD harnesses can be converted to mass air by swapping out the computer, and adding the wring for the mass air sensor? Been told that,,, SD computer plugs that ive seen have the wires in the plug already, but were not used,,,, Id say if you were able to put a spacer under the upper plentumn, on a car style plentumn, might be able to use the stock shock tower braces??? Maybe an inch spacer, or 1.5 spacer. Speed density setup is a pretty good setup, Just have the parts to match the efi. I used plastic air line from a semi truck for the return line, twin fuel pumps with an accumilator built in. I kept the high pressure pump as close to the fuel rail as I could to keep pressure more stable, rather than pressureize 15+ feet of fuel lines, only a short stretch of high pressure line to the rail with a inline pressure regualtor.
Yes, this is true. I used a SD harness from an '86 Grand Marquis for my EFI swap and later added the wiring for mass air. I bought a kit that had the wiring and connector for the MAF sensor. There *may* have been a couple of other wires that needed to be swapped around in the EEC connector, but I can't remember off hand...but yes, you can use a SD harness.
