motor swap

[GUNITALLREDY]

im tired of having 160hp and its just not enough hp for me. im a big mustang guy and love what they did with the new 3.7 310hp v6 mustang motor i have a couple conections to get the motor cheap used but i realy dont kno how i can realy make it work 100%. like what trans to use and how to make the t case work with that. i would just throw in an 04 terminator motor with a mercury marauder trans and stand alone computer but that V8 is expensive and i want to get the best mpg as posible since im getiing an average of 22mpg now. any advice or views on this swap will be apreciated. i dont plan on doing this swap till the summer thanks

 

[97sprt4x4]

you need to decide what you want, Having a huge motor with a lot of power is not going to get you good MPG, getting good gas mileage is usually not a high horse power car.

And in the time that it takes for a swap just for more power, why not just buy a v8 explorer and start from there? or switch over to a full sized truck.

It can be done but mix and matching parts will make it a long an arduous process, the only swaps that have been done readily are v8 drive trains into v6 housings, there have been a few 351's put into second gens, and a few 5.0s put into first gens.

Decide what you want, mpg or power, and then you need to decide how much money you're willing to spend, if you can't do the work yourself, expect $$$$

Justin

 

[ranger7ltr]

Just my take on this...

I have looked at using the new V6 and V8 Mustang engines as swap material...I have looked into buying a totaled car to have the donor for parts and reference...

Both engines are drive by wire...This would be new swap territory for me but the last 4 new vehicles I have owned were or are DBW...And the wiring harnesses for either engine is available through Ford Motorsport albeit for a princely sum...Or I would use the throttle pedal assembly from the donor car...Just like Ford motorsport does when they sell the harness and pedal assembly to work with the new engine in different chassis...

The V6 appears to be dimensionally similar to the SOHC engine 4.0 liter so fitment should be no issue..The V8 is wider at the top than the pushrod V8 but the exhaust is tucked into the lower part of the engine and I believe would fit into a 2nd Gen engine bay...The access to the plugs is not an issue thanks to the plugs being under a cover in the center of each head...I have seen a Coyote V8 in a fox body Mustang and it has more clearance in that engine bay than a 4.6 liter engine did...

Since both engines use a 6 speed auto or manual I would use whichever tranny came with the donor...Eases the swap and harness connections...I am thinking the fuel system, cooling system, and a/c system would adapt readily to the Explorer or other Ford chassis I would install the driveline into...

The one difference is that the 2011 Mustang uses an electric steering rack so no power steering pump hung off the front of the engine...Either look into using the Mustang rack or a Ford hydraulic rack with an electric pump from an MR2 or Pontiac G5 should fit the bill nicely...

Now to be clear the swap vehicles I am looking at are RWD... My 99 Explorer Sport and a Merkur Scorpio I am looking at buying would be the targets of my efforts...I have driven both drivelines in the Mustangs and I like the power[obviously] and the fuel mileage that Ford has managed to squeeze out of the engines...If I could get that kind of power in the Explorer or in a lighter chassis like the Scorpio [412hp;hell yeah!], that vehicle would be quicker and fster than my Dodge Charger...

 

[Jordan86]

I don't see a problem with swapping engines in an explorer for more power. Yeah it's going to be pricey but it will be a lot cheaper than having to buy a whole other vehicle. If you have a new powertrain then you more or less have a new vehicle and it would probably be a head turner plus no crappy vehicle payments! I say if you have the resources and the know how by all means go for it

 

[GUNITALLREDY]

thanks for all the replies. i think im gona go with the new 5.0 with 412hp Switching to another truck just isnt an option for me. i plan to use the 6 speed that comes with it and run a stand alone computer. if the mustang gets 28 mpg with this motor i dont see why i couldnt get 22mpg. the part im a little confused on would be if i can get a t case to work with that trans because i need to keep my 4wd

 

[Richk1962]

thanks for all the replies. i think im gona go with the new 5.0 with 412hp Switching to another truck just isnt an option for me. i plan to use the 6 speed that comes with it and run a stand alone computer. if the mustang gets 28 mpg with this motor i dont see why i couldnt get 22mpg. the part im a little confused on would be if i can get a t case to work with that trans because i need to keep my 4wd

Gunitallredy, I have been kicking around the idea of using the Mustang 3.7, but you would have to find a 4 wheel drive transmission that will bolt up to the engine. The Mustang transmission would not work in your 4 wheeler without major redesign.