1998 into 2000 5.0 Swap: Sandbox 2.000 Goes V8

[97Sandbox]

Hey guys,

I've had no success finding a donor SOHC/M5R1HD rig, so I'm considering just making my '00 Sport a 5.0 after all. The original original plan was to use my rusty '99 Mounty as the donor, but it's since become too valuable as a farm truck.

A '98 Mounty (that ironically looks just like mine) recently popped up not far from me and the seller seems willing to make a deal. It leaks coolant from the timing cover -- just like my Mounty did when I brought it -- but I think I can limp it home.

Anyway, I know a '98 5.0 has P heads and cast manifolds, but I believe it'd have a different fuel system from the '99-'01 setup. Is that the main snag I'd run into? I'm not worried about the PCM being wrong because I'll be getting a tuned, manual-swap PCM anyway. If the only issue with putting a '98 5.0 into a '00 is needing to find a '99-'00 fuel rail and injectors, I think it'd be worth pulling the trigger on this Mounty.

Thanks for any input!

 

[410Fortune]

Does the 98 5.0 have one fuel line or two?
98 was the switchover year

Your 99 sport needs the returnless fuel rail and injectors, 99-01 explorer white injectors single fuel line
Plugs right in

The 5.0 pcm simply turns the pump on and off you can run either fuel rail with any 5.0 pcm

98 mounty 5.0 Would go in there like factory

 

[97Sandbox]

Okay cool that's kind of what I was thinking. I'm not sure if the '98 Mounty in question is return or returnless, and I'd rather go with returnless in my Sport so I don't have to add in a return line. But if worst case is needing a returnless rail and the white injectors, that's no biggie.

The tricky part is getting my wife's approval to buy another engine donor after the last engine donor became not an engine donor haha. Since the '98 Mounty is the same color combo as my '99, maybe I can just park one behind the barn and she won't notice there's two...

 

[97Sandbox]

I'm going to check out the Mounty later this week and hopefully bring it home. The seller seems eager to cut a deal because the truck is leaking coolant from the timing cover and he thinks the engine has to come out to replace the gasket. Interestingly enough, I got my '99 Mounty for a deal because it was also leaking coolant which I later found out was due to a blown out timing cover gasket.

The leak on my '99 wasn't that bad, but it sounds like this '98 has a more significant leak. I'm thinking I'll try to re-torque the water pump and timing cover bolts, bring a couple buckets of water and a funnel, and take the drive home slow and steady while keeping an eye on the temp data via my scan tool. Any other ideas for getting a leaky 5.0 to survive a 40-50 mile one way trip?

 

[410Fortune]

When a shop quotes $750-1000 to replace that gasket often the trucks go cheap!

It takes me 4-10 hours to replace that gasket depending on the 4 water jacket bolts
I keep a 5.0 timing cover in stock because sometimes when removing them over the locating dowls in the truck the cover gets *****ed up … lucky for you can just cut the front of the truck off and pull the whole drivetrain this time around lol

 

[VR4]

When a shop quotes $750-1000 to replace that gasket often the trucks go cheap!

It takes me 4-10 hours to replace that gasket depending on the 4 water jacket bolts
I keep a 5.0 timing cover in stock because sometimes when removing them over the locating dowls in the truck the cover gets *****ed up … lucky for you can just cut the front of the truck off and pull the whole drivetrain this time around lol

Replacing that gasket cost me over 1K doing it in my driveway. its the reason i ended up putting a cam in.

 

[97Sandbox]

I didn't think the 5.0 was any harder than the 4.0 timing cover, both of which I did without removing the engine. I thought there was plenty of room with the radiator out.

It will be awfully tempting to put a cam in, though. But I should really track down a set of headers first.

 

[VR4]

I didn't think the 5.0 was any harder than the 4.0 timing cover, both of which I did without removing the engine. I thought there was plenty of room with the radiator out.

It will be awfully tempting to put a cam in, though. But I should really track down a set of headers first.

yeah thats the route i took. headers first. then saw the timing cover leak. $8 repair turned into 4 digits due to my inability to leave things alone.

 

[97Sandbox]

Ah, okay, I see what you mean.

 

[97Sandbox]

Hey guys, I'm looking at the '98 Mounty tomorrow. I was reviewing pictures the seller sent me and noticed a couple things:

The radiator fan is a metal one like '96 and '97 had and the manifold does not look like the cast manifold on my '99 (my '99 had no heat shield on the driver's side manifold). Also the EGR valve is disconnected (I'll ask about that) and there's a diy "cold air intake."

The body of this rig definitely looks like a '98, not a '97. And the engine has external EGR. But did the engines with GT40P heads ever come with these manifolds? I know I can check for GT/GTP marks and three/four bars on the heads, but I'm wondering if this might be an older engine.

Any thoughts are welcome!

 

[410Fortune]

Those are welded manifolds

Yes the early 98 was still return fuel and welded
Manifolds but a p engine with external egr on passenger manifold

It will have two fuel lines and will have a pats key theft light

Metal fan and dual core radiator score

 

[97Sandbox]

Man, you know these things like the back of your hand!

I knew it was return (I'll find a returnless rail and injectors for my 2000) but I'm glad to hear it still has P heads. I can run the cast manifolds from my '99 that I "ported" instead of the junk welded ones.

The metal fan is definitely a bonus: one less thing I'll have to hunt for.

 

[97Sandbox]

Well I've got bad news and good news.

Bad news is, the '98 Mountaineer had it's original double core radiator replaced with a single core.

Good news is, the coolant leak was just a hole in the hose from the water pump to the thermostat -- I trimmed an inch of bad rubber off the end, topped the radiator off with water and drove 70 miles home. Never got hotter than 192F ect on an 80 degree day.

Ironically, this one is in much better shape than my '99. But I really don't need another AWD/4WD four door, so this '98 will be donating body and interior parts to my '99 Mounty and it's heart will go into my '00 Sport.

Lots of fun to come! I need to track down a returnless fuel rail and the wiring for a two-wire cam synchro. And probably a lot more haha

 

[410Fortune]

Why change the synchro? If you are using the new 98
PCM then it would keep the 3 wire like it has

You can change the fuel rail and injectors to the returnless and white injectors to work better with your 01 sport, plug and play
The 98 pcm has no idea if you are
Return or returnless, it simply turns the pump
On and off

It is almost as if ford knew we would do these conversions lol

 

[97Sandbox]

Oh really? I figured the PCM had to go with the fuel system. I'll be getting a manual-swap and PATS-deleted PCM regardless, so If I can tell the tuner to set the PCM up for a '98 5.0 and still run the returnless setup that my Sport is plumbed with, I'll be a happy camper.

Anything else besides the returnless rail and injectors I should track down? For the engine that is. I'm of course tempted to do exhaust and cam/valvetrain upgrades, but that's not in my budget right now. It'll probably be a refresh, reseal, and set it up like stock deal for the time being.

I already have the cast manifolds from my '99 Mounty and a 2wd M5R2. I won't have to track down manual swap bits besides the PCM because my Sport is a factory manual truck. I'll likely run the same clutch and flywheel combo that's in my Mounty. I'm looking forward to making a nicer trans crossmember this time too because I recently put in a 240V circuit for my welder and got a press brake attachment for my hydraulic press.

 

[410Fortune]

You should be good to go nothing else needed aside from tuning to remove the auto trans
Bolt on the cast manifolds
Run the returnless rail and injectors
Bolt it in
Wire it up
Exhaust and drivelines done

 

[97Sandbox]

Sweet!

Before I get too far down the swap path, I have to show you guys more of this '98 Mounty. The more I poke around, the more parts I realize it has to donate. I'll post some pics later.

A part of me wants to manual swap the '98 and gut my '99 instead. But the swap is pretty much done in the '99, so that'd be like doubling the amount of work. The '98 is a good bit less rusty though, and the owner wasn't a smoker so the interior isn't stinky like my '99 Mounty. I got rid of a lot of cig smell when I put the trac flooring in my, but I'm definitely going to rob the headliner and visors out of the '98.

 

[97Sandbox]

Alrighty, I couldn't be happier with this '98.

It's got just under 160k on it, 3.73 axles, and of course the GT40P 5.0 that I bought it for.

It's also got a good rear hatch to replace the dented and partially broken one on my '99 and four good doors (some of which I will swap onto my '99). The quarter panels are even solid!

I guess they'll make good patch panels.

I'll keep my leather seats in the '99, but these cloth seats are minty.

A buddy of mine will likely take the front buckets for his '98 Ranger.

The whole interior is in good shape aside from being dirty. I'm definitely going to swap some of these dash pieces into my '99.

It's got the gas tank and tcase skid plates...cool!

Will the tcase plate fit under a 4406?

It even has 3" lift shackles in the back.

The seller said he was going to tt the front, but never got around to it. I guess I have an excuse to lift my '99 now.

Now, mind you it has a 4404 that feels like it's locking up bad, the whole front suspension is worn out, and everything under the hood besides the radiator and plug wires are original. But for a parts car I couldn't ask for much more!

Anybody want a Mounty front end?

Just needs a replacement driver's side turn signal.

 

[97Sandbox]

I picked up an engine hoist last week and I'm getting my V8 refresh parts list together. So far I'm planning on:

• Gasket set including:
  • Valve cover gaskets
  • Intake gaskets
  • Valve stem seals
  • Timing cover gasket
  • Front and rear main seals
  • Oil pan gasket
  • Water pump gasket
• Intake elbow gaskets
• Water pump
• Double roller timing set
• PCV valve and grommet
• Radiator and heater hoses
• Upstream O2 sensors
• Thermostat
• Remflex GT40P header gaskets (I have to dig up this part number again)
• Belt, idler pullies, tensioner
• EGR hoses

I'm debating about also getting the following, although all these parts seem fine on the donor:

• Fan clutch
• Motor mounts
• Oil pump

What are your thoughts on these? What else would you guys recommend for a 160k 302?

I already have my new Bosch injectors for the returnless conversion and a used returnless fuel rail. I'll be converting to cast exhaust manifolds (unless some used headers pop up) -- not sure if I'll need a different EGR pipe. I already have a different dip stick and tube. I'll be looping the intake cooler hoses and deleting the two-piece lower radiator hose/oil cooler in favor of the one-piece hose and FL1A filter conversion.

 

[410Fortune]

Sounds perfect

Good idea to get a oil pump
Fan clutches last a long time, easy enough to replace later if you start to hear the fan roar all the time

Cam synchronizer may need replacing they don’t like to sit and they wear out, can still get ford parts last time I looked

The Dorman cast manifolds are good for the $$$, plan to spend a little time cleaning them up with a dremmel

The remflex gasket number is 3003 (easy to remember as my old stomping grounds Colorado area code is 303)

Yes get a new egr line no way you can re use the old one when a new one is only a few bucks

A can of permatex copper spray a gasket is a great idea for sealing all those gaskets