1998 into 2000 5.0 Swap: Sandbox 2.000 Goes V8

[97Sandbox]

Sounds good! Is the Melling pump (for stock volume and pressure) the one you'd recommend for a stock build?

I don't think this cam synchro has been sitting really, so I'm going to leave it for now. They chirp when they start to wear out, right?

I have the stock manifolds from my '99 that I plan to use. I started porting them before I went the TMH route, so they'll just need a little more touch up with a cartridge roll.

Thanks for the remflex confirmation, couldn't remember if it was 3003 or 3028.

I'll get the 99+ EGR pipe to go with my cast manifolds. I wonder the odds of getting the old line off the valve without damaging it or if I should get a new valve too.

 

[410Fortune]

Yes melling for the oil pump and timing set

high Volume oil pump in a stock 302 can lead to issues, basically it is capable of flowing more oil then the 302 is able to drain and all th e oil would get trapped in the top of the
Block instead of the pan where you need it

New egr valve not a bad idea they like to leak when they get old

Dorman egr line is good fit

Inspect the cam synchro,
By the time they are chirping it’s too late, you can only buy time with some oil in the casing
Easy enough to replace later in the 302,
So if yours is good don’t worry about it for now

 

[97Sandbox]

After chatting with the tuner who's setting up my PCM for this swap and double checking with @410Fortune, I've decided it'll be best to convert my '98 donor engine to run like it's a '99-'01. Everything will be happier in my '00 sport that way. Luckily, I still have my '99 PCM from my Mounty that'll get updated to run with a manual transmission. Some things on my '00 can stay, like the MAF and evap stuff. But I needed a later spec wire harness for the returnless injectors, two-wire cam synchro, etc. and an intake breather tube with no IAT sensor hole too.

So off to the salvage yard I went. They had a '96 5.0 rig that I really wanted the "Explorer V8" intake cover off of, but someone already took the whole upper manifold. They had a manual '98 Sport that I got a nice console/armrest out of -- I'll either put it in my Mounty as an upgrade or save it for a friend who wants to put bucket seats in his Ranger.

Then I found a '99 Mountaineer and an '01 Eddie Bauer, both with 5.0s. I was going to get everything off the Mountaineer just because I saw it first, but then I realized it had like 300k on it and the Explorer only had 167k. So I pivoted to the Explorer and boy am I glad I did. I was contemplating getting another set of cast manifolds because the threads in mine are pretty loose from when I had to drill out the rusted bolts. But the Eddie Bauer in the yard had something much better...

They're rusted through in a couple spots, but for $55 who am I to complain. After all, I've been known to weld up the holes and run rusted out TMHs before, why do anything different now? The good folks at the Lincoln U-pull didn't even charge extra for the EGR tube, how nice.

I took the powertrain harness too. It's not in spectacular shape, but I'll be modifying it for the auto trans delete anyway. Anyone seen one of these goofy things before? It's spliced into the MAF connector.

I don't plan to keep it, I'll be getting a performance tune on my PCM anyway.

All in all, it was a great haul!

 

[97Sandbox]

I'm deep into the rebuild of the M5R2 for my Mounty and I'm probably going to refresh the 2wd version I have for this Sport too. But it's dreadfully hot here, so I'm in no mood to be out in my shed. Since I have the transmission harness out of my Mounty, I brought it into the house and started making a copy for the Sport. It's very satisfying to delete all that auto trans stuff and just add a connector for the reverse switch.

Unfortunately, the only reverse switch connector I have in my parts bin is pretty ratty, so I'm going to snag another next time I'm at the salvage yard.

Next up, I have some splices to remove and repairs to make in the rest of the powertrain harness.

 

[410Fortune]

Don’t forget to loop the neutral safety wires


I just did this same thing last week, my stepson converted a 05 ranger from auto to stick I wired it up for him
I was able to get the neutral safety wire under the dash and physically add the 3 position clutch switch pigtail, the 05 ranger did not have one!

Interesting to note some late model ranger m5od had a oss sensor in the tailhousing… lucky!

 

[97Sandbox]

Yep, the two start circuit leads for the NSS are looped in the back of the connector. I used a pre-made loop from the manual F150 harness that came with my transmission. Nice and tidy like OEM.

I also pack RTV into all the abandoned holes left from removing auto trans pins just for good measure.

What you're describing with the CPP pigtail is what I had to do in my Mounty. Getting cruise control tied in right was the trickiest part, I had to cut into the harness on the engine side of the firewall and remove a splice then run a new lead back through the bulkhead connector into where I wired in the CPP pigtail under the dash. Luckily I won't have to do any of that on my Sport because it's already manual!

 

[97Sandbox]

I got the AC systems evacuated in the Sport and the donor today so now the engines are ready to come out! I just need to pick up an engine stand for the 5.0 while I re-gasket it.

I'm thinking about running an intake spacer on this one so I have better clearance around/under the intake. What do you guys do for spacing the EGR tube when you run an intake spacer? I'm thinking maybe the tube has enough flex to work with a 3/8" intake spacer, but I'd think a 1" would require some modification to the EGR tube. I know LMR makes an EGR spacer for 94/95 stangs, but it costs half as much as the intake spacer kit.

 

[410Fortune]

The egr tube can be bent to make up for the spacer
I run a full 1” spacer on all my 5.0
Cheap and effective upgrade

The spacer keeps the upper intake warm to the touch
The spacer increases the runner length and improves torque slightly
You have to modify the coil pack tower, basically cut off one let so it’s a bipod not tripod

You will usually need two additional long bolts for our gt40 intake

On sale you can get the standard hf engine stand under $95 … which sucks because they used to be more like $65

Craigslist Facebook also good for engine stands
I keep buying them because I keep storing more engines for later use or rebuilt I think o got like 6 now. Harbor friggin freight loves me

 

[97Sandbox]

Sounds good! I may pick up an eBay spacer then.

Yeah, the stands are all over Marketplace for $40-75. I'm going to try to grab one this weekend.

 

[97Sandbox]

Made good progress in a short amount of time on the Sport tonight. Just getting stuff cleared out of the way and starting to soak exhaust bolts. Air intake, radiator, battery tray, condenser, overflow tanks, and cruise control are all out.

The lower stud on the evaporator box started spinning in the firewall before I got the nut off, so I decided that was a good stopping point. Tomorrow I'll get after it again with a cutting apparatus of some kind.

Is pulling off the good necessary when removing the engine?

 

[410Fortune]

Pulling the hood helps but not necessary
To Keep from pulling the hood make sure your hoist hook is down close to the lower intake. If you chain is too long then the hook likes to get up into the hood

 

[97Sandbox]

Sounds good!

I've gotten all the HVAC out and electrical disconnected too. Just exhaust, fuel line, and transmission are left.

Can I pull the blend door back to gain access to the lower evaporator box stud/bolt from the back? Or is there a servo connected to a linkage that would get damaged in the process?

 

[410Fortune]

Adding pictures is broken it has been a challenge last few days

Try using the drag and drop picture icon

That lower stud is a pita
Is it not accessible from the inside? I can’t remember. Usually we just ya in the box off that bottom stud if they won’t unthread easily

 

[97Sandbox]

It's not accessible under the dash, looks like it's inside the box that houses the heater core. It looks like it'd be easily accessible from the engine bay side, but it's behind the blend door.

Found a picture workaround. I had to attach the file, then I could insert it into the post.

 

[allmyEXes]

Is that nut still on? Also, you could grip the stud at the end with little vice grips long enough to get the nut broke a loose.

 

[97Sandbox]

The nut in the last picture is actually one that goes against the firewall, behind the evaporator box. There was another nut on the outside of the box that was rusty. I did what you described, but couldn't get the outer nut all the way off, so I had to cut it (and I cut some of the stud in the process).

I think the "stud" is actually a bolt, and the remaining nut holds it tight to the firewall -- well, it's supposed to anyway. The threaded portion doesn't appear to be welded or staked into the firewall, it just goes through it and is loose, hence why it spun.

 

[410Fortune]

You dealing with this one?

The double stud bottom most, above the ac drain ?

The other side of that pita I believe goes into this plastic bit here on the inside box

Unusually just cut it on engine side
Not needed
If truck is going to crusher then we just yaNk on that ***** and break the plastic
I only keep the interior hvac box w the r blend door in it for parts… when I crush them I’m after the clean aluminum inside the engine side
Box

It will go together fine without that bolt if you have to cut it engine side
Try vise grip idea first

Crazy forum let me type *****!!! I haven’t been able to cuss in a while on here hahaha

Nevermind now it’s **** out

 

[97Sandbox]

Hahaha it would've made sense if I'd been able to upload pictures last night!

Yes and yes. Been there, done that. I'm left with a mangled stud. But if I don't need it, I won't worry.

I'm deep into removing the Y pipe/downpipes now -- those manifold bolts make me want to cuss too for sure. Off to get my sawzall...

 

[97Sandbox]

I'm going to be feeling this all week

Next to go, transmission.