5.0 swap

[raiderx72]

I know this is prolly a hot topic here and im sorry if it was posted before but i would just like to know if you could do a clean swap from a 94 XLT 4.0 to a 5.0.. and if not what are the mods you need to do? any info would be greatly needed
Thanks
Pat

 

[Jason_25]

This is not a clean swap for sure. It you're doing it yourself, plan on spending many, many hours working on it.

Do a search.

 

[Sandy]

Why is it that everyone says that this is not a clean swap?
My buddy and I did this swap in one week of nights and a weekend, most of the time was spent on the harnessing.

I have heard of problems with some kit that are being used out there, but I do not recall the name of the manufacturers. I used the L&L Products Kit and it work really well.
If you use the correct adapters and mod the heater box, this is a bolt in application.
The wiring can be a problem but address it straightforward, i.e. find the power/run/run-power wires and the Ford book will do the rest.

With the L&L kit my 5.0 bolted in place with one problem, the heater box.
If you use a body lift you can avoid this mod or if you do the mod before the engine goes in the problem would have been eliminated.

Good Luck on the project, take your time, get the parts together before you starts and do not go cheap on anything, buy quality and you get quality.

 

[asp84]

not bolt on: EXHAUST Fabrication, 96+ V8 Explorer radiators, Heater box mods, motor pount positioning, tranny crossmember modification, AC install.

 

[Sandy]

asp84 wrote - not bolt on: EXHAUST Fabrication, 96+ V8 Explorer radiators, Heater box mods, motor mount positioning, tranny crossmember modification, AC install.

Well let see,

Exhaust one problem, a 3/8" notch cut in the passenger frame. The complete system was bent up by a local shop, $250.00.

Radiator - Explorer radiator may work, not sure but sounds good, should be a bolt in. I used the A/A radiator and that needed two mounting hole drilled.

Heater Box - If there is a major problem, then this is it, if you go by the directions, all it takes is a little time.

L&L Motor Mounts bolted in place using the original holes and aligned perfectly.

Tranny Mount - A/A Adapter used the original mount and location no modifications.

P/S - Used stock 4.0 stuff with 5.0 pulley

A/C - Never did it, need to look at it.

So, as you can see the swap I did had no major problems. Any problems were handled in a very short time frame.

Maybe it was the kit I was using, not sure but I had no alignment problems what so ever, everything was a bolt in.

It will cost money though, the more the merrier.
L&L Kits are not cheap nor are they just reworked car parts. The mounts in the L&L kit are heavy duty all the way, 3/16" steel with a life time warranty. The headers are tube type shorty header designed specifically for the Ranger/Explorer swaps and lifetime warranted. The oil pan in the kit is heavy duty and has the proper clearance for the TTB suspension if needed. The oil filter relocation kit in the package is very high quality machining and made for an easy, out of the way, mounting.

Good Luck in your choice,

 

[Gofast]

Several good points made.

Sandy & asp84 both made really good points.

1) Reseach, use the search function on swaps and see what others have done. Write down the common problems and see how others resolved them.

2) Money, Yes it can take a lot. It has also been done on the extreme cheap side too. However, your ability to do as much of this project yourself will directly affect the cost of the conversion.

3) Ask questions when you have an issue and your not sure how to resolve it. There are several here that have lot's of knowledge on doing these swaps.

My opinion...I don't think this is an easy conversion to do. It's very do-able, but you need good planning and patience. I failed on both parts. I thought I had a good plan and didn't. Then my patenece went out the window. After 13 months of working on my conversion I farmed it out to someone who has done several jeep conversions. He's a Ford guy and know his stuff. 8 months later he is almost done. I have learned patenance the hard way. Keep in mind that I have done V8 swaps into vegas before all the kits came out. On the mecanicle scale of 1 to 5, I'm a solid 3.5 maybe a 4. The only thing I flinch from is rebuilding a Rochester carb or an automatic transmission.

If your not comfortable replacing your own axel bearings or swapping a cam, then plan on getting a good mechanic to help you with your swap.

Have fun.

 

[asp84]

uhh, how do you swap cams or replace axle bearings? j/k..

speaking from the standpoint of completeing the v8 conversion two times.

Sandy: Hmm, I think we need to clarify what bolt on means. In my conversion, Sure, the exhaust bolted right on after it had to be completly custom fabbed, what I am saying is, you cant bolt the exhaust on to your current v6 piping. The Advavned Adapter Motor Mounts did not "bolt-up" to the existng 4.0 MM holes. The 96+ V8 Explorer radiator is not bolt on to 91-94 explorers. The V8 explorer radiator is larger than the frame rails. So, that was not bolt on. Whatever type of radiator your using, most of the time you have to cut out the radiator core support to get it to fit. The AC system is not bolt on either, just becuase you didn't attempt to hook yours up doesnt mean, if you would have tried it would have been bolt-on. (confused yet?, I am! )

 

[Sandy]

Gofast,
You have good points, I do believe that this swap is easier than most of the guys play it up to be, but enough said.


asp84,
Bolt-In, you are right about what is "bolt-in".
My way of looking at it is, "If it bolts in to existing holes then it is a bolt-in".
My raditor is from Advanced Adapters and it slid into the existing opening in the front support. The temp on or off-road is always around 200 degrees. There are two things I don't like about hte radiator 1) The fill neck is part of the top hose and was positioned to run the hose over the alternator. (I reworked it to the way "I" like it) I rerouted it in front of the engine, It would have worked fine the way it was but I didn't like it. 2) The temp on the highway is over 200 degrees but that is reading the temp on an electric gauge, although it has never boiled over.
All in all I am happy with the swap using the adapter kit I used. Very little fabrication on my part.

How much did it cost you ask ?. The engine with harness/computer from a '92 Stang w/35000 miles - $400 (got lucky), the trans with adapter $800, the L&L Adapter Kit $650.00 at the time but it has gone up, all other miscellaneous items $500, this all adds up to less than $2500.
Most of the part were either brand new or low mileage items.
I did this swap in 1996, prices have gone up since then.

I guess it is all in how you look at it.

raiderx72, as said before look at your mechanical ability, if you can do the axle bearing or cam thing then you will be able to do the swap, given time.
If you have a shop in the area that has done then swap before and the price is right, then think about having the shop do it ($$$).
Some times getting the vehicle already to go is better than working all day and then playing mechanic all night; it is better to drive it than work on it.


Sorry for getting windy again...

Good Luck, have one on me!