5.0lt swap, Suggestions needed (93')

Guy Groves · May 27, 2002

Well I have just completed a swap and I have used the following components:

1) Engine - 1996 5.0 from an explorer.
good news: Low miles, GT40 heads, short front accessory mounts.
Bad news: NO air pump, may need to add this item if emmisions fails (I am wiring up as 93 Stang.)

2) L&L motor mounts and headers
good news: Well made, went in very well, only one hole to drill for motor mount.
bad news: Required 2" body lift to make headers fit.

3) Cooling: Total Performance radiator
good news: similar to all other conversion radiatirs for lower cost ($270). No problems and so far keeps me cool.
bad news: Not aluminum.

NOTE: If I could do it again I would probably us a Griffin aluminum radiator.

4) Transmission: Mazda M5R2 - from a full size Bronco / F150, NOT the ZF.
good news: very available, AA adapter for stock 1534 T/C. Better, but not much, than the M5 in the Explorer. Good compromise between size and strength.
bad news: Large - fits best with 2" body lift.

5) Drive train modifications: shorten rear shaft, lengthen front (each about 4"). Cost me $185

6) Exhaust: made up my own from mandrel bent pipe.
good news: made my way and lowered cost.
bad news: takes time and some welding under the vehicle.

7) Wire Harness / computer: Ford Motorsport wire harness and A9L computer from Mustang.
good news: New harness - easy to work with and decent instructions and supprt from Ford Motorsport.
bad news: I did modify the harness slightly to make it fit better.

NOTE: A used harness would have been a lot cheaper, but I didn't want to sit around doing a continuity check on all the circuts and fixing an old harness. I have done this in the past and simply chose not to.

-----
General notes:
I made the following modifications:
Rebuilt and ported the GT40 heads.
Port matched the intake.
Installed 190 lph fuel pump
Modified fuel lines
Custom built Transmission cross member

My total cost,including hardware store items, fluids, cleaning solvents, etc. (everything) about $6000. I could have saved by doing the following:

Not rebuilding / porting the engine (-$600 at least)
Used Wire Harness ( - $300)
Used transmission (- $300)

If I were to do it again I would probably use an engine from a stang or T-bird to save $500 or more. I might not use the L&L products mounts and headers.

There are a lot of misc. items you will buy that will add up. Things like a new water pump, belt, better than stock wires, and in my case a number of items to convert the engine back to a 93 Stang / distributor driven system. Some things you could do without, or get used ... but there is always a reliability trade-off.

PS. The wiring is not bad. Take your time. The project will take you twice as long as you think (It took me 4 weeks just to get a fan clutch!). I didn't need the vehicle on the road so I took my time and let my cash flow dictate the timing.

Good luck

Wolf76 · May 27, 2002

Thx for the info =)
been doing more planning..
starting to look in to AOD-E, 4R70W tranny and aftermarket control computer, and a '93 mustang EECIV PCM

I'm starting to get unconfused by all the diffrent trannys and model year electronics

Wolf76 · May 28, 2002

Well... yanking out of the stock motor/tranny has started, seems that the motor has a coolant leak inside it somewhere so swapping it out is a good thing, popped off the tranny pan, it was quite dry and smelling very roasted

One plus to all this, its going to really easy to put on the front suspension lift with the motor out

The motor accessories... I still not sure what year motor to look for =/ I know which wireing I'm going with though

Wolf76 · May 29, 2002

well, my order from james duff inc got here, started installing the body lift seeing that it will give me more room to get to the tranny bolts when I pull the motor

I'll post some pics later today when my hands are clean enough to use the computer =)

Also talked to someome at Baumann Engineering about their AOD-E computer control unit, I'm planning to try something diffrent than the other swaps I have seen, going to use the AOD-E computer controlled tranny in this swap, the Baumann TCS has a few neat features to play with like being able to program your shift points with a laptop, being able to link the TCS to your cruse switches so you can use them to manual shift the tranny and a few other features
On the wiring of the motor, I'm thinking about going with Windsor-Fox to save myself some time and hassle getting that wired up, and they will mark the wires needed to tie in the TCS marked (another plus for speed of wiring)

asp84 · May 30, 2002

Just curious,
What is the cost of the Baumman TCS controller for the AOD-E? (and whats involved in the setup?)

Thanks,
Al

Wolf76 · May 30, 2002

the TCS alone is $400 us, plus you need to send them a AOD-E harness (cut from a newer main harness) which they will rewire for the TCS, they said about $100-200 for that, then when you install it, it gets connected to power, ground, throttle sensor.. and I forget what else

Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed

Reason I'm going this route is I'm trying to upgrade the truck and taking a higher tech approach to it

Speedfreak · May 31, 2002

There is one major problem with using a 4R70W tranny and that is that in order for it to function properly you will need a '94-'95 Mustang computer. These computers are the start of the dog days of emissions power reduction. If you take the guts out of the 4R70W and put them into the AOD tranny case with the AOD valve body (preferably '89 and newer) then you get the best of both worlds, hydraulic valve body control and the 2.84, 1.55, 1.00 and 0.70 gear set with all of the beefed up clutch packs and planetary drums. This is what I did with my tranny. This also allows the use of the older Mustang computers which do nothing to aid tranny operation. (get an auto computer though because it has better timing and fuel curves to assist the slower auto cars as compared to standard cars.)

Get the T-bird/Cougar or '94-'95 Mustang accessories for your swap. They allowed me to use my factory supercooler rad with alittle modification. If you can find Explorer accessories you would have even more room and could used the mechanical fan too.

I prefer the intake off the T-bird/Cougar or '94-'95 Mustang over the older Mustang intake because it allows more room for mounting the intake hoses and air meter. It also looks better under the hood in my opinion, more upto date for the vehicle.

I have lots of info on my site that may help you, take a look.

asp84 · June 1, 2002

Well, if were gonna talk transmissions........this is what I would want to do. Personally, I have completed the 5.0 conversion using an AOD and BW-1354 TC. I had the AOD beefed up before it was put in, ie; KEVLAR OD band, Alto H.D. direct clutch packs, A+ OD servo, etc, etc. After all of this, I personally don't feel like I have a good transmission for daily driving. It's a good racing transmission, and good for lange range trips using overdrive, but when It comes to city driving, it sucks. This is becuase the the Torque converter is LOCKED at all times. I really wish I could have a tranny such as an AOD-E that has an unlocked torque converter in 1-3, with Lockup in Overdrive. Currently, because my AOD has a locked converter, it feels more like a Manual transmission, rather than a Automatic. I WISH there was a way to electronically adapt a Auto unlocking Torque converter to my AOD using AOD-E valve body, electric solenoid, T.C. and pushbutton OD switch. But, I know I'm only dreaming....................

Ohh well, Stuck with a LOCKED AOD for the mean time, and judging by the way I drive, it's gonna be around for a long time. If your absolutely serious about using an AOD, do what speedfreak did; use an AOD with wide ratio installed. If there's anybody out there who thinks I can adapt an AOD-E torque converter on a AOD, let me know!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just my .02

Al

Speedfreak · June 1, 2002

Is that something that you put in, because the AOD under normal operation will only lock the converter at the end of 3rd and in OD. Thats the the way mine works and the way that every AOD equiped vehicle I have ever driven worked.

The AOD-E torque converter will not work in an AOD because it has a clutch inside its housing to lock up duty. You can however get a one piece input shaft that will eliminate the the lock up function in the AOD. If you look in a MM&FF mag you should find and article in there that advertises it.

Wolf76 · June 1, 2002

ahh, true that you cant just toss a aod-e in with a '93 EECIV *BUT* if you use the TCS (aftermarket) its doing all the tranny controls, EEC is left to just managing the motor, I'll get more details when I call Windsor-Fox up about a wiring harness...
this has been done alot with the newer mustangs, there is even a company that sells a plug and play harness for the 94+ to use the '93 EEC and the TCS

asp84 · June 3, 2002

Well, I can't switch trannies now.......the costs would be too much.....ie;

Core AOD-E: $150-250
New Torque Converter: $150-$250
AOD-E Standard rebuild $500 (got a connection)
TCS AOD-E Computer: $400
Wiring for Trans: $100?
Advanced Adapter for AOD-E: $650.00

-------Total Switch cost for me---------
----------$$$ 1,800-2,500-----------

At this point, its too late to switch...

Wolf76 · June 3, 2002

AOD and the AOD-E use the same AA adapter

I might take some shortcuts with the motor I want to put in, But the tranny is the one thing that I'm not going to screw myself on, engine is easy to pull/swap out once you have the mounts/wiring done, tranny on the other hand would be a pain in the ass, so I'm going with a AOD-E, TCS and wide gear set, now all i need to do is find one...

Wolf76 · June 4, 2002

'94 5.0 & AOD-E/4R70W Swap in to a '93 Sport

ok.. after searching salvage yards in MD I cant find a 5.0 or a Aod-E tranny to save my life, go figure, what 5.0 came with the 4r70w trans? at the moment it looks like I might end up ordering the motor from a mustang salvage company to save myself some time

Note: Can one of the moderators change the thread name for me

(use subject line if ya can, dont want to start a new thread for this)

Speedfreak · June 4, 2002

Thats the problem that everyone seems to over look with the AOD-EW (4R70W) tranny, it never came behind a 5.0L except in the 96 and up Explorers. There is another problem with it, the case is 17mm(5/8") longer then an AOD tranny which may mean driveshaft modification if used with the AA adapter. You can move the engine forward but then you lose vary valuable space for the rad, especially if using '93 Mustang style accesories. If you go with an AOD case and the internals from a 4R70W then you will do away with this problem. So to make a tranny for your truck you will either have to do two things, one get a core 95 Mustang AOD-E(only came in standard ratio 2.48, 1.47, 1.00 and 0.68) and swap in a 4R70W internal wide ratio gear set etc, (2.84, 1.55, 1.00 and 0.70) or use an AOD case and swap the internals from the 4R70W in. Regardless you will have to have a tranny made unless you can find and afford a newer Explorer tranny.

5.0lt swap, Suggestions needed (93')

Guy Groves

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Wolf76

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asp84

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Speedfreak

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