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Engine swap 98 sohc

Rotating assembly balance

Thanks for the quick reply. . .
Yes, I see the flywheels are different and am using the EX.

I hate to bring this up now but I only recently read about it when researching potential V8 engines for my Sport. The Explorer 5.0L rotating assembly is apparently set up for 50 ounce-inches of external balance provided by the front balancer. According to my JEGS catalog the 302HO engine is also set up for 50 oz-in of external balance. Also, according to JEGS, most of the Mustang 302s and the 351W are set up for 28 oz-in of external balance. This becomes a significant issue when attempting to stroke the Explorer 5.0L because all of the stroker kits are for Mustang engines. The differences may only be significant for racing engines running very high speeds but I think it is something to investigate. Modifications to the Explorer balancer may be required. How much physical difference is there between the Explorer and Mustang balancers?
 



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they are the same I have this Motor in my explorer I have no drive line vibration.Unlike the 5.0 the damper is not a balancer also the flywheel has no counter balance on it .That would drive me nuts and it would be a hack job.Not something to talk about.My truck runs better than new with all updated engine chains and I have close to 3,000 mile since swap It runs very good with no shake at any RPM
 












Next step exhaust manifold

Thanks everyone.
I agree with all the suggestions and in fact have done the same.

-Used explorer fuel injectors without the spacers. (mustang did not have them)
-Used Explorer Alternator bracket..a must
-I will return the wrong tensioner and get the proper explorer one with the correct locating tabs.
-Used Explorer Oil Filter adapter (mustang one hit the ex manifold).

Now for the fun.
The 3 exhaust bolts that I had to cut will not budge.
I PB Blasted, heated, vice gripped......nothing. They will not budge.
The propane torch is just not enough heat.

I guess I could do the drill and try an ezout, but I have never had much luck with bolts this rusted.

A new set (aftermarket) is about $175.
Junkyard about $100.
Or drill and helicoil.

What do you think?
 






exhaust bolt removal

I sprayed PB Blaster on my stubborn exhaust bolt twice a day for a week while doing other things on my engine. Then I installed 2 nuts on the bolt as shown below.
ExBolt.jpg

The nuts are tightened against each other.
Next using a hammer and punch I alternately tapped opposite ends of the bolt to break the bolt threads loose from the manifold threads. Then more PB Blaster followed by attempting to loosen the inside nut and then tighten the outside nut. Eventually, I felt the bolt move slightly. I continued alternately tightening and loosening and each time the bolt moved more in each direction. I was finally able to remove it entirely.

My back up plan was to take the manifold to a welding shop and have an upper section of a bolt welded to the cut off shaft. This would be an alternative if there was not enough threads remaining on the bolt to hold 2 nuts.

bluestream1 offerred the following advice: "If your exhaust studs are too rusty, I have found that broken exhaust studs can be easily removed by heating the exhaust manifold red hot. Then take a large sloted screwdriver and tap in into the broken stud. The stud can then be removed by turning the screwdriver and backing out the stud. Has worked many times for me."

My propane torch was not powerful enough to get the stud red hot.
 






i go mine out with a oxy acetylene torch. But it took a lot of heat and i had to work it back and forth.Then they still had to be tapped back out if you can take it to a machine shop and have them drilled out there. I may be cheeper than you think !
 






Exhaust bolts and tensioner

Took the manifolds to Monroe muffler.
50 bucks for the 3 broken bolts. Heat it cherry red, and he has a nice snap-on tool that will grab the bolt shaft in the tight space between the stud and the pipe flange. He told me that the tool cost 50 dollars, but I still would not have enough heat with my wimpy propane torch.

Took the tensioner back to autozone. They had the correct one listed under the vin x ohv engine. Go figure.
 












Exhaust bolts and tensioner

Took the manifolds to Monroe muffler.
50 bucks for the 3 broken bolts. Heat it cherry red, and he has a nice snap-on tool that will grab the bolt shaft in the tight space between the stud and the pipe flange. He told me that the tool cost 50 dollars, but I still would not have enough heat with my wimpy propane torch.

Took the tensioner back to autozone. They had the correct one listed under the vin x ohv engine. Go figure.

Best decision yet on this beast.
He got them out no problem, and even ground the ports flat. He didnt even need the special tool, just vice grips once it was hot. Even better, no finger burns, broken easy outs or broken drill bits...priceless.
Used the day to do 4 oil changes, and brakes on the Honda. I just did the brakes on the cavalier, and the Volvo and catera are ready. What's the chance of all 4 cars needing brakes at the same time.

I even got to swim in the pool (after I vacuumed it).

Work tomorrow will be like a vacation.

See you soon.
 






Oil breather and oil dipstick.

Just a couple of added notes for the next brave soul.
Others have swapped in the explorer dipstick. I couldn't get mine out. I was afraid it would break. The mustang one is shorter and closer to the bigger explorer valve covers, but it seems to just fit and the pressure differential sensor has just enough room. It fits through the exhaust manifold too. I think I will leave it.

The oil breather box on top of the block, think it's called the oil separator) was a piece of cake. Others drilled and pried to get the freeze plug out. I simply did what the book said for freeze plugs in general. I tapped it on one edge with a fairly thick punch. The opposite side popped up when the punch side went down. Then I simply grabbed the edge sticking up and pulled it out. The oil separator then goes in the hole.
 






Engine oil dipstick

When I removed the dipstick holder from the block the large, thick O ring that fits between the holder flange and the block fell apart. I replaced it with a new one as identified by the green arrow in the photo below.
DipStick.jpg

I also checked the condition of the smaller O ring that fits inside the block as identified by the red arrow. I bent the dipstick holder support bracket so when bolted in place the flange would exert pressure on the large O ring.
 






Battery Cable Broken

Since this has nothing to do with the engine swap, I asked on a new thread but nobody answered. So I am posting it again here hoping someone knows anything about it.

When I removed the starter, the nut holding the negative was rusted and I twisted off the heavy crimp on the end of the negative cable. So I want to replace the cable. I don't trust putting a crimp on such a heavy and critical connection.

I am confused how to do it though. Both the pos and neg are in a harness with lots of wires coming in and out. Ford wants 250 bucks for a harness. NAPA has pos and neg cables for 25 or 30 bucks each.

They look OK, but don't have all the other stuff, only the basic battery to starter and a small one to the chasis ground.

Will they work?
Can I just run the fat battery cable along the harness to the starter?
Is there anything else that could be connected to it inside the harness?

Also, the NAPA cable has a regular lug on the end, where the original was a right angle allowing the cable to run straight back, parrallel to the starter body.

Can I just bent the lug at a right angle?

Has anyone done this?

Thanks
 






You can get lugs for that cable .I would just get a lug and repair that cable .There are different kind they have solder on .crimp on and i have also seen one that you tighten a core and it locks onto cable .I think the solder one is your best bet . Use rosin core solder and your burnsomatic torch and you should be good to go. it may not come at a right angle but the cable is long enough that you shouldn't have a problem.GOOD LUCK
 






ohhh you can not fit manifold on with mustang dipstick you must swap it over DO IT RIGHT OR DONT DO IT AT ALL !!!!!!
 






ohhh you can not fit manifold on with mustang dipstick you must swap it over DO IT RIGHT OR DONT DO IT AT ALL !!!!!!

Oh yeah, I forgot, the upper manifold very wide and will interfere.
I missed that, thanks for the quick reply.

Do I just pull and twist to get it out?

P.S. Why did you yell at me. (only kidding)
 






Your working too hard to do a HALF ASS JOB just had to let you know .
 






final button up

I'm essentially done building up the Mustang motor. Just some button up work left to do before putting it in the Explorer:
-torque "everything"
-oil pressure sensor (need to drain oil first)
-flywheel/drive plate (motor must come off the stand first)
-chase the exhaust bolt threads (I am thinking of using studs vs. bolts) DONE!!
-Chase the motor mount bolt bosses (ones not used by stang mounts) in the block. This is a must. DONE!!!
-negative battery cable (my only big mistake)

Other items that I will wait till the motor is in
-upper intake (easier to lift with it off)
-Fan
-PS A/C btacket (easier to position with it off)
-radiator (of course)
-drive belt

I think I'll clean up the garage real good first before I move on. I started real clean and neat, but tools and wasted crap all over now.

There were a few more odds and ends that I needed to swap over. All easy stuff and I had no problems. Pictures below:

-CPS wire holding bracket below passenger side head.
-two piece hose with sensor (mustang was just a single hose)
-harness connector mounting tabs (2 plastic and 2 more on a metal bracket)


One more thing for mr2fix2it:
I am not trying to cut any corners or question your judgement in any way. This is just for the sake of learning by discussion. I still don't understand why I have to swap the oil dipstick. It's only 5 minutes, but I just don't like disturbing things with old seals that could leak unless I have to. I have the dual pressure sensor, ex manifolds and vc's on and I don't have any fit issues. It runs exactly the same along the block and between the exhaust manifold ports and mounts with the same bolt. Only difference is the explorer one is a little longer and sits a little further away from the vc's. Have a look at this picture and tell me what you think. I would also like to know what reason yours did not work. Did it come out of an automatic like mine or a manual? That's the only thing I can think of.

Thanks, and really, only for discussion sake.
 

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shallower fording

The only potential negative thing I can think of with the Mustang shorter tube/stick is that the end of the tube will be under water in shallower streams when fording. I can't decide which style of handle I like the best.

EGRTube.jpg
 






Transformation Complete

Well it's done. The Mustang motor has been transformed and is ready to go to it's new home.

I brought the battery harness to a local battery shop and they are replacing the negative starter lug and replacing both the pos and neg top post terminals (can't hurt).

I had to buy 4 motor mount flange nuts at ford. $4 each...ouch. None of the flange bolts I found had as big of a flange, so I bit the bullet. Also needed the thermostat housing gasket. Nobody else had a listing. $11 for a lousy rubber seal, wow. Still need to find the lower starter bolt/stud. They wanted $8 bucks ea. and I would have to buy a minimum of 2. I drew the line. I'll call some more dealers tomorrow.

One new problem/question.

The spark plugs are different length. The Mustang ones are about 3/8" longer from the seat to the electrode. The explorer plugs will not go as deep in the combustion chamber. Do you think that is a problem? Pics below.

Wish me luck this weekend when I attempt to put it in.
 

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Wish me luck this weekend when I attempt to put it in.

Good luck man!

I have an '06 Mustang Pony Package sitting in my driveway with 39,000 miles. Keep thinking that one day I'll buy an Aluminator from FRPP and take the SOHC outta the stang and put it my X.
 






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