Godzilla Swap: Lets Discuss

[97Sandbox]

Although I'm currently in the midst refreshing the 4.0 OHV in my '00 Sport, I have bigger ambitions in the future. The 302/331/347 SBF is a proven upgrade of course, but I've been more attracted to LS swaps in RBVs when it comes to making reliable power on the street.

That said, when the 7.3 Godzilla debuted a couple years back, I had the same thought many Ford guys had, could this finally be Ford's answer to the LS? These engines are becoming more readily available in salvage and crate options and the aftermarket is simultaneously rushing to develop go-fast parts and swap-enabling goodies. Within a couple years, I wouldn't doubt the Godzilla swap will be increasingly common.

So what would it take to get one in a second gen Ex? It's about 2" longer and 4" wider than an LS, but I expect moving the radiator forward and carefully routing exhaust could make it work.

The bigger challenge is height -- the Godzilla is a good 8" taller than an LS from sump to intake. I have no doubt there will soon be lower profile intake and oil pan options available on the aftermarket, but it's a tall engine nonetheless.

Another concern is how the weight of this beefy iron block might throw off the handling of our trucks. I don't have exact figures here, but I imagine the Godzilla is a bit heavier than an iron 6.0 LQ4 or LQ9 (this is an area where an aluminum 6.2 LS3 would really show it's advantage).

The bellhousing pattern of the Godzilla matches numerous other Ford engines, so there's a plethora of automatic and manual transmission options. I believe an 8.8 would hold up okay behind a stock Godzilla on the street, but might not take much drag strip abuse. A 9" rear swap and caltracs (or a 4 link) would probably be necessary in the long run.

Relocating the battery and deleting ABS could certainly free up space in the engine bay, but keeping A/C might be nearly impossible. Swapping in smaller coolant and wiper fluid reservoirs wouldn't be a big deal.

What do you guys think? Is anyone planning or preparing for a Godzilla swap? What do you see as pros/cons/challenges with this swap?

 

[CDW6212R]

The 302 is a tight fit, and the LS is just a little bigger, so that wasn't too bad to do. The 351W is 1.32" taller than the 302 deck, so the exhaust for that is tougher yet. A big block would be a huge issue for both the radiator and the exhaust. The AC would be gone, and the oil pan might interfere too much with the frame and rack and pinion. I wouldn't even think about it.

The later V6's though I think are very viable possibilities. Those are smaller, though the intake is huge and the AC box may be impacted. I like the 3.7 the best, it's only about 200lbs total they say, it's kind of tall(the intake), and the matching trans is very strong(6R80). I'm wishing/hoping to try one in my Mountaineer some day. That could be a 25mpg highway SUV, which is well more than any 2nd gen ever, yet.

 

[Jason94sport]

$$ & all the custom fab work would the the limits. Will the X's suspension even allow for such a swap? Steering linkage?

 

[97Sandbox]

$$ & all the custom fab work would the the limits. Will the X's suspension even allow for such a swap? Steering linkage?

Certainly custom engine mounts and likely custom headers would be necessary, but that may also allow you to route the exhaust in a way that makes more room for the steering shaft. Might need more custom mounts to install a different steering rack if the steering shaft really has to move over, but I don't think the fab work would be that crazy. Overall not many more custom-welded brackets than an LS swap requires. Suspension clearance is a bigger question -- I should really do some measuring while I have the room in my engine bay with my 4.0 pulled apart...

As for cost, a low mileage Godzilla goes for very similar money as a 6.2 from a wrecked Camaro SS. Granted these two engines aren't really the exact same category, but they're both swaps I'd consider (at least on paper). As more trucks and vans are produced with the 7.3, the cost should fall for salvage engines. The crate 7.3s aren't ridiculously priced either.

 

[boominXplorer]

I am considering a 5.0 gen 3 or 7.3 godzilla swap for my 2011 F150 Raptor when my 6.2 goes so I'll put my .02 in.

Both engines would be an EXTREMELY tight fit in any 1st or 2nd gen explorer or ranger. It could be done in a 3rd gen or above if you already have a v8 as they are setup for a wide engine to begin with.

Only reason I'm considering it in my raptor is my 6.2 is a pig (12mpg everywhere) and an 3.5 ecoboost truck will knock my socks off. On the other hand that 6.2 now has 235k mi and it hasn't had any other work done other than tune up so it's pretty bullet proof to say the least.