Need help with my V8 swap

[IZwack]

Why does everybody want to do V8 swaps with the ridiculous price of gas now? it's not like the v6's are under powered. i'd recommend repairing (or rebuilding) the v6.

I guess you didnt get the memo: there's a 168 hours (1 week) American LeMans (ALMS) race in 2011 and you need the v8 to battle against the 600hp Prototypes- shiz is going to be bangin!

 

[pwrshft99]

If I were you I'd spend about 500 on a true pos just to get you back and forth.

Don't know your plan for electronics but painless wiring makes a simple harness for 5.0 swaps, just add the mustang computer of your choice.. probably not gonna get you dash working like stock but much simpler and quicker.

 

[Axial32]

By pulling the motor out.. I mean gettin ready to, we took off the hood, pulled the radiator, unbolted all lines, pulled the upper intake off to take a look and to make a bolt on plate to lift the motor from.

Yes we have to undo the skidplate, transfercase, transmount, cut off the exhaust since bolts are insanely rusted, unbolt and drop trans, then unbolt the enginemounts, and pull motor.

For the wiring I have the full harness and computer from the original explorer that the V8 came from...

 

[Axial32]

here's pics of the motor and all that stuff....

I plan on using the 4.0 a/c stuff so i don't have to pull it off the firewall

 

[Axial32]

Here's what the poor explorer looks like now...
We pulled off the huge bumper...

(left) friend Tyler, we call him little Tyler b/c we both are Tyler, but he's younger (right) Younger brother Dylan
Then took the hood off... getting ready to drain radiator

Radiator out, Intake off,

Water in the lower intake,

What we left with after 2 hrs of work tonight...

 

[Axial32]

Why does everybody want to do V8 swaps with the ridiculous price of gas now? it's not like the v6's are under powered. i'd recommend repairing (or rebuilding) the v6.

I don't know what you're paying in Cali, but gas here is only on average 2.70ish /gallon... for unleaded. Now it sucks to be my brother with the 7.3 powerstroke... diesel is averaging 3.09ish / gallon
My 4.0 was getting weak and getting worse on fuel.

Here's a quick question that with the little bit of research I still have no clue about.
I have a friend with a AODE 4X4 Trans. out of a late 96 F150, would it still work with the explorer computer.. if so it has only 1k miles on it

 

[vroomzoomboom]

if you get this in, and running, make a thread PLEASE! you have no idea how long i have wanted to do this, but cant find a donor (v8's are hard to come by here for what ever reason).

 

[Axial32]

I'll keep taking pics tomorrow... then over the weekend I have college orientation at Lincoln School of Technology in Indianapolis, Indiana, for Auto Collision Repair. But my brother and friends still plan on working on it while I'm gone.

 

[Axial32]

I'll try to document the swap as best as I can.

Still can't find anything about the trans. besides that the AODE is basically the older version of the 4R70W..??? but yea...

 

[Axial32]

If I were you I'd spend about 500 on a true pos just to get you back and forth.

Don't know your plan for electronics but painless wiring makes a simple harness for 5.0 swaps, just add the mustang computer of your choice.. probably not gonna get you dash working like stock but much simpler and quicker.

Oh I'm will be living on campus 6 hrs. away from home... so I can't just buy a junker that might not make it.

I also have the complete wiring harness from the original explorer

Here's some of the links I've been looking at for prices.
Trans. Shift kit
http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/AODE_4R70W_Transmission_Shift_kit_1991_03_p/500-000027932.htm
Trans. Rebuild kit
http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/4R70W_Transmission_master_kit_1996_03_p/270-000027005.htm
5.0 Rebuild kit, which I plan on the super kit not the full master kit
https://shop.enginekits.com/osb/showitem.cfm?Category=279

 

[Axial32]

whats your plan for a t-case? awd or?

Well if that trans. from my friend will work, I'm hoping that it comes with the manual t-case, if not I'll use the awd one.

 

[Axial32]

What got done tonight, since we didn't get a jump working on it until 6pm and stopped at midnight.
Well it wasn't a ton, bought some paint on the way to the site, stopped at the friends to check out the trans. It was alright, I'm thinking get a pro to rebuild the original for the under 300, my friend apparently knows someone who could do it for under 300 bucks, so that might be the best option, since I know it works with the computer. Then another friend has a t-case that is a manual and comes with the shifter and linkage for 70 bucks... so that's looking pretty good also.
So we got the trans. seperated from the V8, the friends worked on removing the V8 harness with labels of tape and sharpie, I started dropping the trans. got the driveshafts undone, crossmember out of the way and the trans. half unbolted. Still have to remove exhaust, and shift linkage.
Tomorrow I won't get a chance to work on it, so my brother with help of friends will be out there chuggin' away, hopefully trans. will be out, V8 on the engine stand and disassembled when I get home from orientation in INDY...

Here's the trans. my friend is trying to sell for 300 with t-case with about 8K miles, I was first told only 1K, again it's a AODE/W so I don't know if it'll work...

The plug looks close

Here's the V8 started tearing it down.

Trans. taken off.

Testing the paint I bought on the trans. case. Looks good.

Here's our motor/trans. remover. We also have a crane hoist, but we like to do it the old fashioned way. It's an 1980 something HT23 Bolens, w/front loader and backhoe attachments. Also have a second HT23 with mower and huge pto driven snowblower.

What it ended up at just before midnight.

 

[Curtis]

Man you've got guts.. and it sure looks like fun

 

[99SportX]

Good work dude. The V8 is a tight squeeze to drop in between the rear hood weatherstrip and the radiator support. I would suggest leaving the motor bare when you drop it in and bolting the accessories on afterwards. I pulled my 4.0 OHV with all accessories/intake in place but that thing was obviously a lot smaller.

I have set a goal to finally get my swap writeup done. I want it to be very complete though so it is going to take a while.

 

[Axial32]

Sweet, glad to here a writeup is in the making.
We got the trans. dropped, and the 4.0 is OUT, hanging from the rafters... tractor wouldn't quite lift it high enough....
Got the 5.0 half torndown, turns out it had a top end is rebuilt already, so all we have to do is new main bearings, rings, and gaskets...

I also am not getting that AODE, I have a great deal on the original getting rebuilt so I'm going that route...
Picked up a Borg Warner something, it's a manual shift t-case, 70 bucks with original driveshafts...
Made it a long ways today... now to go to some openhouses... chill with friends... back to work on it tomorrow...

 

[Axial32]

Well I didn't make it back out to take pictures after the openhouses... so I'll be back tomorrow morning, so I'll take pictures before I start work...

I'm looking at a mild cam, injectors, and a shift kit for the upgrade goodies...

 

[Axial32]

Well I took some pics before removing the engine entirely, and then I had to clean up some of the huge mess.
V8 sitting waiting to be freshened up..

Started on getting it ready for the rebuild

Here's the T-case I got, It's a Borg Warner, I just don't know what type.

Couldn't quite get the motor out with the chain hoist, the oil pan wouldn't clear the core support or fenders. And this was with the tires off and the spindles on the car lift.

So the tractor came to the rescue... still barely making it out ...

The V6 sitting on the floor, dang it's larger than what I thought it would be.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

keep up the good work man

 

[Axial32]

Will Do Sam.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

when u get the v8 installed be sure to post a sound clip