v8 + explorer= ?

[boggs1227]

hey everyone... you know that after being on the forum for a year now i have read people's post about a v8 swap and i know i could trudge through the posts to find the info but i was just thinking about it tonight and just wanted some quick answers...

i just remembered i got 2 302 blocks that have sat at my house for YEARS ( ones a short block no heads and the other is a semi brand new low mileage jasper long block ) the long block came out of a f-150 so i know that i would have to take off the intake (carbed manilfold ) and i know that i can't use a f-150 fuel injection system on it ....i would have to use that from a 5.0 explorer but what year and would the pcm have to have the wireing harness as a whole ( the whole thing ) or is there anything that i can re-use from the current explorer setup for this .

also what transmission would be a good choice (c4,c6,e40d) ?

thanks . . . . .

 

[boggs1227]

bada bing bada bump

 

[WickedWindsor]

i just remembered i got 2 302 blocks that have sat at my house for YEARS ( ones a short block no heads and the other is a semi brand new low mileage jasper long block ) the long block came out of a f-150 so i know that i would have to take off the intake (carbed manilfold ) and i know that i can't use a f-150 fuel injection system on it ....i would have to use that from a 5.0 explorer but what year and would the pcm have to have the wireing harness as a whole ( the whole thing ) or is there anything that i can re-use from the current explorer setup for this .

also what transmission would be a good choice (c4,c6,e40d) ?

thanks . . . . .

The key to a successful swap is getting a donor vehicle you can take most, if not all, parts from. After my trial and error fitting and trying different combos, I'd suggest getting a fullsize truck drivetrain and running a mustang intake manifold. A 2" body lift and careful placement of the drivetrain will allow it to fit just fiine. Use '96 up Explorer exhaust manifolds as well. Any tranny from a fullsize will work but be prepared to still cut and fab!
The only "drop in" swap could possibly be a '96 up EX w/5.0 but with that, you'll still have to fab a Y-pipe to clear crossmember and WIRING for OBD11.

Good luck...Oh ya, you'll have to search. Mucho info in here!

 

[seth247]

You can use whatever intake or engine you want.

So long as it fits in the engine compartment.

Using a carb would make things much easier.

 

[boggs1227]

thanks for the input . it would be nice to shoe horn that jasper engine in there lol .would be nice to get the same mpg plus a boost in horse power as well . i was reading the v-8 swap post and other than tearing it down and rebuilding which i don't think this motor really needs to be it looks good... i know it ran years ago maybe all i would have to do with it is maybe stick some new valve cover gaskets on it .

so i guess if was going to do this then i got 1/4 of the 4 quarters needed to do this ...got the engine thats one part down but still need the transmission and the /fuel injection ( i would rather keep it fuel injected not carbbed ) been that route before )) then the computer hook ups ....pheww thats a lot in it's self as far as parts go and money but this idea is still in the back of mind slowlly turning some gears...whats left of them anyways lol .

oh well thanks again .

 

[seth247]

No problem buddy.

Out of curiosity which swap thread did you read?

 

[boggs1227]

yours... wish mine was as good looking as that one lol .btw: i like the paint job on the block looks good .

 

[seth247]

thank you!

May I suggest reading 410fortune's swap thread. He has a bronco II but it's Very similar.

If you search for "v8 conversion" or something along those lines his thread should pop up. I'd post you a link but I can't copy and payste.

His thread is less convoluted and rambling than mine. And he's done!

If you've got the engine and know-how and desire. Then go ahead.

It will make you soooo happy!

If I weren't rebuilding my engine I'd say I could have this swap done in under 2000$ maybe 3 grand easy.

But since you've got the engine you've got the most expensive part already!

Hell your 2wd aren't ya... Take off another 700 right there!

 

[boggs1227]

let me ask ...your going to make your fuel injected right ? so if i do this ...like wickedwindsor said ..the oldest year i could grab the obdII computer and harness would be from a 96 right ?

i know i could go witha holly carb ( hada 600 double pumper on my 79'ramcharger with a 318 block with 360 heads ...i know that thing sucked down gas like crack ! lol) ..and the asperation part of the swap would be a no brainer but if i do all of this would either putting in a carb system or fuel injection would not interfere with shutting the hood because of the newer /bigger motor ?

thanks again .

 

[seth247]

Yes the obdII stuff started in 96 but theres nothin wrong with the obdI if you can find it cheaper. Just less computer chip options.

Neither the EFI nor the carb should have any hood interference problems. Unless you hooked up some super highrise dual quad monster.

Best setup for someone starting bone dry would be a donor vehicle. Preferably a 96-97 5.0 explorer.

I went with the later year to get the "p" style heads. But I think they just complicate the hell out of the header choices for only a little extra power.

Also the later years use complicate matters with returnless rule systems and the "resistor in the key" PATS annoyance.

All you really gotta do is Finnish the motor out with intake/exhaust/trans, cut you some motor mounts(super easy, a triangle of metal plate with 4 holes.), get yer driveshaft modified, and hook it all up.

With the obvious complications along the way.

 

[boggs1227]

as for the 302 i got i'm pretty sure they are not the p style heads ...maybe ...really have to look again .so if i understand correctlly the p style produce more power compared to other style 302 heads ? i'll check tommorow but and try to take a pic of the engine and let you see what you think about it ...it's got alumium ford valve covers and roller rockers arms ( i think ) msi ignition,eldelbrock intake and a sidewinder harmonic balancer .

if it's the regular stock 302 heads does that mean that my header option are a little better compared to the p style ? (because if they are i think i could live with out the p style ((unless the computer requires them to be on the engine)) the increase in performance and hp will still be ok compare to the 4.0 v6 )

i was reading 410's conversion till the server locked up tonight .... looks real involved ...swapping gas tanks etc .... i'd hate to do this then have to swap the tank and end up witha smaller tank in the end ( ack)

 

[WickedWindsor]

as for the 302 i got i'm pretty sure they are not the p style heads ...maybe ...really have to look again .so if i understand correctlly the p style produce more power compared to other style 302 heads ? i'll check tommorow but and try to take a pic of the engine and let you see what you think about it ...it's got alumium ford valve covers and roller rockers arms ( i think ) msi ignition,eldelbrock intake and a sidewinder harmonic balancer .

if it's the regular stock 302 heads does that mean that my header option are a little better compared to the p style ? (because if they are i think i could live with out the p style ((unless the computer requires them to be on the engine)) the increase in performance and hp will still be ok compare to the 4.0 v6 )

i was reading 410's conversion till the server locked up tonight .... looks real involved ...swapping gas tanks etc .... i'd hate to do this then have to swap the tank and end up witha smaller tank in the end ( ack)

The '96 Ex used the standard GT40 head with standard smallblock angled spark plugs. Starting around late '97 I believe is when Ford started using the P head with 90 degree spark plugs. The GT40 head uses 1.84/1.54 intake and exhaust vales. The P head uses a smaller exhaust valve 1.48.
The stock 302 heads use 1.78/1.48 sized valves. The benefit of the GT40 and GT40P heads are the design of the intake and exhaust runners which flow better.
On a truck this heavy, I'd doubt you'd ever feel the difference between any of these.

 

[seth247]

yes the p heads are supposed to make more power but were talkin maybe 5hp.

It easy to tell which you have, they are stamped next to one of the shorter head bolt holes. Gt40's will have a "GT" and the ps will gave "GTP".

What it is is ford moved the spark plug angle down between the exhaust ports for a more efficient burn. Which of course makes it hard to get a socket on the plugs unless the headers are designed for it.

Fortune has a bronco II so some things will be different. We don't have to do that. I think did it to get some sensors he didn't have. I don't have to pass emmisoon so I don't care about a CEL until I can have those sensors flashed out.

 

[seth247]

Ok what the heck.

I just tried to delete my drunken idiot double post and it seems to have deleted somone elses post instead.

Ok there we go I think it worked out.

 

[boggs1227]

here some pics of it i took today....

could not find a casting number on the heads so i assume that they are just plain stock ones or whatever casting number is associated with stock heads.

what do you think ? keeper ?

 

[WickedWindsor]

Stock heads have a casting number of E7TE. It is only stamped on the underside of the head (have to remove the head to see it).
I can tell from the picture that yours is NOT GT40 though. The GT40 have three vertical bars stamped on the front of the heads.

 

[boggs1227]

so what does this mean... am i going to have to chuck this thing in the garbage can lol ?

no but really...is the heads that are on there will they work and if so will the efi system have problems if they are not the gt40 heads?

 

[WickedWindsor]

They'll be just fine as long as they're in good shape. The only part that really affects driveability is cam selection. MASS air can usually compensate for most performance cams though.
This is an older engine that's been lying around for a while unused? Have you run this engine yourself before? I'd suggest doing a teardown to inspect everything if you're unsure of the internals. It'd suck to install this and have it not run properly after all the other work to perform install.

 

[seth247]

the heads have no bearing on the computer system. Just changes horsepower and flow characteristics.

It looks good. If it were me I'd slap a holly on there and grab up a C4 and drop em in ner. Or grab a mustang computer and harness and grab you a cobra manifold off an explorer.

That jasper block looks ready to go! Make sure you prime the oil before you run it.

 

[WickedWindsor]

One other thing...If it's a pre-'85 block, it won't be a roller block. F150 engines came with a non roller cam until '91. The blocks were roller blocks but just had flat tappet cams installed. If it is an '85 or newer, you can install a roller cam if you get roller lifters and lifter retainer.
Nothing wrong with a non roller, but less wear and more efficiency with rollers.
+ you can reuse roller lifters during a rebuild.
From my own experience, any time I've torn down a previously enjoyed engine, I've had to replace parts. One engine I had (first rebuild ever for my first Mustang), I got from a major supplier, with a verbal guarantee that it was a great running engine. I decided to tear it down to gain some engine experience. Good thing I did. It had antifreeze sitting in the combustion chambers (looked like for many years w/big time corrosion) and it had 60 over pistons in it (It's only recommended to go no more than 40 over). I junked it and got a new Ford test engine GT40 longblock from a buddy for $75 and used it as a build up.
It all worked out for the best after all.