Vote on the best components!

[Hammer]

This thread is to get an idea of what people think about the individual swap components offered by various V-8 conversion companies.

 

[jimbo74]

i have only heard of some of those companies but i voted for duff... they appear to have good quality stuff.

 

[Speedfreak]

The James Duff mounts work, but I don't think I would vote for them. I will be working on something custom for my conversion and will post any and all results once I have completed it.

 

[Guy Groves]

I am in the process of using L&L products...

The motor mounts are pretty good. Only one hole to drill and everything lines up very well. The engine sits pretty low.

NOTE: For those of you with Superlift lifts...
Get the latest passenger side drop down bracket. The new design allows the V8 oil pan to go in without any troubles.

L&L Headers
Overall good quality, the welds are a little sloppy.
They REQUIRE a 2" body lift to clear the body on the pass. side and the steering on the driver side, which is still VERY close.

 

[Sandy]

Not to argue with anyone but the L&L Products Kit is by far the best on the market.
The motor mounts are made of heavy plate steel, easy to install, fitment is great and they have a lifetime warranty. The headers are heavy duty with 1/2 inch flanges and thick walled tubes, although the weld are heavy that does not mean sloppy, just well penetrated and they carry the Lifetime Warranty also. The oil relocation kit has machinings of the highest quality and allows easy mounting to the block without worries of interference with the frame because of the 360-degree rotation of the oil line mounting holes. Their oil pan not only fits by the axle pivot points but also increases the oil capacity of the engine.

Duff's stuff is a remake or maybe is just Advanced Adapters stuff. The headers are thin walled and prone to cracking as I have seen a few times. The engine mounts are just crude remake production units.

I am not saying do not buy Duff's Stuff or how their warranty is or is not but I am a conformed L&L Product believer and that is that.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Guy Groves]

Sandy, don't be offended. I still think that L&L are high quality, and I would buy them again over the other available products.

I am in the process of talking with L&L and I should have mentioned that they are VERY supportive and responsive. They have been great to deal with, this alone would make me go back to them.

As you mentioned the .5" header flange can't be beat.
The tubes are thick walled, and the plating is good quality. The lifetime warranty say a lot as well.

 

[Sandy]

Guy Groves,
Me offended, no way man.
I just stated my opinion nothing else.
If it sounded that way then my apology to the site.





Keep it on all four, if you can

 

[Hammer]

Everything sounds great, I am going to post a feiw more polls on other items such as Headers, Oil Pans, Oil Filter relocation, radiators Etc. It will be nice to see opinions of Serious Converterters on the board.

With response to the headers, I dont like the idea of cutting the frame, my next post will get an answer to this issue.

 

[Gofast]

L & L

Originally posted by Guy Groves

I am in the process of talking with L&L and I should have mentioned that they are VERY supportive and responsive. They have been great to deal with, this alone would make me go back to them.

I went to L & L and picked up my remote Oil adapter. They are only 30 mins from my work. The quaility is great. This was back in Feb 2001. At that time I was asking about full length headers. They had no interest then to produce anything but there shortys.

By chance are they talking about long tube headers now?

Thanks Rob

 

[Sandy]

From the best of my knowledge they do not make full length headers for 5.0L 4x4 conversations in to the X, Navajo, Ranger, BroncoII. Problem is there are too many variables.

My opinion is on a 5.0 conversation the shorty header offers the adaptability needed to fit the engine in any chassis.

Good Luck

 

[Speedfreak]

A friend of mine used Hooker hedders in his Ranger, another friend used Sixties cast manifolds from a Mustang in his Bronco II and I used Motorsport hedders on the 93 2wd Explorer I did. I will be using the Motorsport hedders on my own truck, I like the way they fit in the truck. I think the Hooker style sit too close to the frame on the right side(about an 1/8th inch clearance) and the older manifolds are too restrictive for the new 5.0L engines.


My vote would be Motorsport hedders.

 

[Guy Groves]

Just as a thought...

We have been discussing headers and other discussions are about to come up. This has all been very good information, but we need to include some better information. We need to include the "context" of our conversion. We should always list the basic description of the conversion as well as any "dependent" components on the conversion.

Basics:
Model: 92 Explorer (the one being converted)
Engine: 1996, 5.0 (year and displacement of engine)

In the case of the exhaust we should list both the exhaust and motor mounts being used because of their dependency:

Exhaust: L&L 4x4 shorty
Engine mount: L&L

If we discuss Oil pans we will need to know the motor mounts, 4x4, and lift information.


I would also like to add a discussion on the complete exhaust system from the headers back.

Guy

 

[Speedfreak]

That is a good idea, here are some comparable installs I have helped on or with the Explorer have done.


vehicle: 90 Ranger, reg cab, long box,2wd
engine: 95 Mustang 5.0L
mounts:95 Mustang factory, both RH sides
hedders: Hooker long tube
oil pan: Factory 95 Mustang
tranny: T-5, 90 Mustang
accessories: 95 Mustang factory
rad : custom (similiar to James Duff)

hedders are too close to frame for my liking. Plenty of rad clearance, enough to run a mechanical fan. Good placement and fit other wise.


vehicle: 84 Bronco II, 4x4
engine: 95 Mustang 5.0L
mounts: 95 Mustang factory, both RH sides
hedders: cast manifolds from 65 Mustang 289
oil pan: factory 95 Mustang
tranny: C-5 with V8 bellhousing
accessories: factory 95 Mustang
rad: 95 Explorer super cooling, V6, custom mounts

good all-round fit. Done on a super budget and cost more in the long run. So far he has blown his rear carrier twice and rear driveshaft once.


vehicle:93 Explorer 2wd, slammed
engine: 93 Mustang 5.0L
mounts: James Duff
hedders: Ford Motorsport 96 Explorer hedders
oil pan: factory 93 Mustang
tranny: 93 Mustang AOD
accessories: factory 93 Mustang
rad: James Duff

a few problems with this install. Intake won't work without major modifications to the heater box and A/C dryer. The longer accessories would not allow the factory rad to be installed into the rad support so a James Duff had to be ordered. Other than these problems the install worked very well.

From my own experience I would recommend an engine from a 94-95 Mustang or a 91-93 T-bird/Cougar. They are identical engines and H.O.'s. The oil pans work, the accessories are shorter allowing the factory rad and the intake has a 45 degree bend in it for more clearance at the heater box. These are all good things when it comes to installing a 5.0L into an Explorer.

 

[Sandy]

Speedfreak,
I have a pair of the older style HiPo castiron exhaust manifold/headers from the old "K" model 271hp/289ci. From what they look like they will flow as well if not better than the restrictive stock 5.0L shorty headers.
I am not sure of what the Motorsport headers look like but if they are similar to the stock 5.0 type they will have to suck.

Can you tell I am a little pissed off this evening.

I don't think anyone makes a good conversation header for us. Maybe we should develope one and we can call it the "Xsite Header".

Any buyer for this one...

Have a good one,

 

[Speedfreak]

This is what the hedders look like. I will admit they could be alot better flowing, but I think they would easily out flow the HiPo manifolds.
Dead Link Removed

Yes it would be nice to have a true bolt in kit, with lots of power options, for the swap. There is a kit to drop a chevy:thumbdwn: into just about anything but next to no kits for 5.0Ls. The funny thing is that the 5.0L seems to be the most common swap motor for the past several years. Rods, kit Cobras, Rangers, retro's.... you name it and people are usually looking at a 5.0L to power the vehicle. We live in a ****vy(eeerrrrrr ummm chevy) bias world but I think its time to show the world what domination is really about.:fire: :fire: :fire: :fire:

 

[Sandy]

I am not sure what would flow better but looking at the stock 5.0L header it has so many constrictions. Ford has squashed it at every point they could. I do not know what the newer ones look like from MotorSports but I hope they are better than the earlier 5.0L headers.

Good Luck on your choices.

 

[Speedfreak]

click Dead Link Removed to take a look at a pic of the hedders. They are 1.5 inch mandrel primaries with 2.5 inch collectors.

 

[Sandy]

Based on the pic they look good except for the area around the collector, it is collapsed a little. That is the problem with the Ford headers they are a compromise but in the case of 5.0L conversations they will have to do.

The L&L headers look very similar in basic shape except that they flow more evenly toward the collector. The only drawback that I found with the L&L header is that the passenger side frame needed to be cut about 1/4" to clear the collector; not much but some people would say it weakens the frame. The collector on the L&Ls is designed to receive the tubes at full diameter not squashed down, that is probably why the L&Ls interfere with the frame.

Every time an engine is converted to another vehicle a compromise is needed somewhere.

OK on the headers what is the next topic to discuss.


Thanks for the pic.