tbh, starting this project, I was super confident, now, I have taken a sloth-like go no-go approach to what steps I take..
I have received a bunch of advice and support from members here, and I email
@410Fortune as if he was tech support..
If I had the extra cash, I would buy his families ST!! A truck literally built on blood sweat and tears!! If I ever get to meet ya, there is a few cases of beer or a few steak dinners heading your way!
If it wasn't for everyone here, I would have just tossed in another 4.0, babied it while completely rebuilding another 4.0 to my standards, to still be unimpressed, and jealous of everyone who had the ability to take on the 5.0 swap solo..
First, I picked up a donor with the wrong return style fuel system, to have nightmares about something not working right.. So after picking up parts upon parts, I still picked up another donor, an '01.. luckily, I've found more info on using the '01 as a donor due to the return style fuel, and basically bolt in/on nature..
I realize this build is bandaid yanking torture slow, however, this is my wife's truck..
and however good, or mediocre I am with a wrench, she scares me more than "burning my hand, with a torch, while heating up exhaust mani nuts" if something (other than covid closing our notaries) prevents me from being able to return Olive to the street.. Olive is an anniversary present to Lavinia, and I'd rather have done the 5.0 swap in another ST prior to butchering Olive, however, budget had a stiff "no" on that..
I believe I may still need some parts, and m major roadblock is finding someone who hasn't cut up the 5.0 exhaust for the scrap cats..
At this point I'm looking at buying another donor because I can't seem to find all the aftermarket parts to slide under the $500 "factory" exhaust w/catalytics price tag that I've found..
if anyone needs parts and would need something from an '01 5.0 minus the exhaust, I'll buy the donor and deliver whatever you want..
Besides, if nobody needs parts, another parts pony in the stable??