done alot of work to stangs. never tried the swap. I have a 97 4.6 with an automatic. getting ready to drop a 5.0 h.o with a t5 behind. gonna be a budget project. just needing some tech info on what to expect. (motor mounts, cross member, drive shaft lenth) Im goin back with an msd ignition so im not worried about electric. Any help or advise will be appreciated.
4.6 motor swap to 5.0
- Thread starter joshua.mcnair
- Start date
95Vert383AOD
15 Year Member
Unless you already have a Fully built up 5.0 waiting to go in.....Skip it and Drop a 351+ motor in. You could scrape by with a Roller 351, Intake, Swap Pan, Distributor and 302 accessory brackets (302 brackets are dirt cheap on ebay unless its 94-95 brackets)
But like i said if you have to put this together from scratch you're better off starting with the larger of the 2 small blocks. All electronics will work from the 302 on a 351. Biggest drawback on and SBF is the heads. Toss some aftermarket heads on the 351 and a good intake and you'll be very happy.
Other than that you need the K member form a 5.0 mustang like the 94/95 (good time to upgrade if you have to yank it" but i know you said budget.
Theres a good deal involved in this swap....especially if you want to stay EFI
Not sure what your budget is but i wouldn't consider this a "Budget" swap.
If you just want to put a bone stock 302 in your car in place of the 4.6 ....then just buy a 94/95 mustang and save alot of time and money. Not worth the swap unless you get a 351+
But like i said if you have to put this together from scratch you're better off starting with the larger of the 2 small blocks. All electronics will work from the 302 on a 351. Biggest drawback on and SBF is the heads. Toss some aftermarket heads on the 351 and a good intake and you'll be very happy.
Other than that you need the K member form a 5.0 mustang like the 94/95 (good time to upgrade if you have to yank it" but i know you said budget.
Theres a good deal involved in this swap....especially if you want to stay EFI
Not sure what your budget is but i wouldn't consider this a "Budget" swap.
If you just want to put a bone stock 302 in your car in place of the 4.6 ....then just buy a 94/95 mustang and save alot of time and money. Not worth the swap unless you get a 351+
1987stangman
Member
- Jul 12, 2006
- 684
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I have heard of folks doing this but now that I own both platforms, I can't see the point in the swap. Over the years it has been to my experiance that there really is no "budget" swap. The 4.6 has alot of potential and it looks like the same amout of money could be spent making the 4.6 faster.
Even with a 351, it's likely still not worth the time and effort. The engine, K-member, and transmission are the easy part. It's wiring it into the 4.6 car's chassis harness that may be a problem. If you're determined, your best bet would be to find a wrecked 94-95 and use it for parts. Things I can think of right now off the top of my head that you'd need, or will have issues with on the swap:
1. Electric fan - you'll need an aftermarket controller (controlled by the CCRM and EEC)
2. Fuel pump - you'll need to run a relay (controlled by the CCRM)
3. Air conditioning - you'll need to run relays (controlled by the CCRM)
4. Dash harness - this may work, but you'll need a wiring diagram for the pinout on the cluster, as it's different fron 94-95 and 96-98
5. Brakes - if the car has hydroboost and you can't adapt it, you'll need a vacuum assist booster and master cylinder
I'm absolutely sure there's more, but those are just the major components that come to mind. It will be a pretty involved swap that will consume a LOT of your time and effort. I have to agree with Chris (95Vert383AOD) that you'd honestly be best off buying a 94-95 car. Depending on where you live, the non OBD-II computer may very well cause you issues with emissions, as well. I'm not familiar with Mississippi's (at least that's where your IP resolves) emissions testing standards, so you'd need to investigate that.
1. Electric fan - you'll need an aftermarket controller (controlled by the CCRM and EEC)
2. Fuel pump - you'll need to run a relay (controlled by the CCRM)
3. Air conditioning - you'll need to run relays (controlled by the CCRM)
4. Dash harness - this may work, but you'll need a wiring diagram for the pinout on the cluster, as it's different fron 94-95 and 96-98
5. Brakes - if the car has hydroboost and you can't adapt it, you'll need a vacuum assist booster and master cylinder
I'm absolutely sure there's more, but those are just the major components that come to mind. It will be a pretty involved swap that will consume a LOT of your time and effort. I have to agree with Chris (95Vert383AOD) that you'd honestly be best off buying a 94-95 car. Depending on where you live, the non OBD-II computer may very well cause you issues with emissions, as well. I'm not familiar with Mississippi's (at least that's where your IP resolves) emissions testing standards, so you'd need to investigate that.
How is changing out the engine, trans, exhaust, wiring harness and computer system supposed to be a budget project? And this is all assuming you’ve got a complete’94-’95 donor car to work with in the event of those little “incidentals” that pop up. And trust me.....they will pop up!
A budget performance swap would be picking up a later model PI engine from a '99-'04 Mustang, '01-up Crown Victoria/Marquis, '03-up Lincoln Town Car, or a '02-'05 Explorer (preferably) and doing a direct swap with no guess work, very little down time and no bastardizing of the components. You pick up 45 easy horsepower right off the bat and have yourself a great platform to work with for future mods. The only think you might want to consider after the PI swap would be an ECU reflash to tie it altogether, but even that's not necessary for decent performance and drivability.
Please don't be one of those guys who's been brainwashed into thinking that the 302 OHV is the only engine worth while in a Mustang. The bone stock quarter mile times between a '94-'95 and a '99-'04 should tell you that's not at all true.
A budget performance swap would be picking up a later model PI engine from a '99-'04 Mustang, '01-up Crown Victoria/Marquis, '03-up Lincoln Town Car, or a '02-'05 Explorer (preferably) and doing a direct swap with no guess work, very little down time and no bastardizing of the components. You pick up 45 easy horsepower right off the bat and have yourself a great platform to work with for future mods. The only think you might want to consider after the PI swap would be an ECU reflash to tie it altogether, but even that's not necessary for decent performance and drivability.
Please don't be one of those guys who's been brainwashed into thinking that the 302 OHV is the only engine worth while in a Mustang. The bone stock quarter mile times between a '94-'95 and a '99-'04 should tell you that's not at all true.
95Vert383AOD
15 Year Member
Does the 5.4 have the same firing order as the 4.6??? Ive seen this becoming a more popular swap. But the only reason for swapping a good ole pushrod is to get a displacement that you cant get with a mod motor. like 351 or hell even a 460.
Either way most of the issues wont be with swap parts. It will be electrical. You will either have to go carb. (god awful on a car that you know came efi) Or you can stay EFI and get a full wiring diagram for both cars.
Theres a guy i saw on Ebay that sells a A9L computer kit that only requires 4-5 wires co be connected behind the dash...i assume ground, power and fuel pump.
This will be a budget build for Jay Leno.
Either way most of the issues wont be with swap parts. It will be electrical. You will either have to go carb. (god awful on a car that you know came efi) Or you can stay EFI and get a full wiring diagram for both cars.
Theres a guy i saw on Ebay that sells a A9L computer kit that only requires 4-5 wires co be connected behind the dash...i assume ground, power and fuel pump.
This will be a budget build for Jay Leno.
trinity_gt
10 Year Member
If the goal is the torque more cubes give then it's much cleaner and probably cheaper to bolt on a twin-screw supercharger than go to the considerable trouble and expense of a swap to a different species of engine...
Although the 2V bottom end isn't bulletproof, it's pretty robust and with a good tune you can safely hit 400rwHP and still meet emissions. It's a compelling alternative to the big-cube engine swap.
95Vert383AOD
15 Year Member
Oh yeah forgot to mention. Big cube swaps are usually worthless without head swaps. Because you'll have a torque monster that doesn't breathe enough to make much more hp.
flstang65
10 Year Member
a friend of mine did it. he got a 94-95 car that had been t boned and used it as the donor car and for all those "incidentals" he did the swap bc he bought an 02 with a bad motor and tranny for like $1500 and got the donor car for cheap. that would be the only way i would do it, if i had a complete donor car.
