I am considering buying a 94-95 v6 stang with intentions of efi v8 swap. I had a 90 i4 to v8 swap that went bad. I am wondering if I would be able to use the wiring parts a gathered up. I have an A3M ecu from a 93 gt and an engine and injector harness for a 92 gt. I am aware of the obvious parts I will need such as motor mounts, distributor, upper intake, etc. My questions are about the electronics. I know anything is possible but if I did use these parts would it turn out to be a jerry-rig or can the swap be done correctly using these parts. Any help from those wiser than me would be greatly appreciated.
94-95 v6 to v8 ?s
- Thread starter kmetz85
- Start date
As you say, "anything is possible". But, in my opinion, it would be much easier to sell the parts that you have and buy the computer and wiring harnesses from a 94-95 GT. When I did my swap, I just bought an engine that had most of the wiring and computer already included in the deal. It is not a hard swap at all. I just don't know how to get the wiring thing worked out between the two "types" of systems. The engine/injector harness is the same if I remember correctly, but I don't know the differences of the main/computer harness. The one thing to remember is to get a great deal on the v6 car in the first place or else you will have more into the car than if you would just buy the GT with a 5.0 in it in the first place. Good Luck and let us know how it goes. Phil
99FiveOh
15 Year Member
Exactly what Phil said. Good deals on clean 94/95 V6 cars are hard to find as they are still commanding prices of 2K and up. And, parts for 94/95 V8's come at a premium, if and when you find them.
I'd say buy a V8 from the start. Most people that do the swap do it because they got the car from parents or already owned it. I converted my brother's 97 and it was a little more involved because I had to swap the K member, but he already owned the car and the 3.8 hung a rod out to dry!
I'd say buy a V8 from the start. Most people that do the swap do it because they got the car from parents or already owned it. I converted my brother's 97 and it was a little more involved because I had to swap the K member, but he already owned the car and the 3.8 hung a rod out to dry!
Just buy a V8
Bingo! I'd never do it again, I'd have been better off just dumping the car and starting off fresh then do the swap, or in my case have someone else do it (not enough hours in my day or the skills required) If you do this you'd better plan on finding a complete doner car (something thats been written off) they can be had. If you go that route its pretty much a plug & play. Mine wasn't I got the engine/tranny/exhaust/MAF etc off one guy, but he never shipped me the computer & main wiring harness. Those items I lucked out on and picked up at a wreckers for $50 bucks. I then had to search another wreckers for a wack of vacuum lines & other odds & ends the A/C line etc also for $50 bucks (the ones up under the passenger side fender wall). You can run the stock V6 rear end but at some point you'll want to swap it out, the stock V6 gauge cluster will work, but isn't accurate. There's another control module (water/fan/ac) that'll have to be changed as well. Crap I know there's more I'm forgeting (darn I got a case of CRS) aka can't remember $hit.
The only reason I did mine was the car was paid for several years ago, and I just couldn't dump it on some poor kid with the bottom end of the motor shot. Also just didn't want to waste my $ dropping in another V6 as I firmly think they are a POS. This was the 2nd ford 3.8 that I've had that the heads went on it. My 86 T-bird did the same thing at roughly the same milage.
Bingo! I'd never do it again, I'd have been better off just dumping the car and starting off fresh then do the swap, or in my case have someone else do it (not enough hours in my day or the skills required) If you do this you'd better plan on finding a complete doner car (something thats been written off) they can be had. If you go that route its pretty much a plug & play. Mine wasn't I got the engine/tranny/exhaust/MAF etc off one guy, but he never shipped me the computer & main wiring harness. Those items I lucked out on and picked up at a wreckers for $50 bucks. I then had to search another wreckers for a wack of vacuum lines & other odds & ends the A/C line etc also for $50 bucks (the ones up under the passenger side fender wall). You can run the stock V6 rear end but at some point you'll want to swap it out, the stock V6 gauge cluster will work, but isn't accurate. There's another control module (water/fan/ac) that'll have to be changed as well. Crap I know there's more I'm forgeting (darn I got a case of CRS) aka can't remember $hit.
The only reason I did mine was the car was paid for several years ago, and I just couldn't dump it on some poor kid with the bottom end of the motor shot. Also just didn't want to waste my $ dropping in another V6 as I firmly think they are a POS. This was the 2nd ford 3.8 that I've had that the heads went on it. My 86 T-bird did the same thing at roughly the same milage.
99FiveOh
15 Year Member
The swap isn't really that difficult at all. But it's only really justified if you already own the car in the first place. If you spend 2000.00 on a V6 car and have to spend 2000.00 more to get the swap done nicely, then you're in the hole 4000.00. This probably won't net you the proper rearend either. I've seen plenty of 94/95 GT's out there for around 4K. Then all you may need to do is a tune up or something.
It will get very difficult for you if you decide to start mixing and matching Fox and SN parts as hardly any of them are interchangable. I'll be glad to help you any way I can if you decide to go the swap route. I remember everything to a T!
It will get very difficult for you if you decide to start mixing and matching Fox and SN parts as hardly any of them are interchangable. I'll be glad to help you any way I can if you decide to go the swap route. I remember everything to a T!
Yep. The reason I went the swap route is because I bought the V6 Mustang brand new in '94, it was paid for and I just couldn't part with it (I know all the history of the car and all the work done to it was by me). I still wanted something that I could hop-up too. I got pretty lucky when I bought the engine, it came with most of what I needed to do the swap, so that saved a lot of hunting and trial and error stuff. It still cost me about $2k to do the swap, but that was with some aftermarket add-ons like the cam, headers, exhaust, roller-rockers, and stuff like that. I used the v6's trans (with a 5.0 bellhousing) and 7.5" rear (with a Trac-Lok and 3:73 gears) and it has taken what I have thrown at it so far. I don't have sticky tires in the rear, so I think that has saved the drivetrain because it just spins 'em. (Big smiles everytime too!!). Good Luck and let me know if you have any ?'s about the swap if you decide to do it.
Oh yeah, a guy on here called SORSCODE is The Man when it comes to this swap. He helped me with a few questions that I had when I did mine. You can do a search on him and find a lot of info about the swap.
Oh yeah, a guy on here called SORSCODE is The Man when it comes to this swap. He helped me with a few questions that I had when I did mine. You can do a search on him and find a lot of info about the swap.
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