Contemplating a Teksid swap... ideas :)

TenorPlayinGuy

Founding Member
Aug 3, 2001
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Canyon Country, Ca
Now, I've been visiting the local pull yard, and can find a good assortment of Mark VIII's with decent mileage (of course a freshen up before install is slated). From what I gather, the cams, intake, and headers would be first to go, in place of more favorable cobra or other aftermarket pieces.

This will be going into my 87 hatch located in my sig. My main problem would be the exhaust on the car. I need this to pass smog, but the only headers I can find are equal lengths (will they fit?) and plenty of long tubes (which from what I remember will not pass a visual...) so to those of you who have done a 4v Mod swap into your foxes... what type of headers and exhaust did you use? Was most of it or all of it simple bolt ons? Or was quite a bit custom work done by a muffler shop? Would a Mark VIII Intake work well? Or do I really want to look for a cobra intake (or even top it off with a working terminator blower pull... Plenty of those on CL :nice:)

What I want from the car, is a smooth running motor, which will net me possibly more MPG than current (18-20hw). But also be easy enough to implement.

What other possible components will I require? I do not want to switch over to the 96+ interiors as many have done, so where can I find more detailed information regarding the merge of electronics found in 87, with those found in a 4.6 4v equipped car, or is there an easier method such as a megasquirt or other standalone. (Lets also assume I am on a very limited budget, so the more I find at a junkyard the better. I am very well versed in electrical, so I can definitely make a harness if the need arises) Lastly, what other components will need to be used (hydroboost, k-members, etc.)

I have had this type of swap on my mind for a while, but really never thought it possible until I saw the price for a complete motor out of a Mark VIII at the local parts pull... so lets see what else I'd need to make this a reality...
 
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Parts list and how to's termi fox swap.

Made this a while back as reference for all the PM's i get.

Not sure i'd do what you are considering.
IMO, buy a running engine and slap it in.
But buying one to take apart is going to cost you tons in the long run and not really net you that much.
If you had money for a megasquirt you should just be buying a better engine.

The wiring isn't brain surgery, probably alot easier with a NA engine.

While i did a terminator swap, the same principles apply to any swap, less a few parts and alot of dollars.

There are fittings available to hook the stock fox lines to AN fittings for fuel line, so if you are only making 300hp, the fuel setup is as simple as it gets.
I wanted to try it, but my buddy BD said it wasn't happening for my setup, so...
 
I've also been finding local Mark VIII's that run for around $800 out the door. I may go that route, but I am first looking to see what is required, before I do it. I could also just as easily pick up a decent 5.0, fix my tranny, and stick to what the car was originally intended to run. This is all just thoughts at the moment.
 
Thanks for the write up, I'll be going through that today, seems you did just what I want to do, add a mod 4v, and keep the original wiring mostly intact. I'm hoping you go into more detail regarding your A/C system with photos. I see what you meant by the custom hose ends on the fox evap, so I will take that into consideration. Thanks!
 
Go with a 97-98 Mark motor as the intake is at least similar to the 99/01 cobra and points ot the side. The 93-96 intake and TB is at the rear of the engine.

The mark intake will make more torque than a cobra intake, which is great for a 3800 pound car, but in a mustang which is light, you might like that top end HP more
 
Thanks for the write up, I'll be going through that today, seems you did just what I want to do, add a mod 4v, and keep the original wiring mostly intact. I'm hoping you go into more detail regarding your A/C system with photos. I see what you meant by the custom hose ends on the fox evap, so I will take that into consideration. Thanks!

I have a few odds and ends for photo's with the A/C, but honestly, other than swapping the ends on the evaporator (while still in the box), i just put the entire 03 cobra a/c system in, and if i remember correctly it only took 1 wire to the heater/ac control to turn it on.
The condensor went in easy too, turns out the lower fox condensor brackets are only bolted in.
Had to gently bend a few lines out of the way but nothing special.
 
I will definitely be looking at that type of intake. I'd like to go cheap at first, and play around a bit later. I don't want to just find a cobra intake, if I later intend to place a blower on top. Another thing to consider would be the wiring. I know 96-98 wiring from any 4.6l would work correct? But what if I wanted to lose the coil packs. Would it be a simple matter of splicing or would I really need a different harness and some more in depth modification? I understand the valve covers are probably different since they would need to accommodate the coil packs, but otherwise, which harness would I want to find for that?

And from what I gather 2000xp8 what you did with your exhaust was simply bolt on? Stock cobra manifolds, mid pipe and your fox exhaust? That would make this all the more feasible for me to do, as I was worried that I would need more custom work done for the exhaust. Is there much clearance lost while using stock components?
 
I have a few odds and ends for photo's with the A/C, but honestly, other than swapping the ends on the evaporator (while still in the box), i just put the entire 03 cobra a/c system in, and if i remember correctly it only took 1 wire to the heater/ac control to turn it on.
The condensor went in easy too, turns out the lower fox condensor brackets are only bolted in.
Had to gently bend a few lines out of the way but nothing special.

Yeah I just found that they are both the same type of compressor, so the mounting of everything should also be the same. I will have to give your other thread another read over, as I didn't get to load that last page. I wanted to see where you mounted your condenser, I have 94gt condenser on there now, and it was a PIA to fit in the stock spot.