Engine swaping. needing help

I have done a couple 2.3 to V8 conversions and I will try to help. BUT!...I will preface this by saying that if I had to do it over, I would probably go with a 2.3 turbo swap instead. Other than that I wont flame or try to talk you out of it. Tealtiger is right though, the 2.3 crowd can be touchy on this subject sometimes. Little man syndrome or something

Anyway....You do not need to change the K-member. The 2.3 one is essentially the same as the one in V8 cars. Suspension wise, the V8 cars had bigger front brakes, stiffer springs and a bigger front swaybar. At the rear was an 8.8 instead of a 7.5 as well as a rear sway bar and quad shocks. Technically, you dont NEED to change any of this for a V8 swap but none of it is a bad idea depending on what you want to do with the car. And if I did nothing else I would say at least do better front brakes.

If your ditching EFI alltogether, you can get rid of a whole bunch of wiring in the engine compartment. The only thing I can thin of I had to do for the carb motors was lengthen the alternator harness, find an IGN trigger for the new ignition of choice and build the appropriate harness for it, and wire in a fuel pump relay (I retained the factory wires and inertia switch).

You will need to install a new fuel line, electric pump and either sump your tank or modify or replace your stock pickup with a carb one. If you need any specifics, just ask. I kept records of all the wiring mods I did so I know the colors to look for and stuff like that.

You will need get a doublehump trans crosmember and come up with the appropriate shifter and linkage depending on what trans you decide to go with. And you will need to get a throttl cable and bracket from an older carburated fox.

Probly more but thats all I can remember at the moment.

Same as above, the 5.0 forum is a better place to ask this, and also to search. The should be several posts with an overall description on how to do this.

I did a 200 in six car to 5.0, which is the only one you need to change the K member. You can also keep the 7.5 inch axle for awhile. I am in the 12's on mine, so far so good.

MrKwik said:

Other than that I wont flame or try to talk you out of it. Tealtiger is right though, the 2.3 crowd can be touchy on this subject sometimes. Little man syndrome or something

Click to expand...

Not really. We are just dumbfounded why the 2.3 forum should know how to put in a V8. If someone succesfully did a v8 swap, there woulnd't be much reason for them to hang out in the 2.3 forums, would there?