explorer motor same as stang motor?

It will work, but the heads will most likely reqire special headers for GT40P heads, and you will have to change the front cover, water pump, oil pan, and some other things I'm probably forgetting.

Some differences for sure, it's not the same motor.

those motors kick ass and move......

swap on your mustang timing cover, mustang cam or a good aftermarket cam, stock valve springs or good valve springs, use the mustang accessories, rip off all that obd2 crap, stab in your mustang distributor, mustang fuel rails, re use the explorer fuel injectors, drill the intake for the act sensor and egr coolant return, and you've got yourself a budget 300 horse mustang motor.

The stock Explorer 5.0 had 210 hp. I doubt changing the cam is going to net a 90 hp increase. Most likely in the 235 hp range (just like the Cobra).

the cobra was under rated.....people with the explorer swap and full bolt ons (key word) are all getting 240-260 at the wheels easily if not a little more.

I did this swao into my 88 gt. The original motor had the oil pump lock up and the rod snapped made its way into the motor and the rest is garbage. Anywho. I used a set of bbk long tubes. The only problem was having to remove the header every time I wanted to check my plugs. I used a trick flow intake. A set of 1.6 rockers and a e303 cam. The car moved. I had the ussual bolt ons as well as a full msd. The only problem I had was spraying the engine. The hyper pistons didnt hang around for that long. That is why I now have a 347. But that swap was kickass. I got the engine and a whole lot more for other fords I have for 500 bucks and was happy.

Yes the bbks will work. Almost any header will work. The only problem is that the spar kplug angles are different than most heads. I had to pull the driver side header away(not off the car completly) Just off the head to pull the spark plugs out. The passenger side is not a problem. I didnt really care. I work on my car all the time. Every check are more upgrades. Pulling the header away from the head for some cheap horsepower didnt bother me. I have track heat heads on that car now because it now has a 347 in it. I replaced everything in this car with a 500 horsepower goal and the car still has the nitrous kit on it. Those gt40p heads are in my basement waiting to go on a 331 I am building for my 89 coupe. As far as I am concerned the heads are free to me at this point. I will keep using them on my street car.

Oh yeah. I didnt change the springs in the gt40 heads at all. They worked great for my combo. Gets some roller rockers though. I did and was very happy with the combo.

stock springs will likely work, but with a cam and roller rockers you're likely pushing the limits. Spend the cash on the tfs valve spring kit....it's only about $100 at summit, and comes with new valve seals, the shims and everything, it's a sweet kit.

if you run rr's, stick with 1.6s

for cheap insurance, replace the oil pump $20 melling pump from autozone, best pump out there.

also for more cheap insurance use an aftermarket oil pump driveshaft $20 summit....won't twist and destroy your motor...don't use the arp one, it's cut to fit, unlike the frpp unit, plug and play.

the pickup tube must be swapped to the mustang pickup tube in the oil pan (re use your old one) that's why you may as use a new oil pump and driveshaft upon install....use the felpro one piece oil pan gasket or the frpp one piece, and don't forget to prime the oil pump before startup

if it's a 96 motor )3 bars on the front of the head and just "gt", then you won't need special headers....if it's a 97+ motor you've got the gt40p heads, 4 bars and gtp on the side...see my avatar, then you'll need special headers, go ONLY with the frpp ones, best ones out there for the p heads......imo you can waste your time with shorty plugs and weird spark plug wires but why bother? get the right headers from the getgo.

There is a LOT of info on this swap out there,j good luck and post questions as you need help

get a 5.0 stang timing cover gasket set, reuse the stang timing cover....

here is the beginning of a tech article I never finished, but I'll put it up for you, it should help a lot



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Explorer 5.0 Engine swap into a Fox Body
WORK IN PROGRESS

Parts list
- 1996-2001 Explorer Long Block(must include heads and intake)
- 1986 through 1993 5.0 Mustang water pump
- 1986 through 1993 5.0 Mustang timing chain cover
- Felpro gasket kit for front seal, timing chain cover gasket, and water pump gasket part # TCS 45450
- Stock HO valve springs
- Stock HO or explorer rocker arms
- reuse your stock mustang or explorer push rods
- 86-95 HO 5.0 Cam (85-early 88 roller cams make the most power of the OEM roller cams)
- 1986 through 1993 HO Oil Pump (Explorer and Mustang oil pumps are the same, although it’s highly recommended to use a new oil pump)
- 1986 through 1993 HO Oil Pickup Tube Melling brand part number MEL-247S
- 1986 through 1993 HO Oil Pan
- 1986-1993 PCV rubber intake Grommet and Screen. NOTE: The explorer intakes do not come with the pcv screen inside the intake at the back, you must re-use your mustang one.
- FRPP Oil Pan Gasket part number FMS-M-6710-A50 or use Felpro part number XXXXXX. Both are one piece and are rubber bonded on metal.
- shorty headers that are GT40P compliant, for ceramic coated use Part Number FMS-M-9430-P51 (only if you're running a 1997-2001 Explorer engine with GT40P heads)
- FRPP Exhaust Manifold Gaskets part number FMS-M-9448-B302
- SFI approved Balancer, Powerbond makes a good inexpensive balancer part number PIO-872030. I wouldn't recommend reusing your stock balancer since it is of poor design, although it can be used if it's still in good condition.
- ALL HO Mustang accessories (smog pump, a/c compressor, power steering pump, alternator, brackets and bolts)
- EGR Spacer if you plan on keeping a functioning EGR setup(note that late 97-2001 intakes do not have EGR passages)
- 65MM+ Throttle body or modify the explorer throttle body to reclock where the throttle cable hooks on to. You can also use your stock 60mm mustang throttle body in a crunch.
- Stock HO 5.0 Fuel rails, injector harness
- ACT Sensor
- EGR coolant return line (only if you are planning on running an EGR setup)
- 9/16th drill bit and 3/8 NPT tap for the ACT sensor and EGR Coolant return line bosses (only for 1996 - early 1997 lower intakes with EGR passages). NOTE: the ACT and EGR both receive the same size tap.



Recommended Upgrades - the following are not mandatory but are highly recommended
- FRPP oil pump driveshaft - 1986-1995 EFI 5.0 part number FMS-M-6605-B302 (ARP oil pump driveshafts can be used, but they are to long and will need to be grinded down, please check for proper clearances if the ARP oil pump driveshaft is to be used)
- new water pump bolts from Ford if yours are rusty or broken off inside your old block. A full reproduction water pump bolt kit is available from Windsor-Fox.com. Do not use the ARP water pump bolt kit, as they do not come with the necessary studs.
- TFS Valve Spring Kit part number TFS-2500100 (if you plan on running a mild cam)
- Your choice of aftermarket cams. The TFS Stage 1 cam is an excellent choice, part number TFS-51402000
- Roller Rockers (use pedestal mount rockers unless you plan on removing your heads to drill for stud mount)
- Crane Roller Rocker shim kit for pedestal mount rockers, part number CRN-99170-1
- Hardened Pushrods(or reuse your stock ones), for stock length FRPP pushrods use part number FMS-M-6565-L302

Issues and Concerns
- 1996 through Early 1997 Explorers have upper and lower intakes with internal EGR passages, but late 1997-2001 do not have internal EGR passages.
- 1996 through Early 1997 Explorers have a boss on the lower intake that can be drilled out for the ACT Sensor (on intake runner number 5) and for the EGR coolant return line. The late 1997-2001 explorer lower intakes that do not have internal EGR passages, also do not have a boss for the ACT Sensor.
- 1996 through some early 1997 Explorers used standard cast iron GT40 heads and "may" be drilled for air injection internally(look for the 3 bars on the front of the head). However, note that no explorer head is drilled for the crossover tubes in the back of the heads.
- Late 1997 through 2001 Explorers came with GT40P heads and are not drilled for air injection internally(look for the 4 bars on front of the head or the GTP logo on the side of the head.)
- GT40P heads have a revised spark plug angle and require the use of GT40P compliant headers. Ford makes headers designed for the GT40P head. Standard GT40 heads do not need P compliant headers. NOTE: All FRPP headers are compliant with all ford style 5.0 heads (gt40, gt40p, etc)
- Explorers came with Hypereutectic pistons. If you plan on running boost, please keep this in mind.
- The explorer timing chain cover, water pump, oil pan, oil pump, oil pick up tube, and fuel rails can not be reused, but the fuel injectors can be. NOTE: I have heard of the fuel rails being used, but it will require line adaptors, as the fuel lines are in the rear. (I've heard the SN95 5.0 cars may have this style from the factory, but I can't verify this.) For simplicity, it's much easier to use your fox rails.



1997 Explorer 5.0 into an 86 GT Convertible

re use the explorer timing chain and gears...both my bro and I re used it and no adjustments, perfect as is

re use the pickup tube from your old 5.0 motor, no reason to buy a new one, they don't wear out--just the new pump will do...remember to grab an frpp oil pump driveshaft too

intake gasket kit...yes...I've used both the 1250 mustang kit on it, and the explorer 5.0 intake gasket kit...they're both a little different.....go with either, but my favorite is the graphite intake gasket explorer kit with the rubber end seals...requires NO rtv except a dab at each corner of the end seal where it meats the intake to head gasket

remember to do something about the valve springs, HO stang at a minimum, or tfs spring kit (cheap) recommended

as for the egr and smog....that's a big topic in itself

the gt40 and gt40p explorer heads are not drilled for smog bypass tubing in the back.....as a result you'll get no smog pump air passing through the heads when cold...no worries, though as the ONLY reason for this is to dump fresh air down the heads and into the headers, which in return go past the 02 sensors and therefore richen up your mixture during cold startup by detecting a lean condition...when your motor warms up, air bypasses straight to the cats. Since you do NOT smog your motor cold, no worries this will NOT effect smog in the slightest...just run a straight tube from the smog pump to the cats, and find a place willing to overlook the visual for the bypass tubing. chance are most shops will NEVER notice it missing anyhow.. IF you must, just tack it back there and make it appear like it's actually connected..Lol

as for the egr, for this to work you MUST get a 96 explorer motor,or early 97 motor with the intake style meant for internal egr.... You'll be able to spot these intakes because the hole in the center on the mating surface right between the upper and lower intake...the smog compliant intakes came only 96 and EARLY 97 motors....

so if you don't have the right intake, you won't be running egr....your only other option is to run an external type egr setup like the 94/95 sn95 mustang have...which I believe incorperate the egr into a pickup coming off of the headers. so it's still possible to be legal in that mannor, it's just a bit more work.

also worthy of mentioning, on the explorer intakes, you'll need a cobra/gt40 style upper intake gasket, which only comes in the explorer/cobra gasket kits...the 1250 kit will come with a regular type HO upper gasket or none at all...