Foxbody 5.4 4V Build Thread

[QSACfoxbody]

Hey everyone, this is going to be my build thread that anyone can reference in the future because I know this swap is scarcely documented. If anyone has any questions go ahead and ask away I've basically planned this build for a few months.

A little about the foxbody (1984 Ford Mustang GT Hatchback with a 1985 bumper conversion), I've had the car since October 2018, I was just having a bit of fun with the old engine and trans. It finally started giving me problems so I took the opportunity to start this swap. It's going to be a street/strip build

Here are the parts that will be going into the build
Tremec T56 built by Art's Transmissions in Glendora, 5.4 DOHC Engine from a 2001 Lincoln Navigator, Maximum Motorsports K-Member, Control Arms, Team-Z Coilover Kit, Ron Francis Wiring Kit for Accessory wiring, Ron Francis Wiring Telorvek 4.6/5.4 Wiring Harness, Precision PT88 Turbo, Race Star Industries Wheels, SN95 Dash Conversion, 4.10 Rear End Gears, and battery relocated to trunk.

The pictures I'm attaching are how the Foxbody is currently sitting from the interior. I'm putting all the wires in split sleeving loom that'll end up looking a lot nicer than stock wiring which is why I chose to completely replace all wiring in the car. I wanted to wire tuck the car and be able to make it all look nice.

Long post for my first one, (not sure if this is even the right place to post it), but ill try to be picture heavy and answer as many questions as I can to help!
I'll post a few pictures of my Foxbody in a later post.

 

[TOOLOW91]

Welcome . Should be a blast to drive . The 5.4 swap is the same as doing the 4.6 swap in essence .
I look forward to your progress .
One thing I can point out . I don’t know how tall of a rear tire you plan on running but 4.10 with a turbo is probably going to be useless . 3.27 at
Max a 3.55 is really where you’d want to be .

 

[QSACfoxbody]

Thanks! Yea I will end up changing the gears once I get the whole car running just on motor. I don't know what gear it will be but thanks for the recommendations

 

[QSACfoxbody]

Little update on the progress of the car. Seems like I've made so much progress in such little time. I thought I had set the goal of finishing the car by the end of April unrealistically but it seems highly likely that I will actually finish it by then.

All the accessory wiring finally got installed and still needs a bit of a touch up to be extremely clean and hidden but the new carpet is in which means the majority of my organizing is done.

The engine wiring harness that I ordered from Ron Francis Wiring finally came in after 6 weeks of production. I'm still contemplating whether to install it behind the dash on the trans tunnel since it seems a bit crowded with all the wiring passing through there. But in the end it's either that or installing it in the hatch and having to make the wires longer than they should be which I don't like the idea of.

With the whole quarantine situation and not having work/online classes I decided to take it upon myself and paint the engine bay. It won't be a perfect paint job in the engine bay but at least it'll look nicer than before. Here's showing a bit of progress that I've had

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I'll have a few updates pretty soon.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Firstly, if you bury that fuse box so far under the dash that you can’t easily see, and get to the fuses afterwards, you’re gonna hate yourself for doing that. Next, (and coming from somebody who is thoroughly familiar with a non-traditional engine swap) if those pics are all you have done so far,..and if you have every single thing to do this swap laying there, and if you can spend 40 hour weeks on the project........

You may get this done in a month.

But considering that you haven’t even mocked the big assed engine fitment up, and knowing that standard power brakes won’t fit, nor will the exhaust clear....and you haven’t even said how you intend to control the engine....

That said, as many times as that engine will be in/out of the bay in trial fitments, I’d leave the engine bay paint till after you do what you have to do to make sure everything is gonna work.

Im thinking April is a little ambitious.

 

[QSACfoxbody]

The fuse panel going on the trans tunnel is the engine wiring panel which won’t need to be accessed at all and if it is, it’s only connected by a magnet which means if can be easily removed. It will be controlled by the stock computer and a tune will remove the PATS and emissions.

The fuse box for accessories is actually mounted on the passenger side kick panel (also attached to the body by magnet). Shown here

I have all the parts here at my house. These updates are usually 2-3 weeks behind so as of now I have dropped the old front suspension, installed the hydroboost, and test fitted the new k-member.

I know how big this engine, I have the spacers on the K-Member needed and any other fitment issues will be addressed later. 4 inch cowl hood and the 1/2 inch spacers from MM should suffice to fit the engine from the guys that I’ve talked to who had the same engine swap.

of course it’s ambitious that’s how I force myself to get the work done.

Thanks for trying to look like an almighty god at engine swaps but I’ve done the research and bought the parts I needed.

 

[General karthief]

Thanks for trying to look like an almighty god at engine swaps but I’ve done the research and bought the parts I needed.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

I've done lots of engine swaps too. Tons of them.

Every. single. time, you put a plan on paper then buy parts. You KNOW what parts you need. But it never fails, something's not going to work like it's supposed to. The bad part about buying all the parts ahead of time is that typically you only get a small window to send them back if there's an issue; and if it takes 3 months to get the transmission stuff figured out and they sent you a converter for a TF727 instead of a 4R70W, you're stuck with a converter that a Mopar junkie MIGHT have a use for; you take a loss on it and then buy the one you think you need. BTDT. That's why the engine in my car is a 427 and not a 408. They sent me the wrong crankshaft but I didn't realize that it was MISPACKAGED for over a year; and of course by then I already had the rods and pistons for 408, and guess what? It don't work that way. Sold the rods and pistons then changed to the 427 specific stuff; cheaper that way, then selling the crank & buying a new one. 427 stuff isn't as common so it's harder to peddle it on the markets, but the rods and pistons for 408 are in more demand; easier to sell and got almost as much as I paid. Lucky. It was only a $60 difference including shipping costs. That engine is accidentially a 427"w and accidentally makes a little more than 600hp. I'd have been happy with 450.

It is far better off to put a budget on paper, stick to it, and buy the parts when you're close to needing them.

But...yeah I was going to do a 5.4 4v in my car too. Put a budget down, started figuring the costs involved, and decided that it wasn't for me. The camshafts alone were going to be about $1400; not counting 32 springs, 64 keepers, 32 keepers, 32 valves, porting, gaskets, pistons/rings/bearings, machine work, etc etc. Then, it might have made 450hp. I'd have been happy with that but a 351w based stroker is much less expensive to make the same (or in my case more) power. That's why I sold the 4v engine I had along with all of the other 4v stuff that I had amassed. I'd still like to do one in my '85 Coupe though; it is a dedicated bracket racing car, I am thinking a decent 5.4 4v with sullivan intake running methanol for fuel, N/A. My dad says I'm crazy. He's right.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

The fuse panel going on the trans tunnel is the engine wiring panel which won’t need to be accessed at all and if it is, it’s only connected by a magnet which means if can be easily removed. It will be controlled by the stock computer and a tune will remove the PATS and emissions.

The fuse box for accessories is actually mounted on the passenger side kick panel (also attached to the body by magnet). Shown here


I have all the parts here at my house. These updates are usually 2-3 weeks behind so as of now I have dropped the old front suspension, installed the hydroboost, and test fitted the new k-member.

I know how big this engine, I have the spacers on the K-Member needed and any other fitment issues will be addressed later. 4 inch cowl hood and the 1/2 inch spacers from MM should suffice to fit the engine from the guys that I’ve talked to who had the same engine swap.

of course it’s ambitious that’s how I force myself to get the work done.

Thanks for trying to look like an almighty god at engine swaps but I’ve done the research and bought the parts I needed.

I’m sorry.

It’s just that every other member here is taking pictures of the new freaking muffler or motor mount they bought, they day they bought it. Your updates are 2-3 weeks behind the progress, and you show the way it was before?
And here you are, with a whole speed parts warehouse worth of stuff piled up somewhere, and the only pic you post is of a couple of fuse panels that are held on with adhesive magnetic tape, carpeting that’s “ installed” ( you’d think you might’ve waited to do that without having the SF connectors welded in first, but since you didn’t tell us that that’s already done,.all we can do is assume it isn’t) An engine compartment that you’ve been sanding on, but couldn’t even get around to removing the old k member, exhaust manifolds, wiper motor, firewall grommets, hood hinges, or the brake lines that aren’t even attached to anything. You’d think that it’d be sooo much easier sanding, and you’d get a way better end result if that sht was out of the way. Anndd...since you have a new K member that will replace the stock one, I woulda thought it’d be way easier to remove the old one, and actually be able to STAND on the floor inside the bay while you sand and eventually paint that engine compartment.

I’m just sayin......

At least that’s how all the Gods of engine swaps that I know would do it.

 

[Its_alex]

This build sounds familiar. Sounds similar to a guys build who I sold an MM k member setup a couple months ago lol

 

[QSACfoxbody]

Haha i think you sir are the one that sold it to me if you live about 15-20 minutes from the LA area

 

[Bababui]

Can you post a pic of where you finally installed the wiring harness? The one that is attached to the ECU. I am in the same process looking for ideas.