Hey Guys, got a question about a 5.0

Well, to save you the looong story, I have two cars in my backyard. An ex-4cyl 87 lx hatch and a 91 Thunderbird w/5.0. I am going to put the T-bird 5.0 in the stang. I know it's not really conventional, but I don't see it being too big a hassle either.

My question is, for the differences between a T-bird and a stang, what should I throw out and replace with mustang parts? I know it's a different Intake, but I was told by Thunderbird guys that it flows better than a stock mustang intake. Dunno if thats true or not.
Any suggestions are very appreciated. I can't wait to get back in the 5.0 world, I've been driving a 300zx and I miss my rumble!!!

Maryland Stang said:

Some of the non Mustang intakes (that are of the Mustang/non-gt40 design) had shorter runners and that reduced the torque output. The Mustang intake flowed as good as any other, that why they used that intake on the HO engine.

At this point in time it's hard to tell who may have done what to your T-bird. As an example I was all set to order and install a steel throwout bearing retainer on my car only to find out that someone has already done it. My car had 60k miles when I got it and that was literally the only non-stock part on the entire car. Apparently there was a clutch/tranny problem at one time and the part was either installed then or they put a newer tranny in the car.

The point is you need to check the parts on your T-bird to see what they are before you start swapping.

Does the T-bird have the larger Mustang TB, MASS AIR and injectors? The cam would probably be a better grind with the Mustang too. You also want the stock (or better) Mustang headers.

The long block should be the same but without the forged pistons. It should have E7 heads.

I'm sure there's other stuff but this should get you started.

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Well, so far it has appeared that the previous owner was an asshat. The only things he did to it where stupid Ricer junk which I reversed when I first bought it.
He had a MAF installed in a plastic tube, I replaced that with a mustang MAF. I highly doubt that there was any internal work done. The engine doesn't seem to have ever been pulled before. I think someone had told me the intake I have is the Gt-40 style. I do not believe that the throttle body has been changed.
It still has the ultra pinched 'luxury' thunderbird exhaust manifolds. I'm fairly sure the injectors are stock as well. Really the only thing on it I would call a 'mod' is a different shift lever, which was installed like ass.
I don't really have the money to tear the engine down at this point, this is more of a 'get-R-done' type situation so I can park my 300zx and start building it up in a few months. When the Z is ready for the DD circuit I will be parking the stang and doing a real build up.
This is more a case of what will work, and what absolutely will not.
I am most likely going to try and find a set of mustang headers, or at the least stock mustang manifolds.
Since my car is gutted down to bare bones, and I have a lot of room for changes, I am going to try and use the thunderbird wiring system for now.

Thanks for the info, If anyone has anything to add, I am all ears!!

90topdown said:

I am not sure if T-birds cam with HO motors. I believe that they were non-HO so it won't have the right firing order to run with the fuel injection.

HO firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

Check it before you drop the motor in!

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It has the HO badge right on top of the manifold. Firing order wont be an issue. I am using my thunderbirds entire electrical system, sensors, ECU, harnesses and all. I have seen the non-HO motors in older crown Vics, but the intake is turned the other way on those. I suppose it's possible that the previous asshat owner might have stuck an HO badge on the intake, but I dunno. It had been painted blue (poorly) so I guess theres really no telling what that idiot did. I found a set of "Type S" EL stick on lights buried deep inside the dash. Funny thing is, he removed the little power supply box, and left the lights. Sad, because I would have used them on my computer! (PC, not ecu )

Maryland Stang said:

I think the reason Ford used a shorter intake was because the taller Mustang manifold wouldn't clear the hoods of other cars. The GT-40 style manifolds weren't available until 1993 on the Cobra and it's every bit as tall as the HO manifold.

If you swap the computer and wiring harness from the T-bird just use all of the T-bird parts. You'll be down on power but it will run right as opposed to trying to swap Mustang MAF, injectors etc into an incompatable computer setup.

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I think you are right. I remember people on TCCOA talking about using other intakes, but having to alter their hoods, lower their engines, or do other crazy stuff to get them to fit. I'm not sure who told me my intake was the same as a GT-40, but they where on that forum. That's the dangerous thing about relying on forums for all your info, ya never know when someones gonna be wrong.

All sensors wires and anything like that will be following the motor over to the stang. It's gonna take a little engineering to get the wiring system from the bird to cooperate with the needs of the mustangs body, but now that I have most of the wires out, I don't think it will be a huge problem. I actually prefer it to what I did last time.
Before, I ripped out the 87 wires and dropped in 93 wires ecu and engine. It ran, but some of the systems didn't line up, and wierd things like my hatch opening when I turned on my lights occured. I hope to prevent any such happenings this time around.