How can you tell if a 5.0 was previously a four-banger?

Aftrbrnr

Whitey cashier gave me the wrong change at the sup

Founding Member

Feb 19, 2000

1,183

15

89

Canaduh

Feb 29, 2004

#1

• Feb 29, 2004

• #1

I just want to check to see if my car started out its life as a 5.0. I don't have money for Carfax, so are there any tell-tale signs that show? How does an 8.8 inch rear end look like? I know the suspension is also different with the four-bangers, too.

 

L

leakyfaucet

Member

Dec 19, 2003

273

0

16

40

North Carolina

Feb 29, 2004

#2

• Feb 29, 2004

• #2

Well, if they didn't swap out the front springs, the front of the car would sit a couple inches lower. Smaller front disc brakes, smaller master cylinder, no quad shocks...

 

cardudeusa

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

1,744

5

48

42

Home of the Florida Gators!

Feb 29, 2004

#3

• Feb 29, 2004

• #3

http://www.mustanggt.org/main.htm That site has a vin decoder click the little drop down menu in the middle of the page. Then go to 82-93 Mustang Vin Codes. Scroll down to where it says Digits-8 Thats all the engine codes. Then all you need to know is the 8th digit of your vin.

 

88stangmangt

Active Member

Nov 25, 2003

2,332

1

48

Stafford,VA

www.geocities.com

Feb 29, 2004

#4

• Feb 29, 2004

• #4

ya the vin says all

 

NKau

Founding Member

Dec 15, 2001

1,346

0

37

45

Jefferson, WI

Feb 29, 2004

#5

• Feb 29, 2004

• #5

If the 8th digit in your VIN is an "A", then your car was previously a 4-banger. If it's and "E" then it's an original v8.

 

M

mikeflys1

Founding Member

Aug 27, 2002

217

1

0

43

CT

Feb 29, 2004

#6

• Feb 29, 2004

• #6

yeah the only for sure way is the vin, everything else can be changed relatively easily.

 

F

FoxChasis

20+ Year Stangneter

Dec 23, 2003

589

276

93

foxchassis.com

Mar 1, 2004

#7

• Mar 1, 2004

• #7

When the 2.3L Mustang engine changed from single-plug to dual-plug configuration, the engine code changed from A to M. The 2.3L M code engine was in the Mustang from '91 through '93.

 

9

93mustang fox#1

Founding Member

Aug 14, 2002

102

0

0

41

Orlando Fl

Mar 1, 2004

#8

• Mar 1, 2004

• #8

Not allways a bad thing if it has been converted. Possably a fresher motor and tranny. Maybe the car has an 8.8 with gears you never know. If it is a 7.5 rear it has either 3.73's stick or 4.10's if automatic.

 

Asha'man

Founding Member

Feb 5, 2002

1,909

0

0

41

Denver

Mar 1, 2004

#9

• Mar 1, 2004

• #9

Um, no. If it has a 7.5", it has either 3.45's stick or 3.73's auto.

Ash