how do i tell the difference between a 5.0 and a 4 or 6 cyl.

Wolverine57 · Feb 11, 2004

hey whats up everybody

just thought i would see if yall could help me. I just turned 16 and i am looking for a car. My friend knows a guy who says he has a '83 5.0 mustang that he wants to get rid of for 500$.
Well, the problem is, i went to look at it and the guy wasn't home so i couldn't pop the hood and tell if it was really the 5.0, so i just looked at it from the outside in. I was looking at it and noticed that it only had a single exhaust, but i thought that the 5.0's only came with the double exhaust.
Im new to the mustang world, i only know about /6's, i drag race them. Ive looked all over the internet and havent been able to find out if they came with only a single or double exhaust.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks yall

RickyB · Feb 11, 2004

slide under the front end/motor side of the car and count the number of exhaust manifolds...4=4cyl, 6=6cyl,8=5.0

moonenn3186 · Feb 11, 2004

83 non GT's had a single pipe exiting the rear of the car. No fox mustnag (79-85) had true dual exhaust - that was not offered until 1986 - same year EFI was introduced and the 8.8 rear.

84 (I believe) came with two rear pipes - but 79-83 still had a single pipe from the factory.

On an 83 I am not sure how to tell w/o opening the hood. Was it a GT (says so on the side molding)?

www.mustanggt.org

MrKwik · Feb 11, 2004

If memory serves, there were 5.0 mustangs back in 83 that came with single exhaust.

edit: too slow. what he said.

Mustang5L5 · Feb 11, 2004

moonenn3186 said:
84 (I believe) came with two rear pipes - but 79-83 still had a single pipe from the factory.
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'84 still had single exhaust.

In '85, ford went psuedo duals. They had two headers that converged into a single cat, then about 2 fit of single pipe before splitting into dual mufflers and dual tailpipes.

About the easiest way to tell if a car is a 5.0, is to look for 5.0 emblems on the side. Next up is wheels and tires.

Wolverine57 · Feb 11, 2004

thank yall
Im gonna go over there tomorrow and find out for shure.
thanks for the replies, i was pretty mad that i had saved up for a 5.0 mustang and then it turns out to be a four banger, but now im pumped up that there still might be a chance that i can still get my dream car.

if you have any good pics of a mustang send 'em my way
thanks

TrophyHead · Feb 11, 2004

Drive it that's another easy way to tell.

Icepick · Feb 11, 2004

Don't forget that's a non HO (right guys?) so don't expect the same performance as the later 5.0's.

Wolverine57 · Feb 11, 2004

what the hek does non HO mean mr. Icepik

88stangmangt · Feb 11, 2004

just shine a light up and count the plugs if your not header smart.

HO93LX302 · Feb 11, 2004

Mustang5L5 said:
About the easiest way to tell if a car is a 5.0, is to look for 5.0 emblems on the side. Next up is wheels and tires.

Can't always go by that now a days.. I've seen a bunch of 4 cylinders with the 5.0 emblems on them.. I know a couple of people with early 90's 4 cyl stangs with 5.0 and cobra emblems on their cars..

I'd say the easiest way would be like mentioned earlier by RickyB see if you can see the manifold(s) If you see two then its a 8 cyl if one then a 4 cyl..

Icepick · Feb 11, 2004

Wolverine57 said:
what the hek does non HO mean mr. Icepik

High Output, i don't know the power difference offhand between HO and Non HO though and what year the switch was made.

Wolverine57 · Feb 11, 2004

oh, just wandering

if you got any good mustang pics, send em to loganfoster@charter.net
thanks yall

ENFD240 · Feb 11, 2004

1983 5.0s are HO...

also 83's that had the 5.0, were fitted with traction bars on the rear suspension. so take a peak under the rear tires. gt cars had an 8k tach...i would guess non-gt 5.0's would also get the upgraded tach as well.

also in 1983, a turbo gt was introduced, which had a 2.3l turbo

BlackFox5.0 · Feb 11, 2004

Count the wires on the distributor, it's right at the front of the engine.

a 4-cyl will have inline clyinders, and tons of engine room, the v6 will look like a v8 kinda, except it will have a lot of room in front of the engine, the V8 will take up a majority of the engine bay.

ENFD240 · Feb 11, 2004

BlackFox5.0 said:
Count the wires on the distributor, it's right at the front of the engine.

a 4-cyl will have inline clyinders, and tons of engine room, the v6 will look like a v8 kinda, except it will have a lot of room in front of the engine, the V8 will take up a majority of the engine bay.

i think he was asking for ways to tell since he didn't have access to the engine bay... of course you can reach up under the cowl and pop it open if you know where the pull cable conects to the latch.

also another way is to check the vin# on the dash (provided the engine hasn't been swapped out). the 8th character is the engine code:

A = 2.3l 4cyl
T = 2.3l 4cyl turbo
3 = 3.8l 6cyl
F = 5.0l 8cyl

iv2jm · Feb 11, 2004

Hey ricky....you wasted my time- that wasnt even funny, and i shake my mirrors with 6x9s...maybe we just need new mirros- and perhaps a better music selection

FoxChasis · Feb 11, 2004

8K tachs were in turbo four cars only.

MSM0075 · Feb 11, 2004

Who cares if its a 4, 6 or an 8, its an '83 Mustang for 500 bucks!! does it look decent? does it run? Find out what motor later on. Which ever motor is in there, you'll still have fun with it..I'm hopfully droping a turbo motor in my '88 400 dollar 4 banger.

BTW, I have a '82GT thats stock and I think on the '83GT's (turbos as well) had the same "duel tipped" single exhaust. Go check it out!! best of luck!

FoxChasis · Feb 11, 2004

All '82, '83, and '84 5.0L models and '83 and '84 GT Turbo had single exhaust with dual chrome tips.

how do i tell the difference between a 5.0 and a 4 or 6 cyl.

Wolverine57

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