It's Coming Back

So, last year my beloved 96 mustang gt bent the valves after the timing chain slipped. It's been a long time coming but I got a donor car to fix my ragged out 96. I'm now the new owner of a 2002 mustang gt with a lower end rod knock. I'm using the heads, intake, and full black interior and black leather seats. The head swap seems strait forward. I'll take pics of the heads I took off the 02 mustang, they look clean! Hoping my next week my 96 will be running and after that I'll start swapping the interior. Wish me luck, I'm excited to have my baby up and running again.

Some more pics but no new updates. I'm gonna drop my engine and trans with the subframe to make it easier to do the swap and change the oil pan gasket and rear main seal. Pics of the heads I took off the 2002 gt and a pic of my 96

Today is the day!! On a short schedule so I'll be at least getting the heads on and the engine dressed and back in the car today.

Bent exhaust valve

Making a lot of progress!! Heads are on, about to stab the engine back into the car.

Finally got the engine in. Was fricken task lining up the subframe bolts. This is where I'm ending it tonight. Monday I'll start connecting everything and probably Tuesday I'll add fluids and start it

Couple things I've learned and confirmed from reading about these swaps. First is the coolant pipe that runs in the valley of the block on the 96 mustang is in the way of the pi intake. Pretty much just added a rubber hose to make the pipe move over to clear the intake. Next big thing is my 96 timing cover with the three bolt tensioner will perfectly match up with the late model sn95 heads, I didn't want to use the single bolt tensioner. The newer style alternator will fit and the bracket will fit with a bit of notching on the bracket to clear the 2nd coolant temp sensor. You can not use later style drive belt for a 96 timing cover set up, must use older style 96 belt. Bolting on the 96 fuel rail to the newer intake was a direct swap, one of the fuel lines had to be slightly bent up to clear the intake. The only mistake I made was I forgot to remove the shifter while dropping the engine and trans with the subframe, tore the boots, so yeah must remove shifter!! had to use 96 heater core hoses, the later model are quick disconnect and don't match up to the 96 style heater core tubes.

It's done!!! Today was the day my mustang finally started!! And it sounded like complete poop... was hard to start, would finally get going then backfire pop and stall. My heart dropped thinking I messed up the timing, but we realized I may have stuffed the spark plug wires in the wrong place when I redid the timing on the old heads and found out it had a bent valve. So after looking up the firing order and getting that situated my mustang finally started and purred like a kitten. Held rpms perfect at 1000 and dropped to a steady 700 after it was warmed up.

Only have a few minor problems. Pws line from pump to hydroboost is leaking pretty well. Fuel pressure regulator vacuum nipple is worn out and leaking. And lastly I may have bent the backing plates into the rotors with I lowered the car down a few times. After a few burn outs and doughnuts I didn't even care about the minor stuff. It just felt amazing, I completely missed exhaust note of the car, I missed that old school clunky shifter feel of the t45 trans.

Some time in the near future I'm gonna get a tuner for this mustang, get it dyno tuned with before and after results and see what mad power this pi swapped gained, actually I just want it tuned because of the compression bump. It's not meant to be a fast car just a fun one. My first mustang will no longer rot away on the side of my house. Next time I'll be starting project fix my convertible 2007 mustang gt, I can't help but feel like all my mustang constantly need work.

Video after it was warmed up on the first startup
View: https://youtu.be/8m6N1NHipkg