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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

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  • Start date Start date Oct 23, 2008
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1990_LX

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Oct 23, 2008
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#1
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #1
Hello everyone, I just wanted to say hi, my name is Jeff. I just got a 1990 lx 2.3 for a spanking deal but it is soon to be a 5.0 with a t-5. I'll bet I'm a bit younger than everyone else...I'm 15 lol but i work hard it it sure has paid off having my first car be paid for with my own money. like I said I'm going to do a t-5/5.0 swap with all hopes if I can find a deal on one for this winters project. I'll post some pictures up in a minute..
 

Beasty306GT

Active Member
Dec 19, 2002
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Oxford,Mass
Oct 23, 2008
#2
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #2
to:SNSign:
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
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indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Oct 23, 2008
#3
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #3
cool, post up pics!!

if your mechanically inclined, the swap is very simple just make sure to get a donor 5.0 car, makes it soooo much easier..
 

strtrcr50

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Jun 21, 2006
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Previously from Dirty Jerzey exit 7a
Oct 23, 2008
#4
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #4
Unless you are building a motor, I'd drop in an explorer 5.0 engine. You can get them pretty cheap at the junkyard and they come with gt40p heads and a gt40 style intake.
Good luck.
Oh yeah,
 
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1990_LX

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Oct 23, 2008
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#5
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #5
yeah I don't mean to sound boastful but I'm mechanically inclined....swap will be easy considering I have done a lot of messing around with my parents 1995 gt. Heres the pics if I did it right....the interiors mint, needs a quarter, hatch, and hood although I'm debating just replacing both quarters because the other one is about to go. Overall I'd say it was good for 300...what do you think? Also...which spoiler is the one I have on it? I think the one pictured leaning up is a gt but I'm not sure about the other nor am I sure what kind of side skirts came with it(also pictured leaning up) but I thought they looked liked crap and took them off.....













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1990_LX

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Oct 23, 2008
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Oct 23, 2008
#6
  • Oct 23, 2008
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strtrcr50 said:
Unless you are building a motor, I'd drop in an explorer 5.0 engine. You can get them pretty cheap at the junkyard and they come with gt40p heads and a gt40 style intake.
Good luck.
Oh yeah,
Click to expand...

which years? from when to when? i really want a 5.0 but people around here seem to treat them like Ferrari engines...lol also, will it bolt right up to a t-5?
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
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Oct 23, 2008
#7
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #7
well it looks like you have your work cut out for you. is it going to stay yellow?
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
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#8
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #8
96-02 explorer 302 is the same as the cobra minus the cam
 

strtrcr50

New Member
Jun 21, 2006
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Previously from Dirty Jerzey exit 7a
Oct 23, 2008
#9
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #9
1990_LX said:
which years? from when to when? i really want a 5.0 but people around here seem to treat them like Ferrari engines...lol also, will it bolt right up to a t-5?
Click to expand...

I believe 95 to 01, but I'm sure someone else will chime in and correct me if I'm wrong. There are some things you'll need to get off a 5.0 I think oil pan, timing cover, modify the throttle body, and a few other small things. The positive is the heads and intake are a pretty decent upgrade over a stock 5.0 setup. The negative is I believe the motors have hyperteutic(sp) pistons. Not great for boost or nitrous.
 
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1990_LX

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Oct 23, 2008
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Oct 23, 2008
#10
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #10
stykthyn said:
96-02 explorer 302 is the same as the cobra minus the cam
Click to expand...

nice...is the swap still the same overall? nope...i think that yellow looks like complete crap but im not really sure on a color. mabey rio red with lemans stripes? but thats way far off lol im going to get as far as sanding and priming and it will be like that for a while. at least until the other bigger projects get done like 5,0/t5 swap and 5 lug.
 

strtrcr50

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Jun 21, 2006
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Previously from Dirty Jerzey exit 7a
Oct 23, 2008
#11
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #11
From a Tom Moss post on another forum..

The intake has internal EGR since it's a 96 - if you need to keep emissions stuff. The heads don't have the air passages drilled at the back for tha ir tube, but you can bolt the tube up and run the system like that - the only time the iar is pumped to the heads is at startup, and the emissions test is done warmed up when the air is going to the cats. You will need to drill and tap the ACT and EGR coolant return lines in the bosses cast into the intake - use a 9/16" drill bit and a 3/8" NPT tap. The throttle body can be converted to use also - I have instructions on how to do that at:
Mustang FAQ - Engine Information
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what else. Like I said, I'm pretty sure you need the oil pan
 
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1990_LX

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Oct 23, 2008
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Oct 23, 2008
#12
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #12
i plan on eventually running a kenne bell so it seems better to go with a regular old 5.0?
 

EPIK

Member
Jul 3, 2004
796
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LEFT COAST
Oct 23, 2008
#13
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #13
Welcome 2 :SNSign:


Good luck on your project!!!
 

strtrcr50

New Member
Jun 21, 2006
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Previously from Dirty Jerzey exit 7a
Oct 23, 2008
#14
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #14
1990_LX said:
i plan on eventually running a kenne bell so it seems better to go with a regular old 5.0?
Click to expand...

No. You'd still be better off with the explorer motor. Better lower intake that you will reuse with the KB, better heads.
 

FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!
15 Year Member
Apr 16, 2005
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Oct 23, 2008
#15
  • Oct 23, 2008
  • #15
Welcome.
 

LiquidGT

Member
Oct 8, 2007
368
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Near STL hell
Oct 24, 2008
#16
  • Oct 24, 2008
  • #16
Welcome.

The 96-01 Explorer came with the 5.0; 1996, 1997-1/4 had the GT40 heads and the rest afterwards had GT40P heads. Also the earlier ones had the internal fox style EGR system in the intake. And from what I understand the Explorer had the same pistons as the 93-95 Mustangs (hyper).

You'll need the timing cover/bolts, timing pointer, water pump, egr spacer/bolts, oil pan, oil filter bung, dipstick, pulleys, hamonic balancer, coolant pipe on intake, and front bracketry to convert an Explorer motor to Mustang. Then change the cam and valve springs; I guess 'stang valve covers could be 'optional'. But you'll still be better off finding a wrecked donor car for the rear end, fuel, drivetrain, wiring, and suspension stuff, and not to mention all the stuff I listed before.
 

foxmustangman

Member
Jun 20, 2007
196
1
16
Idaho
Oct 24, 2008
#17
  • Oct 24, 2008
  • #17
Welcome!

The yellow spoiler leaning against the wall is the LX spoiler, the one on the car with the gap is the GT spoiler. I'm not sure what side skirts those are, defnitely not GT or Saleen, could be Xenon skirts or something, but they're ugly anyways, so who cares?
 

LiquidGT

Member
Oct 8, 2007
368
0
16
Near STL hell
Oct 24, 2008
#18
  • Oct 24, 2008
  • #18
^^^You're right, they are Xenon skirts.
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
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gainesville
Oct 24, 2008
#19
  • Oct 24, 2008
  • #19
the reason I would stick with the explorer motor vs/mustang H.O is that they are basically the same motor. there are a few differences that you will need to address, but given all the advantages the explorer motor has over an H.O 5.0 I would lean towards the explorer.
you will need for the swap.
an H.O cam or better. the explorer comes with a truck cam that will suck the life out of your car.
a new timing cover. the explorer has the 94+ SN style timing cover.
double hump oil pan. the explorer has a single hump pan to clear the suspension. you can get one cheap off an old grand marquis.
remove the DIS system from the explorer and a stock H.O distributor will drop right in.
if you want a T5 you will need to swap the fly wheel
I highly suggest swapping the valve springs, the springs in the heads were designed for the low lift truck cam and will not hold up under a performance cam.

this may sound like a lot, but while the engine is out of the car it is all easy to get to and if you shop smart you can have a 300rwhp 302 for a hair under 2k.

as for the hyper pistons, the 92-95 5.0's came with those anyway. they have proven very reliable and will keep tighter tolerances better than cast or forged pistons. the drawback is as said earlier if you start boosting or running the spray, if you get greedy they do have a tendancy to fail. for an N/A motor they will be more than adequate for what you need.
 
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1990_LX

Member
Oct 23, 2008
38
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6
Oct 24, 2008
#20
  • Oct 24, 2008
  • #20
thanks for all the help! im going to hit up a couple junk yards around me and see what i can find...also, does anyone know where i can get the brake light for the gt spoiler? for cheep anyways lol
 
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