Project SVOhwell close enough is underway

[bonestock87]

So I picked up an '86 t-bird turbo coupe yesterday as my donor. It runs and drives great, but the body is just beyond what I want to tackle (serious hail damage, poorly repaired previous collision, missing mouldings, peeling clearcoat, etc.). Also the power windows and locks do not work, has no radio, you get the point. So all you turbo coupe enthusiasts please don't be mad at least I'm saving her soul.

I'll be putting the engine, 3.45 trac-loc rear and 5-speed trans in my 93. The TC also has terrific condition 8-way adjustable driver and passenger seats that I plan on using. I'm hoping to figure out a way to use the back seats too, they look like they've never been sat in. I don't plan on tearing into the engine other than to clean it up and put my serpentine pulley system on it. My A/C works so I will be keeping that. I plan on doing a FMIC at some point but not initially. I'm also keeping the T3 and stock VAM for now with plans to grow into 250ish HP eventually.

I'll be taking some pics and posting progress as I can. And of course asking many, many questions. It's my busy season at work but I'll make some time!

 

[bonestock87]

I spent a good 2 hours tonight staring at the engine bays of both my 93 and the TC. For anyone who's done the swap having a complete donor car: did you find it simpler to swap the TC's entire harnes or Stinger's method of modifying the N/A car's harness? With my wiring inexperience I'm thinking the wholesale swap appears simpler. If I did do it this way where can I find info on what exactly needs to come out of the TC? I reserch stuff to death but I'm just not finding what I need to make feel confident in this.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I haven't done a 2.3NA to 2.3T swap, but I would sooner modify the 1993's harness than use the 'Bird's harness. The wire insulation is junk with the pre-'87 turbo cars. You should see the engine bay wiring in my SVO; it's scary....and typical of that era.

 

[bonestock87]

Besides functionality, neatness is also a must for me. I won't be happy if when I open the hood it looks like a rat's nest. No matter if it runs right or not... I think I can maintain that if I leave the bulk of the N/A harness where it is.

I have detailed wiring diagrams at my disposal through All Data Pro, but reading and understanding them is where I'll be challenged. Mechanically I'm golden, I've been wrenching on cars for 20 years. I've done remove, rebuild, reinstalls in more than a few cars, but the wiring aspect only involved plugging things up where they came from.

I'll keep everyone posted in case something I do or show is helpful to someone at somepoint.

 

[Delray Dude]

I would agree - modify the N/A harness. Swapping in the TC one would eventually have something not connected and throw some loops into the system.

 

[bonestock87]

Just a quick update and a question....

I've began the process of pulling the TC engine out. I'm marking everything that gets unplugged, putting bolts back in the holes they came out of, trying to be slow, methodical and smart (doesn't come real easy to me though). I'm finding that my years of research and imagining this project can't hold a candle to actually getting in there and doing it. I've figured out things in a few minutes that I couldn't wrap my mind around in hours of reading or searching the internet. So I should be to the point of pulling the motor and trans as a unit over the weekend. I've decided to do a seal and shine on the motor, replacing gaskets, power washing it, maybe hitting it with some engine paint. I'm also going to use my N/A intake, based on several people's advice on different message boards. It will help cut down relocating sensors. {{EDIT: You have to use the TC's intake!! There are no sensors that pose any issues.}} Plus that will leave the TC intake available for me to have rotated at some point to run a FMIC in a neater fashion than over the valve cover! (see example below from Stinger's site)


Now my question: In the shop manuals when looking at engine component diagrams it lists a few "Fusible Link K", or J or E, etc. Is that indicating where a certain harness can be unhooked from the main harness? It may be elementary to some but I just want to double check since that's how I'm taking it.

As always, thanks for any help!!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

The fusible links are high-amperage inline fuses to keep sections of the harness from burning up in the even of a short.

 

[bonestock87]

The fusible links are high-amperage inline fuses to keep sections of the harness from burning up in the even of a short

Well poo.....I was hoping that's where I had access to unplug certain sections. So in order to unplug the DIS wiring section I just need to pull off the wire loom and tape from the ICM toward the computer until I find where it can be unplugged from the rest of the harness? I'll be using the stock fuel injector harness so I don't need to unplug that. I think the ignition section is the only section that has to come out for modification.

 

[bonestock87]

Just an update. Still working on the project, it's been incredibly hot here and working in an un-air conditioned metal building sucks! I also took the fam camping last week.

I've got the motor out, degreased and power washed. Took the valve cover and oil pan off to do new gaskets. I also decided to put a new water pump and t-stat on it while it's easy to get to. I got the T-bird's fuel tank out (PITA!) and was rewarded with finding a walbro 255lph pump. I was told it had one but I didn't believe it till I saw it. I also took off the crank and water pump pulley since I'll be using the single belt set up from the '93. I'm keeping my A/C since it blows cold 134A.

The goal for this week is to get the motor back sealed up, install the new clutch and rear main seal and then put the tranny back on the motor. And if time allows I will go ahead and install the walbro pump into my still daily driven '93 just to make sure I got it right and it's running before the actual swap.

Question: Can or should I use the oil pan off of my '93? It's the one piece gasket type and I like the idea of that. Any issues to be warned of if I do decide to? Also, I'm sticking with the stock '86 ECU and VAM for now as well as staying non-intercooled until I can afford a good FMIC setup. All my research is based on an 87-88 ECU and VAM, any pinouts different from 86 to 87? My goal at first is just to get it up and running right. Power mods will come later.

One tranny question: Will the driveshaft from the 86 TC work for me in the '93? I'm going from A4LD to T5.

Here's a shot of it after I washed it off. Let me tell you, maneuvering an engine lift in gravel and grass is delightful!

 

[bonestock87]

I got to spend about an hour or so on the stang tonight. Got the fuel tank out and took out the stock pump. The stang's tank was 100 times easier to get out than the t-bird's for some reason. The TC's seems like a monster compared to the stang's.

I found that I'll be replacing the fuel tank grommet. I spliced the stang's wiring into the Walbro's connector. I like the fact that the Walbro has an electrical connector as opposed to the factory spade connectors. I need to get a new fuel pump 'sock' and some new plastic fuel line connectors. Once I get it back installed I'm going to drive it around for a few days to make sure I've installed it right and then it'll be go time on the motor swap. Going from a 60 lph pump to a 255lph pump seems crazy but it sure wont starve for fuel

 

[bonestock87]

The cruddy okd grommet:

Edit: Looks like I'll be paying $30 for it no matter what. Ford wants $29 and late model restoration wants $14.99 + $14.50. For a piece of molded rubber!!!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I had to pay close to $30 otd for a new filler grommet from Ford about six years ago. Nice to know the price on them hasn't increased as much as everything else.

 

[bonestock87]

I bit the bullet and replaced the $30 grommet. Got the Walbro pump installed along with a new Motorcraft fuel filter. Started right up and I drove it to work. So I'm good to go with fuel supply.

I got the turbo motor buttoned back up with new intake, oil pan and valve cover gaskets. I also replaced the 2 per injector O-rings. I need to install the new water pump, thermostat and front cover. To keep from being down any longer than necessary, my next step is to get the clutch/brake pedal assembly out of the turbo coupe and installed in the mustang before I take it fully out of commission for the motor/trans swap. Not looking forward to that. At all.

 

[bonestock87]

TC pedal assembly is out. I sure hope the Mustang's pedals are easier to get out! I will bet so, the TC has soooo many bells and whistles that the Mustang doesn't, so there should be less wiring & support brackets in the way.

I've found my digital camera, so I'll start taking some pics of the progress. I know this thread has been worthless without pics!!

 

[TripleBlk]

Thanks for the updates. Wishing you good luck with the project.

I did a trans changeover on a '79 Capri (also a Fox body) from automatic to manual, and the pedal assembly switchover R+R was a breeze.

I think I even kept the seat in during the switchover, but these days I would just remove the seat so I could be more comfortable.

 

[bonestock87]

Thanks TrippleBLk! I got to spend another 8 hours on it yesterday. Tough to do some of the heavier lifting by ones self, but it gets done. I've got the 93 ready for pulling the motor/trans out. I'm setting the goal of driving for the first time at the end of August. I'm not in any hurry but when I start something I like to stay after it!

 

[bonestock87]

As she sits:

 

[bonestock87]

A couple of updates. My 5-speed pedals are in. That may be the worst job of the entire project, seriously. Got the old N/A out, almost gonna miss it, it never gave me the first trouble.... I pulled the car out and pressure washed the engine bay and underneath the car. The trusty old A4LD got hot on me a couple of times before I put a cooler on it so I had to clean that mess up. I have some of the wiring done, had to modify the upper alt. bracket. It didn't fit on the turbo's head. I will install a new rear main seal and then a new clutch set this week. I "should" have those installed and the motor/trans in place by the weekend. Woohoo!

 

[Delray Dude]

keep posting. I'm following because i may eventually do this swap too! Nice thing for me is tht my notch already is a 5 speed so I'm a few steps ahead in that department.

 

[bonestock87]

Been working on the project a couple hours at a time. I have a new flywheel and clutch set installed and got the trans coupled back to the engine. Installing, check that, removing the old pilot bearing was a serious pain. I broke down and rented a puller. Definitely worth it. Got the crank bolt out of the N/A for use on the turbo motor. You have to use the N/A crank spacer so you can use the serpentine crank pulley. The N/A crank bolt is considerably longer too. I also had a brainstorm and thought I could use the N/A's fuel rail so that I wouldn't have to modify the fuel lines. It won't work mostly due to the fuel lines hitting the lower intake in a bad spot, so I have to figure out what fittings I'll need to mate the N/A's fuel lines to the turbo's fuel rail. Shouldn't be too hard just have to do some research I guess. I'm ready to drop in the motor and trans once I open up the shifter hole a little bit per Stinger's instructions. I have most of the wiring done except for the pinouts and computer change. I need to find a driveshaft so I'll be hitting some junk yards this weekend. I'm keeping my non-locking rear end for now and my 3.73's. That'll require me to grind down my auto's speedo gear nipple to go in the T5 tranny. Sorry so random, trying to update on where I'm at.