To V10 or not to V10 "6.8L" 2004 Mustang GT

steele6599

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May 6, 2008
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Hey all, I’m new to the forum and recently gave up my decked out Honda Civic and moved to a 2004 Mustang GT.

Nothing can touch the sound of a V8 but maybe a V10… With that said I wanted to start a new thread that I have not seen much technical information on. I have seen where some have performed the swap on a 1999 and 2005 mustang but they spared no expense… I would like to do this cheap and document the steps for others.

What got me started:
The sound of my Mustang is awesome but I compare to the many Harleys I have owned, a lot of show but not much go when comparing to the crotch rockets.

I initially looked at modding my 4.6L but came to realize that to get real good power “which I know is subjective” real good power to me is 350 horses and 400+lbs of torque. So my research on the web led me to a 5.4L 2V or 3V, but then I saw some brief threads on the 6.8L so now I’m considering a 2005 6.8L V10 SOHC swap. It may be a bad idea but let’s explore it… Hey a V10 Mustang would be Bad Ass and my Blue Convertible with Cobra wheels and Stalker Body get will be able to back its show with go… ;-)

Oh and the stock power from a 2005 6.8L V10 is: 362 hp and 457 lb•ft
Max Torque: 3250 rpm and Max Horsepower: 4750 rpm


What I have learned from the Web:
• The Modular engines from 4.6 to 6.8 all have the same engine mounts.
• The 4.6 is approximately 24 inches long and the 6.8L is 27 ½ inches long.
• Height from Throttle body to bottom of oil pan for the 4.6 is ~ 27 1/8 inches high and the 6.8L is 28 1/2 inches tall. In contrast the 5.4L 3v from the Navigator is 35 ½ inches tall but the 5.4L from with a Sullivan intake is 28 ½ inches tall. The 5.4L from a E350 van may also work.
• The 4.6L weighs ~ 500lbs and the 6.8L weighs ~ 640lbs


Things that I think I know… ;-)
• Found a new 6.8L for $2,500 with everything.
• Headers on eBay are $150.00 for the 6.8L “Not sure if the would fit but good starting point.”
• Installing a tubular cross members which would help compensate 50 to 60lbs for the increased weight from the 6.8L and may allow for pushing the engine back towards the firewall about and inch or so… $350 - $1,000
• Move the battery to the Trunk move about 30lbs to the trunk
• My hood is a stalker hood which should be lighter than the stock and provide for more clearance
• Stronger clutch “recommendations”
• Drive Shaft?

My concerns that I need clarification for:
• Would the Mustangs 5 speed manual gearbox connect to the 6.8L block?
• Would the ECU from the pulled 6.8L work in place of the Mustangs ECU or should I consider a standalone system?
• My guess gearing changes would need to be made

Please critique my idea it is in its infancy and please be a devils advocate so I don’t make a mistake and by all means correct my terminology as I’m not a mechanic.

Links of interest:
http://www.sprintex.com.au/Project_Mustang_Photo_Gallery.asp

http://www.musclemustangfastfords.com/features/0402mm_390_hp_ford_mustang/index.html

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupe/112_0308_ford_mustang_boss_350_v_10/index.html
 
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" Would the Mustangs 5 speed manual gearbox connect to the 6.8L block?"

yes, all mod v8/v10 are of the same design. The v10 is a 5.4l v8 with two more cylinders added on, Same stroke and bore. The only thing you need to look at is hood, radiator and header clearance, the tune, and fuel system. You would not need to get a new drive shaft or make room for the rear of the engine b/c the two new cylinders are added up front.
 
Its not hard to make power with the 2v. You said you would be happy with 350hp and 400lbs tq. Full bolt ons will get you to 300 rwhp (350 crank). Put a blower on and you can put down 400 rwhp on a stock block (thats about 475 at the crank).
 
Well im impressed.

Welcome to Stangnet by the way.

Looks like youve definatly started out right by doing your homework.

I wish I had some tech advice to offer for you, but I dont.

However... you could watch these videos a million times over like I did and think of how sweet this car is.

Keep in mind this isnt the 6.8 V-10, but it is a V-10 in a Mustang non-the less.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=m6eSBLY5pIA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=92qNG6syZkI&feature=related
 
My dad's 01 F-350 V10 dually is sitting outside next to my car right now....and I am very tempted to grab my wrenches. I already told him if anything bad happened to the truck and it got totalled, I would buy it back to steal the motor. I'd be willing to do it, because they make a whipplecharger for that motor, and a whipple-blown V10 in a mustang would be the sickest thing going at this point.

As for suggestions:
I doubt the ECM from the vehicle that had the motor in it will work for you, and you'll also get whatever tune that thing had in it, like a truck tune. You're going to probably need a computer setup as custom as the powerplant you're planning.
Clutch- Whatever is tops on the market right now, because you're going to have a revvy torque monster.
D/S- replace your stocker with an aluminum one, and be done with it.
gears- 3.73s, they're whats in my dad's truck now with a V10, and for a big truck, it moves quick. In a stang, it would be perfect.
tranny- Viper spec t56 6speed.
Build a nice rigid chassis around that thing, and a stout suspension that will handle and properly distribute the added weigth and the more forward sitting weight that the V10 will introduce. It's gonna take alot of work, but SVT's Skunkworks guys built a custom V10 car with their own custom modified Cobra R block extended to 10 cylinders. It fit, and it was a beast, but Ford saw no market for it and shelved it. Good luck man, it's a big job, but you'll get huge props for a Ford V10 powerplant in a stang.
 
Yeah, Ford stuffed a 5.8L V10 into a Mustang some years ago. That is the one SVT32VDOHC is talking about. I talked to the Ford engineer who was driving it and he states it make gobs of torque at lower RPMs and is extremely fun to drive.

6.jpg

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That was a completly different v10 in the ford project car. They actually used two cobra blocks to make the block for that car. Its all written in that article. Have you ever heard the v10 in the truck? I drive one at work and its got to be the worst sounding motor I have ever heard. :notnice:
 
That was a completly different v10 in the ford project car. They actually used two cobra blocks to make the block for that car. Its all written in that article. Have you ever heard the v10 in the truck? I drive one at work and its got to be the worst sounding motor I have ever heard. :notnice:


I dont know man, I think the 6.8's sound real good with exhaust on them.
 
getting back to the original question whether to do it or not do it? do it, do it DO IT OMG DOOOO IT!!!! :hail2: I've been hopin an airplane engine drops out of the sky and falls on my motorhome and i could just salvage the motor out it and put it in my pony :rlaugh:
 
All, I found a forum that had the wirring diagrams for the modular engine. It is amazing that the 4.6 SOHC 2v and 6.8 SOHC 2v have the same wirring...

Now what I need is the wirring diagram for a 2005 or newer 6.8L SOHC 3v which is simialr to the Mach1 or those who have used the Lincoln Navigator 5.4L 3v.

So any over you who have done the Navigator swap please chime in...



Thanks,
Markus
 
The V10 was not built for performance, or at least not like the test mule mustang. They also have a DOHC V-10 compared to the SOHC for high end power.

But there have been a few v-10 swaps, I saw one on ebay. It would be an awesome swap though. Canton makes an oil pan for the V-10 swap in a mustang.