5.0 swap question everyone HELP!

guehner91lx

New Member
Oct 4, 2006
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I have a 91lx 4-banger, can I keep my 5-speed tranny, and rearend and still put in a 5.0 and will it all hook up and work. I know you need a different pilot bearing to hook the tranny to the engine, where do I get it? Will the rearend work with the 5.0? Will the bellhousing match up to the motor? Do I need new motor mounts and oil pan and fan assembly or any other info would be great. I am not racing this, just using it for a driving car and wanted a little more ass than the 4 and 6 cylinders I am used to driving. I just love the sound of a 5.0 with a good exhaust system. Please help me answer all my questions and complete my project. Please feel free to add anything else I need to know!:SNSign:
 
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for the first question yes the tranny will bolt up with a 5.0 bell housing as they are different, altough you would not want to use the 2.3 tranny as it is not as strong as the 5.0's i want to say that it ia ratet at 250 ft/lbs of torque. pilot berings throw out berings and every thing else ussualyy come in a clutch kit oreill has the stock 5.0 clutch kit for around 100.00 maybe less. the rear end should hold up fine as you are not drag racing a bud of mine has a 11 second mustang with a 7.5, and has no problems. and yes you will need new motor mounts and transmision k member to acomidate a dual exhaust set up or weld on your own hanger.
 
thank you for that, it is very helpfull, but I was wanting to use the tranny even know it is not as strong, but will the bell housing from the 4cylinder tranny bolt up to the 5.0 motor? And do you know where I get the pilot bearing to make the 4cylinder tranny connect to the 5.0?0
 
No, the tranny won't bolt directly to the 5.0 The bellhousing is different as well as the input shaft on the transmission. I do believe you can get some kind of adapter to make the smaller 4 cylinder input shaft work in a 5.0, but you really should just get a V8 t-5. Not only is it stronger, but it also has far superior gear ratios. The 7.5 rear end will work fine for you, but don't expect to be getting any good launches without a posi.
 
thanks, So a 5.0 and 5.0 T-5 is the way to go. Finding the set sucks, it is damn expensive I have been looking for a long time. Any places you guys know of that have any good deals?
 
You will need different fuel lines, computer, engine wiring harness, fan and shroud, throttle cable, cruise control cable, exhaust, motor mounts and lots of other things. If you are going to do this job right, you will need new springs, struts, shocks, spindles, brakes, rear end, transmission, driveshaft, belhousing, clutch, brake booster, clutch cable, gauge cluster, and many other odds and ends.

I've personally done a 4 cyl conversion in a 91 hatch, and I can tell you if you are going to do it right, it's a damned big job.

Good luck.

-Matthew
 
guehner91lx said:
to be honest, I just wanted to make it work, not perfectly otherwise I would have just bought a GT, I just want to make it work with minimum amount of work.

I hear you, but having completed a full meal deal conversion like this, I can honestly say you are better off to just buy a V8 car in the first place. There are lots of places you can't cut corners because the parts don't fit, and there are lots of places that you shouldn't cut corners because the car's safety and handling are compromised. Suspension and brakes are one of those. Even the brake booster in the 4 cyl cars is different, and the principle difference is a matter of clearance. I'm not sure how easy it is to get a V8 in there with the 4 cyl booster in place, but when I looked at my project I thought it might be possible. It will be tight if it does fit.

-Matthew
 
I see this is a huge headache, and It wansnt anticipated. SO, I think I am just going to replace the 4banger already in it, I will by a GT if I want a V-8. Thanks for everything guys and gals
 
look into the turbo 2.3 that was in the SVO and TurboCoupes. you can get them fairly cheap and with some tuning will run as strong as a 5.0. drop the puppy in and re-pin your PCM and you are good to go.