94 3.8 to 5.0 Swap

[MustangJohnny94]

Good Morning Everyone,

I am Jon, I am also new to stangnet. I just got a 1994 mustang 3.8L V6. I recently purchased a complete 5.0 Drivetrain to do a swap with. I am looking for any special information you guys/gals may have with doing the swap-out. I have not owned a mustang before, so forgive my ignorance please. Is there anything I have to specifically look out for in mounting the enginge, trans or rear. (going from 7.5 to 8.8)

Thanks a lot

Jon

 

[BlackVert]

welcome! go here for v6 -> v8 swap info

SorsCodes WebSite

 

[MustangJohnny94]

Thanks for your help. Is the trans and rear bolt on?

 

[Chythar]

The drivetrain is all bolt-on. I just did the exact swap you are doing, check out the "Cobra clone" link in my sig. You can see all the work I did to do the swap. You will need to change the hard brake line leading to the rear axle, the 8.8 and 7.5 rear ends hook the brake lines up in different places with different connectors.

The actual motor mounts are different between the V6 and V8 engine, but the mounts on the chassis for the engine, transmission and rear axle are all the same between the V6 and V8.

You'll need new wiring harnesses for the engine bay. The wiring harness leading to the fuse box in the engine bay you MIGHT be able to re-use, that harness joins with the other half under the air filter box (2 plugs). If one car has ABS and the other does not, you might have to do a bit of rewiring.

The wiring harness in the passenger fender MUST be changed, it leads to the car's computer and is wired differently than the V6 computer.

Good luck! Hopefully your swap takes less time than mine.

 

[moosetang408w]

how much did you pay for the 5.0? What did it include? Good choice on swaps. Very easy as far as engine swaps go.

 

[MustangJohnny94]

I purchased:

5.0 Motor
Trans
Rear
radiator
ECU
Wire Harness
BBK Long Tube Headers and H Pipe
70mm Throttle body

I paid 2k for everything.
Including Shipping.

Did I get a good deal>?

 

[moosetang408w]

I don't know. I was asking because I am selling my 5.0 with transmission and all wiring but I don't know what to charge. Kind of looks like the blind leading the blind on this

 

[Chythar]

I purchased:

5.0 Motor
Trans
Rear
radiator
ECU
Wire Harness
BBK Long Tube Headers and H Pipe
70mm Throttle body

I paid 2k for everything.
Including Shipping.

Did I get a good deal>?

If the mileage on the engine isn't too far above 100,000 miles you got a pretty good deal. You will also need the instrument cluster from a GT; the V6 one will work but the gauges will all be wrong. The radiator is identical between the V6 and GT, but there is a manual transmission radiator and an automatic transmission radiator. You can use an automatic tranny radiator on a manual, but not vice versa.

 

[MustangJohnny94]

The mileage on the motor is below 100K. The instrument cluster comes with the package. I just didn't write it down. He is also giving me all motor-mount, brackets pumps etc. Good Deal Then?

 

[revhead347]

The mileage on the motor is below 100K. The instrument cluster comes with the package. I just didn't write it down. He is also giving me all motor-mount, brackets pumps etc. Good Deal Then?

Excellent deal. MPS starts at $3500 for the conversion parts, and goes up depending on the condition of the parts. Just priced out a conversion for a friend.

Kurt

 

[MustangJohnny94]

Just found out the engine I am getting is a 93 5.0 not a 94. Any forseeable issues electrical wise?

 

[final5-0]

Just found out the engine I am getting is a 93 5.0 not a 94. Any forseeable issues electrical wise?

Not sure
but
I think the length of driveshaft is different on Fox and SN Stangs

Seems like it has something to do with the trans being longer or shorter

Someone please clear this up for the original poster

Grady

 

[Chythar]

You're going to have a hard time with that swap. The few things I know of that will be a problem:

* The radiator will not fit, you'll have to either buy a 94-04 radiator or weld your own brackets.
* If it's a manual transmission, it's shorter than the 94-95 tranny and you'll have problems getting the shifter to fit.
* The rear axle is shorter on each side by 3/8", your wheels may not fit. Also, I believe the 93 Stangs had rear drum brakes rather then disc brakes on 94+.
* You'll have to figure out how to fit the engine wiring harness, it won't necessarily fit in the stock locations.
* If you have emissions requirements in your state, you may not be able to get smogged. Here in California, you cannot legally put in an engine into a chassis that is older than the chassis. Your 93 engine is older than the 94 chassis, so no go. If the engines looked the same, there would be no way to tell; but the 93 5.0 has a different intake and different engine accessories. That's easy to tell the difference.

In my opinion, if that drivetrain was sold as a 94 drivetrain just get your money back and keep looking. It's more work than it's worth.

 

[revhead347]

Just found out the engine I am getting is a 93 5.0 not a 94. Any forseeable issues electrical wise?

Wow, that's a big no go. It's going to cost some big money to convert that 93 setup for a 94. The axle is totally different and will not work, so you're going to have to get a 94' axle. I think MPS sells them for $550. The computer and wiring harness is totally different, so that's got to change. You can run the fox accesory brackets on a 94', but you have to get a cowl hood. If you convert to SN brackets, you have to get a new timing chain cover. The transmission is actually the least of your problems. All you need is this little driveshaft spacer that Steeda sells. The shifter will work fine. All the Tremec 3550s, TKOs, TKO-500/600 trannies are Fox length, and people put those in our cars all the time.

Kurt

 

[MustangJohnny94]

Thanks for the information, My parts guy just told me late last night that it is a 94 engine. I am so glad lol. I was confused.

 

[revhead347]

Thank god.

Kurt

 

[MustangJohnny94]

Thank god.

Kurt

Quote of the day lol!!

 

[SorsCode]

BlackVert, Thanks as always...

Jon, Did you parts ever arrive?

 

['98stang]

I didnt want to make another thread on the same topic so here is my question. I have a 93 thunderbird 5.0 for a donor car and im wondering if the wiring harness and computer will work? i have a 98 mustang v6

 

[99FiveOh]

I have a couple things I wanted to correct for other's who may have gotten Fox parts.

the rear end housing is exactly the same. If you were starting with a V6 car, you could simply swap your axles and brakes over to the Fox 8.8 and be done.

The radiators on 94/95 V6's and V8's are also the same in factory form as is the elec. fan, so those items could be reused.

And people fit the fox accessories under the stock hood all the time, so that wouldn't be an issue either. Now wiring and computer is a different story. While it is possible, i'm sure there'd be lots of repinning and splicing to do as well as some lenthening of certain wires.

One more thing, I see "ROUGH" 94/95 Mustangs for sale all the time for less than 2K. Heck, I bought mine for 1600.00 and I drove her home! 2K for just swap parts is a little steap IMHO, but not that unreasonable. There's a place here in Jacksonville FL called Rusty Acres we used when my brother and I converted his 97 to a 5.0. We had to go back for all these little odds and ends and trust me, we bugged them alot and they were very helpful. The whole conversion was 1200.00 and that was with a verified 80k mile motor.

and I'll give a nice plug here for Midwest Mustang (found on ebay alot) (785) 749-3131 they've been helpful to me over the years when I've needed T4MO computers for 5 speed swaps and other hard to find parts! Friendly and reasonable prices as well.



And don't ever compare anyone's prices with MPS, they are crooks and a huge blemish on the Mustang society, only deal with them if they are the LAST resort!!

Good luck everyone with your swaps!