Im about to buy the motor for a swap to my turd 2.3. I cant find any 2.3Ts so please dont suggest that. This motor has decent miles and just costs $500 so Im gonna jump on it. Will 5.0 parts just swap over to this? I cant find anyone with any info on this motor. My dad didnt even know they existed? Any help from someone that has expierence with them. Can it make my car run in the 13s?
4.2L 255 from 81 Mustang
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93 teal terror
Founding Member
MrKwik
Founding Member
I would keep the 2.3 before I spent $500 on one of those. My suggestion would be to walk away fast.
maverick0716
Founding Member
Those engines were an embarrasment to Ford. They never should have went with the 4.2. As far as I know you actually can't swap parts (not 100% sure though) Yes it may be a V8 but they are not performers.
BlueDevil95
New Member
do yourself a favor and find a running 5.0. for $500 bucks you can find them. the 255 lacks the displacement and the guts to ever make any power.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
The issue isn't the displacement - the issue is that once you've changed the pieces you'll have to in order to make it work, you'll essentially have a 302 - just get one to start with. You came in and asked for others' opinions on what to do - and nearly everyone has said the same thing. Your money would be better spent on a 302.
fordman54935
Member
I would honestly run away from the 4.2 Litre V8. If I could recommend anything to you, just save up a little more money and wait to find a 5.0 H.O. $500 isn't really a very good deal for that engine. If you shop around a little, you can find complete 5.0 donor cars for only a few hundred more dollars. Just my $.02.
Good Luck
Good Luck
Just curious, but you bought this engine before even posting this didn't you? Otherwise I can't see who in their right mind would ever want to do this swap after all of the negative feedback. Yeah, it's gonna be better than the 88hp 2.3 you've got now....but not much!!! Not to mention it will be twice as hard on fuel. You're going to have to do all of the same conversions to your car that you would in order to do a 302 swap, so why go through the headache for lackluster results? I guarantee you'll be disappointed with every aspect of this engine swap. It'll sound like a V-8, but you'll get waxed by every V-6 Stang in the city. This engine was brought out during the peak of the fuel and emissions wars of the late 70’s. It wasn't intended ever to be a performer, it was built as a compromise to keep Mustang owners happy that they still had a V-8 and keep the smog police happy that it kept the displacement small. There is no logical reason to do this swap and you’re completely wasting your time and efforts in doing so.
It’s obvious that you’ve decided to go ahead with the swap regardless, so that being said…..be sure to keep us updated on your final results when it’s done. I’m dying to know what you think of it after it’s done. I’m getting my “We told you so!” speech ready as we speak.
You guys can think of me as a dick for saying this, but honestly….I’m betting that he gives up half way through the swap and the car is up for sale within a month. He’ll think Mustangs are crap because it's either won't A) Won't run at all, B)Won't run worth a crap, or C) Will still get sand kicked in it's face by even Imports when he's done because even if he does manage to complete the project, the engine wasn't worth the effort to begin with. Then of course he'll fall into the Import trend and end up buying a civic when he’s done and that's the last we'll see of him.......Any takers?
Yeah....I'm a jerk today. Forgive me, i'm off my meds.
It’s obvious that you’ve decided to go ahead with the swap regardless, so that being said…..be sure to keep us updated on your final results when it’s done. I’m dying to know what you think of it after it’s done. I’m getting my “We told you so!” speech ready as we speak.
You guys can think of me as a dick for saying this, but honestly….I’m betting that he gives up half way through the swap and the car is up for sale within a month. He’ll think Mustangs are crap because it's either won't A) Won't run at all, B)Won't run worth a crap, or C) Will still get sand kicked in it's face by even Imports when he's done because even if he does manage to complete the project, the engine wasn't worth the effort to begin with. Then of course he'll fall into the Import trend and end up buying a civic when he’s done and that's the last we'll see of him.......Any takers?
Yeah....I'm a jerk today. Forgive me, i'm off my meds.
this thread makes me cry.
+1
Gearbanger 101 said:Just curious, but you bought this engine before even posting this didn't you? Otherwise I can't see who in their right mind would ever want to do this swap after all of the negative feedback. Yeah, it's gonna be better than the 88hp 2.3 you've got now....but not much!!! Not to mention it will be twice as hard on fuel. You're going to have to do all of the same conversions to your car that you would in order to do a 302 swap, so why go through the headache for lackluster results? I guarantee you'll be disappointed with every aspect of this engine swap. It'll sound like a V-8, but you'll get waxed by every V-6 Stang in the city. This engine was brought out during the peak of the fuel and emissions wars of the late 70’s. It wasn't intended ever to be a performer, it was built as a compromise to keep Mustang owners happy that they still had a V-8 and keep the smog police happy that it kept the displacement small. There is no logical reason to do this swap and you’re completely wasting your time and efforts in doing so.
It’s obvious that you’ve decided to go ahead with the swap regardless, so that being said…..be sure to keep us updated on your final results when it’s done. I’m dying to know what you think of it after it’s done. I’m getting my “We told you so!” speech ready as we speak.
You guys can think of me as a dick for saying this, but honestly….I’m betting that he gives up half way through the swap and the car is up for sale within a month. He’ll think Mustangs are crap because it's either won't A) Won't run at all, B)Won't run worth a crap, or C) Will still get sand kicked in it's face by even Imports when he's done because even if he does manage to complete the project, the engine wasn't worth the effort to begin with. Then of course he'll fall into the Import trend and end up buying a civic when he’s done and that's the last we'll see of him.......Any takers?
Yeah....I'm a jerk today. Forgive me, i'm off my meds.
+1
Just re-read my post. Sorry for coming off so harsh ³à³. Just hate to see a project go down in flames like this one is destined to.
NKau
Founding Member
I REALLY hope you did not already purchase that engine; I wouldn't swap it into your car if it was free; seriously. You can find a good running 5.0 HO motor for that money. What are you thinking? 
CarlsV6
Founding Member
I would strongly advise staying away from the 4.2. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Hell, you can pick up a junkyard non ho (and sometimes a rare ho) block out of a crown vic for a couple hundred $$.
MrKwik
Founding Member
Maybe, but your original post read as if you were asking if you should buy this boat anchor for $500. The clear answer is no. This engine probably has less performance potential than the 3.2 (seriously). And the comment you made about having the same displacement as a 4.6, the displacement is not the issue. It is more a matter of the engines basic design. You seriously can buy a decent motor be it a 5.0 a 351 for $500 bucks, I have done it many times. It will probably not be in top shape but at least it would be worth the trouble to install and it would have performance potential for down the line when you have the funds to build it up. My suggestion would be to sell it while you (maybe) can and buy something usefull. You could probably spend the money on a nitrous kit for the 2.3 and make more power than the 255.³à³ said:
Yes I have the motor already. I posted and didnt make it back here before my dad picked it up. My dad has a customer that has one in a 80 F100 and it runs like a scalded dog. So why all the negatives? Is it just because you havent ever tried souping them up? I bet it will spin to the moon being a small motor.
Im gonna talk to the guy that has the truck and get pointers beings all you guys just wanna shoot me down.
Im gonna talk to the guy that has the truck and get pointers beings all you guys just wanna shoot me down.
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