Deciding On Motor For V8 Swap

[thecerbinator]

Hey guys I currently have a 89' lx convertible 4 cyl 5 speed car that I am looking to do a v8 conversion on during the upcoming summer. Im doing this on a very tight budget as I am a college student so I am looking to get opinions on the best setup to go with. Not looking for a racecar setup but just something reliable and fun to cruise around with.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Explorer 302 setup

 

[MustangIIMatt]

Explorer 302 setup

This in so many ways. Pull one from a DIY boneyard for $200 give or take, and the majority of them are in good shape (most of the 5.0 Explorers are in the yard for blown transmissions or crashes, very few for blown engines).

Cheapest way to get a good used 302 to build right now, and it comes with the GT40 or GT40P heads, and a decent intake manifold and throttle body (if going EFI). A cheap fox oilpan from Speedmaster and a few odds and ends, and you can have one running on the cheap.

 

[jrichker]

Before you dive into this job, I highly suggest that you read http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/what-exactly-do-i-need-to-convert-mine-to-5-0.516785/. it covers the 4 cylinder to 5.0 swap. The only thing useful on the 4 cylinder cars ends up being the body and rear wiring harness. You end up buying a rolling 5.0 chassis to rob just about everything else to make a car compatible with an original 5.0 Mustang.

The explorer engine has a truck camshaft - low RPM, high torque engine. It is an excellent starting point, but you need a 5.0 Mustang camshaft and new valve springs to go with the camshaft to give you the kind of performance compatible with a Mustang that originally had a 5.0 engine.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Hey guys I currently have a 89' lx convertible 4 cyl 5 speed car that I am looking to do a v8 conversion on during the upcoming summer. Im doing this on a very tight budget as I am a college student so I am looking to get opinions on the best setup to go with. Not looking for a racecar setup but just something reliable and fun to cruise around with.

Are you capable of doing this work yourself? Do you have a garage to do the work in? This is not just a motor swap as Jrichker mentioned its a full suspension and rear axle swap thats needed to support the heavier engine and power. Why not just go buy a 5.0? 4 cyl to V8 conversions have as much of a resale value as an efi to carb swap car (people avoid them). If you still want to do it then go find a wrecked 5.0 to use as a donor car. Good luck.

 

[DBegley]

If money is tight I'd stay with the 4 cyl while you are in college. Putting a 302 in a 4 cylinder car is not just an engine swap. Like others have said your car is set up for that 4 cylinder motor. It is not set up for the weight or power of a 5.0. If you want a V8 really you would be better off swapping cars instead of engines. Unless you are pretty handy, have a lots of tools and place to work for the weeks it would take to do the conversion, doing the swap is not worth it. I wouldn't spend the time or the money to do it myself. Maybe a better question might be what can you do to that 4 cylinder to make it more responsive?

 

[General karthief]

If money is tight I'd stay with the 4 cyl while you are in college. Putting a 302 in a 4 cylinder car is not just an engine swap. Like others have said your car is set up for that 4 cylinder motor. It is not set up for the weight or power of a 5.0. If you want a V8 really you would be better off swapping cars instead of engines. Unless you are pretty handy, have a lots of tools and place to work for the weeks it would take to do the conversion, doing the swap is not worth it. I wouldn't spend the time or the money to do it myself. Maybe a better question might be what can you do to that 4 cylinder to make it more responsive?

He ain't been around for a couple years, he likely graduated collage and traded what was left of that poor vert and is now driving around in a prius