This will be my third 2.3 to 5.0 swap on a Mustang. I use all 5.0 stuff from a donor car.
I've also done a 255 to 5.0 swap in my mothers 81 T-bird, and a truck EFI 5.0 into my F150. By far the hardest was the Bird. So many wires!
I'm trying to do a conversion i have a 88 2.3 i'm putting a 5.0 from a 92 gt i have the computer and main harness i was told that's all i needed.I got everything hooked up went to start it and the fuel pump would not come on after pulling my hair out i hooked a toggle switch to just to get the car running.Now the car just cranks is there any wires i can switch around to get this thing to run.All the plugs go right in but of course they are different colors or can i run my own wires to bypass some of the wire harness.Any help would be great this is my first time doing something so intense. Thanks for your time hope to hear back.
I have just completed my 4 cyl. to 8 cyl swap. I had an 87GT that I stripped the motor out of and rebuilt it, and I bought an 88 LX notch 4cylinder car that I have put the 5.0 into. I used the engine harness from the GT and the ECC, but what I didn't count on was the difference in the chassis harnesses. But with the help for 4 books and some internet surfing, we got it completed. She runs awesome and goes like hell. We swapped the trannys and rear ends to BTW. Just to keep it all safe. The only problem I am having right now is I think my fuel filter is full of crap cause she's acting like it is getting limited fuel. I do plan to swap fuel pumps too. Just thought I would put this out there cause I haven't had a 5.0 in a few years and now that I have this project going I am as excited as a little girl. Or so my wife says anyway.
I have read the posts and it is very informing. I have a problems though. All the post recommend a donor 5.0 car. Well I am unable to find a donor 5.0 mustang. I live overseas on a military base in Korea. Myself and 1 other person, have a 1987 mustang lx 2.3 car in Korea. I really want to do a 5.0 swap. What other cars can I use as a donor. I want to do a engine in Korea, pretty much a first for a mustang in this country. Also can someone recommend a site to get wiring harness and other additional parts needed. I resources are pretty limited, so I need all the help I can get.
WHERE CAN I GET A 5.0 ENGINE OR WHAT TYPE OF CAR CAN I USE AS A DONOR. there are all kinds of cars, just name some and I can tell you whether we have it here or not.
WHERE CAN I GET A 5.0 ENGINE OR WHAT TYPE OF CAR CAN I USE AS A DONOR. there are all kinds of cars, just name some and I can tell you whether we have it here or not.
im not sure what you have over there but 5.0 came in all kinds of stuff, an explorer is a good bet, or a lincoln lsc, the lincoln has a H.O. 5.0 like a stang, the explorers have cobra intakes and gt40 heads, mercury moutaineers also. goodluck, try ebay for wiring and stuff, most people wil ship overseas.
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90 lx 4cyl swap, painless harness, under drive pullys, 3.55 ford racing gears, steeda tubular subframe connectors with braces, mac rear control arms, trunk mounted battery, upper and lower torque box supports, tremic, rear seat deleat kit, coast 347 forged everything with afr 185's, main girdle and windage tray, 75mm everything, trick flow track heat intake, 24 lb injectors, 1 3/4 long tubes, 3" x pipe and dumps, MSD digital 6
Hey guys, my name is Joe, I'm 17, and owned 4 foxes already....I've stripped 3 foxes, almost completely (ask later for details if curious), but right now I'm doing a swap from an 89 lx 5.0 to a former 88 lx 2.3 which had a 351 clev. in it with and aod when I bought it. All these guys are right about the donor car thing, it is the easiest and cheapest, but if you have money to spend, buy all new parts. Working with rusted, damaged, and worn parts can get frustrating, TRUST ME. I dont think there is a kit for it, but it really isnt that hard, just remember, you might wanna beef up the suspension for a 5.0 on a former 2.3 body, ebay has maxspeed springs for like 70 bucks....not bad. I've gotten pretty familiar with the foxes since i've bought 4 and own 3 right now, one is my dd, one is my project, and the last is the donor. Any questions, gimme a shout. Oh yeah, by the way, I dont come from a wealthy family by any means, but rather I work my butt off, get loans, and good deals to get what I got. I paid $1200 for my 91, now invested a total of $3200 including buyin cost. $500 for the 88, and $900 for the 89...If you're ever in DMI, send me a message and maybe you can check out my stangs
you might wanna beef up the suspension for a 5.0 on a former 2.3 body,
Yeah, I had the original 4 cyl springs in my stang for a while until I could get the right ones. The front tires would howl on even the most gradual corners above 30km/h. The tires would wear really bad on the outside edges, but I couldn't do a decent wheel alignment with the ride height so far outta wack. Also, to get the stock 4 cyl rear diff to work, I cut and welded the driveshaft shorter to fit. It vibrated a bit at higher speeds. And the new sway bar I put in helped alot too, the 4 cyl one is small (7/8" ?).
Unless you want to live at your local pick-a-part for a week, I'd get a donor car.
I have a 1993 2.3L notchback AUTO with a 1990 notchback 5.0L auto...COMPLETE car.
What I need to know is...do I need to swap the brake lines and brakes over as well as the dash harness? I really am not looking forward to pulling the dash out of both cars if I can get away with just using the ecu harness from one car.
I've heard horror stories of people doing the swap and using 2 different years like this one and their fuel pump/coils not coming on...
a nice thorough answer would be greatly appreciated
the brake lines should be fine, for the front anyway....the back you might have to change where it goes onto the axle at, not sure...I have to on the back for an 89 to 88 swap...if youre wanting to use part of the 4 cyl wiring...if you dont want do, you dont HAVE to, but I would suggest doing the swap, it really isnt too much of a hassle but it does suck, im doing that right now, the fuel pump wires you have to cut, then connect if you swap the interior wiring, unless you want to pull out the fuel pump. other than that, the alternator wiring will definitely be on the wrong side, and too short to reach the right side...but there is mainly 6 parts to the cars wiring, (on a hatchback, i havent done a notch), but theres the wiring on a 5.0 that goes to all the front head lights, fog lights, horn, and alternator, and it plugs in on passenger side, then theres the ecu wiring that just goes in the wall and plugs into the comp and comes out to string along the top of the wall, next theres the wiring on the motor that unplugs from two 10 pin connectors from the ecu wiring on the wall, also, theres the main chunk of wiring that goes along the dash and out along the drivers fender, another is the section that goes to both doors and goes for dome lights and mirror lights, but I believe is the same on most second gen foxes except for maybe the premium sound or somthing, last is the rear wiring that consists of rear lights, fuel pump, fuel door pop, hatch pop, rear interior light, then the light and defrost on the hatch itself, along with the rear speakers, front seat wiring, and then the wiring on the console (mirror, ebrake) and it plugs into the main chunk of wiring by the drivers kick panel...I'm not sure if this helps ya, but I just swapped all that last night on mine
5.0 fuel pump and the 4 cyl pump are the same, good unless you gets some crazy mods other ways your fine with the 4 cyl, the rear brake line has to be swaped, the right exhaust hanger is bolted to where to 4 cyl brake line is mounted and the line mounts in the center of the axle on a 5.0, the front lines are fine, the front brakes are bigger on a 5.0, also have different struts and spindles on a 5.0, the wiring is way different, your best be is ebay or a junk yard loking for the exact year of your 4 cyl car, otherwise you in for some harness building or $500 for a painless harness!
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90 lx 4cyl swap, painless harness, under drive pullys, 3.55 ford racing gears, steeda tubular subframe connectors with braces, mac rear control arms, trunk mounted battery, upper and lower torque box supports, tremic, rear seat deleat kit, coast 347 forged everything with afr 185's, main girdle and windage tray, 75mm everything, trick flow track heat intake, 24 lb injectors, 1 3/4 long tubes, 3" x pipe and dumps, MSD digital 6
I did the same swap and we re used the 5.0 engine harness and eec. I did however have to do some wire mods for the 4 cyl cars chassis harness but they were so easy it was stupid. I thought we had an issue when we took and started driving it but all it was, was the altenator could not pump out enough voltage to run all of the fuel system components. Once I swapped it out for a 5.0 truck altenator every problem was gone. I am now onto the body work hopefully by next summer I am ready to go.
Okay, I have a 87 LX 4cyl, this car has been giving me so much problems that I pretty much gave up on it. I have finally decided to go for a 5.0 swap. Here is my problem, I live overseas in Korea. There are no, used 5.0's or anything. I am going back to the states in a couple of weeks. Probably somewhere in Ohio, but going to Hawaii for vacation first, lol. But anyways, It seems that I will need a list of parts so that I can have ready when Im going to junkyards here and there, or if I can find a used 5.0 somewhere, even better. If not I will need to airfrieght it over to Korea. So please can anyone help
Last edited by white angel; 02-01-2008 at 11:24 PM.
HELLO this is Rob G from Philly,
currently converting 88 lx 4 cylinder to 5.0 litre,will the 89 8cylinder harness plug right in??If not, where can I go to for a wiring diagram??
swap 
