V8 swap

Topic: V8 swap (Read 3770 times) previous topic - next topic

V8 swap

January 17, 2012, 03:14:55 PM

I'm new to this site. I have an 1986 turbo coupe that I want to swap a 1992 5.0 T5 out of a mustang gt. The turbo coupe had a T5 in it too. Are the engine/ trans mounts going to work from the mustang? and i guess i will have use all the wiring harnesses from the mustang to get it to run? And what about the hydraulic clutch in the t bird, do i have to use the pedal assembly from the mustang ?Anything else that i need to know about this swap? Thanks for the info.

V8 swap

Reply #1 – January 17, 2012, 03:36:28 PM

If you have an 86 TC, it's a cable clutch. None of the Mustang wiring will work without major repinning, etc. Your best bet is finding a V8 '86 and using it. You CAN use the 2.3 T5, with a V8 bell, but first gear will be rather useless, especially if you've got a 3.55 or deeper rear gear.

Since you've got the cable clutch system, keep your existing pedal assy. You'll need the hard to find '86-'88 style V8 Tbird mounts, or else contact Chuck W for a set of his custom units. (They rock, btw. shameless plug!)

There's more info on http://www.coolcats.net, and you can also search here too.

Welcome to the board!!

V8 swap

Reply #2 – January 17, 2012, 03:37:24 PM

Read coolcats.net, but change cougar to tbird, and 90% of your questions will be answered. Any more questions, come right back here. Post some pictures of the car.

V8 swap

Reply #3 – January 17, 2012, 04:44:11 PM

It definitely has a hydraulic clutch so maybe its an 87? Just going by what I was told on the year. Its a buddies car that he took the drivetrain out of for a pinto wagon. i figured the wiring harness in the mustang would have to be used. So I guess the wiring for the t-bird dash would have to spliced in to the mustang harness. Thanks for all the info. I'll check out all the links that were posted.

V8 swap

Reply #4 – January 18, 2012, 03:46:50 AM

Check the 10th position of the VIN..."H" is '87, "J" will represent an '88.

I'd seriously try to find the appropriate year Tbird/Cougar engine harness...also, since your car was originally a TC, you'll have to modify the fuel lines, as the 2.3 lines come up along the firewall, closer to the driver side...the 5.0 cars come up along the front and right side of the engine, same as a V8 Stang. I used to know where an '87 5.0 Bird was (less the engine, but all wiring was there) sadly, it's gone now, no doubt to a s yard.

Of course, you could go with a carb 5.0 and skip all the wiring headaches...but that's the easy way out...

Edit: on the VIN, a "G" is an '86....if you are lucky enough to actually have an '88...I have an engine harness for a 5.0.....had been hanging onto it in case I end up with another non-5.0 Fox.....but I'm about to get out of the bullshiznit of changing stuff around.

V8 swap

Reply #5 – January 18, 2012, 02:30:04 PM

I checked the VIN and its an 87. So I guess I'll need to swap in the mustang pedal assembly for the clutch cable and find the wiring harness for a v8 thunderbird. I'll contact Chuck W on this site for the engine mounts. Didn't realize the mustangs and thunderbirds were so different, thought this swap was going to a little simpler....lol. I do have the fuel lines from the mustang doner car so maybe I can use those. i may have a lead on a v8 dash cluster and v8 engine wiring harness. Does it matter what year the wiring harness is from, or just that it's for a v8? Thanks for all the help.

V8 swap

Reply #6 – January 18, 2012, 05:10:50 PM

Yeah, you'll need an engine harness from an '87.

The Stang fuel lines won't work without a lot of modding, would probably just be easier to make all new ones. You might search around, seems as if I recall someone using a 5.0 fuel rail from a '90 and up F150, as they come up in roughly the same general area as the '87-'8 TCs do. But that's just what I've read.

The dash cluster doesn't care what engine is in there, however, the tach will need to be swapped out or modded, else it won't read correctly since there will now be 4 more cylinders under the hood. It can be modded by opening up the tach and adding a resistor..not real savvy on this part, I've never done it, but there's writeup for it on coolcats in the modifying section. :)

V8 swap

Reply #7 – January 18, 2012, 09:02:43 PM

Fuel rail from an F150 the rail inputs are located on the pass rear instead of like a mustang rail the lines come up on the front passenger

V8 swap

Reply #8 – January 19, 2012, 12:09:32 AM

Quote from: bigbada1;378049

Fuel rail from an F150 the rail inputs are located on the pass rear instead of like a mustang rail the lines come up on the front passenger

2.3 Mustang?

V8 swap

Reply #9 – January 19, 2012, 11:18:55 AM

Thanks for all the info. Swap is going to take a bit more work then I thought, but I'll get all the parts together and try and figure out the fuel line situation. Carb would be easier but I already have the mustang parts car so I'll try and get the fuel injection to work.

V8 swap

Reply #10 – January 25, 2012, 08:21:44 AM

This is kinda related to my post. Will he have to swap throttle cables for a tbird v8? I have 86XR7....swapping to 351 w/turbo EFI.

Thanks,

Travis