Found an engine donor, now what?

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Found an engine donor, now what?

November 27, 2009, 02:26:42 AM

I'm am pretty sure I'm picking up a 91 stang w/ 302 HO and AOD to be swapped into my new '82 bird. I understand it's going to be a major undertaking, having never done a swap. What exactly am I going to need to convert an old carb'd 255 to a full-on fuel injected 302? I know I will have to carry over the engine computer, and figure out the electrical fuel pump situation. Beyond that I'm not sure what hurdles I will need expect. Can anyone come up with a quick rundown on what will need to be transferred over?

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #1 – November 27, 2009, 05:25:01 PM

For your first swap, it would be a hell of a lot easier to stick with a carb'ed set up...a nice Holley Avenger 570-670 or similar sized Demon....you're likely to make a few more ponies with a carb'ed set up over fuel injection at a small sacrifice of torque.

Not to mention carb'ed stuff is rediculously cheap compared to fuel injection go-fast goodies. You could probably sell off the fuel injection stuff and that'll pay for your intake.

Good luck,
Don

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #2 – November 27, 2009, 05:48:47 PM

For a first timer it'd likely be a bitch especially if you aren't good with wiring or have a buddy who is... You'd need to interface the Stang engine harness into the Bird, and that'll require wiring diagrams for both vehicles... You may want to seriously consider Don's carbed suggestion...

Besides wiring they'll be a bunch of little things, accelerator & TV cables, fuel lines(there be a return as well as feed) and pump, maybe a later Fox Bird tank could work I dunno... Should be able to use the Stang accessories but AC hookup will probably prove interesting... The Stang tranny will be setup for floor shift, so you'll need to alter the lever... Will need to relocate battery if it's on the passenger side... Possibly will get into modifying a drive shaft if the present tranny is a different length... If you go for it, do not get rid of the Stang till everything is sorted out...

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #3 – November 27, 2009, 05:49:37 PM

I would get a '91 Mustang EVTM for starters.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #4 – November 28, 2009, 03:38:45 AM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;300341

Besides wiring they'll be a bunch of little things, accelerator & TV cables, fuel lines(there be a return as well as feed) and pump, maybe a later Fox Bird tank could work I dunno... Should be able to use the Stang accessories but AC hookup will probably prove interesting... The Stang tranny will be setup for floor shift, so you'll need to alter the lever... Will need to relocate battery if it's on the passenger side... Possibly will get into modifying a drive shaft if the present tranny is a different length... If you go for it, do not get rid of the Stang till everything is sorted out...

I am pretty good with wiring and am usually able to make almost anything work given enough time and diagrams. My big concerns are the physical aspects of the swap since I have never done it. Will it bolt right up with little customization? I will do wiring, but making custom parts and fabricating things is where I am concerned.

I do have the whole mustang to work with, so anything I will need will be there, it's just a matter of making it fit and operate properly. I will be swapping both the engine and transmission, so the tv linkage shouldn't be an issue, as they will not be separated. Also, I believe the tranny in the mustang is a version of the AOD, as is the current one in the bird. Would I be able to reuse the original shift linkage or was the design changed dramatically?

I had considered the problem with return vs. returnless fuel systems and was looking at comparing an 83+ tank and seeing if the filler neck would even be in the ballpark for fit. Wasn't 83 the year they switched over to fuel injection with the pump in the tank?

Though I'm sure a carb setup would be easier, I can't see spending additional money on another intake and carburetor when I have all of the fuel injection parts in working order. I know it will be time consuming, but I have a lot of free time. Not so much on the free spending money. The worst I can do is try and fail, then switch to carb if I can't make it work.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #5 – November 28, 2009, 04:28:26 AM

Assuming both are AODs, sounds like you may only need to swap the shift lever from tranny to the other... As far as the mechanical aspects, should be a straight bolt in as physically the 255 & 302/5.0 are the same externally, the '82 most likely uses same motor mounts as the Stang...

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #6 – November 28, 2009, 06:41:53 PM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;300388

Assuming both are AODs, sounds like you may only need to swap the shift lever from tranny to the other... As far as the mechanical aspects, should be a straight bolt in as physically the 255 & 302/5.0 are the same externally, the '82 most likely uses same motor mounts as the Stang...

That makes me feel a little better. My next problem to figure out is what rear end to use. I'm sure the stock rear isn't going to be able to handle the new power plant so I need to look into swapping that out as well. Will the rears be relatively similar as far as fit between the 'stang and bird? I'm mostly concerned about the width and suspension parts working. I'm sure this will be obvious once I get the cars side by side and do some measuring...

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #7 – November 28, 2009, 07:38:58 PM

Use the Stang rear. As for fuel pump, I'd just go with an aftermarket inline unit designed for EFI. That way you can reuse your tank.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #8 – November 28, 2009, 09:45:02 PM

Im not sure about the 82 T-bird/Cougars but I do know that you can slap in a set of Fox stang lower control arms (fixed length aftermarket) without any problems. However, just an FYI the stang fixed length uppers come up short about 1 1/2 inches. I dont know if this applies to the earlier cars but i know it does for 87/88 T-birds/cougars. You can remedy the upper control arm situation by using an adjustable length upper control arm.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #9 – December 02, 2009, 06:58:03 AM

or use the uppers from a 68-72 gm a-body for the 83-88. i believe the 80-82 use mustang uppers.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #10 – December 03, 2009, 05:10:09 AM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;300490

Use the Stang rear. As for fuel pump, I'd just go with an aftermarket inline unit designed for EFI. That way you can reuse your tank.

Would this be like a dual-pump setup I have been reading about? High and low pressure pumps working in tandem with a fuel collector?

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #11 – December 03, 2009, 11:38:08 PM

First off, you should be buying that stang and planning on returning the body shell to the junk yard along with alot of 1982 T-Bird parts (rearend, motor, tranny). The shifter and all will work fine since the AOD and C4 or 5 (I'm guessing you have) has the same shift pattern. The mustang rear is the best, take the front brakes and all. The fuel tank can be adapted from an LTD or later Tbird/Cougar to fit the car. Spend alot of time at the Junk yard to find the dimensions of the tanks and see what fits without mods. Something WILL fit. When you find it take the lines as well.

If you have to fab a fuel system try this Fuel pump. All you need is something that will push fuel at the levels of a stock 5.0 HO engine with 45 psi. Like an Accel 74701 Cheap and Easy.

Fuel Lines, I have seen the factory steel lines used with flare fittings to adapt it to braided stainless lines and AN-Ford FI adapters from Russell. Fitting 1 and Fitting 2.

Wiring Harness. Do Not even try the Mustang harness. Time is money, puppies it on EBAY. Get the Painless Harness and forget the headache from the Mustang Harness.

Bolt engine and tranny in place and have some fun doing big smokey burnouts.

One More Thing.....Put a good gear in the rearend 3.73:1 for the 5.0 to be in its best RPM band with the AOD and heavier 82 Bird Body.

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #12 – December 04, 2009, 10:21:02 AM

Yeah but the difference in the Painless harness and the Stang is what??? Big $$$$??

That's pain enough for me to repin, cut and solder a few wires on a basically free harness(which I did for my TC)...

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #13 – December 04, 2009, 09:00:57 PM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;301127

Yeah but the difference in the Painless harness and the Stang is what??? Big $$$$??

That's pain enough for me to repin, cut and solder a few wires on a basically free harness(which I did for my TC)...

Agreed. That's half my budget. My time is free as long as I'm not skipping work to finish the task :hick:

Found an engine donor, now what?

Reply #14 – December 05, 2009, 02:30:13 AM

That's your choice. I have converted a TC as well and guess what, the stang harness sucked cause I had a 1 year piece that matched nothing for a EVTM or my diagrams from the net. I ended up using a Sport harness that took me months to find, then repin. The 93 harness that I had was junk after my painstaking week of repining. The painless harness I used in my sport after a mongoose attack in Hawaii was about the easiest thing I ever used. I will always recommend it. Either way you swill get the thing together and have some fun. That's what it's all about.