87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb November 24, 2005, 07:51:28 PM My son and myself are starting a project car together and we hope you guys can help with a few questions we have. Heres the story...we have recently bought an 87 T bird with 74k miles on it, and we would like to replace the existing 3.8l engine with a 302 out of a 79 Mustang that we have built up to be quite healthy. we want to stay with a carb set up for this build. From what i have gathered the tranny(AOD) will bolt up but may need to be beefed up a bit to handle the power, but will everything else work? I realize exhaust,motor mounts etc will have to be changed but would i be so lucky that the accesory brackets for the air,alt, etc fit onto the 302 block. And is the water pump simular to the design of the small block waterpump.I was told that ford interchanged most of those items with 3.8 and 5.0 blocks to save on costs.?There are many more questions that we have but if anyone has completed this same type of swap we would sure like to hear from you.Thanks in advance. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #1 – November 24, 2005, 07:56:06 PM Quote from: 4mykidI realize exhaust,motor mounts etc will have to be changed but would i be so lucky that the accesory brackets for the air,alt, etc fit onto the 302 block.When you pull the 3.8 take the motor mounts and brackets off and bolt them to the 302. Direct swap. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #2 – November 26, 2005, 08:10:27 PM the brackets off a 3.8 can bolt on a 302? Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #3 – November 26, 2005, 09:35:14 PM Quote from: slamedcatWhen you pull the 3.8 take the motor mounts and brackets off and bolt them to the 302. Direct swap.Since when???The mount assembly is a three piece affair the uses the same lower bracket to bolt to the crossmember, but the insulator and upper are different than a 5.0 and will not bolt to the block...Quote from: 4mykidbut would i be so lucky that the accesory brackets for the air,alt, etc fit onto the 302 block. And is the water pump simular to the design of the small block waterpump.I was told that ford interchanged most of those items with 3.8 and 5.0 blocks to save on costs.?Someone lied to you, unlike Chevys smallblock V8s and the 3.3, 3.8, 4.3 V6s, the POS Ford 3.8 shares nothing with a 5.0. Believe it or not, the Ford 3.8 is loosely based on the Buick 3.8 V6, which shared many components with their V8s. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #4 – November 26, 2005, 10:45:08 PM They use the same motor mounts. Is the bolt pattern on the block side different? Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #5 – November 27, 2005, 08:36:06 AM yep, 5.0 are different than 3.8. :D Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #6 – November 27, 2005, 09:21:24 AM Quote from: slamedcatThey use the same motor mounts. Is the bolt pattern on the block side different?You've not seen the problems a lot of the guys seem to have finding the 5.0 upper for such a swap??? Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #7 – November 27, 2005, 01:20:21 PM where did all of this come from? my 87 v-6 brackets are compleatly diffrent, and I know the motor mounts are diffrent. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #8 – November 27, 2005, 04:36:36 PM When i swapped my 5.0 in i had to get the mounts from a 93 mustang GT, and had to use spacers, now i know in 86 they changed the cros member slightly so im not sure if youll need spacers, Question, the cross members where the motor mounts set is it straight or at a 45* angle if it straingt i can send you some used mounts from my 5.0 if its angled get the 93 GT mounts. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #9 – November 27, 2005, 06:37:38 PM Here's what '87 5.0 mounts look like for a Tbird. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #10 – November 28, 2005, 12:19:18 PM Quote from: t-bird85When i swapped my 5.0 in i had to get the mounts from a 93 mustang GT, and had to use spacers, now i know in 86 they changed the cros member slightly so im not sure if youll need spacers, Question, the cross members where the motor mounts set is it straight or at a 45* angle if it straingt i can send you some used mounts from my 5.0 if its angled get the 93 GT mounts.They changed it in 87-88 and you can no longer use the mustang mounts. Here is a link to better mounts that one of our very own is designing. He does excellent work, and this would probably be your best bet as the factory motor mounts are pretty hard to find in good condition these days. Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #11 – November 28, 2005, 12:23:40 PM actually '86, maybe '85 1/2.:D Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #12 – November 28, 2005, 10:23:16 PM do u know where i can get a 302 5.0 motor for my t-bird 86 modei am aj willingham c_c_chopper yahoo messenger Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #13 – November 29, 2005, 02:32:46 PM I don't think I saw any replies regarding the fuel pump swap. Won't the FI fuel pump have to be swapped for a low-pressure "carb" fuel pump? You sure can't hit a carb with typical FI fuel pressures.Fordman3 Quote Selected
87 3.8 FI to 5.0 carb Reply #14 – November 29, 2005, 04:49:58 PM Yes if you are going to use a carb changeing the fuel pump is your best option, I just used an Inline pump removed the intank and replave witha peice of metal line. Not a hard change to do, just drain the tank............dont ask Quote Selected
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