[HOLLYWD69]

I just bought an 86 GT for my son. We want to do a motor swap nothing crazy just a little more power, something we can work on together. I know the speed density limits the power so I am going to do a mass air conversion. I am looking at a late 90s explorer motor, do a cam swap and some port a polishing on the heads and the intake and drop it in. My question is do the crown vics or the trucks have the same motor as the explorers? I haven’t been able to find a 5.0 explorer at any of the junk yards around here. I want to pull it myself so I can get the mass air meter and all of the accessories and it’s a lot cheaper to pull it yourself at a junk yard than to buy one on line. Plus that would be something we can do together also. Thanks for any help.

[Speedstang302]

best bet is find a 5.0 mass air setup out of a mustang, all you want off the explorer is the upper and lower intake, heads and throttle body. and the 5.0 in all other ford, lincolns are stock foxbody stuff

[superbean]

I think your on the right track here. Lots of guys are going fast with simple gt40 setups.

Gt40 with a decent intake, full exhaust and a set of a slicks will make for a hell of a ride

[HOLLYWD69]

Are the late 90s motors better than the early 90s or pretty much the same?

[superbean]

87-92 Mustang motors were forged with deep valve reliefs
Early Explorers Came with GT40 heads (Cobra) (non -p's) and cast pistons
Late Explorers came with GT40P heads and cast pistons..

P heads are cool because they give a little compression bump.

Ideally the best setup would be an 87-92 short block, some p heads, stock cam and 1.7rr's. Would be cheap but has been proven to perform.

I'll wait for Mustank to chime in.. He took his P headed combo into the 11s

[HOLLYWD69]

Cool thanks for the help.

[Speedstang302]

i think the 5.0 wasnt dumped into the explorer til about 96ish. first couple years had gt40 (93 cobra) heads, then until the 4.6 crap they had gt40p's w/ different angled plugs so most headers wont work with them

[HOLLYWD69]

So no GT40p heads then.

[Speedstang302]

some have luck w/ bbk headers, some w/ stock ones and i know MAC LT's work

[HOLLYWD69]

Originally Posted by Speedstang302 some have luck w/ bbk headers, some w/ stock ones and i know MAC LT's work

Cool thanks for all the help.

[superbean]

Originally Posted by HOLLYWD69 So no GT40p heads then.

why not? Ford Racing sells p specific headers

[HOLLYWD69]

[quote=superbean;2192108]why not? Ford Racing sells p specific headers[/QUOT

cool thanks. thats why I ask.

[Haggis13]

Originally Posted by superbean why not? Ford Racing sells p specific headers

FRPP Shorties work with P heads...

[superbean]

Originally Posted by Haggis13 FRPP Shorties work with P heads...

That's because the p50 model headers were designed to work with angled plugs and straight plugs like the gt40p...

[93mustank]

Originally Posted by HOLLYWD69 I just bought an 86 GT for my son. We want to do a motor swap nothing crazy just a little more power, something we can work on together. I know the speed density limits the power so I am going to do a mass air conversion. I am looking at a late 90s explorer motor, do a cam swap and some port a polishing on the heads and the intake and drop it in. My question is do the crown vics or the trucks have the same motor as the explorers? I haven’t been able to find a 5.0 explorer at any of the junk yards around here. I want to pull it myself so I can get the mass air meter and all of the accessories and it’s a lot cheaper to pull it yourself at a junk yard than to buy one on line. Plus that would be something we can do together also. Thanks for any help.

A junk yard exploder block would be good for you...dont wast money with porting... depending on how much you drop on the block...... Depends how much money you have? Depends how fast you wanna go....everything depends...

Example on my build / cheap slap together.....

89 stock short block....100.00
afm n41 cam ..........100.00
Gt40 p heads fresh from machine shop/fresh resurface/new valves/valve job/Comp dual spring/yada yada still stock pedestal mount..............400.00
Exploder intake/pulled from a junk yard......60.00
pp 65mm tb 50.00

Rest was all there....Full exhaust/gears/19lb injectors/stock suspension/etc etc....Springs were miles off and not set up....


I personally got the car to run 11.9's.....trust me it shouldnt have but I made it.Not many will so this...its not hard....but it does take time....aka 50 passes down the axis road before the track lol........

I have learned a lot from all my experiences.....The stock ones are fun......Playin cheap is fun until you get tired of breaking stuff or going slow.

[The Novice]

Hey mustank, when you ran the 11.9 you were on slicks correct?

Thats a pretty nice time and a money saver, nicely done!

[HOLLYWD69]

Originally Posted by 93mustank A junk yard exploder block would be good for you...dont wast money with porting... depending on how much you drop on the block...... Depends how much money you have? Depends how fast you wanna go....everything depends... Example on my build / cheap slap together..... 89 stock short block....100.00 afm n41 cam ..........100.00 Gt40 p heads fresh from machine shop/fresh resurface/new valves/valve job/Comp dual spring/yada yada still stock pedestal mount..............400.00 Exploder intake/pulled from a junk yard......60.00 pp 65mm tb 50.00 Rest was all there....Full exhaust/gears/19lb injectors/stock suspension/etc etc....Springs were miles off and not set up.... I personally got the car to run 11.9's.....trust me it shouldnt have but I made it.Not many will so this...its not hard....but it does take time....aka 50 passes down the axis road before the track lol........ I have learned a lot from all my experiences.....The stock ones are fun......Playin cheap is fun until you get tired of breaking stuff or going slow.

I'm not looking to make a ton of power, about 325hp would be good. I wouldn't spend any money porting just some back yard port and polish and gasket matching by myself. Its been a while since I have done any engine work and never with fuel injection so all the help is appreciated.

[95StangMX]

325 is going to cost you a little more than you think. Is that goal to the wheels or the crank?

[HOLLYWD69]

At the crank

[superbean]

280 whp, 320chp is very easy to attain using a gt40p headed car.

remember, horsepower isn't everything.. having a car that can put the power down and a driver to use the power > dyno sheets