[444]

Hi all, I just found this forum and hope this is a good place to get some solid tech info. I'm a mopar guy but I've always liked some of the Ford stuff and this will be my first ford build, so forgive me I don't have any ford specific tech knowledge going into this.

What I've got is a car with no motor/trans and I've got a local u-pull yard with a decent variety of late 80's/early 90's 5.0 mustangs and trucks. I want to keep this build simple so carb and mechanical distributor, no efi. What I'd really like to know is what years of blocks and heads should I be looking for and what years should I stay away from? I figure I might as well pick out the best years of the available junkyard stuff I can find. What I would like to do is find a 5.0 with a decent bottom end, with a set of factory heads of which ever year(s) is best then do cam, intake/carb and headers, gaskets, valve springs, timing chain, etc and run it. Basically your typical budget mild street bolt-on build. I would be real happy if I could I get 275hp and 350ft-lbs out of it. Not looking to build a ground pounder here.

What should I start looking for?

[Smirnoff]

go find a 5.0 explorer or mountaineer

[444]

What years of explorer? I thought all the early 90's ones were the 4.0 v6's? My buddy used to have one and I don't remember ever seeing one with a v8?

Edit: Just checked and wikipedia says 1996+. That may be a bit new for me to find at the junkyard I usually go to but I will keep my eyes open. If I can't find one of those, what would my second best choice be?

[ryanw]

are you going to pull it all apart and stuff the block will all new stuff or are you just going to drop it into a car as is ? if your going to drop it into the car as is id stay away from 1986 mustang 5.0 they had crappy pistons and heads. if your only looking to get about 275 hp almost any block will work. but 1987-1992 5.0 have 225 hp 300 fpt with forged pistons and they have roller cam. 1985 has 210 hp roller motor last year of carb, 1986 200 hp first year of efi. 1993 225 hp no forged pistion All these are numbers on mustangs i dont have a clue when it come to other ford engines

[444]

Yes I am hoping to find one with a decent bottom end that I can just drop in. I'm already in the middle of a motor rebuild for another car and don't really want to spend a ton of cash on this one. Are 87-93 all the same heads?

[ryanw]

as far as i know YES. E7 heads you can get GT40 heads off of an ford explorer not sure what years though they flow better and have a smaller combustion chamber. also if you look up 1993 mustang 5.0 it said they have 205 hp but in 1993, Ford switched to cast hypereutectic pistons for all 302 cu in engines and also re-rated the 5.0 GT at 205 hp and 275 ft·lb of torque. This estimate was more accurate because the previous power ratings were made before the addition of the mass air flow system, a minor revision in the cam, and other various changes. but they really still had 225 hp

[ryanw]

Okay i think the V8 explorers with gt40 heads are 1996-2001

[horsepowerjunkie]

Originally Posted by ryanw Okay i think the V8 explorers with gt40 heads are 1996-2001

96-early 97 had GT40(3 hash marks on the front of the head) 97.5 -01/02? had the GT-40p heads(4 hash marks on the front of the head)

I would start with a nice used Explorer 5.0, add a cam, valve springs, intake, exhaust, etc. and you will be close if not over 300 HP!

If you can find a lower milage one, you wouldn't even have to rebuild. They are a pretty stout engine!

[95StangMX]

Keep in mind all of these HP ratings everyone is throwing out are not to the shoes, those numbers are all to the crank.

and why go carbed if you can just pick up a whole exploder motor and change the cam, intakes, springs, and a few other simple boltons you will have a pretty stout little engine and not have to worry about cold starts and stinking like gas every time you drive it.

Think about it buddy girls don't like to go out to dinner or a movie and get all fixed up, to smell like gas the entire evening....

[444]

Okay well at least now I have a decent idea what to look for. I was aware these are crankshaft HP numbers.

and why go carbed if you can just pick up a whole exploder motor and change the cam, intakes, springs, and a few other simple boltons you will have a pretty stout little engine and not have to worry about cold starts and stinking like gas every time you drive it.

Have you ever driven a vehicle with a well tuned carb and correctly dialed in automatic choke? Driveability and cold-starts are not even an issue once it's setup properly. But FWIW I'm in the process of a carb->efi conversion on my other car and this one I just want to keep simple.

[95StangMX]

You ever driven a well tuned efi car? they have no problems with cold starts, get better MPG, and don't stink... haha its your car man, do what you feel confortable with I am better with fuel injection than dialing in a carb so ...... but good luck and post up some pics and progress....

EDIT: What year is the rolling chassis you are building? Post up some pics of the project as it is now and you can make this your build thread and continue to add pics and progress of your work...

[91cobra5.0]

Do you have a set budget? Craigslist and internet forums can net u some really nice parts for just as cheap as a junkyard and there is a lot wider of a variety of things for u to choose from

[Smirnoff]

Originally Posted by 95StangMX and why go carbed if you can just pick up a whole exploder motor and change the cam, intakes, springs, and a few other simple boltons you will have a pretty stout little engine and not have to worry about cold starts and stinking like gas every time you drive it. Think about it buddy girls don't like to go out to dinner or a movie and get all fixed up, to smell like gas the entire evening....

hmmmm weird i dont smell like gas every time i drive my car and it starts right up in the cold with no choke

[444]

Originally Posted by 91cobra5.0 Do you have a set budget? Craigslist and internet forums can net u some really nice parts for just as cheap as a junkyard and there is a lot wider of a variety of things for u to choose from

I did have a look at the local classified websites and couldn't find much. The local u-pull will sell me a complete 5.0 for $200 w/ a 90 day warranty.

[Smirnoff]

^ thats not a bad deal at all

[91cobra5.0]

Do you have a set budget? Craigslist and internet forums can net u some really nice parts for just as cheap as a junkyard and there is a lot wider of a variety of things for u to choose from

[horsepowerjunkie]

Originally Posted by 444 I did have a look at the local classified websites and couldn't find much. The local u-pull will sell me a complete 5.0 for $200 w/ a 90 day warranty.

A complete 5.0 out of a what?? 5.0's come in different forms. 87-92 5.0 HO would be the best short block to start with.

[ryanw]

ya you want a H.O 5.0 the hp is way different between the two

[horsepowerjunkie]

Originally Posted by ryanw ya you want a H.O 5.0 the hp is way different between the two

Actually the 87-92 HO's came with TRW forged pistons, nothing to do with HP, just way stronger than your average Crown Vic/F150 5.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ryanw]

Originally Posted by horsepowerjunkie Actually the 87-92 HO's came with TRW forged pistons, nothing to do with HP, just way stronger than your average Crown Vic/F150 5.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya i know. did i say some thing that made it seem like i thought the type of pistons made one motor more powerful then another. i was just pointing out that a 302ci (5.0) high out put made more HP then the standard 302 (5.0) non high out put. wich was 1985 and before. like in 1985 the difference in HP between a high out ( HO) and non H0 was 45 HP.....http://fox-body.com/