[Amherst]

Just looking for old threads, articles, or any info on what this entails. I assume new k-member, flywheel, subframe connectors, and a trick wiring harness to replace the computer. Bauminator if you have an auto. Pretty close? Just trying to get into the 12's one of these days, and thought that I should consider such a swap. In general is it a cost effective alternative to the mod motors and all the aftermarket stuff for them? I might be able to live without the smooth acceleration of the 4.6!

 

[rett]

I think you'll do a lot better as far as money is concerned sticking with the mod motor. Try looking at the 99+ headswap and bullit intake or the SVO Heads and intake. You can do the 99 headswap and bullit intake for about 2.5k and you'd be looking at 300rwhp if you do it right.

 

[Amherst]

I understand that there is enough aftermarket stuff out there for the 2V 4.6 to get it running anywhere from low 10's and up, but if you want to run 12.0 to 12.3 you have to admit you have to be one hell of a driver and mechanic with a deep wallet. I give the guys on the mod site a ton of credit for all that they have done with 2V's. The 2V 4.6 is still in it's growth years for popularity, and they are going very fast with limited aftermarket parts to choose from. My thing is I have always wanted a built 351 in a Mustang, any Mustang, and the 4.6 reminds me of the 289 that I had in my 66' coupe. Best motor on the block for it's cubic inch size, but without the distinct advantage of cubic inches. Keep in mind I am talking NA, and the car will be driven at the track a lot with some use on the street. It will essentially be a toy. Am I crazy? Maybe it is just a horsepower per dollar issue. Maybe it's the fact that 95% of the Stangers out there run 4.6's and 302's, and all of those people can't be wrong! Whatever the reason, it has been in my mind for some time and though I would find out why more people aren't doing it.......

 

[drewski]

they're not doing it because it's a PITA unless your SN95 is a 94-95. since your car isn't setup for the windsor motor, you'd probably have to swap everything from a 94-95 into your car (computer, wiring harness, sensors, accessory brackets, headers...btw, ford is no longer making the 95 cobra R headers, what will you do?, motor mounts probably, k-member probably (not sure)). i don't know how your smog laws are, but in california, that swap would be illegal as well. you couldn't get it smogged because ford never offered a 351 in a mustang for your year.

i'd seriously reconsider it. even in my 95, it was a big undertaking, and i was able to reuse my computer, harness, sensors, brackets, etc. if you want to go fast and save money, just get a blower.

my $.02

drew

 

[Amherst]

For someone who has to have their car smogged, yes, I can see this being a big issue. That is the contradiction of the system. There is no smog testing where I live, and the bone yard is littered with catalitic converters. So when you get down to it there is nobody where I live who enforces the law. As for getting everything to work right, there is no need for all of the electronics with a carburated 351, at least when it comes to engine management. I am thinking it is just a matter of getting the dash lights, door chimes, windows, stereo, wipers working. That is probably the biggest obstical. The 4.6 is very wide, so a 351 should fit no problem. Headers might be a problem, but you can always go to Kooks or someone like that. If I stay auto, I would just need the bauminator. A 351 would hook up to a 94-95 K member, wouldn't it? It just seems like in the end you would be removing items instead of adding to what's already there. Simplistic probably, against the law more than likely, but if blowers and nos are legal, why not use technology that has been around forever?

 

[drewski]

Yeah if you go carb instead of EFI, then that saves on the headaches a bit. The 351W will fit a 94-95 stock K member. See if you can find a set of the convertible motor mounts from a 94-95, they're supposed to be better. I don't know of anyone making a custom longtube 351W swap for the SN95, not to mention an AODE-equipped SN95. If you find out that somebody does, please share the information. Hooker may still be making the 351W shorty, you might want to check with them. The fact that your state doesn't do smog checks makes it a lot easier. I have a Baumannator also, but it's not installed yet. I got it mainly for the Manutronic (manual electronic shifting) capability.

 

[demon]

It really isn't that bad. I am in the process of doing it right now. The main issues that need tackling are electronics - but if you are using a carb 351 then you shouldn't have any problems at all. In fact, on a 96-98 car it is very straightforward as you have a return based fuel system, and do not use a coil on plug setup. These are 2 issues that have come up swapping the 351 into my 2002, but I am working around them =)

I agree, the price of performance on the mod motors is outrageous. I am sure this will come down over time, but I am interested in performance right now. Maybe once the aftermarket grows and the engine proves itself it would make sense to swap back.

Just for reference I am swapping a 408 stroker into my 2002 GT, and retaining the distributorless ignition system, running EFI. 94-95 K-Member, 3/4" drop motor mounts, custom headers, and everything else you would need to swap a 351 into a fox (oilpan, new harmonic damper, accessory bracket, etc). Theres a good article in the current 5.0 magazine about doing the swap.

No engine swap is an 'easy' job given the amount of potential headaches, but if you plan it out well enough you may be ok. I thought about building a 4v motor to use instead, but the price/performance really isnt there. The stock internals on a 4.6 seem woefully inadequate at dealing with any forced induction - I would never put any power adders on this stock motor (ive seen what the rods are made of), so the only option is either build a 4.6 motor ($$$), or build a 351 motor and swap it in. The cost will probably be about the same as building a 4.6 motor, the only difference being I end up with a 600hp 408 rather than a 300hp 281.

Email me if you have any questions about the swap.

 

[Amherst]

Thank you for all the info, I really do appreciate it! I got the car almost a year ago with 7K on it, and it just turned 40K. I use it for work and get paid mileage, so this time next year it will be all paid for and will go into the garage. It will have high miles on it, but am hoping that it still looks at great as it does today. I really do baby it (the body that is!) so all I would be doing is replacing/rebuilding the drivetrain. I didn't get to do all the stuff I wanted on my 66', so maybe I can have the best of both worlds with my 98'. I guess it would be a resto-old, right? I'll just go old school on the motor, though, and will leave the disc brakes, OD tranny and power windows alone!! Once again, thanks for the info, and I will let you all know if I do it!

 

[fauxexplorer]

i would use mod motor electronics and sensors and avoid any hassell,just custom chip it after swap.and ac and cruise,and speedo will work.same firing order so use the better dis system.there are cps and triggers available for the 351.to do just that.
good luck.
ecc v is a good system contrary to myth.

 

[demon]

i would use mod motor electronics and sensors and avoid any hassell,just custom chip it after swap.and ac and cruise,and speedo will work.same firing order so use the better dis system.there are cps and triggers available for the 351.to do just that.
good luck.
ecc v is a good system contrary to myth.

I'm using a cam position shaft from an Explorer 5.0 which also had DIS (resleeved shaft, it's a slightly different shape to the 351), and a crank trigger and bracket from a 5.0 Explorer also. The trigger pickup doesnt quite come out far enough, but a 3/4" block of metal fixes that problem. I'm going to have to change to a 98 computer because there is no physical way of mounting the coil on plug ignition system to a 351.

An adapted fuel rail on a GT40 lower would have fixed the RFS problem, but seeing as I am going to use a non-rfs computer now that is no longer needed.

Mechanically the swap is simple, electronically it is a bit of work. I am going to hack together an explorer harness with a 98 GT harness (using lots of helms manuals) and see how that works out. It doesnt seem to be much harder than any other engine swap in reality, just sounds hard. Good luck!

 

[fauxexplorer]

the explorer dis brackets will mount coilpacks where theres room.

 

[demon]

the explorer dis brackets will mount coilpacks where theres room.

The explorer did not have a coil-on-plug setup. They have coilpacks which sit like a distributor and have wires leading to each plug. The 99+ Mustangs have each individual coilpack on top of each sparkplug (just like my Supra). I do not think it will be possible to transfer this setup over to the 351 as I am unsure if it is actually physically feasible to mount these packs on the 351.