advice needed: "easiest" engine swap / rebuild?

[gadget73]

87 Couger is NOT an HO. They didn't get an HO till 1992 or 1993 I think, and I believe they were all with that bendy intake like the SN95 Mustangs had. 87 Couger and Tbird should be a boring turd lopo, same as a box would have.

[sly]

Bah. Why couldn't ford just use the HO in everything.

[sinistral]

okay, so would this one be any better or still the same or no way to know?

"1988 Ford Mustang 5.0L roller Short block"

same seller:

"1988 Ford Mustang 5.0L roller rocker heads" (how do these compare to Explorer heads?)

[sinistral]

or these heads (can't quite make out the casting?)

[gadget73]

88 Mustang heads are the E7 heads used on an HO motor. Explorer heads are better by a fair stretch.

The other ones are quite old. Ford hasn't run stud mount rockers since the late 70s. Depending what they are, they may be decent or duds. The casting number would probably be on the bottom side of the intake runner. The number pictured is probably a production number and doesn't mean much. You'd be looking for something starting with a C or a D and the second thing would be a number. Fourth would typically be an "E". D0OE would be the good 351W head.

Honestly, with them being incomplete, I'd pass. You're probably looking at something without hardened valve seats and obviously you'd need all of the rest of the hardware to do anything with them, and they'd still probably be no better or worse than GT40 or GT40P heads and cost you more at the same time.

[sinistral]

no better or worse than GT40 or GT40P heads and cost you more at the same time.

thanks, gadget... so i assumed "GT40" heads were just a shortened way of referring to GT40P -- sounds like they're two different animals.
guess i need to do some more searching 'round here.

[gadget73]

they are. Cobras had shaved GT40 heads, and so did the 96 Explorer, though the Explorer version weren't shaved. 97+ had GT40P heads. the plug angle is different, and the P heads need different headers to clear properly. 90 Townie manifolds will work, or you get the headers that are made to fit with them. They do flow better in stock form too.

[sly]

gt40 heads use normal headers... gt40p use p-head headers. They are different. The P heads have harder to work with plugs too since the headers are kinda in the way and you need chevy wires (right angles on both ends of the wires) to use most exhaust headers that will actually fit. P heads flow better tough, but the non-p heads are easier to work with day in and day out. (all info from posts I've read here... no personal experience... yet)

[sinistral]

so does that mean i'd need to look for pre-'97 explorers in the boneyard? how far back?

[gadget73]

1996 only for the GT40 head.

If you have the proper headers, the P heads are not a big deal. The wires fit, the plugs aren't a fucker to get out, and actually the headers go on easy because the tubes run out more straight and you don't get stuck needing those wanker bolts that most headers need to hold themselves on. One thing you really can't do with them though is port the things. The castings are thin, and if you try and remove just a wee bit too much metal you will hit water. It can be done, but its not nearly as easy as with other heads.

[knucklehead0202]

Look, I'm in California, which is about as insane as you can get with emissions crap. I wouldn't worry about the motor swap in Colorado. The "tech" you talked to on the phone was probably some kind of state stooge, I can just about promise you that 98% or more of these clowns wouldn't know a small-block ford from a 2jz. If it looks factory and has all the bullshit emission bits, and runs decent, you'll be fine. Being that you have a TBI car it's a bit different, but mostly the same. Not sure how TBI would run with HO stuff but I'm sure somebody here has experienced it. Within the next year-ish, i'll be building a stroker motor with HO firing order, aftermarket heads, cam, etc, and as long as it runs clean enough, I can fake the exempt order numbers enough to satisfy any smog shop. Worst case scenario, I know a guy who knows a guy, and it'll pass no problem. We have to do this nonsense every 2 years, how often is it elsewhere? If I get to the point of "paying a little extra" I may just whack a turbo or two on this bastard and not worry about anything. Bear in mind, I make shit for money so I don't have big-budget racecar crap in mind, just pieces I can accumulate to put together the puzzle. Keep your eyes open for a motor deal and go for it. You'll be fine.

[sinistral]

okay, been reading thru the old "fuel injection tech" site that is mirrored here... on one hand i feel like the more i learn the more confused i get!

so i had been thinking keep it simple: find a roller short-block, stroke it, put all my CFI stuff back on but upgrade to explorer heads. however, since my system is speed density, it sounds like the EEC would just be confused by the extra cubes and whatnot. so either i just rebuild this motor and keep it all as-is, or bite the bullet and either swap in a mustang motor, or, push my luck with an explorer motor (without the tell-tale explorer intake i guess?).

guess i need to go back and look for those HO threads and start making a parts list.

[pantera77]

You really can't do shit if you plan on keeping it CFI.

[sly]

+1 CFI will not handle upgrades.

[sinistral]

isn't it more accurate to blame it on the speed density aspect and the EEC? i'm assuming this to be true because you see all those aftermarket TBI kits from FAST, Holley, Edelbrock, etc. that are good for 500HP... so while i get that SEFI / MAF is superior, it seems CFI isn't the issue by itself, right?