1989 5.8 efi?

[DrHax]

Doing some research here and asking questions in the middle of the night. Engine in my 86 Vic is toast. (Rod knock and avatar should give a hint of the fun that went down this weekend.) Buddy of mine has offered to sell me his sweet 351w for 800 that makes 400hp. Issue is it won't come with headers, intake or a carb..

So I was thinking.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/d...000288672.html

That may solve some of the problems.

Now I know the truck intake won't fit under the hood. Since the car is strictly sentimental to me, I have no quarrels about cutting a hole in the hood and finding a cowl for it.

Now assuming everything will fit what other parts do I need to seek or calculate? I am guessing I need to go find another ECM.. But what types would I look for? I know the cam on the 351 is far from stock. (Heck the motor is cranking out 500hp with his aluminum heads.) I know the firing order is different on the 351w then our LoPo 302's.

Any input on my insane idea?

[87gtVIC]

Another member ran 5.8 EFI in his SEFI converted 85 Crown Victoria. That car is currently under the knife for some crazy upgrades.

He needed to purchase an A9P/L ECM (because it is tune-able) with a quarter horse and binary editor (the chip and tuning software) and a very expensive 5.8 lightning lower intake so a regular explorer or tubular GT-40 upper intake could mate up with it and JUST fit underneath the hood. Will need a lightning egr spacer and a throttle body that has the panther throttle linkage swapped onto it.

You will need the proper oil pan. Probably need the proper flex-plate...

I have been in the car and looked at it before so this is just about what I know. There is probably more to it than what I am presenting here.

EDIT. Just looked at the ad. I wouldn't bother with that at all.

[dd345]

The 5.8 a/c and air pump brackets. I just used a stock panther fuel rail and put longer hoses for the wider 5.8, same for the hard lines coming up the front of the engine. 91 and below distributor off a 5.8 efi truck. Ford lighting lowers are out there, but be ready to pay for one as stated above. The fox body 5.8 swap oil pan is what you want. 5.8 harmonic balancer, radiator/ coolant hoses, dipstick. I am probably leaving things out. Check out other 5.8 swap threads also.

You will most likely need more than 19 lb injectors with that combo.
There are efi tuners on here that will chime in on injectors/ computer better than I can.

[gadget73]

The EFI intake is either a Lightning part for aluminum, or there was a marine intake that is functionally the same except cast iron that you might find for a lower price. Upper intake you can use Explorer parts, its the lower that is specific. The rest of the stuff is fairly easy to get ahold of, its common to Mustang 351 swap setups or its factory 351 Vic parts. The AC bracket and the lower intake are the hen's teeth.

I'd expect at least a 24# injector, but 30 or 36 might make more sense, it really depends on the motor.

[packman]

If the 351W is cranking out those numbers, I would suggest upgrading the fuel system; plan on getting a rebuilt AOD, change the ring and pinion if you have the stock 2.73 gears, and install a limited slip. Also will want to upgrade your brakes too. Going fast is not that hard; getting that beast to a halt before the next traffic light is going to be a challenge.

[Brown_Muscle]

Yeah...don't get that truck EFI setup, that 400HP engine will be then pumping out 250HP...if you're lucky. Pretty much what those guys said. If it's really making that kind of power you'll need larger injectors, and access to someone who can tune it half decently. It's a LOT more work than throwing a carb and intake on, but if you're worried about drivability and fuel mileage, than fuel injection is the way to go, but most people who have 4-500HP 351's don't really care about that.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

I seem to recall some TBI-type fuel injection units that are universally tunable and are made to bolt right in place of your standard square-bore carb. Might wanna look into those, cause by the time you're done blowing money on the Lightning/marine intake and the stupidly-priced ECM plus the quarterhorse and all that shit you may be money ahead by running that full-aftermarket fuel injection unit with whatever carb-type intake suits your fancy. They also make carb-type intakes that have ports for fuel injectors right at the end of the runners so you get 8 individual injectors just like stock, the throttle body that lives in place of the carb is then just a big flap valve with a TPS hanging off the side - that's another way of accomplishing more or less the same thing.

[knucklehead0202]

Could save money on the intake by getting a Pro-products typhoon. It's basically a knock-off of the edelbrock performer rpm and they do have it available for the 351w. It's a fairly tall intake but not as tall as that dumbass truck manifold. If you run an A9 computer with a MAF it should run decently well. If you want the most of it, definitely get the quarterhorse or tweecer, or just go standalone like megasquirt or something. Ghosty makes a good point too on the manifold, that carb/efi style will keep you much lower profile. All depends on how far you want to go...

[Bobcat]

You're going to need at least 42lb injectors, if your buddy is right about that engine making 400 horse. Cobra 42lb "Green giants" are good injectors and can be found for cheap.
Get the lightning lower, a cast iron boat lower will work as well. I paid $400 for mine, then had a aluminum lightning intake set dropped into my lap soon after, which I got rid of the lower, in favor of my boat lower. Regretted.
I have a 351w swap pan and pickup set, I don't need it, since I run a bronco pan and pickup on my car. You will need it, though.
Get 351 swap headers, otherwise you'll fight with H-Pipe issues.
You aren't going to have A/C anymore, unless you find the rare panther 351 A/C bracket.
There's some other small details that I'm forgetting. It's been awhile since I've worked on a stock framed panther.

Lastly, get a manual transmission.

[FordMan77]

Maybe look into a Megasquirt setup? Have only seen/experienced one in person but it seemed to work great on the 438 running in my buddies Vette.

[merc91]

If you're going to keep the car, do a megasquirt computer and learn to tune. Right now i'm making 400hp on 30lb injectors at 95% duty cycle with no issues. I'm starting a 351 myself to do an e-test/true dd friendly 450hp (+lots of nitrous) to drop in this winter with the megasquirt already in the car it will make life so much easier. Will be building a crossram aluminum 1 piece intake to fit under the stock hood and will be making longtubes as well to ceramic coat in the shop. When next winter comes I'll see if anyones interested in me making a few extra sets since nobody makes longtubes for us.
Good luck buddy

[phayzer5]

If you're going to keep the car, do a megasquirt computer and learn to tune. Right now i'm making 400hp on 30lb injectors at 95% duty cycle with no issues. I'm starting a 351 myself to do an e-test/true dd friendly 450hp (+lots of nitrous) to drop in this winter with the megasquirt already in the car it will make life so much easier. Will be building a crossram aluminum 1 piece intake to fit under the stock hood and will be making longtubes as well to ceramic coat in the shop. When next winter comes I'll see if anyones interested in me making a few extra sets since nobody makes longtubes for us.
Good luck buddy

Mark me down for a set now. Would be nice to have some big tube ones for my 408. I know these shitty MAC swap shorties are choking it