Need engine swap ideas...

[torquelover]

As much as a 5.4, or blown 5.4 sounds nice, the Mark VIII drivetrains seem much cheaper around here. I can get a rough looking Mark VIII with leaking air ride but solid motor/trans for under $2k. It's hard to find a Navigator 5.4 longblock less than that, and I'd still need the trans and all the electronics. Last I checked, 4.6 Blown Cobra motors were still fetching $10k. That's a lot to put into a $3k car. I don't see my Vic going Mod motor anytime soon. Unless my Mark VIII gets rear-ended or t-boned. I do have a friend with a wounded Mark VIII he's getting tired of with a rebuilt AOD-E...

[Nathan in MI]

Well, I guess a DOHC 4.6 would be all right, too. What's the hp rating on those?

[torquelover]

IIRC, 280 HP on base Mark VIIIs. Later Cobra Mustang 4V 4.6 were Rated at 320 HP for '99, but were then sold in 2001 with revisions to actually make 320 HP. I don't think they made then in 2000. I remember the '99s being recalled to swap parts to get them making the advertised HP. Can anyone confirm this?

[gadget73]

So a ratio of ethanol and gas should get anything to pass? Is this what I'm understanding? How about on an EFI car? Just trying to learn, I'm interested.

Usually, yes. Mostly because you'll be running way lean. Its not a good idea to do this on a regular basis, but a couple gallons of ethanol on a near empty tank just to get through the smog checks, then a prompt fillup with normal gas to keep from doing any damage should do the trick.

All that ethanol will loosen up crap from your fuel tank, so probably a new fuel filter is in order after a dose of e85. I'm also not really sure if the rest of the fuel system is really safe to use with large amounts of alcohol for long periods. Probably not a good idea to find out.

[1987cp]

Last I checked, 4.6 Blown Cobra motors were still fetching $10k. That's a lot to put into a $3k car.

I do know of an '03-'04 motor you can get for somewhat less than that, and it's about a two-hour drive from you ..... probably not gonna go for as low 3 grand, though, and you'll still need electronics and transmission junk.

[Lincolnmania]

i thought the mk8 was 290 hp........i hear they come to life with true dual exhaust

[P72Ford]

All that ethanol will loosen up crap from your fuel tank, so probably a new fuel filter is in order after a dose of e85.

Definitely a good idea. You might need to do it several times. I like the clear filters so you can see if they're getting messed up.

[packman]

I don't know too much about the inspection process, however, is it possible to get another 351W from the JY or something and use that as a smog motor? You run whatever fuel you gotta run to make it burn clean and then swap the motors after inspection. We have two year inspections in NJ so I would imagine that you could pull that off in MI if ya got two year inspections as well. I was considering doing that with the Malibu at one time. I thought about running the 305 for inspections and then run a 383 or a 406 for the next two years. I didn't do it because people started running into my car and college was making a large dent in my wallet.


Packman

[1987cp]

I don't know too much about the inspection process, however, is it possible to get another 351W from the JY or something and use that as a smog motor? You run whatever fuel you gotta run to make it burn clean and then swap the motors after inspection. We have two year inspections in NJ so I would imagine that you could pull that off in MI if ya got two year inspections as well. I was considering doing that with the Malibu at one time. I thought about running the 305 for inspections and then run a 383 or a 406 for the next two years. I didn't do it because people started running into my car and college was making a large dent in my wallet.


Packman

Actually, Michigan doesn't do emissions inspections - Greg's problem is in Lake and Porter counties in Indiana, which have long been on the smog brigade as part of the greater Chicago area.

[packman]

Actually, Michigan doesn't do emissions inspections - Greg's problem is in Lake and Porter counties in Indiana, which have long been on the smog brigade as part of the greater Chicago area.

Icky ick. So would the JY engine idea work or would they catch on too quickly?

On a related note, I also was toying with the idea of getting a few JY 350 SBCs and running nitrous through them until they blew up from the abuse. Then I would just switch to the next engine.


Packman

[Nathan in MI]

Switching the whole engine out every time you need to get an inspection done seems like a ridiculous amount of work to me...much easier to just make a few minor changes to the setup to make it pass so you can tweak it back to normal an hour after the inspection is overwith.

[packman]

Switching the whole engine out every time you need to get an inspection done seems like a ridiculous amount of work to me...much easier to just make a few minor changes to the setup to make it pass so you can tweak it back to normal an hour after the inspection is overwith.

It's a lot of work, but at least you got another year or two to run your hotter engine. Torquelover can even go ahead with the hotter cam and other not-so-smog-friendly mods with the engine swap.


Packman

[gadget73]

Definitely a good idea. You might need to do it several times. I like the clear filters so you can see if they're getting messed up.

Can't do that with EFI tho, least I've never seen a clear fuel filter that works at 40 psi.

[torquelover]

i thought the mk8 was 290 hp........i hear they come to life with true dual exhaust

My base model without true dual is 280HP. Later LSC models with true dual were 290 HP, mostly due to the exhaust. I have also heard freeing up the exhaust helps a ton. With a tune, exhaust, gear, and stall, 13's are the norm for these 2-ton boats.

Not so crazy about swapping motors for emissions tests. I have a hard enough time finding the time to do routine maintenance.

[91LTDProject]

Too bad you live so far away, my shop has an inground dyno used for emissions testing, and you can use the dynos computer to diagnose problems and see all your gas readouts. Good for tuning carbs cause you get all your gas numbers displayed in real time. If you were closer I'd say come down and you can use it.