• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Thunderbird EFI motor?

66/75bronco

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
102
Loc.
Redfield Arkansas
A friend of mine has a 1985 Thunderbird with the 5.0 motor. It runs but smokes so it would need rebuilt, but I can have it for free. Is this a good swap into an EB? I haven't done an EFI swap so I need your help. Should I look for an Explorer? Any advice would really help.Thanks
 

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
T-Birds I dont think were HO's. BUT it would work. If you can find a Lincoln MKVII (A Tbird fancied up alot and it comes with the HO engine) that will work too. It never hurts to hunt down an exploder for the serp set up as well as the GT intake and potentially the GT-40 heads....
 

howiebilt

Bronco Buddah
Joined
Jan 22, 2002
Messages
3,460
Loc.
Newton
the T-bird has the most restrictive heads and manifolds of all the efi motors. HO motors have the 351w firing order and some came with roller lifters. They also have a different fuel rail because the intake is turned around to the passenger side. They also have orange injectors.

sorry I can't be more specific on the years but I know there is a section in the FAQ that does explain it a lot better.




howiebilt
 
Last edited:

hdmc

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2008
Messages
517
Loc.
goodyear AZ
The 93 t-bird I got my stuff from was an HO motor I used the HO cam for the 351
 
Last edited:

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,874
The above should be corrected to roller lifters, not roller rockers for the HO. (there were a VERY few engines built with roller rockers, an '85 T-bird is not one of them.

The '85 T-bird will more then likely be automatic. It will not have an HO motor with an automatic. The auto/HO combo never existed until '86. So that engine will be a standard 5.0/302. Nothing special. Will still have the newer 50 oz-in imbalance which can cause problems when not properly adapted with early 28 oz-in flywheels and balancers. You mention EFI, well that throttle body EFI is about worthless. On a completely stock engine it will run like a completely stock early 80's smog motor. It does not accept performance upgrades. You will be stuck as a lumbering 140 HP. If that is all you want, then it will work. But it will never be anything more.

Now if it is a stick, and a factory 4-barrel carb. That would be the same as the '85 stang GT HO. I don't think this was offered, won't go into detail.

Side note, all production '85 and newer 5.0/302 blocks should be cast and machined to accept a roller cam. That engine won't have one, but the parts should fit it. But with how Ford rolled over old parts inventory back then that is not a sure bet either. Using up the old stockpile of engines...

So it is a nothing special 5.0 that needs rebuild. That doesn't really have much value. But for free not bad. What an engine like this is good for is picking little parts when you get a better engine. Need a thermostat bracket, distributor hold down clip, cam retaining plate or some other little part that is a pain to find on it's own. If you got room to store it, it is a great thing to keep around.
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
For free its good for something. As was said the throttle body EFI it has is not all that great but there are some guys running it and they like it. So if you do a basically stock rebuild you could run it or upgrade to late model EFI.
 

howiebilt

Bronco Buddah
Joined
Jan 22, 2002
Messages
3,460
Loc.
Newton
The above should be corrected to roller lifters, not roller rockers for the HO. (there were a VERY few engines built with roller rockers, an '85 T-bird is not one of them.

I knew I was wrong ;D but I also knew that the experts would jump in and save the thread;)






howiebilt
 
Top