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1994 Donor Mustang GT engine swap (is it worth it?)

Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
3
Loc.
Southern Maine
Just checking to see if it's worth using a 302 from a 1994 Mustang GT? Motor runs with no issues and has less than 90,000 miles. I popped the oil pan and valve covers. No sludge, no scoring, no issues i can find. I am wondering if its worth it for a low cost option for my 68? What am I getting into if I do move forward on it?
 

thegreatjustino

Contributor
Red Head Grease Monkey
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
15,980
Loc.
Stockton, CA
Putting a 302 into a vehicle that came from the factory with a 302. What's the question?

Are you planning on trying to run the 1994 EFI? Have any idea on mileage or compression tested the engine? A vast majority of EBs out there have 302s in them. So again, what's your question?

Is the '68 you want to put this into originally a V8 equipped Bronco or did it come from the factory with the 170 six cylinder?
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,624
Yes, it is a good option. The standard late model 5.0 things still apply.
Engine balance is different. Damper and flywheel.
What accessory drive do you plan to run? Bronco requires the correct balance 3-bolt damper. Mustang lacks cooling fan and I recall is a bit wide(?).
Roller cam needs the correct distributor drive gear, if you are using the old distributor that needs changing. Skip this and you will fill the engine with gear shavings.
Clutch linkage bolt, there are ways around this as well.
 
OP
OP
Bronk68
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
3
Loc.
Southern Maine
Bronco came with the 289 and a three speed manual. I have purchased a brand new AX 15 5 speed manual with the advanced adapters kit to bolt up with the Ford small block. I would plan to use the factory EFI to keep things semi simple. I know I will need a new fuel tank with the fuel pump in the tank. I guess mostly where I am uninformed is flywheel weight and balancer needed to make that work. As well as any other stumbling blocks I'd run into. Keep the same serpentine setup or go a different way? I have not tested compression but the car ran great and seemed to have plenty of power. Like I mentioned the motor is very clean inside as if it was properly kept up on for maintenance.
 

Timmy390

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,740
Loc.
Conway, AR
You do t need a new tank with pump. Go external E2000 pump. It works great. Been running SN95 EFI on my 351w for a few years now. No issues. The ECM is setup to run electric fans.

Tim
 
OP
OP
Bronk68
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
3
Loc.
Southern Maine
Thanks, thats a good tip. I was convinced i had to go with one of the aftermarket fuel tanks just to run the efi. Any specific fuel line I need (or need to avoid) since I am running all new everything since I'm in the middle of a full frame off. Id love to drop in a Blueprint 347 stroker but that just isn't in the budget. Hence why I am doing everything new or upgraded. It may be dumb but I figure honestly i could do a motor down the road if I had to or felt the need. Meanwhile the GT motor would give me fuel injection, and a performance bump for fairly short money.
 

Timmy390

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,740
Loc.
Conway, AR
I ran hard lines but you can do EFI rated rubber lines. Use EFI hose clamps and barbed fittings. Airtex made the E2000 pump but they went out of business last year. Carter bought them out. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRT-P74028 I just bought one of these to use on my Samurai EFI conversion. Comes with 5/16 EFI quick connect inlet and outlet. I ran my return line back into the tank via the filer vent hose.

Tim
 

papy

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2012
Messages
825
You do t need a new tank with pump. Go external E2000 pump. It works great. Been running SN95 EFI on my 351w for a few years now. No issues. The ECM is setup to run electric fans.

Tim
I am also running an external pump can't remember which one with no issues going on 3 years now - not even one hiccup
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,624
For the rubber hose, EFI to handle the pressure, barrier type hose to handle the blends of fuel at the pump now. Regular EFI hose will still die from the inside in a few years from the fuel attacking it. The barrier type literally puts a barrier on the inside of the hose to keep the fuel from attacking it. Easier said then done. Use the right fittings that don't dig into the hose compromising the inner barrier.

Getting rubber hose right is a lot more difficult these days. The old days of hitting the local parts store and getting a couple feet off the roll just doesn't work like it did. Often they will have the EFI hose, which will work, for a couple of years.
 

Johnnyb

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2001
Messages
1,013
Loc.
Flagstaff
If the 94 FI motors in good shape, it is an excellent option. Will bolt right in in place of the 289, and connect easily to your ax 15 transmission.
I did the same thing with a 95 motor many years ago.
One thing you will probably want to consider is buying Explorer front dress for the motor which is commonly available as a complete kit in the parts for sale section on this forum for not too much money. The Explorer front dress and mechanical fan are commonly considered to be amongst the best for cooling and EB with EFI. Also, if you get the Explorer front dress it comes with the harmonic balancer which is balanced correctly for the motor. You'll need to get a 50 Oz imbalance flywheel, available from WH and other vendors to go between the engine and transmission.
I bought the WH stainless steel braid fuel lines for EFI and their pump as well, but ended up using the lines only for soft connections and running hard lines which I bought at O'Reilly's along the frame rail. The WH kit is okay, but I wish that I had bought my own 3/8 (supply) and 5/16 (return) stainless flex with AN fittings (Amazon) instead of using the barbs and hose clamps supplied with the WH kit. You could also consider the Edelbrock 36031 EFI sump kit which would eliminate the return line, and also includes a fuel pump. Personally I opted for an EFI tank and ran the return lines. Internal pump tanks are generally considered to be superior, however I'm running an external pump mounted near the tank on the frame rail. Haven't had any issues so far and many people will attest that external pumps work fine and are easily trail replaceable without dropping the tank.
Another question is whether or not to use the Ford factory EFI or a more modern system like Edelbrock Proflo 4 which is what I chose. If you go with the factory system I have a Ron Francis harness which is still usable and mostly labeled, PM me and I'll sell it cheap.
If you go Ford EFI, keep the factory computer, and make an appointment with EFI guy to have it set up for your transmission and shift points. He can't remove anything related to emissions controls or give you more power due to legal issues.
The 3G/4G alternator is pretty easy to hook up to a Ford factory harness, and there are many diagrams here to help you do that, or you could go with a new harness from one of the aftermarket suppliers, again many debates about which harness is best here on the forums. I used Painless, although it's not perfect.
If you want to use your factory gauge cluster, keep or replace senders with OEM type, the oil pressure and water temperature sending units for the gauges. You will also need to install the EFI water temperature sending unit for the computer no matter what type of fuel injection you use. There are normally two bungs in the intake up front to make installing multiple water temperature sensors possible. Don't use a T fitting or neither sensor will get the correct temperature due to flow issues.
You're probably going to need a body lift and possibly bash in part of the firewall to clear the Mustang upper intake. Body lift is also helpful for the power steering pump/ resivoir with Explorer front dress. It's also helpful for your transmission conversion.
The Mustang EFI throttle cable is easily converted to the Bronco pedal by simply sliting the top of the accelerator pedal linkage at the pedal and turning it 90°.

Good luck with your conversion, this is an excellent path that you're going down.

JB
 
Last edited:

brewchief

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
872
Couple thoughts, the mustang front dress can work and you can run a mechanical fan but it's tight. If your running a manual trans and need the stock z bar clutch linkage the mustang block will not have the mounting boss, this is solved easily with a simple bracket sold by the venders. You need a 50 oz flywheel with the proper number of teeth for your bellhousing, car stuff is typically 157 and truck/bronco typically 164, IIRC a flywheel for an 86 f150 is 50oz and 164 teeth and available at local auto parts.

I swapped my 74 in 95 with a 92 mustang motor, easier to do now then it was then.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
 

canzelc

Contributor
Full Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
213
I swapped a 1991 fox body motor into my '73 about 10 years ago. I originally used the Mustang front dress and although it worked, it was very tight. The fixed blade mechanical fan was loader than the motor (I still have the reverse rotation mechanical fan and spacer collecting dust and would be happy to let it go for the cost of shipping). A couple of years ago I swapped over to the explorer front dress. It fits so much better, the clutch fan is a big improvement when paired with the champion conversion radiator and WH fan shroud.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,624
The mustang timing cover has no provision for a mechanical pump, if you are thinking of keeping the mustang accessory drive and trying to run a carb. You can always use the Bronco timing cover and accessory drive (with the correct balance damper) and you can run a mechanical fuel pump. And if you run EFI, no mechanical pump is needed,
 
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