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Explorer 5.0 swap

W

Wayne86

New Member
I'm new on here and thanks for adding me.
I've read a lot of threads on other sites and still don't receive info I really need.
I have a stock 86 gt that needs so.e engine work and instead of rebuilding mine I decided to purchase a explorer 5.0.
I m not building a race car nor do I care about having alot of power considering that I drive this car a lot and I take to car shows.
What I really need to know is can I use my cam and springs.
I know I need to change my springs if I use 1.6 or 1.7 rockers.
I've thought about a mild cam swap but I've read that my ecm won't run the engine right without going to a maf conversion.
I really don't won't to do a conversion..I'd rather go to carb if that's what its going to take to do a cam swap.
Is it worth it to me to use my stock cam and just change springs and put better rockers on it?
I am on a budget so I'm not really doing a engine build..just a stock rebuild.
My next question is if I use stock cam with just a spring and rocker upgrade will SD system run the engine probably?
I getting the whole engine including the injectors from the explorer.
I have to look again but I think it's the 1st gen explorer 5.0.
What's y'all's thoughts?
 
broncojunkie

broncojunkie

Well-Known Member
Welcome!

Sounds like you may be starting down a rabbit hole lol! I've been there myself. It's fun but expensive.

The quick answer is "yes". You can use your springs and cam. Don't even think about using the springs from the explorer. Won't work with the mustang cam. Also, factory rocker arms on both engines are 1.6. Going to 1.7 is for increasing lift, so you're fine with 1.6.

Now for the bad news. Although the stock mustang springs will technically work, they obviously have reached a point in their life where they have lost some of their pressure. Springs of any kind wear out over time. A new set would be cheap insurance for you. Just suck it up and replace them with a new set. The rocker arms are probably fine, but a good set of aftermarket ones sure are nice.

You'll have to watch the injector size if you're staying SD. The SD ecm will only run properly with 19# injectors. The good news is that 19# is fine for a mild build, but you won't be able to go up in injector size later on. If you MAF swap it, you can go to larger injectors with a MAF meter that is calibrated to match (or go with a stand-alone/aftermarket ecm or use a cobra ecm which is calibrated to 24# injectors).

Hope this helps!
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
Ok..thanks.
I've read some ppl where using factory sd with no issues but I also heard different to.
I also read that a merc mark 8 or something ecm will work to.
I'm new in mustang world..I was on the thunderbird TC world so a different ball game.
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
Wayne86 said:
Ok..thanks.
I've read some ppl where using factory sd with no issues but I also heard different to.
I also read that a merc mark 8 or something ecm will work to.
I'm new in mustang world..I was on the thunderbird TC world so a different ball game.
Click to expand...
If I do a maf conversion..can I use the maf off the explorer I'm getting engine from
 
broncojunkie

broncojunkie

Well-Known Member
Are they yellow or orange? I'm pretty sure explorers used the orange injectors, which are 19#. Same as v8 mustang. The 24# injectors (93 cobra... not sure what other Fords may have used 24x) would have been grey. I think sedans like the crown vic, marquis, t-bird used 17#... white, maybe? Been a while since I researched it and my memory isn't the greatest lol!

As far as using the maf meter from the explorer, I believe it would be fine... as long as it had orange 19# injectors.
 
broncojunkie

broncojunkie

Well-Known Member
Found a chart for you. I wasn't too far off, I don't guess. Cobra was 24#, but injectors were black. Navigator were grey and Ford trucks were white. The 17# injectors were a light tan color.

Ford_Injector_Guide.jpg
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
Ok..thanks.
I'm considering just going ahead with a cam swap.
But I have a few issues..like how light car is and it being able to have street able power without wanting to spin all the time( I am kind of a lead foot lol)
Money is next because I do have enough put back but just don't want to dish it all out right now..I've looked at the prices of cams, rockers, etc...
Also trying to figure out which headers to go with.
So basically what u telling me is I can use the explorer maf as long as I stay stock but if I upgrade cam and injectors I'm going to need a better maf which is over $200 from what I've researched.
I don't really mind spending the money but I also have to do clutch, rear gear and bearings, some suspension work and plus car is ttop car so I also need subframe connectors installed.
That's y I actually wanted to actually talk to ppl online because most of y'all have a built engine and y'all are able to tell me have and what to do and not to do.
Thanks for your help.
Very helpful
 
347HO

347HO

Active Member
Wayne86 said:
Ok..thanks.
I'm considering just going ahead with a cam swap.
But I have a few issues..like how light car is and it being able to have street able power without wanting to spin all the time( I am kind of a lead foot lol)
Money is next because I do have enough put back but just don't want to dish it all out right now..I've looked at the prices of cams, rockers, etc...
Also trying to figure out which headers to go with.
So basically what u telling me is I can use the explorer maf as long as I stay stock but if I upgrade cam and injectors I'm going to need a better maf which is over $200 from what I've researched.
I don't really mind spending the money but I also have to do clutch, rear gear and bearings, some suspension work and plus car is ttop car so I also need subframe connectors installed.
That's y I actually wanted to actually talk to ppl online because most of y'all have a built engine and y'all are able to tell me have and what to do and not to do.
Thanks for your help.
Very helpful
Click to expand...
I'm wondering if you will need an ECM?

When I put a maf on my SD setup, I also installed the adapter to plug into the ECM.
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
From what I've researched..I'm going to need ecm with the maf conversion.
I'm thinking about just doing a rebuild on engine (stock) and just fixing a few more problems b4 I consider and engine build
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
Well guys..I finally got my explorer engine and not happy.
The engine has 1 gt40 head and 1 gt40p head.
So now I'm having to try to get a matching head from junkyard.
To add insult to injury..the whole reason for buying an explorer engine was that I did my research and found that explorer 5.0 came with flattop pistons with value reliefs well this engine has dish pistons.
So now I'm looking into getting pistons.
I've found all kinds of pistons and don't really know which one is best for my application.
I'm looking at some that are explorer flats with a small valve reliefs.
I'm going to run stock h.o. cam with some 1.7 rockers and some good springs but that's all the mods I'm doing except for external bolt one.
No per adders.
Just wondering if them pistons would work good for me
 
347HO

347HO

Active Member
I'm gonna check my pile of extra crap I got in the shop.
I'm sure I used to have a good set of stock pistons you want.
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
347HO said:
I'm gonna check my pile of extra crap I got in the shop.
I'm sure I used to have a good set of stock pistons you want.
Click to expand...
Thanks man.
Just crazy that all this headache for a simple swap.
I'm guessing that the engine in explorer got ruined and they put a mustang engine in and just got it running.
This is what happens when you get from junkyard
 
broncojunkie

broncojunkie

Well-Known Member
Mustang would have had flat tops. Most likely forged pistons. Dished were typically passenger car or truck, i think. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend running the mismatched heads. The p head has slightly high compression, iirc. Probably wouldn't hurt anything, but it would bother me lol. I believe the #7 plug is the biggest clearance problem on the p head. If you do run the mixed set, try the 3-bar gt40 head on that side.

Anyway, you may be headed down a rabbit hole. This time next year, you'll be dropping in your fresh 347 stroker lol
 
W

Wayne86

New Member
broncojunkie said:
Mustang would have had flat tops. Most likely forged pistons. Dished were typically passenger car or truck, i think. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend running the mismatched heads. The p head has slightly high compression, iirc. Probably wouldn't hurt anything, but it would bother me lol. I believe the #7 plug is the biggest clearance problem on the p head. If you do run the mixed set, try the 3-bar gt40 head on that side.

Anyway, you may be headed down a rabbit hole. This time next year, you'll be dropping in your fresh 347 stroker lol
Click to expand...
Thanks for input..I'm not planning on running different heads..Im in process of trying to get matching head from junkyard.
As far as the pistons..I've done a lot of research and the 87-94 mustang 5.0 do have a dish..it's not a very big dish but does have dish. All passenger cars except for explorer and mountaineer have a bigger dish. That's y I was going after explorer engine.
I've researched the explorer pistons through autozone and Google and found true flattop valve reliefs pistons.
I don't know about the earlier 5.0 but I do know my 86 have flats with no valve reliefs y I can run gt40 heads
 
347HO

347HO

Active Member
If I can find my set, they are factory flat top with valve relief.
And 70,000 miles of crud stuck to them.
 
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