New adventure, wish me luck.

Brian · Feb 4, 2009

Purchasing 04 explorer longblock with PI cams. Swapping it all over, save 70 pounds with the aluminum block. Should be a good difference in power.

vermilion · Feb 4, 2009

may need to swap out that intake manifold to a mustang manifold. most truck/suv motors have great torque below the average mustang powerband and skimp off where it normally would be. and fitment issues. i could be wrong but an idea.

Brian · Feb 4, 2009

Well yeah, sorry, thought that was a given. Will be using my existing PI intake, all accessories, top of motor...basically I'm buying an aluminum block w/ all fresh internals and PI heads/PI cams. basically a long block.

Have to swap my:

water pump
oil pan
intake injection/ignition/mass air/IAC/
exhaust
timing cover

On new motor.

Will also be installing a spec 2 clutch. (Few people hate them though, any insight?)

I'll have 800$ (about) in the block/heads/cams/internals fully assembled ready to go
200$ for misc. gaskets
240$ for clutch kit.

So around 1300$ to put a fresh motor in my car. I'll do other things down the road like plenum/throttle body. I'm already underdriven with a bigger mass air meter.

MustangChris · Feb 4, 2009

i have spec stage 2... i suggest letting it break in for 1500 miles... i didnt let mine break in for that long (roughly 800) and it was performing oddly for a while..... now, a year later, its working great and im pretty pleased... i give the stage 2 a B+.... i suggest the spec stage 2+ its like, $20.00 more...

CobraRed_96_GT · Feb 4, 2009

Should be sweet!

GearGambler · Feb 4, 2009

Brian said:
Will also be installing a spec 2 clutch. (Few people hate them though, any insight?)

go with the ram powergrip 300 / 900 (not the HD) and a freshly surfaced flywheel (the RAM ones are balanced)

edit - as long as you are making 500 RWHP or less. forgot to mention that.

Read here if you like, but make sure you read it all!  http://www.ramclutches.com/Clutch%20U/cl_u_1.htm

there's NO break in period necessary if all the surfaces are flat - machined pressure plate, disk manufactured correctly, surfaced flywheel. 

2REDSTANGS · Feb 4, 2009

good luck i hope that goes smoothly
let us know how that drives when you are done

Brian · Feb 5, 2009

Thanks. I'm hoping to crack the 12s with this motor. I've heard it would dip into the 12s from a few of the modular guys I know. My car runs better than my buddys 01GT and his car run a consistent 14.1, and I've never lost to him. This motor, should give me around 70/80 more horsepower and knock another 85 pounds off the front of the car. I think it should be good for 12s, if not, I'll have a fresh motor in a tired car.

justinschmidt1 · Feb 5, 2009

You should be able to run 12s with DRs and a good 60 foot

Willis_98GT · Feb 5, 2009

good luck man, slap headers on it while you got everything out. or you'll be kicking yourself in the ass later for not doing it.

vermilion · Feb 6, 2009

whats wrong with that timing cover? 4.6 correct?

Purple97GT · Feb 7, 2009

I did this swap in 2005. Read below:

JohnC said:
Below is what I posted to help a guy swap this in a 96-98GT, so exclude what you know isn't needed for your 99-04 GT.

Off the top of my head, here are the changes needed:

1) The 04 Explorer PI intake doesn't have the coolant feed bung. You will need a GT PI intake if you want a heater.

2) The Explorer oil pan won't work as it hangs lower and has a different shape that will interfere with the K member. So, swap on your GT oil pan after a good cleaning.

3) The oil pump pickup tube hangs lower and won't fit in the GT pan. You'll need to swap in your GT oil pickup tube.

4) The oil filter adapter is turned towards the front and will interfere with your PS pump. You will need to swap on your GT oil filter adapter.

5) The timing chain cover doesn't have the two PS pump bolt holes machined in in the correct location for a Mustang. You can buy a used 94-95 T bird cover to bolt on your PS pump, or you can swap on a GT timing cover, but I think one bolt hole won't line up and you'll need to seal it off with gasket maker. I just used the Explorer timing cover anyway after removing the two pullies from the drivers side. Over 10,000 miles and over a year of driving and it?s still as tight as when it had all 4 bolts in it.

6) The exhaust manifolds aren't the same as the GT logs, so you'll need to swap on your manifolds, or headers.

7) Change the cam position sensor on NPI stangs so it won't interfere with your coil pack bracket on the drivers side. I'm not sure if it will need to be changed on PI stangs.

8) The 04 PI Mustang GT intake only has one coolant temp bung. The Explorer engine had its second coolant temp sensor in the valley of the block with a wiring harness extension. I simply cut my stock connector off, cut the connector off the extension harness, and spliced it to my factory harness. So now I have a coolant sensor on the block, and one in the crossover tube.

For NPI stangs, you'll need to swap on all your old intake parts; i.e., injectors, FPR, fuel rails, TB, plenum, EGR & tube, etc. NPI alternator bracket won't work, so you will need to order one that will fit. You will need a PI heater return line that runs under the intake to water pump since the Explorer line has an extra open end on its line.

PI stangs, compare your fuel rails and injectors and see if you can reuse the newer Explorer part. You will need to swap your plenum on, EGR, and tube on. I believe the COP?s will work on the 99-up cars too, so just check the PN #?s. Reuse your heater return line that goes under the intake.

The PCV lines differ on the Explorer and the valve covers use a different type of PCV valve that locks in. You?ll need to swap on your Mustang valve covers.

That is all I can recall for now.

This is the motor with about 4 years, 12,000+ miles, and stacks of 1/8 and 1/4 mile passes.

The only issue I've had (once) over the years is with all the drag racing, the belt tensioner bent from the higher rpm shifting and threw a belt after eating 2 ribs off.

Someone makes a steel tensioner for it, but I just replaced it with another weak-ass part temp for now. It'll probably bent this one in another 3 years of racing.

Just keep a spare tensioner, spare belt, and the tools to swap it with you at the drag strip just in case.

You'll know when it's going because it'll lave a black mark from the belt rubbing the timing cover and belt dust. GL :yes

Brian · Feb 7, 2009

Car to explain these further:

7) Change the cam position sensor on NPI stangs so it won't interfere with your coil pack bracket on the drivers side. I'm not sure if it will need to be changed on PI stangs.

NPI alternator bracket won't work, so you will need to order one that will fit. You will need a PI heater return line that runs under the intake to water pump since the Explorer line has an extra open end on its line.

Brian · Feb 7, 2009

Purple97GT · Feb 7, 2009

Car to explain these further:

7) Change the cam position sensor on NPI stangs so it won't interfere with your coil pack bracket on the drivers side. I'm not sure if it will need to be changed on PI stangs.

NPI alternator bracket won't work, so you will need to order one that will fit. You will need a PI heater return line that runs under the intake to water pump since the Explorer line has an extra open end on its line.

The cam sensor that came with the Explorer crate motor had the CPS connector pointed where you couldn't get the harness attached to it because the coil pack bracket. Just reuse or buy a new 97 GT CPS and you're good.

You also won't have to deal with the stock explorer heater/coolant line because you just have a longblock. Just buy a PI intake/Coolant line and alternator bracket and you're good.