PI questions

Paradox · Mar 28, 2011

I was not ready to go parts shopping for a PI swap but stumbled across a donor motor, Since I was not really wanting the whole motor I am trying to determine just what I need for a head swap. So to sum it up I have not done the complete research yet to know just all of what I needed. From what I can tell it looks like a Romeo block (11 bolts on drivers valve cover?) supposedly out of a 99 Crown Vic Police car. Luckily my 97 is also a Romeo block. So from my quick reading i need to grab the complete heads and intake and crossover from the donor motor. Am I missing anything or do I need any other parts from the donor?

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 28, 2011

Take it all, that way you dont miss anything small like brackets or bolts..

Paradox · Mar 28, 2011

I may not get the chance to pull it myself so i want to get it in my mind just exactly what I may need.

Mustang Mark · Mar 29, 2011

crown vics were not pi until 2001ish.

Paradox · Mar 29, 2011

Strange, I thought the oil fill on the passenger side was a dead giveaway. Remember this is not a straight Crown Vic. A lot of times the Police packages get a juiced up motor. I know my old Impala I used to drive had a L88 in it. How can I tell for sure if it's a PI motor, so far I am only looking at pictures?

Naptown_Stang · Mar 29, 2011

the ports look a lot different on the PIs compared to the NPIs. ask for pics of the intake too as it is bigger than the npi. If you have pictures post em we will be able to tell i would think. The heads should also have a PI sticker on em. I got heads off an 03 GT and they had a barcode sticker that indicated they were PI. but they need some machining before they can go on a project

good luck with swap

Paradox · Mar 29, 2011

I don't have good pic's yet but I believe this is from the drivers side of the engine. It looks by the block numbers F5AE-6K318-AA that this was a Explorer block.

jfor441 · Mar 29, 2011

Look at the first runner on your NPI intake. Then look at the first runner on the Crown Vic motor. If they are in the same direction, it is an NPI motor. If they are opposite, then that is at least a PI intake.

Mustang Mark · Mar 29, 2011

if its an explorer block then it should be aluminum. just pull off the intake.
tear drop shaped = NPI
more rectangular shaped = PI

vermilion · Mar 29, 2011

buy it and tear it down.

Blk97GT · Mar 30, 2011

You can tell just by the pic that the intake is a NPI, so I would assume its a NPI motor. My motor is out of a florida state trooper car ie.... 2004 crown vic police interceptor. Its the same motor as a PI mustang, only difference is that they are built to withstand higher temps due to idling all the time and being used for heavy duty operation. Normal operating temp for those cars is 230. Other than that the motor is the same as the stang, internals and all, no difference. The police interceptor package refers to a beefed up trans and suspension package, its not a more powerfull motor.

Paradox · Mar 30, 2011

Not always, I drove them on the job for 14 years. Like I said, My last Caprice had a L88 which at the time was a warmed over small block out of the Vette's. It had some major differences over the stock Caprice v8, in addition to suspension and cooling. I did not spend to much time in the Crown Vic's because for pursuit driving I did not like the way they drove. They were to unforgiving in the rear and I could not do anything about it since it was a department car. So I do have some first hand knowledge about Police packages. :nono:

Besides if you look at that intake it looks like the thermostat is on the left which I thought was PI.

duff daddy · Mar 30, 2011

Paradox said:
Not always, I drove them on the job for 14 years. Like I said, My last Caprice had a L88 which at the time was a warmed over small block out of the Vette's. It had some major differences over the stock Caprice v8, in addition to suspension and cooling. I did not spend to much time in the Crown Vic's because for pursuit driving I did not like the way they drove. They were to unforgiving in the rear and I could not do anything about it since it was a department car. So I do have some first hand knowledge about Police packages. :nono:

Besides if you look at that intake it looks like the thermostat is on the left which I thought was PI.

I understand your ref from an l88 to a capris l88 but dont compare gm to ford. They dont play by the same rules all the time. its like saying my tomato tastes like an apple.

Blk97GT · Mar 30, 2011

Paradox said:
Not always, I drove them on the job for 14 years. Like I said, My last Caprice had a L88 which at the time was a warmed over small block out of the Vette's. It had some major differences over the stock Caprice v8, in addition to suspension and cooling. I did not spend to much time in the Crown Vic's because for pursuit driving I did not like the way they drove. They were to unforgiving in the rear and I could not do anything about it since it was a department car. So I do have some first hand knowledge about Police packages. :nono:

Besides if you look at that intake it looks like the thermostat is on the left which I thought was PI.

Every 2v ive seen has the thermostat on the drivers side, I could be wrong. Tere is no doubt though that the intake in that pic is a NPI.