changing a 2.3 to a 5.0

hello guys im new here but i was wondering how much trouble i would have to go threw to change out my 2.3 4cyl to a 5.0 how much trouble would it be? or if i should even take the time to making the changes

I was thinking of doing the same thing with my 89 2.3 mustang, but then gas prices went way up so I am staying with what I have. But when I was looking at getting a 5.0 a looked around this site a lot: allfordmustangs.com

Good luck

I highly recommend it .

Its exspensive and time consuming and at times fustrating but a good 5.0 V8 in a fox is what its all about! ...and chicks dig the V8.

i would if i were you

it would be alot of money, some of the things that you will need is a mounting kit for the engine and maybe a stronger transmission to take all that power.

theres only one thing about the 5.0 i dont like and that is the amount of gas it goes through plus the higher octane.

but you will enjoy the power

Higher octane?
Please only use the amount of octane required so that your not detonating. 87 is fine unless you have some crazy set up under the hood.

I have done it to my 91 Lx, I used a donor car, a rusted out 89 GT, took the motor, the tranny, clutch pedal assembly, the rearend, sway bar, and a bunch of other stuff, its really the best way to do this conversion. I did away with the EFI and went carbed, with a mech fuel pump and fuel cell. I love my home built Stang, it brings you that much closer to your project, I would be glad to help with any questions.

Hey Thinner!
Sounds like a cool project. How long did it take and roughly how much did it cost(if you don't mind me asking).

time is N/A really, since I don't plan to ever be done with my car, but the swap was pretty easy, getting rid of the 20 lbs of EFI junk in the LX was alot easier then I thought going into it. I took my time and did this swap over the winter, but I know guys that have had it knocked out in a few days. When I did mine, the LX was a auto, so I had to install the clutch pedal and reroute the speedo cable and install the new clutch cable too.

Cost wasn't too bad, I bought the donor car for $800 off a kid I worked with, I picked up the rust free LX 2.3 off ebay for $1300, and then got to work. I installed a new King Cobra clutch kit for like $200, giffen racing radiator for $150, Edelbrock fuel pump and jazz fuel cell for like $200, the an8 fuel line was expensive! and a pain in the ass to put together the first few times

I lucked out becouse the engine I got out of the donor was moded alittle, Edlebrock carb, headers, edelbrock torker II intake and a cam

I see this is getting abit long so I will quit, but like I said, this is a fun project, just take your time, one part at a time and its way worth it


oh, I just saw a prior post, you don't need a "mounting kit" just 5.0 engine mounts, like $50 apiece, get the convertible ones, they are stronger then the regular, or go with the energy suspension ones the K-member in the mustangs are the same, weither it came with a v8 or a 4 banger