Last updated March 16 2003
I put this site together for the purpose of sharing the information that I have gathered from my own experience of 5.0L conversions. I have done many conversions in many types of Fords and helped with conversions in Fords, Jeeps and Kit Cars. Some of my own work includes an '82 Bronco, an '82 Mustang and countless MAS conversions including in an '88 Saleen Mustang convertable. This site is more for information based on my most recent work, a '93 Explorer 2wd 5.0L conversion and my own on going research and my own '91 Explorer 5.0L 4x4 conversion. I would also like to add that I am quite pleased with the results of the conversion and look forward to a long service life with the 5.0L as the prime mover in my Explorer.
Below is some information on engines that can be used with the conversion.
Engines
There are many sources for 5.0L engines for the purpose of a conversion project but are they all created equal. The answer to that is plain and simple, NO. There are many differences in the engines that can be seen and some that can not. A common source for the donor engine is of course the Mustangs. These are great engines that are by the most part perfect for the swap, but they do have some limitations to them. Trucks are another source but they too have limitation to them. Here is a chart that show the main sources of fuel injected 5.0L engine that are common and not so common at autowrecker along with some basic information on them. As a basic reference, the 5.0L engine has some set dimensions.
| Engine Source (vehicle) | Engine type | Intake Style* | Oil pan | Exhaust Manifolds | Fuel delivery | |
| 87-93 Mustang | H.O. | 90 degrees passenger | double sump | will not fit (tubular) | SEFI (89-93 MAS) | |
| 94-95 Mustang | H.O. | 45 degrees passenger | double sump | will not fit (tubular) | SEFI (MAS) | |
| 91-93 T-Bird/Cougar | H.O. | 45 dregrees passenger | double sump | will not fit (tubular) | SEFI (MAS) | |
| 87-93 Mark-VII | H.O. | 90 degrees passenger | double sump | will not fit (tubular) | SEFI (89-93 MAS) | |
| 86-90 Full Size Pass Crown Vic/Grand Mar &Town Car | non H.O. | 90 degrees driver | double sump | will not fit(cast iron) | EFI (batch fire) | |
| 86-97 F & E Series | non H.O. | 45 degrees pass pointed towards drivers side | rear sump | will not fit (cast iron) | EFI (batch fire) | |
| 96-01 Explorer/Mountaineer | H.O. | forward off-set over passenger valve cover | double sump | will fit(tubular) | OBD-II, SEFI | |
* intake style is how the throttle body is situated on the intake to the center line of vehicle and side it is on.
Output and Intake styles (all information is based on fuel injected engines, carb style is similiar)
There are 2 types of 5.0L engine available, the H.O. and the non H.O. The non-H.O. engines are all speed density computer systems that fire in a batch injector pulse pattern. They also have flat tappet cams. The non H.O. is a typical engine used in trucks and full size passenger cars and usually are only rated at 165 to 185 horsepower. The H.O. engine can be found in speed density and MAS air computer systems and all have roller camshafts. The H.O. engine has outputs ranging from 205 hp to 235hp, the Cobra engines putting out the most power.
The full size cars use an intake that exits over the drivers valve cover and has a small diameter upper intake and throttle body. This intake is related to the Mustang/Mark VII intake. The trucks have a hugh intake that will not fit under the hood of the Explorer and used a twin plate throttle body.
The most common intake is the Mustang/Mark VII style has the throttle body located over the passenger valve cover. This style intake is fine for non A/C Explorers but will not clear the dryer on A/C equipped truck. The GT-40 and Cobra intakes have the same style of throttle location.
The low profile intake found on the T-Bird/Cougar/SN-95 Mustangs are the next most common style of intake for the H.O.'s. This intake was designed for the tight engine compartment of the T-bird/Cougar and is shorter than the older Mustang style. This intake also has a great throttle placement that will clear the dryer on A/C trucks. The only downfall is the external EGR tube used on this manifold, this requires a tube be run from the hedder to the EGR for proper emissions. This lower style intake also required the use of stamped steel style valve covers which help in the heater box area for clearance. An elbow is available from Ford Motorsport to convert the Mustang/Mark VII style intake to the T-Bird style of intake.(part # M-9927-A50).
The other intake that is available but not very common is the GT-40 family of intakes. There are 2 production styles and one aftermarket style. The first production style intake can be found on the Cobra Mustangs. This intake will work well for an application where you are looking for more performance.(on '93 Cobras the Motorsport intake elbow is definitetly recommended) The aftermarket intake is similair to the Cobra intakes and the throttle body location is the same as the older Mustangs. The second style of production intake is the Explorer intake. This intake has an elbow on it the relocates the throttle over the passenger valve cover pointing forward. This style of intake and throttle location would require relocating the battery from the passenger side to the drivers side or somewhere in the back.
The intake that most certainly works the best is the style with the 45 degree curve at the throttle body. The bend moves the EGR forward and has much better throttle cable and AOD kick-down cable clearance. The cables follow the contour of the intake and clear the heater box completely. The early intake has the cables at a right angle to the throttle boby, which puts them in the way of the heater box. In some of my research of this project, I found that even Ford used this intake in a 5.0L Ranger that they experimented with in around 1995. 
