5.0 Engine installation

This was me trying to figure this swap out.

The late model 5.0 engine is the way to go. You will have a dependable vehicle that is receptive to engine modifications and is supported by numerous aftermarket venders. I still can't tune a carburetor worth a @#$%, so I decided to let the computer do it. This installation process is primarily for a 1965-66 car, but the principle is the same for other year models.

The first thing to do is locate a late model motor that is either still in a car or has all of the brackets, engine sensors and miscellaneous parts on the motor. One of the most important things to do is verify the year of the engine computer wiring harness you are using. Get the wiring diagrams & study them. You can buy wiring harnesses from companies like http://fordfuelinjection.com/index.htm, Windsor-Fox, CA. www.windsor-fox.com or Fuel Injection Specialties www.fuelinjection.com in San Antonio, TX. These harnesses will run in the area of $400.00 to $1000.00 dollars. I bought a used harness from a wreck for $100.00 & did the wiring myself. It is not that difficult. The only thing you have to do is wire in the fuel pump relay. Be sure to get this connection from under the driver's seat of the donor car. Doing this myself gave me a better understanding of the wiring/sensors system, allowed me relocate starter relay wires to the passenger side, remove connections not needed (A/C pressure switches & EGR connections) and make a custom appearance for my car. The computer & fuel pump relay were placed in the glove box. Ford makes a Hot-Rod harness for the 5.0 engine that is a stand-alone harness and has an instruction booklet. Get the booklet & study it. This will tell you about placing oxygen sensors & how to hook up a tach & A/C. (see the address below). To keep your wiring clean, try to follow how the wires are placed in a Fox body car. Run the oxygen sensor wires around the front of the motor attached to the oil pan as stated in the booklet. This keeps wires out of sight. Late model pans need to be replaced with the specific year pan you are working on, most likely a front sump. I deleted the Oil level sensor due to the fact I have a mechanical gauge in my car.

For the longest time I had trouble with starting the engine. I had to feather the foot feed to get it to run and idle. I later found out that the wires that need "Run & Crank" & "Run" power had been originally run of my old coil wire (Minus the resistor section) and the ignition switch. I learned that there was not enough volts passing through the ignition switch to power the computer, hegos sensors & fuel pump relay, So be sure to set these wires up on relays that have plenty of juice to them. The old under dash wiring harness & fuse box just don't have enough current.

Use a computer for the appropriate transmission (Auto with auto, manual with manual). Ensure to hook up the Vehicle Speed Sensor on the transmission for better idle characteristics. 

The metal heater hose lines on the late model motor were retained. I used copper 90 degrees reducer elbows to attach to the old heater box hose. Paint them black & no one will ever know. When I installed the GT-40. I had to remove the top line only & replace with heater hose. I don't use an EGR spacer & the throttle cable would not clear the top metal line. I think the GT-40 sits back a little further. Another tip from a fellow enthusiast is "Fixer= Use a Gates 20662pn 90d 3/4-5/8 hose on the lower(3/4) tube, then use a Gates 28625 90d 5/8x5/8 hose connector to splice/connect the lower heater hose coming from the firewall. The upper heater hose can be used with no splice."

Shock tower braces will need to be replaced. The old ones will not clear the new intake. Buy from Windsor-Fox. Their setup is the best.

Alternator: The first thing to do is remove the old voltage regulator. I don't recall all that is involved, but I know that you need to have one main feed from the fuse box to the constant hot side on the starter relay, & a key on hot wire will run from the ignition switch to the alternator. These wires already run up to the voltage regulator. Use a test light to determine the proper one. At the alternator, you will have a feed to the hot side of the starter relay. This will power the electrical system & charge the battery. Then you will need the key on hot wire. Connect the alternator as follows:

There are two plugs on the alternator, one large & one small. Connect the 2 blk/red wires on the large plug to the yellow wire on the small plug & to the feed to the hot side of the relay. The white/blk wire on the large plug connects to the other white/blk wire on the small one. The red/grn wire on the small plug to the key on hot wire.

The motor installation is straightforward. Use motor mounts for the year of car you are working on. Keep in mind that the late model motor uses a serpentine belt system that is reverse flow. Keep this system. I've seen people put the old style water pump on the engine so radiator modifications would not have to be made. I think V belts suck, plus underdrive pulleys are easily found for the serpentine system & it has the self-tension pulley. This will require having a radiator shop reverse your water outlet & drain valve (Easy job, cost me $30.00). A lower radiator hose from Autozone # 495 fits the bill with a little trimming. Changing the oil pan has been mentioned. The oil pick-up tube will also be needed for the front sump pan. I would attempt to drill & tap the old oil tube hole on the driver's side of the motor, then use Teflon tape, thread sealer or J B Weld to finish sealing it off. Purchase a chrome dipstick for a 289, drill a hole in the passengers side of the timing chain cover & install. Place a bolt that will fit into the dipstick & tap on the bolt. This will keep the tube from being flared out.

This is a great & necessary time to re-locate the battery to the truck & upgrade to a late model hi-torque starter. The main difference for the late model starter is the main hot cable runs from the battery to the starter first, then to the hot side of the starter relay. Another wire (10-14 gauge) connects from the start-only hot side of the relay to the starter solenoid.

I purchased aluminum fuel lines from Summit Racing. I ran this line on the passenger side of the vehicle attaching it with insulated clamps up to the engine bay area. When ever I ran a fuel or electric cable through sheet metal, put an insulator around the sheet metal to prevent potentially dangerous chafing problems. I am using the chrome fuel line originally on the motor, so I connected them using fuel injection rated rubber hose. The fuel filter is the General Motors type with screw on fittings with o-rings. Small sections of fuel lines were retrieved from a wreck & compression fittings were used to couple them with the aluminum line. This allows a cheap & easily replaceable filter. The original fuel line became my return line. I'm told this is not recommended, but no one has given me a reason why. It has worked well for me for a while now. Again use fuel injection rated hose to connect the by-pass line to the return line.

For the fuel pump setup check out my header tank page.

I deleted the EGR Spacer and plugged off the coolant lines. J B Weld stopped the lower intake hot EGR gases. When I changed to the GT-40, I bolted the throttle body straight to the intake minus the J B weld, so far no problems. Aftermarket ductwork attaches the mass air sensor to the throttle body. The K&N air filter is in a fabricated ram air tube that is mounted to the core support. A hole was then cut for the filter. The regular 5.0 air box will also work here by simply attaching it to the inner fender apron.

Multiport EFI Engine Management Harness, Wiring Harness Installation Manual.
ISM #12071-C302
Ford Motor Company, 
P. O. Box 51394
Livonia, Michigan 48151
Cost $5.00

Copies can be purchased directly from Ford Racing Performance Parts. For more information call: 810-468-1356.

This booklet can also be downloaded from:
http://www.vintagebronco.com/newberry/pages/tech/efi/efi.html
The quality is not the best but it works.

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