What would you need to change a 1998 Mustang 3.8 into a 5.0?

You CAN drive it on the street, you just need to notify your insurance company so they can adjust your insurance rates to those of the "v8 mustang" insurance.

If you get in a wreck, and the investigator of the insurance company notices that you have a v8 under there, they will DENY any claims!(and probably drop you too)

Theres a buncha stuff you need to swap, im not going to write up the list, too tired.

Check out some mustang forums, they list EVERYTHING.

But your best bet, is to find a Parts Car....A.K.A. a Donor Car.

All you mainly need are the internals, so find a wrecked mustang of the SAME year, but v8.

Then tow it home, and swap everything over in your yard!

If you can pick up the wrecked stang for a couple hundred buck or even around $1200 or less, its REALLY WORTH IT!

Just make sure engine and tranny aren't damaged.

I know people that have literally done 5.0 swaps for $500 or so.

This is usually convenient for people who have a BACK UP vehicle to drive while swapping mustang parts out. And i've even heard of people taking out the v8 engines, and just yanking off the Intakes and Heads, getting them ported, slap them back on the motor, and put out a quick/cheap 300hp or so.

Trust me, if you plan to modify this car in the future, NOW would be the time!

It's a HELL of a lot easier to take apart the motor when it's hangin from the cherry picker, than it is when it's cramped inside the engine bay!

(although 5.0's are easy to work on inside engine bays, and really not cramped at all.)

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Oh yeah, forgot to mention!!!!

Rule of thumb is, if you have a 94-95, you're better off with the 5.0 swap.

If you have a 96+ v6 mustang, you're better off with the 4.6L v8 swap!!!

(the 4.6's are WIDER and DESIGNED to fit in the 96+ mustangs better than the 5.0's! Although you can still fit a 5.0 in there fine)

Are you going to drive this on the street and what area do you live in ? In some states this swap would not be legal . Another question is are you keeping the fuel injection or going to a carb ? If you are keeping the fuel injection you would need a computer and wiring harness for the 5.0 this is where it gets tricky . Ford stopped putting the 5.0 in the Mustang in 95 and in 96 when they went to the 4.6 they also went to ODBII emission control system . The 5.0 was retained in the Explorer for a few more years but this is a truck and the wiring design and emission standards are different . You would have to change your harness out to a 95 GT with the same options and go with the older EEC IV module with OBDI or pick the Explorer harness apart and splice it in to yours . Painless might have an aftermarket wiring harness to hook this up but would be costly . You would have to check you rear end to see if you have a 7.5 or an 8.8 inch . If you have a 7.5 it wont last to long if driven hard . Your trans would possibly need upgraded depending on your shift out point in automatic ( 4400 vs 5500 ) you would also have problems with the fact that the 98 used an electric kick down and depending on the year of engine you installed . If your going with a carb you would need to go with older trans ( AOD , C4 ) or purchase a controller for newer trans or go with stick shift . If your car is currently a factory V6 stick your trans will not hold up under hard use very long with the 5.0 . I have preformed 3.8 to 5.0 swaps in the past but have always used the complete harness from the donor car ( right down to the taillight wiring the only piece of the original factory harness was the pig tails for the quad lamps in the front ) Now with all that said the 5.0 drops right in with minor movement of the rear trans mount rearward about 1 inch . The radiator should be the same and the frame mounts for engine too . But the fan might be different . There are some articles at Muscle Mustang & Fast Ford about the older ones but I don't remember any on the newer cars ( I have be reading it since 1995 ) Good Luck and check the emission laws in your area before you start if street driven . I might be better to go with 4.6 swap for a 98 as far as finding parts cheap ( here is web site on the 4.6 http://www.karkraft.com/new_page_12.htm ) or buying 94-95 5.0 Mustang if you do not work on cars and have the correct tools , patience and skill as this can be a long project that would require pulling dash for wiring change . And you do want to take your time and do it right so it doesn't look cobbed together . It only takes a little more effort to do a quality job . Paint and clean everything before installation . Makes it easier to find leaks and work on later . Please post your ideas on carb or fuelie and auto or stick to help with the best list of what would be required for your change . Thanks and hope this helps

a 1998, you cant even drive it on the street with a different engine in it (depending on where you live) If you replace the engine, the computer wont work right and the vin number will say that it is a v6, so when you get it inspected, it wont pass emissions and if it doesnt pass emissions and it is above a 96 model car, you cant legally drive it on the streets. I know its gay. But even if it was legal, it would be cheaper to just buy a 94 or 95 mustang gt. They are the same body style and they have a 5.0. Like i said, you would need a new transmission, new engine, new computer, new harnessing wires, new mounting brackets, and a load of other stuff, plus the installation fee would be skyhigh! your probably looking at about 12-15000 total for the parts, and the labor combined. Just buy a gt or a cobra dude, its cheaper and more fun ;)

1998 Mustang

will a v8 5.0 fuel injection work on a v6 modle wiren harnes car

1

sell the 98 and buy a 94 or 95, it's onna be alot of work to swap it over

AND all the engine wiring harnesses, the computer from the 5.0. also the beefier transmission and driveline and rear axle assembly, and it uses different brakes to stop the bigger engine.

just sell it and buy a 5.0 if you're that desperate to have one

well, you need another 1.2