5.0 to 5.8 swap

[scaryaaron]

Long time reader..... first time poster. I have a 95 Bronco with a 5.0. It currently has 268K on the motor and developed a small head gasket leak. I have a 5.8 on an engine stand from an 89 bronco that I had previously. Rather than replace the head gaskets on a motor with the mileage my 5.0 has, I would rather swap in the 5.8 and then rebuild the 5.0 for future use. I have replaced the head gaskets, front and rear main seals, timing set, oil pump, and all associated gaskets on the 5.8. I know that the 5.8 needs a different flywheel and I have one. But I sold off the intake, and exhaust manifolds a while back. My question here is two fold for those that may have made this swap before and have advise that can save me time and frustration....

1) Other than the flywheel are there any other hold ups to making this swap? IE... will my PCM support the 5.8? Will I also need to swap the flexplate or Torque converter?

2) Since the intake and exhaust manifolds are long gone for my 5.8 perhaps this would be a good time to throw on a decent performance intake and headers. Maybe a cam, lifters, and roller rockers? Anyone have any combinations of the above that they personally have had good results with? I am not looking to build a monster, but perhaps 250-280 HP and a significant upgrade in torque is within reason. I use the truck to pull a fairly heavy boat, a 24 foot camper trailer, and lite to moderate offroading (mostly mud and sand).

Currently the truck has no lift and 31x10.50 BFG all terrain tires. I have a brand new 6 inch lift with extended radius arms that I plan on installing after the engine swap. I also plan to swap to 4.56 gear sets, and then move to 35 inch tires. My truck has a factory limited slip in the rear diff. Would like to retain it and maybe install a limited slip or locker in the front end as well. Both the rear and front axles are stock Ford units and I don't want to install a locker or limited slip up front if the stock TTB dana 44 can't handle it. But, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. On to the engine swap. Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[90windsor]

aaron, (im not 100% sure on the pcm, and dont know much about the converter, but the rest should be of valuable information).

the thing is, your 95 5.0 motor has mass air, and some other odds and ends, as the 89 was speed density.

altough, this should make you in luck.

if it is possible to swap in the motor, i would highly reccomend a edelbrock performer intake, headers, e303 cam(or an rv cam would be beneficial for towing), and a good msd or mallory ign with a good throttle body. since you will be running the 5.8 on mass air, you can run all of it. you would not be able to on 1991 and older without a mass air conversion.

if the pcm doesnt work right, you might just have to get it reprogramed to work with the new size motor, throttle body and cam.

here is some advice from my experience:

those 4.56 will work great with 35's. i have the same combo and love it.

heres the thing with the factory limited slip in the rear: if you also have 268k on the rear end like you do the motor, i gaurantee its not posi anymore. when i pulled mine out (150k) to do my gear swap, the posi unit was toast. the rear was basically open. in the mud or snow itd only spin one tire. i gaurantee yours is shot. if your going to spend the money to do a gear swap, it is highly reccomended to put in a good posi or better yet a locker.

and for the front ttb d44, i wouldnt "totally" reccomend a locker or spool. it will handle a posi easily, i see plenty of people who run them. although at the same time i see people run lockers and mini spools, but break alot of axle shafts when spinning and traction goes from loose to hard (IE mud to asphalt). i have a locker in the rear and my front is still open, but i do plan on putting in a mini spool, but only locking the drivers side hub until i absolutely have to lock the other one. plus, when its locked you get crazy torque steer. my guess is it would easily burn up your power steering pump especially with larger tires.

anyway, hope this helps you some

 

[scaryaaron]

90, Thanks for the response. I can still feel the limited slip lock up on occasion when going around turns and such. Maybe it's just my imagination. I've been pretty good about changing out the gear oil in both diffs every 10K or so since I have had the 95. I will check it out when i tear into the rear end. I definitely want a limited slip in the rear. I want something to lock the rear up when I need it, but want it to unlock to make driving on the street more comfortable. A selectable locker is a lot to spend on a stock axle, so I decided the limited slip was the ticket.

I think I like the hedman shorty headers, I have an MSD 6 ignition kit that I bought for another truck and never used. Planning on installing it. I looked at the Edelbrock intake and it looks like the ticket. at 600 bones, it might take me a few weeks to get though. Anybody have a used one in good shape they want to part with? I have heard a lot of people use the e303 or RV cams. I have never personally done so. Thanks again for the help.

 

[92broncomann]

Long time reader..... first time poster. I have a 95 Bronco with a 5.0. It currently has 268K on the motor and developed a small head gasket leak. I have a 5.8 on an engine stand from an 89 bronco that I had previously. Rather than replace the head gaskets on a motor with the mileage my 5.0 has, I would rather swap in the 5.8 and then rebuild the 5.0 for future use. I have replaced the head gaskets, front and rear main seals, timing set, oil pump, and all associated gaskets on the 5.8. I know that the 5.8 needs a different flywheel and I have one. But I sold off the intake, and exhaust manifolds a while back. My question here is two fold for those that may have made this swap before and have advise that can save me time and frustration....1) Other than the flywheel are there any other hold ups to making this swap? IE... will my PCM support the 5.8? Will I also need to swap the flexplate or Torque converter?

2) Since the intake and exhaust manifolds are long gone for my 5.8 perhaps this would be a good time to throw on a decent performance intake and headers. Maybe a cam, lifters, and roller rockers? Anyone have any combinations of the above that they personally have had good results with? I am not looking to build a monster, but perhaps 250-280 HP and a significant upgrade in torque is within reason. I use the truck to pull a fairly heavy boat, a 24 foot camper trailer, and lite to moderate offroading (mostly mud and sand).

Currently the truck has no lift and 31x10.50 BFG all terrain tires. I have a brand new 6 inch lift with extended radius arms that I plan on installing after the engine swap. I also plan to swap to 4.56 gear sets, and then move to 35 inch tires. My truck has a factory limited slip in the rear diff. Would like to retain it and maybe install a limited slip or locker in the front end as well. Both the rear and front axles are stock Ford units and I don't want to install a locker or limited slip up front if the stock TTB dana 44 can't handle it. But, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. On to the engine swap. Thanks in advance for the advice.

Are you planning to rebuild the 5.0 to put back into the bronco?? If so, why not just spend the time while you have the 5.8 out and get it completely rebuilt with said improvements (Heads, Cam, Intake, Throttle body, ect.)?

The 5.8 will out preform your 5.0 anyday afterall it is a tall deck 302.

92BM

 

[90windsor]

90, Thanks for the response. I can still feel the limited slip lock up on occasion when going around turns and such. Maybe it's just my imagination. I've been pretty good about changing out the gear oil in both diffs every 10K or so since I have had the 95. I will check it out when i tear into the rear end. I definitely want a limited slip in the rear. I want something to lock the rear up when I need it, but want it to unlock to make driving on the street more comfortable. A selectable locker is a lot to spend on a stock axle, so I decided the limited slip was the ticket.
I think I like the hedman shorty headers, I have an MSD 6 ignition kit that I bought for another truck and never used. Planning on installing it. I looked at the Edelbrock intake and it looks like the ticket. at 600 bones, it might take me a few weeks to get though. Anybody have a used one in good shape they want to part with? I have heard a lot of people use the e303 or RV cams. I have never personally done so. Thanks again for the help.

the detroit locker i have works great on the street and in the mud. it is fine around turns, but when your on the gas you get major traction (will do donuts all day on pavement). but, then again it comes to the price, mine was close to $800.

i have shortys on my truck and they are sweet. i get them from summit. i got long tubes but they didnt fit due to lift, so if your going to lift it id STAY AWAY from long tubes, altough summit was nice and exhanged them.

everytime you change the dif. fliud, your supposed to add a friction accelerant/addent to the oil. its a ford part and i think it says in my haynes your supposed to do that.

mine would hook up occasionally too, but when i pulled it out it was toast.

anyway, good luck! hope i helped!

and p.s. your right those performer intakes are sweet. once my motor turns to ***** im doing the same thing as you with the upgrades.

 

[scaryaaron]

Are you planning to rebuild the 5.0 to put back into the bronco?? If so, why not just spend the time while you have the 5.8 out and get it completely rebuilt with said improvements (Heads, Cam, Intake, Throttle body, ect.)?The 5.8 will out preform your 5.0 anyday afterall it is a tall deck 302.

92BM

92, I am planning on building up the 5.8 prior to installation. I am also planning on doing a rebuild on the 5.0, then pickle it, and keep it on the engine stand as a spare. I should have been more clear in my original post. When I pulled the 5.8 out of my old truck I did a rebuild on it, pickled it and kept it on the stand wrapped in stretch wrap. It has re-honed cyclinders, new pistons, rings, connecting rods, all new bearings etc. I had the heads re-worked at that time also. Valve job, new valves, springs, valve seals etc. I plan on adding an intake, cam, and headers at the very least prior to installation in the truck. I find that having a spare engine allows me to spread the cost of the rebuild out over a longer period of time while still having a useable, driveable, vehicle. Not to mention that in a pinch a rebuilt and ready to go 5.0 could net me a quick couple hundred bucks if it came to that.

90, I used an after market friction modifier every time I changed the gear oil. Like I said, I guess I'll have to wait and see what I have left of the factory limited slip when I do the gear change. My top priority right now is to get the engine swap done. Then the differential and suspension work will commence.

I read somewhere that the 5.8 would require a different harmonic balancer than the 5.0. But every where I have looked it lists the same balancer for the 289,302, and 351W. Anyone able to clear that up? Are they the same?