I have a very tired 92 F150 with 200K on it and have found a 98 Explorer engine with less than 80,000 miles on it. I would like to know what i need to swap the explorer engine into the 150. Can i just pull down the explorer engine to short block status and add all my 150 stuff on it as well as changing the firing order to the HO order or is there more to it?? I have searched for hours and can't find any info. Thanks for any help y'all might have................

 

Good question. Not sure really, I do know that the timing cover is physically different on the Explorer 5.0 and the heads use different spark plug angles that affect some exhaust manifolds, headers. Hope that helps a little

 

i would say keep the heads and find different headers for your truck ones that should work with it the heads on the explorer motor are gt-40p heads which are better than your stock 5.0 heads and yeah they do have different plug angles like bigbronc said other than that i dont see why everything else wont bolt up to it as far as changing the firing order i dont know how to do that but if you put the expo motor to top dead center and do the timing for your 150 motor from there i dont see why it wouldnt work but i could be wrong and someone will tell you if i am

 

IIRC the explorer v-8s are DIS igintion, so u may need the PCM as well.

 

I figured on using the F150 distributor as well. I have Ford Shorty headers on the current 302. Would they fit??

 

i do not think the headers will work, it would block access to the plugs.

the DIS system on the explorers doesnt have a distributer (at least i do not think). there could be the provisions for a dist, but the intake is different as well.

 

On an engine with sequential fuel injection, the firing order of the injectors has to match the firing order of the camshaft. It's not like the old batch fire system. So either the Exploder engine gets the cam, EFI system and PCM from your engine or you need to swap the PCM along with the engine from the Exploder which may not work depending on what inputs it is expecting that your truck doesn't provide. Crossing the OBD-I/OBD-II barrier is usually difficult to impossible.

Personally i wouldn't consider it a practical swap despite the 30 or so HP you could gain in the process

 

the fireing order on the ex motor is the ho firing order unlike the old 5.0,i am not sure what it is on a truck, look up the ho order and compair it to your trucks
the headers will not fit the P heads
the *** on the front of the motors is diff but will interchange
am not sure what intake would be better on a truck

 

A short block 302 can be had for around $500. A good set of heads, timing set and the few other things you need for a mild 302 build can be had for another $1000-1500. Much better and more practical route IMO.

 

The best move is to transfer the newer engine in UNTOUCHED. Transfer as much wiring as it takes to keep it running as-built. Try to keep ALL the vacuum & emissions with the engine so it works just the way it was designed to, and you'll have the least trouble from it, and the easiest time maintaining it.