3.8 to 4.6 swap

[auto alchemist]

i know its probably been covered before but when i searched i came up with pretty much every thread that had the word swap in it.

ive been finding alot of 99-04 V6 stangs really cheap, and i thought maybe if it was cheap to swap a 4.6 into them it may be a cheaper option than just buying a GT, so if anyone has links to threads with info about this or has done this before any info would be appreciated.

im hoping its like V8 swapping a tbird where u pretty much just need the engine tranny and engine harness and its mostly plug and play

[Kevin1989]

sounds about right my buddy did one. research the PATS system in them first. it wouldnt allow him to start his car

[98stangv6]

I think you'll also need K member, upgrade the 7.5 rear to 8.8, etc.

[cstreu1026]

it would be easiest if you had a donor car to source parts from.

[Stolly113]

I think you'll also need K member

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need the ECU and the key that matches the ECU and you wont have a problem with the PAT'S system like kevin mentioned. You will need a 8.8 but the swap is very easy. The V6 wiring harness will plug into the GT one you will have 2 extra plugs ones for fog lights and the other is for traction control. You will also need a Gt Gauge Cluster, and a Gt Brake booster setup and a Gt brake pedal the v6 one is big and bulky as opposed the the Gt one that allows for the wide 4.6 motor to fit.

http://www.peregrinesupercars.com/images/Cunningham%20Engine%201.jpg
Look at the Gt brake booster far right corner up top

http://www.dragtimes.com/images/6441-2000-Ford-Mustang.jpg
The v6 one sticks out further making it impossible to get the 4.6 in

[98stangv6]

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need the ECU and the key that matches the ECU and you wont have a problem with the PAT'S system like kevin mentioned. You will need a 8.8 but the swap is very easy. The V6 wiring harness will plug into the GT one you will have 2 extra plugs ones for fog lights and the other is for traction control. You will also need a Gt Gauge Cluster, and a Gt Brake booster setup and a Gt brake pedal the v6 one is big and bulky as opposed the the Gt one that allows for the wide 4.6 motor to fit.

http://www.peregrinesupercars.com/images/Cunningham%20Engine%201.jpg
Look at the Gt brake booster far right corner up top

http://www.dragtimes.com/images/6441-2000-Ford-Mustang.jpg
The v6 one sticks out further making it impossible to get the 4.6 in

My bad, I know the 94-95 v6 use the same k-member as the 5.0, I thought after 95 they used a totally different k-member, I know for my 98 I would have to swap it. I guess in 99 they went back to using the same regardless of v6 or v8?

[94tchikinv8]

i know its probably been covered before but when i searched i came up with pretty much every thread that had the word swap in it.

ive been finding alot of 99-04 V6 stangs really cheap, and i thought maybe if it was cheap to swap a 4.6 into them it may be a cheaper option than just buying a GT, so if anyone has links to threads with info about this or has done this before any info would be appreciated.

im hoping its like V8 swapping a tbird where u pretty much just need the engine tranny and engine harness and its mostly plug and play

First of all, I have done the swap. It's not hard, as long as you have all the parts you need. Stolly113 covered it pretty well. Second, by the time you buy a v6 car, and a donor GT (probably crashed), it would either be cheaper, or come out pretty even to buying a GT in the first place IMO. I just bought a 98 GT vert for a very good price. I already have a PI intake and some pulleys sitting in my apartment for it...

-Rob

[boostanggt]

I have the brake booster if you decide to go through with the swap.

[Stolly113]

True but also from a insurance reason its cheaper and also if your swapping a 4.6 you might wanna think about getting longtubes on it first before you drop it in

[94tchikinv8]

True but also from a insurance reason its cheaper and also if your swapping a 4.6 you might wanna think about getting longtubes on it first before you drop it in

For potential liability reasons, you definitely want to let your insurance company know if your v6 car really has a v8. If you wreck, you don't want them to fight covering you because your car was highly modified from what it was insured as. I'm not sure of what the outcome would be in the end, but I know that's a headache I wouldn't want.

I agree on the long tubes.;)

-Rob

[auto alchemist]

ive been finding good running V6 mustangs for pretty cheap, and non running V6 mustangs even cheaper, even if i have to go with a 96-98 body style it would just make it cheaper.

but i was thinking if i bought one later on i could just keep and eye out for all the smaller parts and get them for cheap, then get an explorer engine from a junkyard, ive seen other guys online swap aluminum explorer motors into their already running V8 car, so i just figured if i was going to swap an explorer motor into one i might as well start with a V6 to save money, and rescue another V6 mustang from being beat all to hell by some highschool girl who got her parents to buy her a stang lol

[Stolly113]

Or if your like me you try to hide as much stuff from your insurance company as you can because you have 12pts!

[Stolly113]

ive seen other guys online swap aluminum explorer motors into their already running V8 car,

Unless im missing something with motor is dont think for put a aluminum 4.6 in a explorer. So you are going to need to decide whether or not you are putting a 302 or a mod motor. I cant help you with the 302 but mod motors i have done with 92lx that commented earlier its not hard at all we had one in the car mostly hooked up in one evening the other day was getting all the stuff plugged in and trying to figure out the pats system which we understand what happened now

[Gearhead559]

i had a donor car when i did the last one..you need all the wiring harness's under the hood.

k member and so on.

but i what i did was swapped out the lock cylinder with the donro car one, and the cluster and it fired right up

[Gene]

Considering how cheap GTs are at this point, I can't fathom that you would be ahead of the game doing a swap to a 4.6 2v.

Now if you were planning on doing a 4v or a pushrod swap, that would be a different story.

[HawksWR37]

Or if your like me you try to hide as much stuff from your insurance company as you can because you have 12pts!

I feel ya there! had my stang for 6 months and got 4 tickets lol

[onefastcobra]

It can be done, and personally if i was you swaping to a 4v will make it more worth your while. I can give you a full list of everypart you need and as long as you have 2 keys i can reprogram pats for the swap. My car is a 02 v6 i swapped to a beefed up 99 cobra so if you need any pointers im here.......

[auto alchemist]

It can be done, and personally if i was you swaping to a 4v will make it more worth your while. I can give you a full list of everypart you need and as long as you have 2 keys i can reprogram pats for the swap. My car is a 02 v6 i swapped to a beefed up 99 cobra so if you need any pointers im here.......

is there a big difference in power between the 2V and 4V or is just a different powerband?

and unless i used a 4V from a mark 8 arent the 4V's kind of expensive?

[onefastcobra]

4v parts aren't very cheap, all svt parts hit me for a big buck unless you know someone selling a bunch of used parts. As far as power is conserned theres a big difference in power between a stock 2v and 4v mustang, ive owned both and have noticed a huge difference.

[Dirtyd0g]

IMO the best thing to do to a tbird with a NA v6 is to do a splitport swap. A nice hood and a truck 4.2 would be just as fast as a stock 4.6. Mustang 98+ 3.8's run great in them as well.
Alan

[auto alchemist]

IMO the best thing to do to a tbird with a NA v6 is to do a splitport swap. A nice hood and a truck 4.2 would be just as fast as a stock 4.6. Mustang 98+ 3.8's run great in them as well.
Alan

i was just thinking about the possibilty of swaps for mustangs, since gt's in my area are still expensive, and the V6's seem to be super cheap.

and the 2 V6 tbirds i have both have superchargers on them so a splitport wouldnt do anything for me lol

although i have contimplated putting the supercharged 3.8 from my tbird in a 94-95 mustang when im done swapping the 5.0 into my supercoupe.

but idk, because i keep comming back to the fact that the V8 is cheaper and easier to work with.

[GAVEY]

I am currently putting a 2 valve in a vw bug and i had the pats burnt off of the computer i have had it running in the donor car with all of the wiring from the original ignition removed