Hey /o

Hey /o

I own a 1996 Mustang gt, convertible. My Head gasket/gaskets have been blown for a couple years now and I've finally accumulated enough cash to make me want to work on it. I've been told by a couple people that since I'm already digging that far deep into my engine, I should do a "PI Engine Swap"

From my understanding this means I'm replacing my intake manifold, heads and cams to be a newer year. 2001-2004 was recommended.

Does anyone have any experience doing this and could give me some insight as to what I should be expecting by tackling this big of a job? Also where I could go to purchase all of the things I need? I've been given a decent sized list that basically states I would need PI Heads, PI Cams, PI intake Manifold, new head bolts and gaskets, a new intake gasket, Alternator bracket and oil dip stick since those change places too.

This is the first time I would've dug this far into an engine. I have a friend who is helping me who takes apart and rebuilds cars from the engine to the transmission to just about everything. So I have experienced help, but he normally works on Chevy not Ford. Also, I live in Michigan towards the Metro-Detroit area.

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you'd save money time and stress by buying something else

Elaborate on what you mean by "Something else"

New car? New Engine? Stage 1 or 2 stuff instead?

>Stage 1 or 2
Dude, those terms are meaningless. Also click the post number to directly reply.

a different vehicle

A 22 year old mustang isn't really special enough to bother having as a custom project. Parts may be common but after all is said and done, you're better off just buying newer. If you're just stuck on go-fast and mustangs, New Edge GT's start at $3000.

also,
>This is the first time I would've dug this far into an engine.

harder than it sounds

Kay...

Define something else

Obviously It is more difficult than I'm making it sound. I'm typing lol. But okay. I can dig the idea. The issue is finding one within my budget. I can't find a good mileage newer gt stang or vehicle that is competitive to what I have for $3000. Where are you finding these? Craigslist with high miles or something?

craigslist all day

Just get a complete JY pi engine, their literally a dime a dozen, hell I have a 74k mile one sitting around collecting dust.

MY TIME HAS COME
I own a 1997 mustang GT with a full Pi swap.

1st, It is just like any head/cam/intake job. You just gotta take her apart first.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU PULL THE ENGINE FOR THIS. The bay is just too damn small for a OHC engine.

2nd Now that the engine is pulled (look up guides on how to pull it, I.E. unbolt power steering and AC and leave them in the car, hanging. THey will stay and the engine will leave/go in easier.) You need to begin disassembly. It really is like any other engine, just that the cams are up top. So take off your intake, valve covers, manifolds, timing cover, and oilpan if needed.

3rd GETTING THE PARTS. I got my PI intake from a 2003 crown vic in the junk yard. I recommend you do the same, it will be an EXACT fit.
I got my heads from a 2002? expedition. All PI heads are the same, no need for a "mustang only" head.
The cams, however, I recommend getting from a mustang, but check to see if the Expedition cams are the same.

4th your friend should know how to install new heads, just go online and find your pattern and torque ratings. The hardest part of this build WILL BE degreeing, and timing the cams. I HIGHLY recommend you invest in a haynes manual. Also there are PLENTY of Ford guides to doing this, like this one. jegs.com/InstallationInstructions/300/397/397-M-6004-462V.pdf

5th I highly recommend you purchase new timing guides, tensioners, and chains if yours look even SLIGHTLY worn. Also be on the look out for bad piston rings, valve seals, etc so you can replace them while you have it out.

6th get her all cleaned up and reassembled, the intake is a direct bolt on. By this step i hope you marked your wiring harness :which you should have kept ON THE ENGINE after pulling and labeled EVERYTHING. Replug the harness to the engine, lower her into the bay, plug her up, and start her. Congratulations you just went from 215hp to around 270 thanks to your higher compression and airflow. Any more questions?

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>JY pi engine

I'm sorry, I don't understand the terminology. JY?

This. I was hoping someone would respond who has done this already. All of my options are still on the table.

Options such as; Even doing the upgrade vs getting a new car vs dropping a new engine entirely.

Junk yard

The only question I have for you, is do you think it was worth it on your mustang vs every other option everyone seems to want to throw at you for the cost? I'm predicting this will cost me around $2000

Wow I'm fucking stupid lmfao... Thank you

SO what do you want from the car, since shes a Vert I imagine its a cruiser, so I'd say this is plenty power. For me, I wanted more power. So I got ahold of a 4v DOHC mark viii motor, cobra heads, cams, intake and will be building a cobra clone-ish.

The 4v is a great step up and amazing power maker, but the cost will go from around 2-500 bucks EASILY into the 1500-2000 range.

So, what would you like to do bossman
?

I enjoyed it, and I like my car, and this body style so I have no issue spending money. As said above though I just want more power. it should NOT cost over 1000 though, don't know how you got that number

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Thats an option, but it won't be a fresh build and will have a lower compression. Good for future boost, but bad for N/A HP which I imagine is what OP wants.

not-a-convertible

So, as far as OP getting a new car goes, with 2 blown head gaskets, he won't sell it for much. If he goes ahead and installs new ones, he has to do LITERALLY the same process as swapping the better, exact fit heads/cams/intake. So why not throw out a few more hundreds and get a horsepower boost to add on to a craigslist description. Then he can make MORE money if he sells, or just get a more powerful car from the job.

Seriously?!?!!? That cheap???? This is just what people have been telling me.. I basically just started doing research a couple days ago. I also have been looking up new parts, not JY ones.

Tbh, I want it to work without pumping oil out the rear exhaust every time I take off lol. More power is just nice to add at this point since I'm deep in their and when I fix things I like to upgrade them. Later on though, I wanted to add a supercharger. So I did have full intention on keeping the car... Unless it's recommended against by most people. Currently, it has around 150k miles on it.

Most people will hate me for it, but I'm practically turning this into a "kit" car of the sorts. I don't intend on changing the body style. Just getting mostly aftermarket parts.

While I think newer year Camaros and Mustangs (like 2010 and up) have better body styles, the cost is just wayyyy too high for me. Even dumping a supercharger into mine is cheaper than the normal cost for the 10' and up style of car that I like.

This is VERY true. My initial thoughts if I ever went to sell it... I can't sell it when it blows out this big ole' plume of smoke every take off.

I can only work with what I've got at this point. Although, I do understand the convertible hinders my performance because of weight. Correct?

In which case, I'm just living with that until I sell her. If I ever do.

Just talking from my ass here, but if you are going to go through the trouble of a DOHC 4.6 why not just go to a 5.4. I know it would need a new hood but wouldn't everything else more less be the same sort of swap?

So you like the car and want to keep it. Well first consider it IS a vert, great for cruising, not for speed. Its body is stiffened with extra steel to counter the lack of a roof, plus the vert motor just adds hundreds of pounds. But if you like it, you like it.

Second, to run boost on a Non PI block with PI heads, you'll need an intercooler and likely an E85 octane tune. (to lower compression) The NPI block with PI heads raises compression and will blow the rods the fuck out if you boost it. This problem does not exist on NPI with NPI heads or PI block with PI heads. As far as getting the most out of a 4.6l goes, boost is the best way. The 2v love boost, the 4v more. I'd say a 4v swap is the best build possible, but it WILL be junkyard parts, WILL cost Tima, money and sleep. SO lets keep you on 2v.

Basically what I am saying is if you want a more power RIGHT NOW do the PI H/C/I swap (will cost more money later with a necessary intercooler and tune). If you want LOADS more power later on just get a JY PI engine and boost it when you get the money.

The 5.4l 2v is JUST as anemic as the 4.6l 2v, the displacement does not help at all, because the airflow is shit.

The 5.4l 4v is a BADASS engine, but requires a MUCH more expensive intake, costs more from the donor vehicle, requires a new K-member, will NOT fit under the stock hood, and BARELY fits between the strut towers. Plus I dont get the gnarly blue snake...

I also forgot to mention, custom exhaust work, more wiring, and a bunch of other little annoying odds and ends

Attached: 5.4 Swap.jpg (405x720, 51K)

>drives with fucked headgasket for 2 years
if this was true the engine would be fucked, go get your car diagnosed by a mechanic retard

wait, he was driving it the whole time? If so then the engines either fucked, or OP was lied too. Unless of course he only started it once or twice

Fair enough. I was thinking more of the 2v 5.4 but admittedly never thought much about it when I had my Cobra. I did love revving the snot out of that DOHC 4.6.

Push the SN95 off a fucking cliff and buy a Fox

and that, my man, is why I want that cobra 4.6
Extra RPM, awesome exhaust note, more HP, torque, mmmmmmm

Hey now, Foxes are badass yes, but the SN95 is a great platform (just a curvier fox, after all)

Why? Nothing wrong with the SN95 chassis.It comes with better brakes from the get go and the weight isn't really much of an issue. Its getting hard now days to find foxes that aren't rusted heaps or modded shitboxes.

I've been driving it for a little over a year now with oil leaking out of the exhaust. Every mechanic I speak to claims it is MOST LIKELY a head gasket leak from what the symptoms are and what they are seeing from the engine.

I'm being told my current heads are probably warped. Are you claiming that my block is bad from driving on it for over a year?

If I were to go with the other option. A PI engine completely. How does this fit into my car? Does the starter, flywheel, bell housing, motor mounts etc fit into this well? Or are there a lot of other changes that need to be made?

Uh, have you ever had it compression tested? What color is the oil? What color is the coolant?

Should be the exact same everything. No difference from a 1999-2004 mustang gt.
All fits. Make sure the new engine comes from a car with the same tranny yours has I.E an Auto cars engine if you have an auto. (otherwise flywheels will be wrong size, and manual engines need a pilot bearing)

I have not. The oil smoke color is white sometimes with a blue tint. The coolant is fine with color. No milky tone to it.

Otherwise its my piston rings, which would mean I'm tearing apart my block. I'm almost leaning towards a JY PI engine now... Just to avoid digging into my current one and mixing a NON-PI block with PI H/C/I....

OP here again, otherwise it COULD be my piston rings etc...

Compression check the engine

+1 Be sure to rule out some other things before making a decision, OP

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Thank you all! You have certainly given me much to ponder and think about.

/o was a solid first place to go to for advice lol

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IIRC PI heads and intake on a non PI block, pistons and cams will actually be higher compression and make more power than an all-PI engine. That's how it is on panthers, anyway.

can confirm On my car it also requires mid grade or better to run worth a damn.