Even if parts are available, many times fabrication to make these engines fit into specific chassis may be necessary. For example, some older Ford chassis have large shock towers that conflict with the wider engines, requiring them to be trimmed and re-welded. If you do not have the ability to make modifications, partner with a good fabricator before the project starts.
Tuning and Computer Data
As stated in Chapters 4 and 10, programming the computer is a critical part of making any modern engine perform to its peak. Unless you have a large base knowledge of fuel curves, air-fuel ratios, and oxygen sensor data, the best course of action is to find a reputable tuner and work with them during the project build. This is especially true if you will be making extensive modifications or installing custom components on the engine. It is critical to work with a tuner throughout the build.
Getting Started
Every time I get an inquiry about a modular engine swap, the first question I always ask is: what do you want to do with the car when you are done? Is your purpose for building this car reliability, racing and handling, horsepower, or a full-blown show car? An honest definition of what you want at the end is important to keep your project on target. If you are looking for a good daily driver that looks dynamite (on a modest budget), a high-horsepower supercharged Shelby 5.8 GT500 swap may not be the best choice.
Three Little Questions
Before you buy that half-done project or dream of that magazine car you just saw, decide what the true goal of this vehicle will be. It will help you answer these three questions:
1. Which engine and transmission are you going to use?
2. Which front suspension are you going to use?
3. Which electronics package are you going to use?
Once you have answered these three questions, a vast majority of the parts required to complete your project start showing themselves. Choosing your engine helps you determine the electronics package, choosing the electronics package helps you determine items such as the fuel system, and settling on the front suspension helps you decide on engine mounts and auxiliary equipment such as radiators and cooling.
Engine and Transmission
You need to select the best modular engine and transmission for your project, so you need to refer to Chapter 2 to make the best choice. Although I address some performance parts in this book, they are in reference to getting your project up and running and not a guide on how to build a monster engine. For that I am going to direct you to my bookshelf and some of the books I rely on: How to Build Max Performance 4.6-Liter Ford Engines by Sean Hyland, 4.6 and 5.4 Ford Engines: How to Rebuild by George Reid, and Ford 5.0 Coyote Engines: How to Build Max-Performance by Jim Smart.
Back to my first question: what is the intent of this build? A four-cam 5.4-liter engine is wider and taller than a two-cam 4.6 engine, so it will cost more time and money to drop that engine into a confined space. If over-the-top horsepower is desired, let’s look at the taller and wider 5.4, 5.8, or perhaps a V-10 6.8. But if you want something a little more budget and daily-driving oriented, look at the engine that best fits your budget. The 4.6 and 5.0 Coyote have the same base dimensions and can make large amounts of horsepower in the smaller block.
Transmission selection also plays a part in building your project. As transmissions add additional gears, they also add size, and this can conflict with the transmission tunnels on some chassis. Electronic controls are the norm on all modern transmissions, and that may affect the control package you choose. The quick answer here is, if the big 6-speed you want to install doesn’t fit, there are alternatives that will work to keep the project rolling. (See Chapter 8 for more information on transmission packages.)
Front Suspension
The front suspension (Chapter 3) helps in the selection of items such as engine mounts and cooling packages. The reason this is important is, the front suspension on many builds determines where the engine is going to sit in the engine bay, and which engine and transmission mounts need to be purchased to install the engine. For example, an early Mustang application can use the original suspension or can convert to a Mustang II front suspension, but both options require different engine mounts, oil pans, and transmission mounts. The shock towers can be removed with the MII suspension, while the original suspension may need to be trimmed back to fit the wider four-cam engines.
Once the front suspension has been selected, many of the other component requirements fall into place. Engine placement may also answer questions on items such as the cooling (how close is the engine to the radiator), oil pans (front sump, rear sump), and the steering itself (header clearance). Not all front suspensions have been designed with modular engines in mind, and you may have to fabricate to make it work together.
Electronics
After you decide on the engine and suspension, you need to decide on the electronics package. An old drag racer’s saying applies: You can have all the right parts, but if you can’t tune the engine, they are worthless. That saying is taken to the next level with the computer controls on your modern engine. Although it is possible to run the modular engine with a carburetor and distributor, most applications involve the modern engine controls and computer. In the old days, you ordered a cam kit, a carburetor, an intake, and a set of headers; set your points; adjusted the carburetor; and you were set. Today’s engines get their power and efficiency from properly tuning the engine, and proper tuning requires a database of information to find out which combinations work best, and how they will work with the intended use of the vehicle. If a computer will be part of the conversion build, working directly with a good tuner is essential, especially if additional mods will be made to the engine for performance.
Chapter 4 is all about the different changes Ford made to the computers and wiring, and your engine choice is influential in determining which computer system works best for your project. Some engines work well with factory systems, some do not. The choice of computer system also helps with choosing items such as the fuel system (returnless or mechanical return line) and engine systems such as drive-by-wire and variable-cam timing. (Chapter 10 details final tuning of the engine package and working with the tuner and the dyno.)
Once you have the engine, front suspension, and electronics package selected, you can then fill in all the other components that will make your build a success.
MODULAR ENGINES: A BRIEF HISTORY
In 1991 Ford introduced its overhead camshaft V-8 in the Lincoln Town Car and labeled it the modular engine. The label came from the method of producing the engine, not the fact that parts are easily interchanged between engine configurations. Eventually it was installed in the full-size Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and the 1994 Ford Thunderbird as the old Windsor small-block V-8 was being phased out. The last year for the pushrod V-8 in a Mustang was 1995. The 1996 Mustang GT was fitted with a two-valve SOHC modular and the Cobra was equipped with a four-valve DOHC version of the 4.6-liter engine. The first Ford trucks equipped with a modular engine came in 1996, and in 1997 Ford introduced the V-10 6.8-liter engine for truck and van applications.
Ford installed its
