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help needed 1990 5.0 replacement

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Old Sep 19, 2020 | 02:43 PM
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help needed 1990 5.0 replacement

New to this site but I know my way around working on vehicles. I just picked up a 1990 xl F 150 4x4 short bed, and the best thing it was FREE!!! My moms boyfriend gave it to me for doing some work on his new house. He bought it several years ago with the intent on swapping another engine in it but never got around to it. He is a die hard blue oval fan and has several ford trucks around his farm. My question is what other year 5.0s would be a direct replacement for it he has a few parts trucks laying around and said I can have anything off them I need. Bare with me here I am new to the forum and trying to find some info.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2020 | 03:44 PM
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Any year EFI 5.0 can work (you could even use a carbed 302 longblock) but some of them will require more work than others. Do you know what years the donor trucks are?
 
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Old Sep 19, 2020 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Conanski
Any year EFI 5.0 can work (you could even use a carbed 302 longblock) but some of them will require more work than others. Do you know what years the donor trucks are?
He has a wrecked 94 f 150 that was suppose to be running well when wrecked. What about a 5.0 out of a mid 90s explorer what would have to be done for it to work. Sorry for all the questions I am not very familiar with the older fords. Mainly a jeep xj guy I can tell you about any thing on them built several of them.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2020 | 05:53 PM
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The Explorer 302 is the one to have (better heads) if it is good. Use only the long block. Reuse the intake, ignition and wire harness from the F-150.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2020 | 06:07 PM
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Explorer motor is the best option and would be a nice upgrade but you have to transplant much of the external engine parts from your truck(intake, distributor, acc brackets, perhaps oil pump and pan) and only use the engine wiring in your truck now.
 
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Old Sep 20, 2020 | 06:38 AM
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Think I am going to look for a explorer motor have a couple u pull yards nearby I can get one for about 350 bucks. These are not your typical u pull yards these are the good old mom and pop ones, honest people that know what they have. Any thing else I need to be aware of? I plan on getting a gasket set, new oil pump, water pump, all new hoses, thermostat, plugs wires. Is there a specific year explorer to look for I know some had different heads I think. Will the heads make my F 150 EFI need anything done to it? Think I will throw in some shorty headers also, and I have a couple flowmasters laying around the shop. Really looking forward to getting started on it, there will be a lot to learn, totally different to the jeeps that I am use to. Plan on driving it for a few years then handing it off to my oldest son. One more thing are the explorer motors flat tappet lifters or roller? I thought I read somewhere that they changed sometime in the mid 90s.


Thanks
 
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Old Sep 20, 2020 | 08:31 AM
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You want a '96-97.5 Explorer 5.0 with the 3-bar GT40 heads, later explorers used the GTP heads which make adding headers difficult.
 
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Old Sep 20, 2020 | 08:50 AM
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You think doing these things will be ok with my efi system dont want to get any codes from the computer.
 
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Old Sep 20, 2020 | 08:59 AM
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As long as you use all the EFI components and wiring from your F150 it will work fine.
 
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Old Sep 20, 2020 | 09:25 AM
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Thanks for the info gotta get started getting the old one out. Try to get some pics soon, I couldn't believe the shape the truck is in really good body no rust at all but the clear is coming off. The interior is pretty good to its just a xl model. Previous owner says the engine had just been rebuilt, but shortly after they started driving it they didnt notice it getting hot and it quit and now it wont run but that has been 3 to 4 years ago. I am not going to mess with it just replace it.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2020 | 08:54 AM
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Almost got the old motor out. Found a really good deal on a 96 explorer motor with 82,000 miles guaranteed good and warranty and its all ready out and in storage at the salvage yard. Just wanting to make sure what I have to change over, my f 150 intake all electronics from it and my acc. and oil pan and pick up. Is this it or is there anything else.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2020 | 09:02 AM
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Timing cover and water pump. You basically have to strip the Explorer motor to a bare longblock and put everything from your F150 motor on it.


 
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Old Oct 12, 2020 | 01:19 PM
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Finally got the engine out went really well as long as I can remember where all those vacuum lines go. My injectors though looked horrible and a few of them were cracked on the body. Whats a good replacement source with out getting OEM.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2020 | 10:08 AM
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Is the firing order different from the 1990 F 150 302 vs a 1996 explorer 302. Been doing some reading and some places say that they are if so what do I do to correct this. Change cam? I would much rather make the changes with the explorer motor on the engine stand.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2020 | 10:23 AM
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Yes they are different. The ‘90 is the old firing order of 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. The Explorer would have the the 302 HO or 351W firing order which is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.

Install the spark plug wires using the 351W firing order. Done.
 
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