Recently purchased a 1987 EB bronco with a 302/5.0 and auto trans. Previous owner could not get the motor to crank, and I bought it without hearing the motor. Found out today, after I let a local mechanic look at it and he sorted out some wiring issues to get it cranked, that the motor knocks. He says sounds like the mains are shot and motor is toast. My question is what year/model 302 5.0 will drop in? I have found several local used motors, one being a 5.0 in a 2000 explorer. Would a 5.0 out of a 2000 explorer drop in with just changing the external stuff? Thanks in advance.

 

The base motor should be good as a swap I believe.

The 96 through 2001 explorers used the same V8 motor as far as I know. However, I think the intake manifold is different on the explorer as well as the cylinder heads. The heads are supposed to be a better cylinder head, but the angle that the spark plug mounts in requires different exhaust.

I'm not 100 percent on this, but 90 percent sure that to make the explorer motor work you'd need to:

-Swap your upper (and maybe) lower intake manifold. This included everything mounted to it like the throttle body etc (you have everything from your old motor for this)
-Get headers and a new y-pipe to fit the cylinder heads on the explorer (stock manifolds and especially y-pipe are GARBAGE on our Broncos)
-Swap serpentine belt setup (should be a direct bolt on/bolt off thing) from both motors


I think it should be a fairly simple swap as far as engine swaps go, the biggest hurdle being the exhaust.

Worst case scenario, the bottom end should be the same so you could swap heads and everything else from your motor to this block and that will work, but the exploer GT40 heads are going to be much better.

 

Something else to keep in mind when considering a motor swap would be the engine management system. As far as im aware the earlier efi systems ran off of a MAP setup...while everything '96 and newer were MAF. Just something to keep in mind...not sure how much modification you were considering.

If you're looking for the simplest drop in solution id say any of the 5.0 efi setups, up to 1995
would likely workout fairly easily.