1999 v6 to 2001 Cobra Swap

FordMotorsports · 04-20-2008, 08:35 AM

I just thought I would write my experience with an engine swap.
Purchased:

2001 Cobra Engine/Tranny/Driveshaft with Passenger side harness computer and ccrm $3k
Steeda Triax $100 used (no needed if using stock cobra shifter)
GT radiator and overflow $160
Hydroboost with all lines an proportion valve $260
Cobra thermostat housing and thermostat from Ford $110
Hoses for radiator and thermostat housing $50
Cobra throttle cable from Ford $60
Fittings to adapt new proportion valve to V6 lines $2
Misc hose clamps, screws, bolts $25
JLT RAI $165
MAF $75
IAC-$25
SVT Focus Fuel Pump $110
O/R X-pipe ??? I already had it $200
Catback Exhaust ??? I already had it $350

I put the front of the car on ramps and blocked the rear tires, and set the ebrake.
I then started to remove all front sheetmetal, Bumper/fenders, and hood. I also removed the inner fenderwells. I then unhooked all connectors from the engine, hoses and A/C lines.
I then removed radiator/fan/overflow.
I unhooked the exhaust/clutch and removed motormount bolts, and removed the crossmember and ds. I supported the tranny with a floor jack.
I then removed the shifter.
Got the engine hoist hooked up and l lifted it off the mounts. I then lowered the floor jack to bring the tranny down. The engine and tranny were out.

I then started pulling the wiring harness/computer and CCRM. I pulled the old harness out and put the new one in, followed by the computer and ccrm.
Then was time for the Hydroboost. I unhooked the brake lines from the stocker. I then unhooked the assembly from the firewall. I then put the new hydroboost in only to relize that the rods were different on the brake pedal. I cut the rod on end of the rod off the V6 booster and cut the one off the GT hydroboost and welded the V6 end onto the GT hydroboost, elemenating having to change the pedals.
On the brakelines I removed the V6 proportion valve and had to get adapters for the v6 brake lines to fit the porportion valve.
I had to take the heater hoses off the V6 and cut them down to size because the ends were different on the Cobra Engine.
Then it was time to drop the engine tranny in. I got the engine in front of the car and adjusted the chains so that the engine was way high in the air and the tranny just cleared the radiator support if I lifted it up. I rolled the hoist forward and raised the tranny by hand to clear the support, after it cleared I let it down and walked the tranny down the transmission tunnel. Once I got the engine close to the mounts, I supported the tranny with the floor jack and let the hoist down to reposition the chains. I then worked the engine and tranny back, once I got close I lowered the tranny off the jack and removed the jack. I then pushed the tranny with my feet to get one of the motor mount bolts on. I put the nut on the motor mount just a few turns and went to the other side and did the same thing, the engine dropped right onto the bolt.
Then I started plugging stuff in. All of the connectors and put the crossmember in. I didn have to drill one hole for the overflow to fit my radiator support. I just reversed everything that I did when removing the engine.
Once all the fluids were full, I changed the guages and loaded the car on the trailer to take it to get the PATS reprogrammed. I took it to Ford and got one new key and my old key reprogrammed. The car started right up. I brought it home and started it up and it ran for a minuted and died. I tracked it down to a dead fuel pump, wierd stuff, I though that I had bad wiring.
I then dropped the tank and changed the pump. Once I got it started I bleed the brakes and burped the cooling system. Everything all put back together and took it for a drive.
Test drive the car hauls ass, 1st and 2nd gear break the tires loose with ease.
A swap well worth it.

SSStang · 04-20-2008, 09:20 AM

bullzi91 · 04-20-2008, 09:31 AM

X2 ^^

**mysteed** · 04-20-2008, 10:00 AM

Very nice man, it's good to know it's a pretty straightforward swap.

FordMotorsports · 04-20-2008, 10:56 AM

Here is a link to the pics
http://www.3.8mustang.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223168

N_terst8 · 04-20-2008, 01:27 PM

How much time did this take you? Are you a mechanic yourself? How hard would it be to switch from an auto to a manual with this swap? Congrats I would like to do this but I think it would be way too headache-ish...

N_terst8 · 04-20-2008, 01:32 PM

I just realized you were the guy in the other thread... no need to answer the questions. I have decent mechanical knowledge but I wouldn't be able to afford to have my car out 2 weeks!

Could this be a weekend job? How hard would it be to switch from auto to manual?

Again, congrats on the swap, it'd be cheaper than buying a Cobra.

Steve

FordMotorsports · 04-20-2008, 05:32 PM

I wouldn't chance it on a weekend. Too many little parts you might need.

**taylor0987** · 04-20-2008, 05:48 PM

Hey FordMotorsports, nice job!

when you say "driver side harness" do you mean the driver's side under dash harness? did you have to change the fuse boxes? GEM?

Quote:

Originally Posted by N_terst8

I just realized you were the guy in the other thread... no need to answer the questions. I have decent mechanical knowledge but I wouldn't be able to afford to have my car out 2 weeks!

Could this be a weekend job?

The best thing to do is to plan on renting a car for a couple of weeks when you do major work like this.

Enterprise (and I am sure other companies) have cars available for something like $15-$20 a day after coupons if you rent from a non-airport location (look on www.fatwallet.com for the coupons, and also how to rent a car for cheap if you are under 25). It saves a lot of stress and is very practical if you have to run to buy parts, or wait until Monday to pick something up from the Ford dealer.

If you do manage to pull the swap off in a weekend, well then just return the rental car and it would have only cost you $40 or so. If it ends up taking 3 weekends to do it, then you'd have the rental car for ~2 weeks total or just $300. That's a small percentage of the total cost of the swap...

red97stang · 04-20-2008, 06:13 PM

Wow, that's all I can really say.

N_terst8 · 04-20-2008, 08:21 PM

Where did you find an engine, transmission and computer at? I'm seriously looking into this for a summer project. I could borrow the parents van for a couple of weeks. haha! I was told its only really worth it if you find a 4v engine. It would be sweet to be driving a Cobra for under $5,000

Steve

FordMotorsports · 04-20-2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylor0987

Hey FordMotorsports, nice job!

when you say "driver side harness" do you mean the driver's side under dash harness? did you have to change the fuse boxes? GEM?

The best thing to do is to plan on renting a car for a couple of weeks when you do major work like this.

Enterprise (and I am sure other companies) have cars available for something like $15-$20 a day after coupons if you rent from a non-airport location (look on www.fatwallet.com for the coupons, and also how to rent a car for cheap if you are under 25). It saves a lot of stress and is very practical if you have to run to buy parts, or wait until Monday to pick something up from the Ford dealer.

If you do manage to pull the swap off in a weekend, well then just return the rental car and it would have only cost you $40 or so. If it ends up taking 3 weekends to do it, then you'd have the rental car for ~2 weeks total or just $300. That's a small percentage of the total cost of the swap...

Thanks for pointing out the harness thing, I changed the passenger harness!!!!!!!!!!DOH!!!!

I never touched anything on the drivers side except the positive and negative cables.

FordMotorsports · 04-20-2008, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N_terst8

Where did you find an engine, transmission and computer at? I'm seriously looking into this for a summer project. I could borrow the parents van for a couple of weeks. haha! I was told its only really worth it if you find a 4v engine. It would be sweet to be driving a Cobra for under $5,000

Steve

I just kept an eye on a bunch of the mustang forums and ebay. I got the engine off corral.

N_terst8 · 04-21-2008, 10:07 AM

On a scale from one to ten how hard do you think it was?

FordMotorsports · 04-21-2008, 12:41 PM

6

Keasbey · 09-26-2009, 03:12 PM

any clue what might change if this was done to a 94-98 v6?

RCR_stang · 09-27-2009, 08:09 PM

that's crazy! i always kinda steered away from a modular swap because it kooked way to risky.. but from the sounds of it.. it's not too bad. i may go with a mod versus a pushrod 8 now. very very good info an sweet ride!!

any way to get an exact parts list?

FordMotorsports · 09-28-2009, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR_stang

that's crazy! i always kinda steered away from a modular swap because it kooked way to risky.. but from the sounds of it.. it's not too bad. i may go with a mod versus a pushrod 8 now. very very good info an sweet ride!!

any way to get an exact parts list?

I don't really have an exact parts list as far as part numbers. The list above is what I used to swap my car over. If you have any questions PM me and I will gladly help you out with answers. Here is a very good thread for questions about the swap.
http://www.3.8mustang.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136405

Stephen4036 · 09-28-2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N_terst8

Where did you find an engine, transmission and computer at? I'm seriously looking into this for a summer project. I could borrow the parents van for a couple of weeks. haha! I was told its only really worth it if you find a 4v engine. It would be sweet to be driving a Cobra for under $5,000

Steve

yes go 4v.. theres no point in swapping to a 2v IMO..