[guilinger50]

I recently bought a 302 crate motor originally for a 1983 Mustang that has never been put in a car. I am getting ready to install the engine in the car and saw on a different site that the engine will not fit in my car because it has a double sump oil pan. They said there is a clearance issue with some of the steering, anyone know if this is true? If so anyone know the best way to fix this issue?

Are there any other issues I might run into while putting this engine in the car?

 

[22GT]

Too easy.

Ditch the offending oil pan, and install the 68 pan and oil pickup.

You should also go with the 68 fuel pump eccentric, timing cover, water pump, pulleys, and brackets.

If the engine is a 50 oz balance type, you'll need the conversion balancer.

 

[tag302]

dont quote me on this, but when i bought my 67 it had a 1979 302 in it. nothing was changed and i had all the original steering equipment. im not sure how different an 83 is but this is the advice i could give

 

[guilinger50]

What is the reason to switch the fuel pump eccentric, timing cover, water pump and pulleys?

How do I tell if I have a 50 oz balance type?

Thanks for the advice

 

[GypsyR]

These days a "crate" engine jsut means somebody rebuilt it. So not sure what all you're working with. As in, your car was a straight six and you'll be needing all the V8 stuff or it's a 289/302 with a tired engine getting replaced. It makes a difference on what advice you need and will get.
If the engine is a 1981 or newer, it is a 50 ounce imbalance engine. You will need a 50 ounce imbalance flexplate/flywheel (depending on what transmission you will use) and a matching harmonic balancer. The rest you could swap on 289 parts to put back together.
If your "crate" engine has a water pump already, it should be the reverse rotation one for a 1983 serpentine belt setup. Two ways to deal with that. Go with a serpentine belt setup or got with the original v-belt setup. If V-belt (rather easier and cheaper) you'll need to change timing covers to match the vintage style water pump. As the 1983's still had mechanical fuel pumps you should be OK there. But an '83 5.0 Mustang had the oil dipstick in the driver's side of the block. You can't use that with a 68 style oil pan. So you will need to either drill the timing cover for a dipstick or get one correct for your car which have the dipstick provision already.
Lots of folks have done 5.0 swaps, there's some stuff to it but nothing you can't overcome with the right mix of parts. It would help us advise you if we knew a bit more about your new engine, the old engine (if you even had one), what transmission you plan to use, and what flavor of "restomod" you want to end up with under your hood. IE, a 5.0 disguised as vintage, a "day 2" style car, a regular warmed up carbureted 5.0, full on modern EFI, or what.

 

[PonyDoc]

Swap

I did a 5.0 in my 64 once. (Never do that again!) But I also found out about some shortcuts. Use the crown vic water pump, as the outlet is on the correct side for the radiator. I also used the Motorsport flywheel- 50 oz, as it was drilled for either type of clutch.I used the serpentine belt until it broke & guilloyined the wiring harness at the solenoid. Found that switching back to V bekts needed shimming. A regular lug nut was the correct spacing!Had to do all the other additions as mentioned, but it really didn't run like other 289's I've had before!

 

[deuce]

I just put an 87 into a 68 n here's what i had to do...

1) 68 timing cover with oil dipstick hole n i plugged the other one.
2) If ur running a mechanical fuel pump u need an eccentric n the timing cover with the hole for the pump.
3) If ur changing the radiator u can use the 83 water pump just get the rad outlet on the drivers side.
4) I went with 3 core n electric fan...if u do that go with a thin fan the regular ones hit the water pump pulley...i made mine a pusher instead of a puller n i had to use 1/2" spacers to make the fan fit...but i plan to put 2 small pullers in n a custom shroud....
5) 68 oil pan n pickup u can use the same pump.

I hope this helps...

 

[LynnBob 65 Mustang]

Too easy.
If the engine is a 50 oz balance type, you'll need the conversion balancer.

If he wants to keep the stock looking V belt set up but go with different pulley's he can go with the March performance pulley set and use his '83 50 oz balancer if it is the 4 bolt type March Performance 1615 March Ford Pulleys
Lynn

 

[RTP68]

I put a crate motor in my 68 about ten years ago. I got a new 5.0 from Ford Racing, that came with a flywheel, valve covers, oil pan and water pump. At that time, I think someone told me the crate 5.0s were leftovers from Explorers. I have a power steering car and I used the oil pan that came on the crate motor, and all I had to do was plug up the hole in the side for the dipstick. I had to order a different flex plate to run my C-4 and ordered a harmonic balancer to match. I used my old timing cover, water pump and pulleys and ran the v belts successfully and never had any issues.

About six months ago I decided to put a procharger on my car and went with the serpentine setup. Swapping everything over was a total PITA and cost a few bucks to do. Not sure what crate motor you got, but know that if you got a roller cam nd you use your old distributor you will need to change the drive gear on your distributor or your cam will chew it up.

Hope this helps.

 

[guilinger50]

Thanks for all the advice, I have a 67 289 that I can pull the water pump, timing cover, oil pan , and oil pickup off.

Any suggestion on where to get the conversion balancer and harmonic balancer I will need?

 

[Woodchuck]

Any of the Mustang houses, plus Summit (and probably Jegs) will have the conversion balancer.

 

[guilinger50]

Instead of buying one of these conversion balancers can I just use the balancer off a 67 289 that I have in the garage? Or is the conversion balancer the only way to go.

 

[guilinger50]

If I buy the conversion balancer which flex plate do you use? Would it be the one for the 50oz or the 28oz since you bought the conversion balancer?

 

[BiffStroganoffsky]

Just re-use the balancer/flexplate/flywheel combo from your 289 if you still have them.

 

[jdub]

Just re-use the balancer/flexplate/flywheel combo from your 289 if you still have them.

Seriously? The 289 is 28oz balance and the '83 302 is 50oz balance.

 

[GypsyR]

Using the 289 balancer and/or flexplate will give you one hellacious engine vibration. I have personally witnessed this. The weights of both MUST match the crankshaft's balance design. The 1983 5.0 needs 50 ounces. The "Conversion" balancer is basically a 50 ounce weighted one with bolt holes that allow you use your vintage pulleys. The flexplate will need to be 50 ounce imbalance also. Pretty much all the other 289 stuff will swap over to your 5.0 engine except these two critical parts.

 

[guilinger50]

Ok so I need the conversion balancer and correct flex plate... last question if I am switching all the other parts will the torque converter from the 67 302 still work?

If not it sounds like I would be better off just updating to new style pulleys.

 

[GypsyR]

Torque converter should be fine. The flexplate should be identical in every way except for having a different sized weight tack welded to it.
The way to use your pulleys is to get a conversion balancer first. Then you can swap over your timing cover, water pump, and ALL your brackets. Just a matter of nuts and bolts to use all the stuff you already have. Unless you just want to go with late style. In which case get your checkbook ready. Some folks toss it all in favor of a March type serpentine setup. Really nice stuff but pretty expensive. Different ways you can go with this and no matter which someone here will have already done it. I'm a fan of the old school V-belts to help disguise that I actually have a more modern engine in there.

 

[guilinger50]

Thanks for all the advice I will stick with the original style pulleys and just order the conversion balancer and flex plate.

 

[Woodchuck]

If you don't want to use the conversion balancer you may be able to use the '83 balancer and modify your bottom pulley. You'd have to weld up the existing holes and re-drill new holes to match the '83 balancer, without warping the pulley. It can be done, but most folks will fork over the dough to make it a simple bolt up.