86 2.3 to 5.0 Carbed

[Jkush463]

Hello, Ihave an 86 Mustang LX with a 2.3L 4cyl in it and i am restoring the car and v8 swapping it, i was wondering if there were a few things everyone could help me clarify, one is with the computer, i dont plan to go EFI and plan to have no smog pump ect, do i need to buy the 5.0 stick computer still? Second would be DO i need to do the duraspark ignition swap if i plan to buy a MSD 6AL, distributor and coil? the car is also auto right now and i plan to go stick, will there be any other wiring besides neutral safety switch ill have to change? My dad thats had plenty of cars and done a few 2.3 to v8 swaps will be helping me but i want to verify these things first. any other added comments/things i need will be great, i already have the motor, accessory brackets, carb, intake, trans, 8.8,trans mount, pedal assembly, spindles,breaks. any help would be greatly appreciated i dont know where else to ask, so sorry for the long post. I suppose it would also help to know if theres any wiring harnesses i need to buy for this conversion that are necessity as well.


PS read alot of threads and searched for a while and didnt really find responses to my questions hence my post i did not post first then think to go looking.

[4eyedblind]

You can go aftermarket on the distributor, run a carb and call it a day. You already have a carb fuel system in it, as the 86 2.3s were still carbed themselves. That's how I'd do it on a car like yours. So, no, you don't need anything OEM to run this. Use an MSD or similar dizzy with a buzz box and carb it.

The neutral safety is irrelevant. You don't need it and if it isn't there, any computer doesn't care. How it works is it intercepts the ignition switch signal when the clutch isn't depressed but, I left all that stuff out when I dropped an all 88 drivetrain into my 86 coupe. I even run the factory 88 EFi and computer and it doesn't care there is no NSS in there.

[Jkush463]

awesome, that helps but i was told the 86 2.3 wa EFI i guess the guy may have been wrong. will there be any lights that come on the dash from not hooking any of this up or itll all be normal? i appreciate the response,

[OldsRocket442]

I did this exact swap on my '86 LX. My 2.3 was carbed so no computer to deal with. A couple things to consider:

1) Fuel line from the tank into the engine bay comes in behind the shock tower if I remember correctly. (i could be wrong here about the location, but it pokes through the frame at the wrong spot for a v8 car). My car had a lot of extra line bent inside the inner fender. I was able to straighten it enough to poke through in the correct place for a v8. If you do this, be careful. You do not want to kink/break your fuel line.

2) I didn't have a v8 distributor. I hit eBay and bought one of the Ford HEI hybrid distributors and ran my MSD 6AL through it. Without the MSD, its a super easy install.

3) Neutral Safety Switch wiring is already there. I didn't have to add anything that I can remember. Maybe had to change the plug for the transmission? I don't recall exactly on that one. Its been 15 years since I did this swap.

Edit:

4) You'll need a v8 throttle cable if you don't have one already.

[Jkush463]

awesome, i appreciate the input, you are correct about the fuel line, it does come up through the driver fender well, i think i may just pull the lines since ill be having the car sent to soda blasting a run my own lines but we will see i may take your route, and are you saying if i do go msd its harder than just getting a ford HEI hybrid? if its easier that way id just do that then honestly, my 2.3 was carbed as well, found the manual fuel pump on the block so it wasnt one of the fuel injected 2.3s like i was told it was.

[OldsRocket442]

If you don't have MSD, the HEI distributor is a super simple install. It's not hard to run the msd through it either if you have both. I ended up running my msd because the module in the distributor failed.

[4eyedblind]

efi 2.3s don't show up til 87....

[Jkush463]

i have a bit of an odd question, what does everyone do with the wires that arent used after the conversion? just cut them back or strap them to the harness?

[Broncojunkie]

I cut mine, small loop at the end and taped. Tuck back into the wire loom.

[erratic50]

GM HEI has differences in spark advance to consider- make sure it’s right for your build

The other thing is HEI and high RPM do not necessarily play well. There are improvements available - I found I needed a different coil
snd a few other things to get past 5500 with my Buick 350 that was easily running past 7000 with points ignition no problem. Actually it blew up due to trans malfunction that caused the carb to get stuck at WOT and not shift - happened while an idiot I was friends with once was driving it. (Never let friends drive your car unless you are ok with them destroying it) Tach memory showed she flew apart just past 8700. Threw a rod out the side of the block....

Personally I greatly dislike the looks of a GM dizzy on a ford.

Try this instead. (Borrowed from another thread on FEP)