Changing Oil Pan, EGR Valve, Eliminator Bracket

Wishing to have the dependability of a modern engine, I have decided to install a 5.0 engine from a 1993 Mustang. When I first heard of this modification, it was explained to me as an easy bolt-on, fits right in -perhaps - if you are a professional mechanic!

Fitting the modern engine into an old mustang requires several modifications. I tackled a few of them this week.

The modern engine's oil pan is a dual rear-sump that does not fit in the old engine bay. So I had to buy a 1965 front sump oil pan . This however, brings it own complications. The oil pickup must be changed and a new dipstick location is required. The old dipstick hole must be somehow plugged and a new hole (via the timing chain cover) must be drilled! An astute, well-prepared, and responsible mechanic would remove the harmonic balancer, the water pump, and the timing chain cover to drill a hole as to not disturb the sterile engine with aluminum chips. I, on the other hand, am not one of those, and prefer to use shortcuts that are very risky, but do save a lot of time. So I chose to drill the hole with the timing cover bolted to the engine. A 11/32" bit was used and after some coaxing, I squeezed the new dipstick in. Now the trick was to drill through the alternator bracket for the dipstick entrance. The angle needs to be just right. Well, it wasn't the first time around, but the second time, I was able to do it right. For your convenience, I took a pic of the proper angle:
Installing the oil pump and pickup was straightforward albeit a little dirty from all the oil priming. Putting a new oil pan was also easy as well, especially with an air tool :)




I also decided to eliminate many of the emission components of this engine, since they just rob power and after all this car is over forty years old - built at a time when smoking was healthy, sex was safe, flying was dangerous, and cars sputed out black smoke as a show of power. I installed an EGR eliminator that includes a computer simulator and gaskets for the removal of the EGR spacer. I also eliminated the smog pump, power steering pump (power rack and pinion is cost prohibitive right now) and air conditioner (should have installed by summer) and installed an aluminum bracket that replaces all the pulleys with the tensioner pulley. Pretty cool!