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engine swap questions

2K views 6 replies 2 participants last post by  prabbit 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone,

My EA Fairmont Ghia ( 3.9 MPI, 3 sp auto, dual fuel, built 4/89 ) is about to get an engine upgrade, the engine on offer is a 4.0l (late EL?) without a dizzy. ( recon 6 months before the car was written off )

Keeping my manifolds and trans (and the job simple )

what MUST to be changed over?

What SHOULD be changed over?

what would be GOOD to changed over?

what NOT to change over?

Secrets, tricks, tips and traps to avoid ?

Thanks ppls, your all legends!

Prof. Rabbit
 
#2 ·
THe EL had a dizzy, it was the EF that had the coilpack.. You can convert them from EF to EL but you'd need a dizzy and i don't know if the 3.9l unit is compatitable..someone surely will.. But failing that you would need a EF 100 pin ECU and EF loom so i'd be converting it back to dizzy reguardless of using yours or sourcing a 2nd hand one.. IMO the EL is a better set-up to the EF and so did Ford for that matter as they reverted to the EA-ED dizzie set-up


To keep the job simple treat the new motor as you would if you had bought a 'short' motor.. THat is no auxiliaries or manifolds.. Does your new engine come with the A/C compressor, alternator etc?

Keep your manifolds, intake plumbing etc and just change the front from serpentine back to the triple v belt configuration.. So maybe a harmonic balancer and a water pump,, these are probably a good idea to change while the engine is out anyway. Maybe $400 of new parts that are a sinch to fit when the engine is out
 
#3 ·
The new engine comes without AC compressor etc. as far as I know so changing
back to multi V belt is fine, the EA's belts/hoses/rad/water pump were redone
in Feb this year, so they should be fine.

Given that the engine is already out of the EL any idea of the cost of a set of bearing shells and sump gasket, (just trying to be careful here for the sake of a few bucks before the engine goes in)

Also the dizzy on my EA has done 257,000kms, should I look for a recon?

Thanks for the info.
Regards Prof. Rabbit


tibbo said:
THe EL had a dizzy, it was the EF that had the coilpack.. You can convert them from EF to EL but you'd need a dizzy and i don't know if the 3.9l unit is compatitable..someone surely will.. But failing that you would need a EF 100 pin ECU and EF loom so i'd be converting it back to dizzy reguardless of using yours or sourcing a 2nd hand one.. IMO the EL is a better set-up to the EF and so did Ford for that matter as they reverted to the EA-ED dizzie set-up


To keep the job simple treat the new motor as you would if you had bought a 'short' motor.. THat is no auxiliaries or manifolds.. Does your new engine come with the A/C compressor, alternator etc?

Keep your manifolds, intake plumbing etc and just change the front from serpentine back to the triple v belt configuration.. So maybe a harmonic balancer and a water pump,, these are probably a good idea to change while the engine is out anyway. Maybe $400 of new parts that are a sinch to fit when the engine is out
 
#4 ·
If it is out of an EL the dizzy in the newie should be fine...It just that in your original post you said that it was an EL without a dizzy,, all EL's have a distributor

THe sump gasket is not a bad idea, they start to weep alittle with age but other than that i wouldnt worry too much about bearings, welch plugs etc. Just change over the timing cover and put a new seal on, swap over your new water pump and a new balancer to run your auxiliaries and you'll be set..

 
#5 ·
The engine does not have a dizzy, it has a "crank angle pointer" ? or something,
sorry I didn't check it out a bit closer, does that mean the engine is out of something earlier or later ?

Does this have an effect on the change over ?

Thanks
Prof. Rabbit

tibbo said:
If it is out of an EL the dizzy in the newie should be fine...It just that in your original post you said that it was an EL without a dizzy,, all EL's have a distributor

THe sump gasket is not a bad idea, they start to weep alittle with age but other than that i wouldnt worry too much about bearings, welch plugs etc. Just change over the timing cover and put a new seal on, swap over your new water pump and a new balancer to run your auxiliaries and you'll be set..

 
#7 ·
Well I've settled ( I think ) on a EL engine (with dizzy) thats done 110,000 out
of a rollover, the whole job is a bit more expensive but includes a better warranty
and the mechanic is a Ford enthusiast who has done quite a number of EL swaps
into EA's and EB's.

The whole changeover is quoted at $1370 and includes new hoses, flow test of the
radiator and so on.

I could have got an EL engine with only 88,000 on the clock, (from another firm ) for $750 but I would have had to find someone else to do the work and then who carries the warranty?

But thats still better than the quotes for doing up the 3.9 which started at $900
for just rings and bearings through to $3500 for a changeover long recon.

Regards
Prof. Rabbit

tibbo said:
yes it means it is an EF engine... in that case you need to remove the "crank angle pointer" hehe and fit a distributor, remove the coil pack and use a standard coil

You could probably sell the EF coilpack and BBM on the forums to recoupe a few bucks
 
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