[mao66]

I have a chance to buy an '88 town car with 5.0 for $500. Do these cars have the forged pistons like the mustang? I do know they have smaller injectors and smaller intake runners. Is the computer different from the mustang. Does this type of engine have the MAF system? I was planning to buy the car for engine and trans. then junk the body and try to buy the top end off an explorer so mainly I was interested in the short block. Thanks for any information. PS it is going into a '66 fairlane.

 

[thekingofazle]

I beleive that the '88 Town car is a SpeedDensity setup, and they are only setup to put out around 185HP. As far as I know that EFI setup is useless if you want to make any power.

I doubt the pistons are forged (are more likely cast, or possibly hypereutectic, but I could be wrong)

The short block should be able to handle decent power (up to 300HP) as long as (as is with any engine) detonation is kept in check. You won't be able to run power adders with those pistons, but the shortblock isn't junk.

Any other opinions out there?

 

[fastEd]

They were about 150 hp. Cast pistons, same rods and crank as HO. Lo-perf roller cam, crappy E6SE heads, smaller upper intake and throttle body. If you're only going to use the short, and replace the pistons anyway, it really doesn't matter.

cheers
Ed N.

 

[mao66]

What about a '90 model year? Sleaze-bay has one in Ft. Worth for $275 I think. I'm mainly thinking about the harness, computer, front accesories, and the short block. Thanks for any other info.

 

[tonys10sec306]

it might be cheaper to just find a explorer engine

 

[mao66]

Yea thats what I was leaning toward(explorer long block). I read up on the subject at fordfuelinjection and they sell a stand alone harness for 5 bills. Thats also the dyno engine that hot rod magazine uses in their dyno test. Thanks for all the responses.

 

[dbu8554]

It all depends on what your planning on doing if your just looking to cruise honestly it should be fine with a topend swap a fairline is lighter then a towncar, but if your going to be going fast you can still do it just keep the bottom end and put on all the top end goodies but if your just going for a nice cruiser and not looking to go fast the stock setup will work and it is 185 HP same about of HP that came in 289's and 302's back then.

 

[mao66]

Thanks, but I already bought a '92 HO out of a cougar and a set of iron GT40's. The only thing about the heads is I not sure what vehicle the pair came out of. Might be an actual cobra or it might of came from an explorer. I got them from a core supply place over here in Ft. Worth. I gonna get them shaved down a little bit and them run them like that.