*Updated & only kinda shitty now!* The definitive 5.0/302 swap guide

[grant_jr]

Just grabbed the block with the crank, pistons and rods, buying new heads (trick flo or pro comp). Drove for 2 hours, paid $120. I will start a thread when i get some kind of progress going.

[jalopi]

i hear trick flows are good, but that afr's are the shit. sbf tech should be a good source of info for head debates.

[grant_jr]

Yeah I heard the same but they are super pricey(for good reason of course). I am planning on backing up the heads with a cam to hopefully reach my power goals.

[e30_302]

Be careful on the Pro Comp heads....

[jalopi]

now that I think about it... isn't pro comp some sort of crap ebay brand? I've heard of people having to do machine work out of the box or something.. if they're the $6-700 pair of heads then they're the ones I'm thinking of.

[e30_302]

ProComp = ebay China heads. Hit or miss. There is an aluminum GT40 replica head on ebay that is made in Australia that's apparently ok.

[aaron.j]

If you get the pro comps bare and assemble them with good parts they are a decent enough head. Afr 165 will limit you if you ever go bigger than a 302. Trick flow fast as cast are the ones to have for a stock bottom end with future upgrades in mind. Edelbrock e streets are good too.

[grant_jr]

yeah i noticed i couldn't find them any where else but ebay so going with a set of trick flows from summit

[brahbarian]

good tips here. im very interested in doing a 5.0 swap.
around how much you folks got into this swap?
i know itll depend a lot on what ill be doing.

[jalopi]

Here's my basic parts list for a respectable carb'd setup

I'll add this to the first post soon:

1. Block (got mine for) - $300

2. Heads - $1200+ (mine were 1200)

3. Rockers, pushrods - $400

4. Cam - $250

5. Tranny - $400-1200 (bought a rebuilt one. Didn't have a press at the time)

6. Clutch - $350 (for one that will hold up to your power levels)

7. Carb, filter, intake - $500

8. Driveshaft - $300

9. 3G alternator +wiring - $200

10. Adequate radiator - $200-300 (I got the mishimoto z3 rad, not enough clearance imo)

11. Oil pan modification - $80 (although this was done through the shop I used to work for. Not sure how much it would cost to have it modified walking in off the street)

12. HP/HF oil pump - $100 (I think. Milodon was the one I went with. price includes hardened driveshaft, which is recommended for a high pressure, high flow pump)

13. Gauges - $150-600 (this is what can get surprisingly expensive really fast. I bought electrical gauges [which I recommend... hot fluids in the passenger compartment suck] and the fancy ultralites at that too)



All those numbers (for what I bought and recommend) add up to $5780. There's some little stuff I'm missing, like rings, bearings, gasket set, ect so we'll say $6k for now. Just bought a chopsaw and I'm ordering some pipe from summit so I can make a real exhaust. Hopefully I'll spend less than $500 on the exhaust (yes, it could be done for much less, but I want a quiet muffler and an electric cutout so that really adds to the cost)

[e30_302]

You could do a stock 5.0 swap for $1,000 if you've got a well stocked junkyard you can go to and can do the fabrication stuff yourself. In the race car I'm probably at about $2,000 for the swap components and accessories, but we got the engine from a JY for $250 and I got a T-5Z trans, clutch/plate, bellhousing, flywheel for $600.

[jalopi]

I can't figure out why people go through the trouble and inconveniences of having a v8 e30 for 200-220whp... and that's with a fuel injected h.o. running good.

[e30_302]

300#'s of torque to go along with that 225 HP rating. Calculating horsepower is a function of RPM....and those engine's don't rev. A stock 5.0L would be plenty rewarding, I think, until you could afford some upgrades.

[eurotrash]

This swap cant be done properly with 1k. Realisticly even fabbing everything yourself your looking $2000. That will get you engine/tranny/driveline/clutch/pedal/odds and ends/mounts/pan. Thats assuming your dumping the exhaust and not routing it back. You can cut costs and pick stuff up for cheaper here and there but id say for a well sorted setup that isnt hacked together your looking at closer to 4k and thats a stock setup. You'll be spending $1000 on the pedal/slave/pedal box/mc setup alone to do it the right way. Figure $1000 on exhaust for headers and a not hackjob custom. (Thats assuming you dont have the know how to build your own . 95% dont) engine and tranny will realisticly be 500-1000 for a stock/mild built setup.
You've got another $500-1000 in random parts(mounts/pan/filter relocation or cooler, gauges, accesory mount stuff (assuming your at least yarding the ac)
500-1000 in cooling componants( rad /fan /switch setups)

Biggest costs that will sneak up on you are exhausts and pedal stuff. I live im bumfuck wa and still got stopped and warned for my dumps. You will need an exhaust of some sort. You can hack together a wilwood pedal setup and even make the booster delete yourself but its gonna be a hodgepodge of shit that will either fail on you or just look hacked together.

[e30_302]

$1,000 for pedal, MC, etc? What all are you using?

Here's what I've done:

Massive booster delete: $175
Master Cylinder: $75
T5 Hydro conversion: $165
Clutch line: $40
Throttle Pedal + Cable: $100

=$515

So yeah, $1,000 is probably unrealistic. I guess I'm in denial on how much I've spent and don't like to think about it too hard.