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Topic: HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0 (Read 5147 times) previous topic - next topic

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

I don't know if this has been done before, I found this purely on my own kind of by accident.

On 5.0 SEFI cars the fuel lines come off the frame rail on the passenger side in front of the tire.  On 87 88 TC's ( and other years i'm sure) the hard lines end under the steering shaft on the driver side in the area of the booster.  Complete opposite sides of the engine bay.  Now what do you do if you can't find a suitable donor car for v8 lines?  While checking out a vehicle at the junkyard for parts on another project I found this.

Enter a 5.0 truck/van fuel rail.  The truck fuel lines come up under the booster, the same spot as a TC.  The hard lines are the same fittings as well. 

Here is the fuel rail on my 5.0.  Notice the lack of entry point.



Here is the entry point.  On the backside of the engine on the driver side.



This rail places the FPR under the intake kind of tight but this wont be an issue, I'll explain in a minute.



Here is the issue.  The passenger side rail is double stacked.  The car rail isn't like this.  The truck intake is high enough to clear but the car intake is not.  the bottom of the intake hits the rail.  Solution...  1/2" intake spacer, a good thing either way.  So with this spacer it will give the room the FPR needs. 



The schrader valve is in kind of a better spot.  With the required intake spacer and probably a 45 or 90 degree elbow the gauge would be in a good viewing spot. 



Another bonus, the stock lines that connect the fuel rail the hard lines on the rail are braided stainless.  These lines connect right up to the TC hard lines.  :hick:



There you have it, an easy way to deal with a hurdle presented when swapping the half motor.  :D  Now get to it!
One 88

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #1
im lost a little bit because im not sure if your saying these are the fuel lines you want for a 2.3 or what.

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #2
what is that fuel rail off of an explorer? or an 80's crown vic / grand marquis? just about all but not all of them.. the fuel rails for a 5.0 from the 80's had the regulator and the fuel lines on passenger side
Quote
there's only about a half a dozen man made objects that are herd by the human ear below 40Hz,a pipe organ,thunder,the space shuttle lifting off,a jet airplane taking off or landing,a large canon,an atomic bomb ignited in your back yard and the heat wave afterward oh wait you would be dead so you would'nt hear it scratch that!,and maybe beating your hear against a wall less then 40 times a second..rap music is'nt one of them!thats 40-60Hz@100+db the moving air is under 40Hz

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #3
That is the truck fuel rail mocked up on my 5.0 HO.  Its a 94 E-150 rail, notice the two bolt regulator.  This is my solution to the fuel line delima when swapping a 5.0 into a TC. 

I have an 88 TC and a 5.0 HO and a truck fuel rail to make it work.

You guys didn't read the whole thing did you?  The answers to both your questions are in there......
One 88

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #4
Yes they are...

Or you could flip the intake around like on the trucks or crown vics... Or so I thought... I think I mentioned that in a thread or two, but I never had a way to verify it. I think it would be cool to have an intake flipped around on the other side.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #5
Good info... I used a '87 5.0 Bird pressure line and a modified(shortened) return line...

Quote from: Haystack;166142
Yes they are...

Or you could flip the intake around like on the trucks or crown vics... Or so I thought... I think I mentioned that in a thread or two, but I never had a way to verify it. I think it would be cool to have an intake flipped around on the other side.


With the correct fuel rails it's easy enough to flip, just have to have proper throttle cable and a TB to match the hookup... No the std TB cannot be used without modifying the arm... This is mainly why you don't see many flipped, as most(if not all) aftermarket TBs are for passenger side use... Except for the '93-'95 Lightning 65mm unit, all the factory driver side TBs suck...

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #6
Quote from: CougarSE;166141


I have an 88 TC and a 5.0 HO and a truck fuel rail to make it work.

You guys didn't read the whole thing did you?  The answers to both your questions are in there......


oh i read it ,, a couple times.

Your last statement helped "getting it to take though":D

in a one liner,,,,,,

When swapping 2.3 to a 5.0HO, use the 94 Truck or van engine fuel rail so your existing chassis fuel lines are compatable with fittings on the driver side.


really good info and pic.  this is a "save as":D

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #7
good info
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #8
The years of fuel rails are two bolt and three bolt FPR respective to mustang rails.  Now one thing to watch out for the three bolt rails have the fuel return coming out of the regulator at a 90 degree angle instead of the 45 my rail has.
One 88

 

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #9
Great tech !!! That'll come in handy for those who figure out a V-8 really IS better than a 4 banger (just kidding you turbo 4 lovers......just kidding).LOL
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #10
As I'm tackling this project I'm looking for ways to make swapping a 5.0 into a TC cake.  I've got a few other things that I haven't revealed yet ;)  I wasn't going to mention this but the board has been pretty dry in the tech department so I thought I would throw it a bone.
One 88

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #11
Quote from: CougarSE;166186
As I'm tackling this project I'm looking for ways to make swapping a 5.0 into a TC cake.  I've got a few other things that I haven't revealed yet ;)  I wasn't going to mention this but the board has been pretty dry in the tech department so I thought I would throw it a bone.

While I'm sure there are some shortcuts, I for one doubt it could ever considered "cake"... Too many wiring changes to ever make this a simple swap... I went to lengths to try to make mine as "factory" as possible... Local race car builder(hard core Ford man) looked at it and said he'd never know it wasn't factory...

Tom

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #12
Oh wiring is cake! :)
One 88

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #13
Quote from: CougarSE;166254
Oh wiring is cake! :)

For you, me and a few others, but it's mostly a nightmare for those who don't understand sparktricity...  :hick:

I ran KOEO codes on my system before I ever installed the engine, had all the sensors hooked up laying on a box in the engine compartment... Had a fuel pump (was disconnected), and tranny selector(had none) codes...

HOW to use TC fuel lines when going 5.0

Reply #14
i vote for a sticky asap!

im gonna put this in my DIY link if you dont mind.