We all knew that when Ford released the 2011 Mustang with the revised 412-horsepower 5-liter, it was going to be a popular engine swap.  The engine was released to the public through Ford Racing about six months ago and we have seen it in a few Mustangs, though in a lot of street rod-type builds

When talking with an old friend Taylor Mahoney that works at Tampa, Florida based  S&R Performance, he mentioned a project that I might be interested in covering.  A customer had dropped off a water-logged, high mileage 2001 Bullitt and a fresh 5.0 crate engine to be swapped in place of the tired SOHC four-six.  The Bullitt Mustang from the New-Edge era came with a slightly enhanced, though still anemic by today’s standards, 265 horsepower 4.6-liter.  This was only five horsepower more than a standard 2001 Mustang, though it featured a flatter torque curve with three more pound feet of torque over the stock peak numbers.

The up-side to the Bullitt Mustangs was more about the improved suspension and braking.  It was lowered by 0.75 inch, featuring Tokico struts and dampers that were re-valved, thicker rear and thinner front anti-roll bars, as well as a front body brace. Brakes came with 13.0-inch front discs from the SVT Cobra in place of the GT’s 11.0-inch-diameter discs, as well as Cobra calipers.

The Bullitt ended up in some deep water during a typical Florida rain storm and hydro-locked the motor.  “I poured about a gallon of water out of the stock intake manifold when I pulled it off the car,” Taylor chuckled.  The owner of the Bullitt got a nice check from the insurance company, which funded the Ford Racing crate engine and wiring harness kit.

The fabricated oil pan is half of the 4.6 pan and half the new 5.0

The biggest hurdle on the install was the oil pan.  Rumor was that the 4.6 oil pan will bolt to the 5.0 engine, and in this circumstance, it does not.  The 4.6 pan is nearly identical until it meets the front cover, then things drastically different.  To fit in on the tubular K-member, Taylor fabricated an oil pan that utilized the front half of the 4.6 pan welded to the back half of the 5.0 pan, re-using the stock 5.0 pick up.  The stock engine mounts bolted right to the 5.0 block and the engine was in place, though the stock headers are too wide and set of long tubes will be fabricated at S&R Performance.

From a wiring perspective, Taylor mentioned the install was pretty easy.  The factory wiring that installs in the passenger side fender can mostly be eliminated.  The only wires that needed to be relocated was the ABS and headlight wiring. A panel was fabricated in the original spot to hold the new 5.0 ECU.

All the electronics sit in the passenger fender where the old plugs resided

Another problem is getting the stock power steering to work.  The new 5.0 does not use a conventional fluid-type power steering system and the factory New Edge Mustang requires a fluid-type rack, not only for power steering, but also for power brakes.  Initial plans is to use a relocated, reverse-mount alternator and mount the power steering pump where the 5.0 alternator normally sits.  We will keep you updated on the status of the project and especially what S&R figures out for the power steering side of the project!