Mustang 3.5L Ecoboost engine swap
10/15/15, 08:33 AM
#401
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
10/15/15, 08:43 AM
#402
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
I used the measurements I found on eBay and checked the car just now. The mounting points for the IRS do land on the existing frame rails as suspected. This could make it much easier to make the mounts, gives me something solid to weld to.
What makes this a deal killer is if the IRS needs to be further in to the body to get the correct mounting height. To clarify if I have to cut out a rail to get the mount in the correct location that of course would compromise the cars strength and I wouldn't do that.
What I do see immediately is that the area where the springs are mounted to the body will have to be cut out for the IRS to fit. Not concerned about that at this time.
What makes this a deal killer is if the IRS needs to be further in to the body to get the correct mounting height. To clarify if I have to cut out a rail to get the mount in the correct location that of course would compromise the cars strength and I wouldn't do that.
What I do see immediately is that the area where the springs are mounted to the body will have to be cut out for the IRS to fit. Not concerned about that at this time.
10/15/15, 09:12 AM
#403
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
The big "issue" is the mounting points. All of them will have to be tied into something "solid". You will basically have to build a "subframe" into the car using tubing. And then sheet metal it in.
Swapping an IRS in is a long climb for a short slide. Unless you're looking at breaking some lap records at the road race track there is no performance advantage. In fact there is a performance penalty. It weighs more and there is more driveline loss with an IRS. And they aren't as strong as the 8.8. Hell, you will spend $1200-1600 on half shafts running the IRS. You will break the stock ones.
If you're looking just to do it because it's cool have at it. I can appreciate that. But it's not a good move as far as performance or expense goes. My $.02.
Swapping an IRS in is a long climb for a short slide. Unless you're looking at breaking some lap records at the road race track there is no performance advantage. In fact there is a performance penalty. It weighs more and there is more driveline loss with an IRS. And they aren't as strong as the 8.8. Hell, you will spend $1200-1600 on half shafts running the IRS. You will break the stock ones.
If you're looking just to do it because it's cool have at it. I can appreciate that. But it's not a good move as far as performance or expense goes. My $.02.
I thought about this for days, I was torn on what to do with my project car. I decided that I would not make it a car for the road track, instead I would make it a drag car. This was because I knew my car would cost $5k more for suspension and I wouldn't be able to compete with the newer cars at the road track. I thought even more about it. I didn't want it to be just a drag car, thats what gave me the idea to put the IRS in my mustang and maybe recreate part of the driving experience I had with the 2015 mustang. It won't break my heart of it can't happen, it's just an idea.
10/15/15, 09:44 AM
#404
Legacy TMS Member
It would be nice. There's a couple reasons I'd want the IRS in my car (for the record I had an 03 Cobra IRS swapped 03 GT before my 14 GT).
A) roads here are terrible and pretty much every turn I encounter on my drives around here includes a mid corner bump that upsets the SRA. It may not slow me down at all, but I hate that buckling feeling. The IRS would help significantly with this "problem."
B) I have an Air Lift kit waiting to go on, and I'm in the midst of (most likely) changing up my wheel setup for the 4th time on this car, even though I love the look of my current wheels - they're already rubbing on the fender with my H&R Supersport springs. The bags would let me drive at a higher ride height, but then when I air out, I'd be sitting on the tire and wouldn't be able to tuck, thus negative a lot of that "hard parked" slammed look, and I'm sure that will not be good for the fenders/paint. The IRS would allow me some negative camber to get rid of the rubbing and allow me to keep my wheels, but tuck them into the fenders.
One thing you should consider though, is that the Ford engineers were going to keep the front end geometry the same as the S197 - that is, until they put the IRS on and the front end couldn't keep up. So "simply" bolting an S550 IRS onto an S197 may (most likely) upset the balance of the car, necessitating more front end mods (possibly SLA conversion, amongst other things).
A) roads here are terrible and pretty much every turn I encounter on my drives around here includes a mid corner bump that upsets the SRA. It may not slow me down at all, but I hate that buckling feeling. The IRS would help significantly with this "problem."
B) I have an Air Lift kit waiting to go on, and I'm in the midst of (most likely) changing up my wheel setup for the 4th time on this car, even though I love the look of my current wheels - they're already rubbing on the fender with my H&R Supersport springs. The bags would let me drive at a higher ride height, but then when I air out, I'd be sitting on the tire and wouldn't be able to tuck, thus negative a lot of that "hard parked" slammed look, and I'm sure that will not be good for the fenders/paint. The IRS would allow me some negative camber to get rid of the rubbing and allow me to keep my wheels, but tuck them into the fenders.
One thing you should consider though, is that the Ford engineers were going to keep the front end geometry the same as the S197 - that is, until they put the IRS on and the front end couldn't keep up. So "simply" bolting an S550 IRS onto an S197 may (most likely) upset the balance of the car, necessitating more front end mods (possibly SLA conversion, amongst other things).
10/15/15, 03:00 PM
#405
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
One thing you should consider though, is that the Ford engineers were going to keep the front end geometry the same as the S197 - that is, until they put the IRS on and the front end couldn't keep up. So "simply" bolting an S550 IRS onto an S197 may (most likely) upset the balance of the car, necessitating more front end mods (possibly SLA conversion, amongst other things).
That's cool you are putting air bags on your car, that's becoming more popular for sports cars. Gas monkey garage put airbags on a 2005 ford gt and it looked amazing.
10/16/15, 09:29 AM
#406
Cobra Member
It would be nice. There's a couple reasons I'd want the IRS in my car (for the record I had an 03 Cobra IRS swapped 03 GT before my 14 GT).
A) roads here are terrible and pretty much every turn I encounter on my drives around here includes a mid corner bump that upsets the SRA. It may not slow me down at all, but I hate that buckling feeling. The IRS would help significantly with this "problem."
B) I have an Air Lift kit waiting to go on, and I'm in the midst of (most likely) changing up my wheel setup for the 4th time on this car, even though I love the look of my current wheels - they're already rubbing on the fender with my H&R Supersport springs. The bags would let me drive at a higher ride height, but then when I air out, I'd be sitting on the tire and wouldn't be able to tuck, thus negative a lot of that "hard parked" slammed look, and I'm sure that will not be good for the fenders/paint. The IRS would allow me some negative camber to get rid of the rubbing and allow me to keep my wheels, but tuck them into the fenders.
One thing you should consider though, is that the Ford engineers were going to keep the front end geometry the same as the S197 - that is, until they put the IRS on and the front end couldn't keep up. So "simply" bolting an S550 IRS onto an S197 may (most likely) upset the balance of the car, necessitating more front end mods (possibly SLA conversion, amongst other things).
A) roads here are terrible and pretty much every turn I encounter on my drives around here includes a mid corner bump that upsets the SRA. It may not slow me down at all, but I hate that buckling feeling. The IRS would help significantly with this "problem."
B) I have an Air Lift kit waiting to go on, and I'm in the midst of (most likely) changing up my wheel setup for the 4th time on this car, even though I love the look of my current wheels - they're already rubbing on the fender with my H&R Supersport springs. The bags would let me drive at a higher ride height, but then when I air out, I'd be sitting on the tire and wouldn't be able to tuck, thus negative a lot of that "hard parked" slammed look, and I'm sure that will not be good for the fenders/paint. The IRS would allow me some negative camber to get rid of the rubbing and allow me to keep my wheels, but tuck them into the fenders.
One thing you should consider though, is that the Ford engineers were going to keep the front end geometry the same as the S197 - that is, until they put the IRS on and the front end couldn't keep up. So "simply" bolting an S550 IRS onto an S197 may (most likely) upset the balance of the car, necessitating more front end mods (possibly SLA conversion, amongst other things).
With the ability of being able to control ride height and adapt to road conditions, is key for me. I know I don't always want to drive around with a slammed ride of 1.5" drop or lower, like I used to.
I'm trying to convince Patrick to just use his stock wheels and get them powdercoated, he doesn't want to hear any part of it lol!
You could just go with an air ride, it'll only help you promote that "sleeper" look you're going for. keep that baby nice and high when you want to punk some kid at the drag strip haha!
It's not that much more when you consider what a descent lowering kit costs anyway.
10/17/15, 09:01 PM
#413
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
And the heat exchanger with air scoop. I'll fill the rearend with oil once I get a few clips that hold on the oil lines to the oil pump and diff cover. I didn't get them with the lines.
10/17/15, 09:05 PM
#414
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
This is what the rear diff oil pump looks like. I haven't bolted it in yet, I'll do that tomorrow. This pump sits above the rear axle and attaches to the trunk floor.
I'll still need to figure out how to wire it to the temp sensor and make it work properly.
I'll still need to figure out how to wire it to the temp sensor and make it work properly.
10/17/15, 09:13 PM
#417
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
I also should mention that the windshield wiper motor from the f150 bolts directly in to the mustang. The plug was different for the f150 harness and the mustang electric motor, it also had several more wires than the f150 plug. The f150 electric motor was an easy fix.
10/18/15, 05:32 AM
#418
Cobra Member
would like to know more about your rear dif. cooling system.
1) why did you mount the heat exchanger in that location. I would think it would be mounted in front of the rad.
2) what pump set up for the rear cooling are you using. I have never seen that before. I really like the bent steel lines comming off of the dif. cover. You have a very clean install.
Most important is...Thank You for sharing your build with guys like me. Us old guys live our car building dreams thru you. My building was in the 80's working on the late 60's and 70 cars. Just cant do it anymore. But the bug is still inside me. However, I've been left behind with the new cars and by following your thread and others, its like being home schooled!
Any idea when you be able to fire her up and take a test drive? Please post a video of that day.
1) why did you mount the heat exchanger in that location. I would think it would be mounted in front of the rad.
2) what pump set up for the rear cooling are you using. I have never seen that before. I really like the bent steel lines comming off of the dif. cover. You have a very clean install.
Most important is...Thank You for sharing your build with guys like me. Us old guys live our car building dreams thru you. My building was in the 80's working on the late 60's and 70 cars. Just cant do it anymore. But the bug is still inside me. However, I've been left behind with the new cars and by following your thread and others, its like being home schooled!
Any idea when you be able to fire her up and take a test drive? Please post a video of that day.
10/18/15, 08:04 AM
#419
Cobra Member
Thread Starter
would like to know more about your rear dif. cooling system.
1) why did you mount the heat exchanger in that location. I would think it would be mounted in front of the rad.
2) what pump set up for the rear cooling are you using. I have never seen that before. I really like the bent steel lines comming off of the dif. cover. You have a very clean install.
Most important is...Thank You for sharing your build with guys like me. Us old guys live our car building dreams thru you. My building was in the 80's working on the late 60's and 70 cars. Just cant do it anymore. But the bug is still inside me. However, I've been left behind with the new cars and by following your thread and others, its like being home schooled!
Any idea when you be able to fire her up and take a test drive? Please post a video of that day.
1) why did you mount the heat exchanger in that location. I would think it would be mounted in front of the rad.
2) what pump set up for the rear cooling are you using. I have never seen that before. I really like the bent steel lines comming off of the dif. cover. You have a very clean install.
Most important is...Thank You for sharing your build with guys like me. Us old guys live our car building dreams thru you. My building was in the 80's working on the late 60's and 70 cars. Just cant do it anymore. But the bug is still inside me. However, I've been left behind with the new cars and by following your thread and others, its like being home schooled!
Any idea when you be able to fire her up and take a test drive? Please post a video of that day.
I was lucky and paid $300 for everything barely used (220 miles) but new from ford this setup is around $2k.
Building a car is something I live for and I wish everyone got to enjoy it. I wasn't able to work on anything for probably a decade and life just wasn't the same. I didn't have the money or the time to do anything but work at my company, I feel very lucky that I'm able to tinker on things now. I hope that I can do my part to inspire people to try doing mods to their car that don't just bolt on! Thanks for subscribing, this is the friendliest thread I've seen
