4.6 interceptor swap

I've been looking for an engine to swap with my oil spitting 1990 4.0. I recently got a 1996 Crown Victoria police interceptor, and the 4.6 is a great motor. I can pick up a couple more CVPI's for cheap, to use as a donor and spare parts, but I haven't had any luck finding out wether or not the swap is feasable.

Advanced adaptors was no help when I called them and I haven't found any related threads. If anyone has heard of someone doing the swap, or actually done it, I could use a little advice.

First thing I'd do is measure the width of the Ford engine.... I drive those cars at work and what I recall - they're pretty wide engines. The width you'd want to be sure to get is from left to right exhaust manifold collectors.

Then you need to look at transmission options - I doubt the Ford is a bolt up to the XJ trans. Then you're probably looking at having to get a t-case that works with the new trans because there's quite a few different spline count and size differences, etc.....

That's what I can think of so far.

If nothing else, the Crown Vics are good donors for rear disc brake swaps.

definatly going to take some fabrication. I'd the computer and wiring harness out of the car, buy a BW1356 transfer case and a 4wd output housing to convert the c4 to a 4wd transmission and mount mounts for all them. sounds easy, don't it?

Panthers65 said:

definatly going to take some fabrication. I'd the computer and wiring harness out of the car, buy a BW1356 transfer case and a 4wd output housing to convert the c4 to a 4wd transmission and mount mounts for all them. sounds easy, don't it?

Click to expand...

Sounds interesting got pictures or a website that this procedure is contained at?

Panthers65 said:

definatly going to take some fabrication. I'd the computer and wiring harness out of the car, buy a BW1356 transfer case and a 4wd output housing to convert the c4 to a 4wd transmission and mount mounts for all them. sounds easy, don't it?

Click to expand...

I doubt that is a c4 in that car. It is most likely a aod or aode.... The AOD was used behind the 5.0 b4 the 4.6 hit the market. The 4.6 was used in the 4x4 trucks though so that is the route I would take. Use a donor F150 tranny and tcase. Which is the BW case by the way.

.02 the 5.0 has more torque, is not as wide, has tons more aftermarket support, is less expensive and finicky (computer controls, emissions, wiring), and weighs less....

but you already have the 4.6 - I would trade it for a 5.0


Look on Corral.net and the Factory Five forums as the Mustang and Cobra kit car guys will be able to help a bit with wiring, what is important and isn't and how to get the 4.6 to talk nice to a computer controlled tranny or how to get it to work with one that doesn't talk to the computer.

Exhaust is going to be fun.

Check with Novak Adapters. They have a good "Knowledge Base" section on their website which may prove useful. I was planning on swapping a Ford 302 out of a late 70s Mach 1 into a 97 TJ when I became aware of the legalities. I was hoping to keep everything street legal but have been informed otherwise.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/ford_small_block_v8.htm

no website really, I did a 5.0 swap on a ranger a few years back and bought a book from advanced adapters. Lots of good info and their website has good ford info as well.

the Aod is basically an upgrade of the C4. Their output housings are very similar and a AOD 4x4 output unit will bolt on the back of an AOD 2wd the same way a c4 4x4 output unit will bolt on the back of a C4 2wd tranny. But you're right, the c4 was stopped before the 4.6 was used in the crown vics. Nice catch.