1993 5.0 Smog Legal Truck Engine Build Advice Needed

[410bruce]

Hey guys! Recently picked up a '93 F-150 4x4 that needs an engine. The previous owner lost an oil pump and it started knocking so he parked it.
My question to you guys is, what can I do to this engine to get the most torque and horsepower without messing up smog legality? This thing has to pass smog here in California.
Since it's obviously going to need internal parts, would a 347 stroker kit work with the factory EFI?

This truck will be a daily driver so I don't want to get crazy with spending a bunch on it, just want a little more oomph than what a stock 5.0 puts out.
Won't be the end of the world though if I have to build it to factory specs. In the end, reliability and smog legality are the most important factors.

Thanks.

[My427stang]

The first thing I would do is look and see if it has the dual radiator hose intake hoses from the TB, if it does, split it at the first set of clamps and see if it has the trumpets in place, many of them had a set of noise tubes that barely were bigger than your thumb in ID.  Hack the ends off with a hacksaw and put the hoses back on

As far as the engine, I run that ECM with a 489 inch Mustang, you can go as mild or wild as you want, but we have had some success just going for additional torque in the past with a 331. 

Massachusetts used CA emissions limits and we had to meet them, using a 331, zero deck and a smog legal cam on a 91 back in the early 90s, we just did a plug and play with the short block and gained noticeable torque.  Like anything else, the details of the build make the power.  The injectors do have a little buffer, especially if you add an aftermarket regulator to increase pressure, but you can't go wild.

If you wanted to play, I would do a zero deck 331 or 347, probably 347, smog legal headers and adjustable fuel pressure regulator, pick a smog legal cam to match the RPM range you want to run and compression to match cam and fuel.  With heads, an intake and tuning, it would be a monster, but the tuning usually consists of an aggressive recurve which often can turn the emissions tests upside down

If you weren't as gutsy, I would do a good quality rebuild, .030 over with a modern ring pack, zero deck build 5.0 with as much compression as I could to match the cam specs, and then a good valve job with some bowl work and smog legal headers and a good exhaust. 

[410bruce]

Thank you, Ross. Always appreciate your input. 

[Joe-JDC]

E-303 camshaft, AFR 165 emission heads, RPM II intake manifold, 70mm throttle body, 24# injectors, JBA shorty headers, shortblock depends on what you want to spend.  A good stroker kit is cheap in today's market with quality parts(SCAT).  Joe-JDC

[410bruce]

E-303 camshaft, AFR 165 emission heads, RPM II intake manifold, 70mm throttle body, 24# injectors, JBA shorty headers, shortblock depends on what you want to spend.  A good stroker kit is cheap in today's market with quality parts(SCAT).  Joe-JDC

Joe, that sounds like a great build for a Fox body Mustang with  a Mass Airflow system but a bit much for my heavy F-150 4x4 with Speed Density. 
Thanks for the input. 

[Tommy-T]

Leave it alone.

Put it back the way you found it.

Because a part might be CARB legal does not mean your truck will pass smog after you install it. Hi performance air intake systems are a perfect example.

I've been at the "fixing" end of getting modified vehicles to pass California emission testing for years. Just don't.

[pbf777]

Hey guys! Recently picked up a '93 F-150 4x4 that needs an engine.
My question to you guys is, what can I do to this engine to get the most torque and horsepower without messing up smog legality? This thing has to pass smog here in California.
Thanks.

     I'll start with the fact that our shop is in Florida not California, and I don't do "Smog" builds, but a few of our projects have ended up in such environments and have "gotten' away with it".

     In the instances were a customer had the need for an engine in a E.F.I. 5.0 truck, but also wanted better performance, and compatibility with the current speed-density system our formula has been:

     Switch the production type 5.0 vehicle to a 5.8; the cost to rebuild either is approximately the same, but one will need the latter flywheel/flex-plate & damper, in my experience the major accessory brackets have been dual bolt pattern for either; a 5.8 truck intake, throttle-body etc. and headers/manifolds; there is some diddling around with the engine harness depending on which style of the original one has versus the change in position of some plug-ins; just ignore the lack of a knock-sensor on the 5.8; the 5.8 induction tubes/hoses and filter, and .............  In other words, put it together as a 5.8 option truck, if done properly it''ll pass emissions and be reliable.           

     If there is some latitude from emissions concerns for more performance, we have used after-market intake & throttle-body, headers with dual exhaust (with cats ?, and only one O2 sensor!), have used T.O. O.E.M. 5.0 H.O. hydraulic roller cams (with 5.8 roller blocks) with 1.7 ratio roller rockers & after-market aluminum cylinder heads (not to big!) and still proved compatible with the "speed-density" system and passed emissions so far every where they have gone (apparently there is some latitude in the testing parameters vs. the O.E.'s original requirements, but........).               

     Scott.

     

[410bruce]

TommyT--I'll take that into consideration. Thank you. 

Scott--Ironically, or not, I recently sold a complete 1994 5.8 4x4 truck engine with all accessories, fuel plumbing, and complete wiring harness--with ECM--everything I would have needed for the swap. lol.
More cubic inches is always good but I'm going to stay with the 5.0 engine. Thanks for the input. 

[Joe-JDC]

I did all that to my '92 5.8 EFI F-150, and it got better fuel mileage, towed better, and still was smog legal.  The only regret I had was not being able to use a hydraulic roller camshaft in my engine.  All those modifications I mentioned are smog legal on 28 years old vehicle.  Back in the day, I helped convert Broncos to 5.8 EFI, and Mass Air.  Pre-Ligntning.  Very strong builds, and great reliability with a Windsor.  Joe-JDC

[pbf777]

Scott--Ironically, or not, I recently sold a complete 1994 5.8 4x4 truck engine with all accessories, fuel plumbing, and complete wiring harness--with ECM--everything I would have needed for the swap. lol.

   Ops, "could've-had-a-V8".........I mean a 5.8!         

   Scott.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Is a Vortech supercharger smog legal?  Build a nice stock 302 and bolt it on.  Power when you need it, economy when you don't.

I've never had to deal with smog testing, but I put a Vortech on my new 96 F350 460.  WOW, was that a blast to drive.  Really miss that truck.   It ran 15.8's in the 1/4 and that was knocking on the door of the Lightning back then.  Only problem was the E4OD was not happy and you couldn't do much with them back then as for a shift kit.  Motor was stock, stock manifolds but a big turbo muffler out back.  I ended up trading it for a new Superduty when they came out in '99(actually early 98).

I poked around Ebay and I can get a Vortech kit for my '95 F150.  Getting pretty pricey and just don't have the funds to throw at it, but it surely would add the fun factory to the daily driver.

[RustyCrankshaft]

E-303 camshaft, AFR 165 emission heads, RPM II intake manifold, 70mm throttle body, 24# injectors, JBA shorty headers, shortblock depends on what you want to spend.  A good stroker kit is cheap in today's market with quality parts(SCAT).  Joe-JDC

Joe, that sounds like a great build for a Fox body Mustang with  a Mass Airflow system but a bit much for my heavy F-150 4x4 with Speed Density. 
Thanks for the input. 

That's a really good build for a truck, with the exception of different heads have run a very similar combo in several F150's. Last one had mildly ported GT40's, only because I had a wrecked Exploder to steal them off of, the AFR's would be better if you want to spend the money.

Mass Air is an easy swap with factory parts. PCM can be had for about 75-150 off FleaBay and it takes about an hour to modify the injector harness. Lots of people even have a canned tune that would be close enough to get that combo to pass smog. At least it would pass in Washington.