A Fox Body Coyote Swap on your Mustang can be a very difficult and stressful task. We at LMR provide all the info needed to make this process go smoothly.
Yes, you can Coyote swap your Fox Body Mustang. This is a very popular engine swap for the 1979-1993 Mustangs thanks all of the aftermarket components that are on the market now. In this guide, we will cover all of the major components you need to properly 5.0L Coyote swap your Mustang.
The Coyote engine has proven itself to be a nice combination of fuel efficiency and reliability while still putting out a lot of power. This great balance has landed this engine as one of the most popular engine swaps. In addition, the Fox Body is a very light vehicle coming in around 3,000 pounds which is much lighter than the Mustangs of today. This, in turn, will give Fox much more power gains. In conclusion, this led the Fox Body initially to come with a pushrod engine instead of the modular Coyote engine.
There have been multiple generations of the 5.0L Coyote Engine since it first made its way into the 2011 Mustang GT. Below are some of the basic specs that can be found in the first 3 generations. If you would like to read more about the history of this engine, please take a few minutes to watch the video and read more of the detailed specs here: 5.0L Coyote Evolution
Some of the major components you will need to purchase to complete a Coyote swap in your Fox Body Mustang are the following:
These are just the base-level parts you will need. Below we cover some of the more detailed parts you will need to complete your build. Many of these parts come down to your budget and how you intend to drive the vehicle. Things such as A/C systems can be deleted, and power brakes can be swapped out for manual brakes for Mustangs that will be more of a race car than a daily driven ride.
NOTE: Please keep in mind this is a general list of Coyote Fox Body Swap Parts. As with any engine swap, there will be a need to fabricate and source some components on your own; however, Late Model Restoration has an amazing selection of swap parts. To see the complete offering of these parts, click on the following link: 5.0L Coyote Swap Parts.
This section looks at the heart and soul of this swap. We will cover everything from selecting the engine to helping you locate all the engine-related swap parts you will need to install one of the 5.0L Coyote motors in your Foxbody Mustang. The first step will be determining what generation engine you want to swap into your car. Next will be selecting the correct control pack or engine control unit that matches the engine generation and transmission you want to run.
With the various Coyote engines available, your first order of business when Coyote swapping your Fox Mustang is to choose which engine you will swap. Earlier model Coyote engines will be the best choice if you do a budget-friendly Coyote swap, as the engines can be purchased used from reputable engine recycling companies. If you want the latest Coyote engine available, shop our latest selection of Coyote engines by clicking the button below!
The heart of getting your engine and transmission operating once you have swapped your chosen engine and transmission into your Fox body Mustang will be choosing the correct control pack. There are many different options for control packs based on the generation of the engine that you are running as well as what transmission you choose to run. Shop our available control packs and wiring harnesses below!
When it comes to the engine cooling system in your Coyote swapped Fox Body Mustang, you will want to use an upgraded Fox Body radiator. An electric fan conversion is necessary for the conversion as well. LMR recommends Contour fans as a great fitting fan that moves a high CFM. Shop all our Coyote swap cooling system parts below.
The Fox Mustang came with a return-style fuel system that most engine control packs require for your Coyote swap. Unfortunately, the stock fuel lines are small and will restrict flow on anything beyond a stock or lightly modified Coyote. At Late Model Restoration, we recommend upgrading the stock fuel system to something that will be up to the task of the fuel requirements of a Coyote swap.
Depending on the k-member you plan on running on your Coyote swap, some k-members will require specific oil pans for additional clearance. Also, oil pans are a great way to increase the oil capacity for racing applications.
A note for your swap, the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Coyote will have a traditional oil pan and pick-up tube. The Gen 3 Coyote integrated the pickup into the oil pan. You can also distinguish the oil pans by the material they are constructed. Gen 1 and Gen 2 will be constructed from stamped steel, whereas Gen 3 will have a plastic oil pan. The Gen 3 oil pump is specific to the pan and is not interchangeable with the Gen 1 and Gen 2.
If your Coyote does not have the alternator on your engine, we have a couple of options for replacement alternators. Different generations will have different amperage alternators. Throughout the generations, Ford has increased the amperage output of alternators to keep up with the increased accessories on the new Mustangs. The Ford original alternators will provide enough amperage for your Coyote swapped Fox Body with accessories like electric fans, radio upgrades, and other electronic accessories.
If you want to keep the air conditioning in your Mustang, Late Model Restoration has you covered. We have created air conditioner kits based on the accessory drive kits that you plan on running on your Coyote swap. Check out our kits below.
In this section, we will look at the needed parts to swap and install the correct transmission into your Coyote swap. There are a lot of corresponding parts that go along with this, so please follow along and check out the links below to see our complete line of transmission and drivetrain swap parts.
Once you have chosen your engine, the next choice will be selecting the transmission you will be connecting to your engine. You can choose from many options, depending on if you want a manual or automatic transmission. Please use the guide below for more information on the fitment of different transmissions and shop our current offerings of transmissions by clicking the button below.
The below transmissions will bolt onto the Coyote with their supplied bellhousing.
The below transmissions will require the appropriate bellhousings to be able to install on the Coyote block.
Once you have chosen your transmission, you will need to pick up cross-members that match the previous transmission you selected. The crossmember you choose will vary depending on the transmission you decide to run on your Coyote swap. To shop our current offerings of transmissions, click the button below.
Please Note: check all fitment notes on crossmembers for more information on additional products needed for proper installation.
Depending on your chosen transmission, you will need to purchase the correct flexplate or flywheel as the link between the transmission and the engine. These items connect the engine's crankshaft to the clutch (manual transmissions) or torque converter (automatic transmissions) to the transmission's input shaft.
The Coyote engine is equipped with an eight bolt crankshaft, which means you will need either an 8-bolt flywheel or an 8-bolt flexplate. If you are running a manual transmission, you will need to purchase a flywheel. If you are running an automatic transmission, you will need to purchase a flexplate.
Please Note: When shopping for clutches on your manual transmission, your will need to match your spline count on your transmission, flywheel clutch diameter, and horsepower rating needed.
Late Model Restoration carries options to ease the installation of your transmission Coyote swap. The driveshaft connects the transmission's output shaft to the rear axle assembly. The transmission you are planning to run on your Coyote swap will dictate which driveshaft you will need to use on your swap. There are some off-the-shelf options for the more popular transmission, but some will require custom driveshafts to be manufactured.
In this section, we will take a closer look at what k-member you need to properly swap a 5.0L Coyote motor into your Fox Body Mustang. We will also cover some other important modifications and components you will need to finish up your brakes and steering as well. You the links below to shop our full line of Coyote swap parts.
There are a couple of ways to get your Coyote engine mounted into your 1979-1993 Mustang. Usually, swapping in a tubular k-member is preferred to eliminate excess weight from the Mustang as well as help to hope up more room around the engine. This extra room around the engine will come in handy when installing exhaust or other items on the bottom side of the Coyote.
Another option is to swap a stock 1996-2004 Mustang k-member in place of the pushrod Fox k-member, but please note that many items like exhaust and oil pans are designed on aftermarket tubular k-members.
When Coyote swapping your 1979-1993 Mustang, the taller and wider heads on the Coyote engine will not allow you to reuse your factory vacuum-assisted brake booster equipped on the Fox Mustang. It will be necessary to convert your brakes to a hydroboost brake system or manual brake system to allow for the installation of any Coyote-based engine. If you plan on doing a hydroboost brake system swap, you will need to run a power steering pump setup. The hydroboost brake booster will require a power steering pump to provide the power assist on the brakes. Shop our Coyote swap technical articles, hydroboost, and manual brake components below.
Something that will go hand and hand with whether you want to run power steering on your Coyote swapped Fox Body is dependent on if you are running a hydroboost brake system. If you are running a hydroboost system, you will need to run a power steering pump to power the hydroboost system. If you are running a manual steering setup on your swap, you will not be required to run a power steering setup.
There will be a couple of options for a power steering setup on your Coyote swap, check our options below!
When swapping a Coyote into the Fox Body Mustang, something that will significantly improve the clearances around the engine and oil cooler will be changing the sway bar, and sway bar mounts to the 1994-2004 Mustang sway bar. The later model swap bar has the mounts further out, increasing the clearance around the motor. Late Model Restoration has designed a solution to change the mounts to the newer style mounts.
Another thing to remember is that when changing tubular k-members or coil overs, you will need additional parts like caster camber plates and bumper steer kits to get everything in alignment. Shop all our suspension components here!
Late Model Restoration constantly comes up with innovative solutions and stocking replacement and performance parts to help you complete your Coyote swap. There are many different parts and guides available to help you. Keep an eye on our ever-expanding category of parts for you, Fox Body Coyote Swap!
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