WILLSMAZDARX7

i'm looking to put in a carb v8 and i was wondering what would be considered a decent price for one either in a junk yard or private owner and is there a year better then another plz let me know

custom13B

Each brand of engine will have good years abd more desirable models. You need to decide on a make of engine and then offer more info,then I can help you easier.

LT-x7

^agreed
There is a huge range here, I've seen some old chevy carbed v8's change hands for free.

WILLSMAZDARX7

well guys i want to stay with ford i'm interested in 5.0 carbed but would it make a differance if i get one from a ford truck or car i found a 5.0 fuel injected engine very cheap could it be easily converted to carb? or would that be to complicated.

custom13B

The 5.0 is one of the easier engines to install in a first gen. I've seen these very cheap. I wouldnt try converting it to a carb because of cost with a special manifold and the carb itself. Why not just run fuel injection it isnt all that difficult? If you really want a carbed engine I would go with a chevy 350 for several reasons. First parts interchange many many years of interchangable parts. Second thier common and almost any mechanic can help you fix it if you get stuck. Third cost they can be had very reasonably. Fourth its a direct bolt in. At this point we really need to know what generation of RX-7 your converting.

WILLSMAZDARX7

sorry i didn't mention that it was a second gen 86 n/a , what is included with fuel injection ? i know i would need the cpu and the engine wiring harness but how would i go about wiring it to the rx system sorry guys for all the questions i just love the rx7 and i would rather beef it up with a v8 then go buy a mustang or a vette , i think the second gen looks better then both anyhow so plz feel free to through all your know how my way . thanks

custom13B

Well since you already have a fuel injected car the swap is a bit easier. You can re use your original fuel pump. The first thing you should do is buy a factory service manual for the RX-7 and one for the donor engine. You can get these cheap on disk from ebay. Its easiest to tackle issues one step at a time. Example first buy a good used engine and get it bolted in place...then proceed to wiring it. Theres really no point in going into detail on the wiring just yet. Check out grannysspeedshop.com lots of good detailed info there to read and learn. Read the installation directions then the wiring and youll understand better. Scour ebay and buy your FSM. Decide if your capeable of this or hire someone else to do it. Or as a last resort buy a car with a V8 already.....in Syracuse theres a second gen for sale with a chevy 350 for 6,000. Hope I helped,Shawn

Merc63

Actually, the 5.0 is just a 302, and those were available all the way back to '68, and had carbs up until '86 or so. So getting a cheap, carburated 302/5.o is easy. And connecting it to teh RX7 is very easy. A wire for the choke, a wire for the temp and oil pressure senders, a wire for the distributor and one for teh alternator.

Run a pressure regulator ($25) on the fuel line after a T with a connection back to the return, and you will supply all the fuel you need.

A carbed car is dirt easy and cheap to install. Now, whther you can legally get away with it emissions-wise in your area is the issue.

My carbed 302 powered '86 RX7:

Orr89rocz

an old 302 from a stang would be great! can find those old 5.0's for fairly cheap. get a nice fresh rebuilt crates from ford racing too. 345hp long blocks for about 3800bucks. just snag a 5.0 intake setup and ecm/wiring harness and have at it! should make a killer street motor

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

For 3800 bucks, you can get an LS1 AND a 6 speed transmission, and make more then 345 HP, plus you wouldn't have a Ford.

Nihilanthic

If I were you, Id either go with DS's advice, or get a working 302 and modify it yourself. 345 bhp can be had for a hell of a lot less than $3800 on a 302 H.O.

****, AFR 165's go for $1200 on ebay with everything but rocker arms, headers arent much, a higher rpm intake isnt that much... youd have moeny left over if you had $3800 to spend, including the car if you get a rex for a good price and did your own work.

Orr89rocz

true, but you dont have a new motor

anyone can find a junkyard setup and put heads/cam on it...but how long will it last? never know... for any serious motor building its best to start fresh.

3800 minus intake/ecm on a new motor isnt a bad price at all. i agree tho 345 is kinda weak.... but only a cam swap away from real damage! 400hp on a 302 is a good bit of power.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, but you're still talking about flywheel HP, not wheel HP.

You could pretty easily pick up a high mile LS1 and rebuild it and still stay under that price premium, and have an engine you can put another 100K miles on. Crate engines don't carry a warranty either, so...

Orr89rocz

depends on where you get it from but some do have warranties... 24 month 12,000 mile ones and etc.

but yeah an LS1 is the better motor... but not sure how much harder the swap is. if its not more challenging, then go for it.

you can have a complete t56 trans, all the linkage/pedals, and Ls1 with wiring for 3800 or less. i can get them from my local junkyard for 3400.

air intake and tune, with exhaust is up over 320whp.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Yup, and I'm not trying to be combative here. Most of those crate motor warranties are exceedingly specific though, I'm now aware of any that would allow you to put it in a Mazda without voiding it, as most require it to go in a specific car. There are likely some I'm not aware of, I recently got a memo letting me know I'm not omniscient, unfortunately.

And I agree on the LS1/T56, a 99/00 setup can be had for under 3K if you shop smart, with decent miles on it; that other 800 could go toward cam/valvetrain and a good tune, and make 375-400 RWHP on a dead stable platform.

FWIW, I'm not really against 302s, I have one for cheap/free locally I may rebuild and put in a vert or something just to play around with (or for the wife). Just not my weapon of choice for a high output type of vehicle.

KeloidJonesJr.

iTrader: (8)

haha RX-7's arent' muscle cars, but hf gl.

Nihilanthic

And v8s do not a 'muscle' car make. Reliable and powerful, they do, so I guess its not REALLY an rx7 anymore, right?

Orr89rocz

not to get into that arguement but mustangs and camaros are not muscle cars.. those are called pony cars... they are different. they are generaly smaller and more sporty/handling than those classified as muscle cars.

even tho some muscle cars and pony cars shared similar motors, its not the motor that makes the car. so adding a V8 to a non muscle car is perfectly fine.. cuz there are cars out there that are not muscle cars that have V8's

wingsfan

As Blake pointed out...read the fine print on that warranty. Most of the time it only applies if you are replacing OEM with OEM.

Orr89rocz

thats kinda funny, i never seen fine print on some crate motors before

i know OEM replacement motors might carry warrant for oem applications but that makes sense.. i'm just talkin plain crate motor for use in anything

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

I know, even those typically are restricted in use; at least any produced by the major OEMs. Typically a Ford crate engine (as in produced by Ford) will only carry a warranty in a vehicle certified by Ford to be able to accept the engine in a proper manner (i.e. allow use of correct manifolds etc.). I realize it sounds stupid, but is usually the case. Most of the engines produced that do not require these types of details, aren't warrantied (i.e. GMs 572 engines, no requirements on where you put them, no warranty beyond "it'll start the first time". It's hard to warranty an engine when you don't know what type of exhaust, ignition, etc. will be placed on it.

Most aftermarket (i.e. Lingenfelter, DSS [for you Ford guys], etc.) offer very little more then a startup warranty, and might (this is a key word) be willing to work with you if something obviously their fault fails very soon after. I'm not pulling this out of my posterior here, I did a lot of research looking into options and cost/benefit before I started my latest project direction.

Orr89rocz

sometimes is just best to have a local engine builder do it, as they can sometimes make better quality motors than crates and offer a warranty of somesort. my buddies big block 496 threw #7 rod bearing and gouged up teh inside pretty good. his machinist and builder are gonna fix it for him as it shouldnt have happened.