Might be buying an '86 5-spd. Many questions!

Probably a bad time to post, everyone's in Carlisle! But.....I'm looking at picking up an '86 5-speed. I'm more into the '87-'88's so this is new territory for me. I assume I need to run premium fuel in the '86 in it's stock form? It's rated at 155 hp, I'd like to convert it to the '87-'88's 195 hp. Here's what I think I'd have to do, and accompanying questions..............

LA3 - will it plug right in with no wiring changes?
'88 VAM - is it the same size or larger?
35 lbs browntops - what does the '86 have?
How difficult is it to swap in the premium/reg fuel switch?
Are the heads the same?
Any advantages to swapping on the 4-square manifolds?
Any ideas what rear gears the '86 has?
How difficult is it to swap in the 3.55:1 '88 rear?
I'll be running a Gillis and either a TC or SC FMIC.

Sorry for all the questions and any help is very much appreciated!!

I would run premium in the 86 (personal preference).
1. The LA3 will not just swap, some pins on the connector need to be moved around, do a search there are a few pages dedicated to this.
2. The 88 and 87 use a 3" VAM the pre 87's have a 2 1/2" VAM, *note, you need the LA3 or LA2 computer, you cant just swap the VAMS.

3. Yes
4. Pain in the butt, but its doable, you have to run the wiring, swap the panels and wire the switch into the 87/88 computer. (its easier just to hard wire the computer to run in premium mode all the time and just run premium fuel.

5. Yes the heads are the same.

6. What do you mean? the 86 has the square manifold, not the inline.

7. 3.42 is the gear ratio, the axle is a 7.5 with posi and quad shocks

8. Not too hard, Coolcats.net, has a decent right up/parts list to do the swap.

Hope this helps you out, I think this just about covers it, if anyone else knows better please correct me.

Originally posted by Eagle11401:
I would run premium in the 86 (personal preference).

If I run 87 or 89 octane and adjust the Gillis to keep boost down to 12 or so, will I have detenation problems?

What do you mean? the 86 has the square manifold, not the inline.

Thank you. I'm stupid!

1. You don't need it, the 86 already has so close to the same compi that you will never gain any discenerable advantage.
2. 85.5 and 86 TC's already have the big VAM.
3. Already has the 35#'s.
4. See #1
5. Yes.
6. Already has a version of it.
7. 3.42 posi 7.5" with drum brakes. The 83-86 and 87/88 non-TC brakes really suck. I'd highly recomend throwing some 87/88 TC spindles, 11" front TC brakes, and the 10" disc rears as well. I'd use the 93 Cobra master cylinder with a 87/88 TC proportioning block and forego any ABS. Or you could go SN95 Mustang with 5-lug stuff.
8. Afternoon job with some friends.
9. Why bother? Use a gillis and a stock 87/88 IC and hood. Cheap and easy. If you are set on an FMIC, go full-custom with a NPR/Volvo/Powerstroke/whatever core that will be far superior to 80's technology.

Of course Ford stuff is weird, but the only 86 I've ever owned, and my 2 local customer 85.5 and 86 TC's are set up like this.

Originally posted by evintho:

LA3 - will it plug right in with no wiring changes?

What other people do is run a PE computer from an SVO, and make sure its hardwired in the Premium mode.

35 lbs browntops - what does the '86 have?

The have green tops, 30lbs stock.

Any ideas what rear gears the '86 has?

Theyre actually 3.45's. 3.42's are a GM gear.

2. 85.5 and 86 TC's already have the big VAM.
3. Already has the 35#'s.

Gotta be careful, ive seen 86's with small VAMs and green tops. Also, if i remember correctly, the 85.5 is just a myth.

9. Why bother? Use a gillis and a stock 87/88 IC and hood. Cheap and easy. If you are set on an FMIC, go full-custom with a NPR/Volvo/Powerstroke/whatever core that will be far superior to 80's technology.

While the 87/88 hood and IC is decent for its time, try to avoid using it if you can do so. Pick up an ebay intercooler, and a bunch of bends, and work something out similar to the stinger front mount setup, youll be glad you did.

what do you mean a myth? if its the injectors being 35's from the factory i have one with them. it is a late 85 and has the square intake too.

Okay, I have an '86. I hate to contradict folks, but here is the straight scoop:

The 86 five speed comes stock with a small vam, PC1 computer, and brown tops (35lbs injectors). I have converted mine to the large vam and LA3, and there is a write up on my web page on how to do it. I hardwired the LA3 to premium mode when I did the installation. I've averaged an extra 2mpg since the swap, as well as better responsiveness.

The manifold is already the square one, but you will have to figure out a way to wire in an ACT sensor. You can either drill and tap the current manifold (3/8" pipe thread) or get a lower intake from an 87/88.

I've also swapped in an 8.8 rear from an '87. That was a bit of a pain, but doable. It is easier to do if you keep the drum brakes, but that negates some of the advantages of the swap.

Hope this helps.

85.5 was the start of the 87/88 style interior, it is not a myth. Walsted and 4Cammer are both saying 35#'s stock on their cars. Though a few are claiming only the 30#'s. Look at my website for a Black on Red 85.5. It's all-original except the catback and wheels and it has the 35#'s and big VAM.

Aerobird - Are you sure your 85.5 has the big vam? If it does have a big vam, the vam is not stock. Both my 86 and the 85 Cougar I had came with the small vam and PC1, and the half dozen I have seen in salvage yards also had the small vam, and pretty much every other source I have seen lists the 85.5/86 as 35#/PC1/small vam.

Does your 85.5 run lean, or at least not as rich as every other turbo ford?

I've had 19 TCs, seen countless others. No pre 87 TC I've seen came with the large VAM. The car will not run correctly with the large VAM without one of the later computers, period. The PC1 is not a good performance computer. You will want a later LA2, LA3, LB2, LB3 etc. to go with the large VAM. The head may, or may not be the same. From a practical standpoint, they are the same. Sometime around 86 Ford started using an induction hardening process on the exhaust valve seats. Those heads are less prone to cracking. Your car will have a 3.45 traction-lok 7.5 in it. If you really want an earlier car, get in touch. I have a clean 5 spd 85-86 I'll make you a great deal on. I have almost all the other parts you would need to convert it to later specs, except for a later computer.

Hawk