1997 Mountaineer 5.0 for Coil-near-plug swap

[ATPCR]

Current state as of 02-08-24.
Mid-day I was able to remove the console to get to an access cover on top of the transmission hump. 3 out of 4 O2 sensor connectors are right under that cover and 3 of the O2 sensors can be accessed from that direction too. (No pic)
I've been working on the timing chain end of things. It's a good idea on any of the Ford small blocks from 221 to 351W to get out your tap and chase the threads in the block.

New double roller timing set in place. Time to put the torque wrench on it.

I covered the oil pan opening for overnight. Also I've been keeping it covered when I'm working round it anyway to prevent the oops factor.

Timing cover will go on today after the crank seal is installed.
This past Sunday while I was at a swap meat in Nashville, I came across a pair of valve covers off of a 1999 5.0 of some sort. I was needing another left cover to use on the RH side that the oil fill hump was interfering with the coil bracket. After a deep Ebay search, all that I can find in 1999, that uses this very plain stock 5.0 cover is marine 5.0.

Wednesday late, I was about to thread on the block adapter from the remote filter kit and it wouldn't go on with the left engine mount installed. Instead of opening anymore cans of worms, I decided to put the stock filter adapter back on. I had previously modified it to fit the FL1A filter.
From the factory it used the metric filter that resembles an FL1A. I purchased a 3/4" doble ended fitting and it fit the adapter allowing me to use an FL1A filter. I will save the remote filter kit for 5.0 #2. The hotrod 5.0.

[decipha]

those look like the valve covers off the 351w trucks.

[ATPCR]

They also look like the covers on the 94-95 Mustang 5.0 except they are powder coated a silver/argent instead of black.
Iirc, the last time that the 5.0W or the 5.8W was used in a pick-up truck was in 1996.
I've found info that the 5.0 was used up to 2002 in a marine application with even a reverse rotation version produced.
My first thought when I saw these that they were Explorer covers. But I didn't see a Ford Explorer part number.
You can see the 1999 production date on a computer printed production sticker. In one of the pics you can see printed
50SVOA8 The SVO acronym dates back to the Fox body mid '80s. Early use of the SVT name is around 2003?
I saw some "COBRA" embossed 1994-95 valve cover in an internet search.

[dleach1407]

They aren't explorer covers. The explorer has a removable filter neck. I've got a set off my 96 in my garage. They aren't the same

[ATPCR]

@ dleach. Correct. Good eye. Fixed like the Mustangs. My '97 Merc Mountaineer (mid year '96) has the detachable oil filler neck. I don't know if I said why that I needed a second driver's side (USA) valve cover. The oil filler neck "hump" is interfering with the coil-near-plug bracket.
Saturday, despite the flood, I went over to work for a short time and prepped and painted the 2nd cover. It's black. Nothing fancy for "Tow Mo".

[decipha]

Thats cuz you didnt attach them.

[ATPCR]

Being rained out from working outside on the truck, that gave me some inside time to study the wiring. I have had the 2 books having to do with this particular project open to the PCM 104 pin connector pages and have made a list of wires that will need swapped. There are ~ 30 to swap and in 3 instances, wires to be deleted. That may be enough to turn in to the 4 more coil wires that I will need. I have yet to remove the entire powertrain harness. Also I haven't forgot about the repurposed EGR wire to use for the wide band O2 sensor to use during RT tuning.
The '97 MM 5.0 harness will be used with the '99 crown Vic PCM. I know that there are better PCMs available. This first 5.0 project will be using these parts and the 2003 full size sedan PCM will be saved for the 2nd 5.0 c-n-p project.

It's best to have the Ford books to match the exact year and model that you are working on. I felt fortunate to find a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer book.

[ATPCR]

Late last Friday I glued the timing cover gasket to the cover and let it sit overnight. Saturday morning I trimmed all of the excess gasket material from around the edges of the timing cover.
This past week, several parts arrived and some of them just as I need them.

I purchased an aussie 5.0 oil pressure fitting to be able to add an old (real) oil pressure gauge and still keep the electric sender. I only know this about the Explorers and not other Fords of this era, but it is not a variable pressure switch. If it is working, it shows half on the gauge. Really no better than a light that goes off if you have pressure.
I installed the timing cover and used a 2" PVC fitting to tap in the seal with.

I installed several other parts before moving on to removing the powertrain control harness.

The old oil heat exchanger was modified to accept the standard thread filters. I have an FL-299 installed. It's almost 2" longer than the FL1A.

This Saturday I have already hit a snag on the wiring. I'm changing the type of fuel injector connectors for the 1999 style. The pigtails seem to be swapped. I would like to know for sure before soldering and heat shrinking these wires. The left connector is the 1999 CV harness fuel injector connector and the right side is the cheap replacement. The red wire is backwards.

[ATPCR]

Well the Ebay user that I purchased the FI connectors from is selling a product that doesn't fit something that they say it will. I found a second issue with the FI connectors. No little curve to allow the connector to slide down enough to click or clip on to it. (cheap s*@t)

I worked through the weekend unwrapping the harness and had planned on soldering in the 1999 style FI connectors but no. I have more on the way.
I will have a few pins with short wires available, from the deletion of the rear O2 sensors, for the addition of 4 more coil drivers. The 1997 MM harness only has 4 for the wasted spark way of doing things. So far I haven't found any damaged wires as it relates to the coil power, trigger wires etc.
I'm having to modify it a bit to go from the 3 wire camshaft position to the 2 wire arrangement. There is a gray/red stripe (signal return) wire right beside the old Cam pos sen wires, so this is an easy upgrade. It's hard to see in the picture but the gray/red stripe wire is to thr right of the green one.

If anyone has a 2020 Godzilla 7.3 coil pinout that I could get a copy of or has a 2020 F250 7.3 "Godzilla" powered truck that could take a clear picture for me, Email it to my work where I'm at Mon-Fri. Thanks. alatennmustang@att.net (ATPCR)

[dleach1407]

Red side is the 12v+ side