Just picked up a 97 XR7, not anniversary edition w/ 3.8l... as usual the 3.8 is beginning to break down. Can a 4.6 be directly swapped into it? Can a 5.0 be dropped in easily? If either or both can be done, what else do I need to do to swap the engines? Thanks for the help.

For the 4.6 you need the engine, transmission, engine mounts, tranny mounts, ECU, and Wiring harness from a '96+ V8 cougar or T-bird.

For the 5.0 you would need all those parts (for the 5.0), and then have to convert all the wiring on the car back to OBD1.

More questions (sorry I'm trying to learn as I go here)

I've been hunting for a 4.6, prolem is all the ones I find are out of Town Cars or Grand Marquis, with the occasional Mustang thrown in. Will they fit in?

Thanks again.

The engine from the Grand Marquis or Crown Vic is the same as the one in the Cougar, but you'll still need all those other parts.