How much should i expect to pay for 5.0?

Im in need of a stock Ford Mustang 5.0 fuel injected 16 valve v8 No air. I dont want to pay any more than 4000 dollars. It can be rebuilt. Just dont wanna get ripped off. What problems or quirks should I look for when shopping for one?

Im in need of a stock Ford Mustang 5.0 fuel injected 16 valve v8 No air. I dont want to pay any more than 4000 dollars. It can be rebuilt. Just dont wanna get ripped off. What problems or quirks should I look for when shopping for one?

first off, there's no such thing as a 16 valve 5.0. at least not a traditional pushrod 5.0. you're looking for either an early SN95 style (94-95) or a late Fox-body (86-93) all (or most) of those have fuel injection, and i believe the majority of them are 5.0. i dunno about no air.

for a decent one, i'd expect to pay around 2-3 grand, depending on condition and miles. also, price goes up as year does, so watch out for that.

with foxbodies, watch for rust around wheelwells, torque boxes, hatch, bottoms of doors, etc. cracked mouldings are common. broken door handles are too. get in it and dick with the shifter, make sure it feels good. see if it has good suspension and steering. if at all possible, drive it or watch it being driven, listen for knock and slap, etc.

i'd start looking for one at autotrader.com, that's where i got mine. local papers are good.

final word, make sure it has a good body and decent driveline. good luck!

autotrader.com

I thought that all the 5.0's were 16 vavle, 2 vavles per cylinder, 8 cylinders = 16 valves.

They are.

generally speaking, saying a motor has X number of valves implies that it's an overhead cam motor. probably because pushrod and flathead motors can't really have more than 2 valves per cylinder.

16 valve isn't ussually associated with the stangs since like 86 said it ussually associated with japenses overhead cams, where a 16V is a fancy way of saing four banger

Valve designation aside, the 5.0 is basically the 302 engine, the same one Ford made for about 35 years. It's a great motor, and there are a TON of parts available for rebuilding and souping up to whatever level you want.

The 88-93 mustangs are called 'Fox Bodies', and there are a lot of them around. I've spent the last 6 years driving a convertible, and it puts a smile on my face every time. But I'm selling it - see another thread (enough shameless self promotion). The other versions were a hatchback (most common) and Notchback. The Notch is preferred by racers because it is the lightest and stiffest of the bunch. It's the ugliest too, but that's personal opinion.

Some things to look for;
In 1989, the fuel injection scheme changed from 'Speed Density' to 'Mass Air' (Ca cars had Mass Air in '88). You want Mass Air, as it actually measures the airflow, and responds better to mods.

Ford used forged pistons until about 1992, then went to 'hypereutectic' pistons. Some feel the forged is better.

In 1993, there was a 'Cobra' version with better heads and cam. It's confusing because in Canada they called the 'GT' version 'Cobra'. Watch for that.

On a used car, check the compression. These engines were made with the rings a bit loose.

Listen closely to the engine - these HO engines use a 'roller cam', with rollers on the hydraulic lifters. These can collapse, causing valve noise.

Check the body for any rot or looseness. The hatchbacks are known for getting loose and rattling or squeaking.

In 94, the body style was changed to a more rounded version, called 'SN-95'. The 94's and 95's used the 5.0, and in 96 it was changed to the 4.6L overhead cam engine.

You should have quite a few to choose from with your $4000 budget. I've had pretty good luck buying and selling through Auto Trader - traderpub.com

Good hunting!

excuse me for asking a probably ignorant question...but how is one to go about checking the fuel injection scheme? ...is it as blatant as saying so on one of the stickers under the hood or what?

It's a fair question. The mass air sensor is a metal component located between the throttle body and the air filter. Like a short, large tube with an electronics box mounted on it.

So when you look under the hood, there should be a black plastic hose from the throttle body (mounted to the big aluminum intake manifold) to the mass air flow meter (MAF), which is mounted on the inside of the fender. Then another plastic hose from the MAF to the air filter (which is a box mounted to the inside of the fender).

The older speed density system has just one longer black plastic hose from the throttle body to the air box.