Swap Terminator into a 98 GT

[Frank Herbst]

This is my first post and for a friend in the Front Range Mustang Club of Colorado. He purchased a 2003 Terminator engine and needs help with what to change on the factory 98 GT wiring. He got the engine harness, ECU cable and the computer out of the 2003 Cobra. Has anyone one this site done this swap?

Thank you,

Frank

 

[Roush6018]

hey welcome to the site. i have done this swap myself. one problem really is no mechanic will want to touch that car if it has been swapped so he will need to be fixing most of the swap himself. if he has a real problem with the GT engine then there is a reason to replace it and its possible you could fit a 03 cobra motor in the car. the fact its possible is not a reason to do this swap. you need to be a talented mechanic to understand swapping ECU and fuel system and power distribution.

the major problem here is they do not make 03/04 parts anymore. but they have aftermarket support. to do the swap you will need OEM and aftermarket parts.

there is plenty of aftermarket support to rebuild the 98 GT engine . my favorite aftermarket part on my car by far is my Mcleod twin disc RXT 26 spline clutch. i have to smog my car every 2 years or my other favorite part would be any quality long tube headers.

last ,if i had a 1998 GT coupe and a 03 cobra engine harness and engine, i would drive the 1998 untill i found a 03/04 cobra with a blown motor. then rebuild the 03 cobra engine i own and swap it into the cobra you find with a blown motor. best bet would be a high mileage cobra would fit your needs.

 

[Frank Herbst]

ROUSH6018,
Thanks for the reply, I will show it to Larry. He is now thinking about selling the Terminator engine, computer and cables and looking for a 4.6 GT motor that will work with all the original 98 GT harnesses and fuel system.
Thanks again,
Frank

 

[robvas]

Hijacking the thread...is there a better year to swap the Terminator drivetrain into? Almost bought a 2000 GT with a Terminator engine in it and he made it seem like not that big of a deal.

 

[5.0 Hatch]

I think I'd sell the terminator and get a coyote instead. There seems to be a ton of support for coyote swaps in sn95s.

 

[robvas]

I think I'd sell the terminator and get a coyote instead. There seems to be a ton of support for coyote swaps in sn95s.

That would be interesting to see: a side-by-side, part for part comparisons

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

There were so many terminator swaps back in the day I’m sure there are plenty of write ups if you search. There are also coyote swap groups in the evil FB.

I think part of the equation is - how handy is your friend

 

[decipha]

Wiring takes all of 30 minutes.

Extend the iat wires to the iat2 sensor on the back of the plenum.

Do the coil pack to cop wiring the 96-98 cobra folks have blasted all over the place.

/done

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Wiring takes all of 30 minutes.

Extend the iat wires to the iat2 sensor on the back of the plenum.

Do the coil pack to cop wiring the 96-98 cobra folks have blasted all over the place.

/done

This, I didn’t really think there was a whole lot to it…

 

[Frank Herbst]

Appreciate all the information. I'm not sure what's going on. I think Larry got a printout for 98 GT Terminator swaps and it listed changing pins on the body harness. But he did in stall the Terminator, swapped the ECU, used the Terminator engine harness and never got the engine to fire off. Maybe it's just a little over the average backyard mechanics ability without a proven step by step instruction guide.

If anyone is interested, I think Larry is ready to sell the Terminator along with the harness and ECU.
Thanks,
Frank

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Appreciate all the information. I'm not sure what's going on. I think Larry got a printout for 98 GT Terminator swaps and it listed changing pins on the body harness. But he did in stall the Terminator, swapped the ECU, used the Terminator engine harness and never got the engine to fire off. Maybe it's just a little over the average backyard mechanics ability without a proven step by step instruction guide.

If anyone is interested, I think Larry is ready to sell the Terminator along with the harness and ECU.
Thanks,
Frank

Did he have pats disabled in the tune or get all of that matched up? PATS will prevent the fuel pump from powering up

 

[Roush6018]

hey, i think he was right about having a how-to cobra engine swap write up and changing the harness pins to the correct spot on the connector. but when that engine didn't start as expected its a problem, and its hard to get help with such a big repair (engine swap).

the correct thing to do is sell the engine and harness to a cobra owner who needs those parts.

i think the 5.0 coyote swap was also just as complicated. new control pack and fuel system just the beginning.

the real mustang owner advise i would give after doing this swap is to modify and maintain what the car is and not try to make it a terminator just because you have the engine. The real cobra experience is upgraded interior, engine, transmission , suspension and body styling all different from a GT. there are parts out there to make that 98 GT run great and be fun to drive ,like high compression pistons, cams, port and polish and twin-disc clutch, without wrenching on an engine swap for weeks.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

hey, i think he was right about having a how-to cobra engine swap write up and changing the harness pins to the correct spot on the connector. but when that engine didn't start as expected its a problem, and its hard to get help with such a big repair (engine swap).

the correct thing to do is sell the engine and harness to a cobra owner who needs those parts.

i think the 5.0 coyote swap was also just as complicated. new control pack and fuel system just the beginning.

the real mustang owner advise i would give after doing this swap is to modify and maintain what the car is and not try to make it a terminator just because you have the engine. The real cobra experience is upgraded interior, engine, transmission , suspension and body styling all different from a GT. there are parts out there to make that 98 GT run great and be fun to drive ,like high compression pistons, cams, port and polish and twin-disc clutch, without wrenching on an engine swap for weeks.

You make it sound like rocket science, which it isn’t.

Now I’ll agree, if you’re not at all handy and no shade tree mechanic experience, a swap probably isn’t for you. If you can’t do this swap you aren’t swapping pistons and decreeing cams either so there goes that point

This is hotrodding, figuring out to make shit work. There are plenty of mustang shops out there that work on this stuff everyday.

Someone that knows these cars well could probably have it running in a couple hours vs junking the whole swap

 

[decipha]

I've done several thousand terminator and lightning/harley and similar swaps over the years.

Wiring is the easiest part. Ignorant people complicate things by listening to other ignorant people.

Tell him to return all the wiring back to stock and put the stock ecu back in it.

Haul it to me and for $200 I'll do all the wiring.

 

[01yellercobra]

You make it sound like rocket science, which it isn’t.

Now I’ll agree, if you’re not at all handy and no shade tree mechanic experience, a swap probably isn’t for you. If you can’t do this swap you aren’t swapping pistons and decreeing cams either so there goes that point

This is hotrodding, figuring out to make shit work. There are plenty of mustang shops out there that work on this stuff everyday.

Someone that knows these cars well could probably have it running in a couple hours vs junking the whole swap

Thank you. I was thinking this, but didn't feel like being that guy this time around.

 

[03' White Snake]

I've done several thousand terminator and lightning/harley and similar swaps over the years.

Wiring is the easiest part. Ignorant people complicate things by listening to other ignorant people.

Tell him to return all the wiring back to stock and put the stock ecu back in it.

Haul it to me and for $200 I'll do all the wiring.

Decipha is correct, you do not want the cobra engine harness or computer. It is actually a pretty simple swap.

My buddy has a 99 GT cobra swap and we went down the rabbit hole of swapping harnesses etc. ended up going back to a stock harness and did the few changes needed. Need to swap injector polarity too. Works great now.

 

[Frank Herbst]

He said the PATS system was turned off.
Thanks for all the information.

 

[Roush6018]

I just wanted to say my view of this swap is from owning a GT with a 2003 cobra swap that passes a referee smog check in Cali. i had to take off my upper 2.76 pulley, Accufab Throttle body, 2 cat hi-flow x-pipe , and the sensors on the side of my supercharger were relocated to look better and i had to un-do all the work i did there. I also had to un-tune my ECU which was tuned by Nate the famous Cali street racer. it was sad times. i also had 60lb injectors and aftermarket Maf.

One part about the swap i remember is trying to retain my nice Roush front sway bar, and it was made for a GT motor which is narrower (no oil cooler vs. cobra oil cooler). The Roush swaybar did fit with the cobra motor but it did hit the lower radiator hose slightly. i am running a OEM stock 03 front swaybar and it has plenty of clearance from the lower hose now. so you will need a 03 cobra front swaybar to complete this swap!

 

[robvas]

Isn't that what the sway bar spacers are for?