I can help you a little here. I just started my pinto with the EFI swap today for the first time. I however, used a 91 mustang 2.3 with the DIS and 8 spark plugs. I used a Thunderbird TC throttle cable (tho it seems a bit too short to me, but it works ok). Cant tell you about reliability or anything yet but it should be better than the original engine.

Heres some info that might help you.

I will tell you tho that I used two fuel pumps. One low pressure and one high pressure. The low pressure was a universal fit pump. The high pressure one was taken from a late 80s early 90s Ford F150/Bronco. They used a high pressure inline pump as well as a low pressure pump in the tank. This way the high pressure pump doesnt have to pull fuel AND push it both. The low pressure pulls the fuel, and supplys it to the high pressure pump, and the high pressure pump pushes it to the engine.

You will need fuel injection hose. About 4 ft or so of 5/16" and the same of 1/4". MUST be for fuel injection systems. Regular hose will not work. You also need a fuel injection filter and about 8 fuel injection hose clamps. Two spring lock fuel line connectors correct for the car you take the engine from, or just cut the hose off the connectors from the donor car and use them.

I also had to buy a radiator hose repair kit which included two clamps and some splice connectors for radiator hoses. I had to shorten the lower radiator hose a couple inches and splice it back together with that repair kit to make it work.

The transmission, starter, flywheel, and clutch assembly are retained from the pinto/bobcat unless youre swapping transmissions too. Dont forget to add a pilot bearing to the back of the crankshaft if the engine came from an automatic car.

I had to use a really expensive one piece rubber oil pan gasket for a thunderbird tc for my swap. The pinto gasket wouldnt work, (i dont know how to explain why it wont tho). And neither would the 91 mustangs gasket. I just happened to have some kind of gasket laying around that came from a full engine gasket set for a 2.3 that worked for the oil pump to pickup tube, that was a problem also. Had to drill my own hole for the dipstick tube...


I used an adapter available at the parts store to mount to the MAF sensor (this may not apply to you, IDK) and a cone type air filter to it instead of using the stock air box. It had a hole in the side of it for the IAT sensor. I had to order special parts from online to connect the intake to the maf without that big long air intake silencer in it.

Wiring my swap was easy. One wire for the ignition (red, with green stripe), one hot wire with the key on for the oxygen sensor (grey with yellow stripe), and 3 wires that route into one for the computer and relay box power They were yellow I believe. Some of this will be different if you dont use a 91-93 MAF/DIS engine, which I would recommend personally because I can help you with it step by step

I will add more info as I remember it... thats all i can think of for now.

That really helps a lot. Thank you very much.  Is it necessary to run the 2 fuel pumps? Sorry if it sounds like a dumb ? I plan on getting started with it as soon as I get the harness pulled of a donor car and intake.

I can't figure out the dual pumps either. It seems to me that the low pressure pump in the tank would become a restriction to fuel flow unless it pumps the same or more GPM as the high pressure pump feeding the injectors.

The reason for using two fuel pumps is the external fuel pump is just used to boost the fuel pressure and the low pressure fuel pump is used to draw the fuel from the tank. If you where to modify the current fuel tank to use a internal fuel pump you would need to weld on a baffle etc. in order to make it work. One other thing to do is buy and use a external surge tank from BC Bronco's. It's just an external diesel fuel filter (1 quart or 1/2 quart size) that's fitted with a 5/16" and 3/8" fuel fittings to reduce loss of fuel pressure in turns or during low fuel levels ( up hill or not over 1/2 tank).Or if you have money to spend, check out Aeromotive they have a new drop in system that has no welding required. It's very spendy however.

I'll let you know some time this month. I have heard of problems doing the swap IE must be kept full, but going to BC Broncos they do not have that problem because of the surge tank. I do know that the external high pressure pump should not pump out a 1/2 while taking a turn or going up hill. It's fast at 255 LPH but not that damn fast.

ok piecing this thing together if you don't have a lot of experience with ford efi is a recipe for a pita. they are not small block chevies and not everything "fits"   84's use the straight across OOOO pattern instead of the 4 square that was common later on. the straight and early 4 squares not cast with the 2.3 efi emblem are taller than the later 87 up stuff. the short stuff should all fit under a stock hood on a 79 80.  when you say fuel rail just the rail or injectors too?  they are low impedence and useless with a non turbo ecu,  will burn it out in short order. if they are brown tops they are worth something , green is junk for the turbo world. did you get the exhaust manifold. unless its the e6 casting it is without a doubt cracked too.  did you have the current motor turbo built with low compression forged slugs? if not a blower is a quick route to another holed piston. if the motor is rebuilt non turbo go find an 87 to 94 mustang that has been hit in the bone yard. start at the ecu behind the kick panel and take everything connected to the harness that is not the block or head. stop when you get to the 2 connectors at the drivers side firewall.  that means distributor, intake, exhaust w egr tube , any sensor not already on the intake.  the whole shittery.  stick in pinto, enjoy fuel injected goodness. starts first time every time. and all the stuff works together add a ranger roller from the right donor and happy day. yet again you can't just rob anything as they made the valve stems smaller in later years making the rockers incompatible . I will say it again. If you have never done this before find a complete preferably running donor.

Is it possible to get this intake to fit under my hood? Would I have to cut the center reinforcement on the hood? Or would the hood have to be cut to fit down over it? Or just get the newer square intake that says 2.3 efi