A while back I bought my first Crown Vic (also my first car). I've recently been looking for a new engine to replace the one in mine as I blew a piston rod in the original. I found a 2009 P71 engine a few days back. What all do I need to do in terms of installation and what all do I need to have on ready?
(I apologize if during this reading it sounds a bit confusing)

 

The days of taking a small V8 and swapping with another small V8 from a few years later are long gone. The manufacturers are constantly making changes, sometimes a few mid year, and the PCM's are designed to operate with certain years it's like opening a can of worms. Cams, timing control, power curves etc.all come into the pix. Even the crank pulleys with the reluctors can be different. If the one the engine is designed for is not used the vehicle will never run right.
One way to hopefully be sure is to confirm with a Ford Parts Dept and the VINs of both vehicles what parts are identically used. The electronics and other "Improvements" have considerably narrowed down a lot of the former flexibility.