So I have a 87 f150 with an EFI 302 in it that came out of a 85 bronco, so im told at least. I picked it up for a winter beater about a year ago and it lasted me through last winter, but it has never ran good.

I fired it up the other day and it is doing some ridiculous stuff. Sometimes it will idle at 500 RPM and almost die, other times it will run away idle at 2500 and ill have to slam it into gear and drop the clutch to calm it down. Recently, if i give it anything past half throttle it will start sputtering and almost die, especially in 3rd or 4th gear. Ive already spent $150 to get it running when I had two injectors that stuck open. Dont really want to dump more $s into sensors and crap.

I think what happened is someone took the block (and heads?) from the 85 bronco 302 that was maybe carbed, and put all the EFI stuff on it from the 87 motor when it blew up or whatever. The reason is everything electrical or EFI related in there is duct taped and zip tied together all shotty, it looks pretty ghetto rigged. Also, there is a opening for a mechanical fuel pump on the timing cover, so my best guess is the 85 302 was carbed.

So my buddy has a good Holley carb I can buy for like $80, so all else I will really need to buy is a mechanical fuel pump ($30), intake (~$130), and ignition stuff ($?). Trying to keep it cheap because its just my beater ya know.

So a few questions if anyone would be so kind to give me advice. I know Ill need a distributor with a vacuum advance, but what do I need for a coil since i cant use the computer controlled one? Ill just use the same fuel lines with the mechanical pump, but can i use the same fuel filter and just disable the electric in-tank pump? Will I need the return line? Are the ports different at all between carb and EFI intake heads (not even sure which were used when rebuilt)?

Any other advice or anything from someone who has done this? Sorry I was kinda long winded but I just wanted to give all the info on what I got going on. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

The stock fuel filter is an inline filter. Unless I'm mistaken, there will be another filter that's placed where the fuel line meets the carb. I don't see any reason why both filters can't be used, as the one at the carb will catch anything the inline misses.

Also, I don't know for sure about this, but you may not need to buy a mechanical pump. I'm not clear on all the details but I think you can wire it in a manner that allows you to keep the electric in tank pumps. The only thing I can think that you would need to add is a fuel pressure regulator.

That's all I can give you for answers. I'm sure others can give you more specific information.

 

Ok, so Ill just put on of those little inline filters up by the carb and leave the one down by the tranny, its a brand new one I just put on there anyways.

From what I have saw so far, those fuel pressure regulators are more expensive than the mechanical pump. At this point Im not sure which is the best way to go, I think the mechanical pump will be way easier, but I would also like to keep my fuel gauge working somehow. The pump on my back tank is burnt out, so being able to use both tanks would be an advantage of the mechanical pump too.