i recently purchased a 1989 f-250 4x4 single cab long bed pickup that originally had a 5.0L EFI small block ford, someone took that out and replaced it with a "mustang 5.0" EFI and never finished the job (its a mess).

I am familiar with doing small block Chevy engine change-outs, however when it comes to Ford I don't know what parts are interchangeable. SO MY ?'s TO YOU GUYS ARE: 1. can I acquire a older carbed 289/302 from a 70's/80's model pickup and drop it in? (are the cast motor mount/tapped holes in the block for accessories the same on all small block fords like they are on chevys?) 2. i am 80 percent certain that i have a ford AOD trans, what are easy "tell tale" signs to identify those transmissions? what other transmissions were used in 87-89 ford 4x4 f150's and 250's? 3. are the bolt housings the same pattern for the carbed and the EFI 302's? (will a 80's carb motor bolt up to the AOD trans and work)

DISCLAIMER: I am aware of the changes that need to be made when changing from EFI to carb. I don't want this thread to be overtaken by that subject.

Thanks for the help guys!

-Nate

 

I got all the answers you need but before I get into that let me ask you exactly what is wrong with the HO that's in there. People are always making these engine swaps much harder than they need to be but overall there's no reason that motor shouldn't run like it was factory installed. As long as the factory original truck engine wiring harness and computer are present and not hacked up, and the HO has been stripped bare so the complete truck intake and accessories can be installed it'll plug right in. The only major differences between the truck and HO motors are the cams and intake, the HO has more cam obviously but believe it or not the intake is much smaller, so the truck version offers more performance.

And given your unfortunate background over on the dark side you need to know that the engine firing order and cylinder numbering sequence are totally different than what you're used to.



Basic engine bolt patterns(trans and engine mounts) for the SBF has never changed so any year motor will go in there, but if you get to the point of pulling it out I strongly suggest you put a 351w back in, it also shares the same trans and mount bolt patterns but make quite a bit more low rpm torque, and it'll also plug right into the stock wiring harness as long as it's from the same vintage truck.. '87-91.

Not likely in an F250 more likely to be a C6 or E4OD, but look for the trans code on the drivers door pillar calibration decal, T = AOD, E = E4OD, G =C6

 

If it has an AOD, then no particular attention need be paid to electronic transmission control.

By messed up, what exactly is wrong with the Mustang 5.0 engine? They had better features than the 5.0 used in the trucks. If the engine is sound, why not use it? To go with a carb. is to take a giant leap backward, IMO.

To use the Mustang engine successfully, it would need a Mustang computer, since they used Mass Air, which was not used early on in trucks, and they had larger fuel injectors. If all the intake parts are there, including the Mass Air set-up, the computer is about all you would need to change, and use a Mustang engine wiring harness.

Just a thought. As far as I have found, all 302 blocks have similar holes for mounting purposes. imp

 

If you are short computer controlled items to get the truck going and would rather have a carb, go with any mustang carb intake, weiand stealth intake possibly, a 550 ish cfm carb, and a distributer for a 1985 mustang gt. they were the first year that had the h.o. Firing order that your engine has and were the last year for carbs in the 5.0..The rest is plug and play.

 

I don't know the condition of the engine. i.e what has been added/subtracted from the HO, its been sitting up for about a year with no intake, spark plugs ect. dirt robbers galore. and WIRING is another thing.

(I just plain out DO NOT want to start with the motor thats in it)

I'm not 100% sold on the EFI to carb swap yet, its just what i have done in the past and had good results with.

So i guess that leads me to another ?... what exactly does it take for a 5.0 EFI to run?

i.e if i were to go to the bone yard what would i need?

thanks guys, good info so far!

-Nate

 

If the original wiring harness is in the truck, all you would need is the computer for the 5.0l out of a c6/aod/manual trans truck. Engines do not have anything on them that make them mass air specific so as long as you use the original wiring that came with the truck it'll work fine. Any 5.0l short block will work. BUT if I were you, I would get a 351w, a 351w computer from a truck with manual or c6 trans, use YOUR wiring harness on the engine, make sure you have the right flex plate for your transmission what ever you find it to be, and go from there. The 302 was never a great truck engine. The 351w will give it more torque and get roughly the same mileage.

 

On this vintage truck the EFI system is self contained meaning a single computer runs the engine alone and that's it unless... you happen to have the E4OD trans, but even then the whole wiring harness is pretty much a closed system that doesn't integrate with anything else except power, ground and a speed input on the trans or T-case tail stock.