I've read lots of threads over the years on diesel swaps, but don't recall everything I went over. I would like to have a more solid list of what works here so I can be more organized for my swap. I would like help with this list, which is for anything and everything between a gas setup to a diesel setup.

I have a 302 1996 Ford Bronco, and just got a 7.3 1995 F-250. I would like to know which parts from my Bronco will be reusable for a diesel engine.

Here's what I'm thinking,

Thing going to be changed (needed):

- 7.3 motor in place of 302
- Engine wiring harness and Cabin wiring harness
- Instrument cluster/bezel and computer
- All engine accessories (alternators/PS/etc)
- Engine Mounts
- ZF5 Transmission in place of M5OD
- ZF5 transmission mount in place of M5OD mount
- ZF5 clutch hydraulics
- Stiffer front coil springs
- Exhaust

Things I should change (highly recommended but not technically needed initially)

- Swapping out axles
- Swapping out 302 radiator for 7.3 radiator


Here's where I need help:
Interchangeable parts

- The obvious (fenders/doors/interior panels)
- Cabin power option wiring harnesses (windows/mirrors/doors/overhead?)
- Fuel lines?
- Gas tank?
- Fuel Pump?
- Brake booster setup?
- Pedal assembly (clutch/gas/brake)?
- AC System? (compressor, evap, condensor?)


Any advice on things that aren't compatible would be nice. It's obvious I need the engine, wiring harness, and transmission, but the other details can be the killer. A heads up on other important things like the fuel system, or engine/tranny mount fabrications would be very helpful! Thank you!

 

keep the donor truck until you are done with the swap and everything is running/working properly.

 

A little confusing:
This implies that you're parting out the Bronco.

This implies that the PSD engine is going into the Bronco.

What is the nature of the project? That will tell us what parts to use.

 

i read it as he is doing a diesel conversion on the bronco, and made my comments on that.

 

The engine, transmission, and all the wiring harnesses that go with the 7.3. you will need those for sure as you said. That will include anything that bolts to the fenders, battery cables etc. Under the hood of the 7.3 is different than the gas, the 2nd battery and battery tray, coolant over flow, washer fluid reservoir, I believe all that is different. Being a 95 7.3, I am not 100% sure, but Im pretty sure that holds true for 96/97 7.3 trucks. I doubt you will need anything original to the bronco. The bronco is already a stick, with the mazda 5? so the clutch pedals and clutch master cylinder should be good to go. obviously use the slave to the zf5, and the zf5 platic clutch line, if the are different. I would upgrade to the brake booster out of the 7.3 truck though. They may be the same, but I have seen some half tons with boosters significantly smaller than the ones in the 3/4 and 1 tons. You will need to swap the entire dash with the cluster and everything. If the dash is the wrong color you can either swap the wire harness in the dash, or the put the bronco dash cover on the diesel dash. I have swapped dash covers before. It will take a couple hours, and there is a lot of hidden screws. The cab harness/door pw/pl harness of the bronco should still work. If for some reason the cab harness does not have the same connectors as the the new dash harness you will need to use the cab harness of the 7.3. either way, the driver door harness should still work with any cab harness. The passenger door plugs into the dash. Also, if the bronco has a power rear window, you might need to figure that out, as i doubt the diesel dash will have the plug for the rear window switch. Same if you have push button 4x4. The HVAC should all be the same. The Radiator will be a lot bigger for the 7.3. You will probably need to use the radiator support from the donor truck as well, since the bottom loop is a lot bigger to accommodate the diesel radiators. I am not completely sure about the the fuel lines, they may be the same on the frame, but will differ at the engine. So i would use the diesel lines since you have them. Though the bronco only has one tank. so you wont need the tank selector valve. I would use the bronco fuel tank. That should be a bit bigger than the rear tank on the truck. I think the gas trucks have an in tank pump, so you will need the sending unit out of the 7.3 truck, but use the float out of the bronco so the fuel gauge reads correct. The motor mounts should bolt up to the crossmember, at least they do on gas 3/4 and 1 tons.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. Sorry for confusion, my plans are putting the diesel engine into the Bronco, the F250 is the parts truck.

The F250 dash is pretty messed up and the wrong color, so I will plan on swapping the harness instead. Are radiator supports bolted in, or are they welded?

 

In order to use a diesel radiator, you need diesel radiator support

 

2 bolts to the frame with the rubber body bushings.

 

radiator support is bolt in.
two large bolts on bottom, then the bolts up top for the fenders.

 

The Bronco engine probably doesn't have a fuel pump, so you should just leave the fuel pump on the PSD engine when you swap it.

Is the donor a 4x4? I wonder what t-case is in the Bronco. Should be a bolt-up interchange anyway.

Double-check on the A/C compressor; the bracket mounting might be quite different on the Bronco engine. Everything else is part of the vehicle rather than part of the engine, so will be the same. You'll want to swap the vacuum manifold over from the diesel truck to the Bronco, and then just hook your brake booster and HVAC main feed to it.

Cluster will mount right up and connect, since you're using the truck's wiring harness. There's no computer involved; the PCM controls the tach, and the PSOM feeds a speed signal to the PCM, but again, that's all through the harness you'll be using.

 

the core support is going to be the part you will need for sure.

They are not interchangeable, but you can modify a gasser to work if needed.

(apparently everyone said this. hahahaha. thats what i get for not reading)

 

You dont want to mix diesel fuel pumps and gas.

Different style pumps (as far as i know due to lubricity/dirt)

 

also pressure. the gas pump on the frame is a high pressure pump, the mechanical pump on the diesel is a low pressure pump.

 

I should start from scratch.

Replace brake booster and master cylinder, (biggber brakes on PSD vs bronco)
Pedal assembly will need to be changed, sorta. PSD go pedal is electronic.
You'll probably want to just swap the whole dash harness from the doner truck if its good, this will just save tons of work.

AC stuff is all the same.

Keep the gas tank, but you'll have to modify the innards by pulling the sending unit from the doner truck and doing the hutch mod.
This will show you how to rebuild it for the new tank as well as get a neat mod.

 

Correct, I forgot. And i just pulled one out of a truck 3 days ago too.... It is just 3 bolts on the fire wall and 2 plugs on the wire harness.

And I assume the front shaft u-joint for the d44 is smaller then the d50. So you might need a conversion joint using the f250 drive shaft.