Good morning. The other day I posted a question asking about the 2001 F150 supercrew (pros and cons) cause I was thinking about buying one. Well, that's out!

Now I'm planning on buying a crate engine to put in my 91 F150 extend cab 4x4. New engine and paint job will be alot cheaper than a used 01 F150 Supercrew.

The 302 in my truck right now is very tired! 312,000 miles and still running but you can tell it's getting weak. Wouldn't want to load the family up, hook up the camper and head cross country in it right now!

Who would you recommend buying a crate engine from?

Right now I'm looking at a Ford Racing Performance parts 302 crate engine. 5.0L/302 GT-40 - 320 HP STREET/STRIP ALUMINUM HEAD LONG BLOCK ENGINE ASSEMBLY . Now I don't expect that kind of horse power using the truck intake and air plenum and I figure I need use the high torque cam they used in the explorers rather than the cam that's offered in this package (E303 or B303).

Or should I go with a stroker?

So let me hear your ideas.

Thanks,
Delos

 

*Hears the mutterings of a 351W wanting to reside in that engine bay*

351's are better truck motors anyways - more power lower in the range than the 302. The only thing the 302 has for itself in trucks is its mpg compared to the 351...but I doubt that that 302 crate motor is going to do very well on mpg either. Look for maybe a 351 crate, look for a used computer for a 351 and your transmission, and then get a tuner/chip to piggyback with.

Are you wanting to stick with a 302 because your Mustang has the same engine and you want to keep things the same..?

 

Personally, when my 302 dies I'm going with a 347 stroker crate engine. Maybe get the GT-40 aluminum heads on it too...

Or maybe I'll go all out and drop in a 460 Cobra Jet crate engine!

 

I've heard of some reliability issues with 347s..so make sure what you get is built right.

I am in the process of research for my own project. I was going to replace my 302 w/ a 350hp 351. Yes the 351 is a little bit stronger, but the 351 also costs a lot more money, and it's more difficult to install. The 302 will bolt right in, no mess, it's cheaper, and the 302 can make a lot of power. So I recommend the 302, and that's what I'm going to stick with. I was looking at the long blocks and I think what I'm going to do instead is buy a short block and put other parts on it. Otherwise the ford racing engine is a great item, my buddy put one in his mustang. Make sure you're tranmission is up to the task as well. They also have a 285 or so horsepower model thats cheaper. Make sure you get one that will run the way you'd like. These are pretty high performance engines, and you want to make sure it will drive and run in traffic the way you'd like it to.

I purchased a few books from this website's part shop (motorhaven) to help with research. I suggest you check there too. Also, always get a 2nd, 3rd,4th+ opinion to make sure what you're reading or hearing is correct. There's a lot of people out there giving advise on engines that, probably don't know what they should. Talk to a machine shop as well.

 

Yes, I know the 351 would be better but they are almost double the price of a Stroked 302. The 302 to 351 swap is very easily done. Matter of fact you can even use the 302 computer if you want. I have a friend in Allendale MO that has done 5 of these swaps at last count. You have to add one ground strap, can't remember where as of right now. If Jasper would allow me to swap and 302 for a 351 I'd do it in a heartbeat. But if you core engine is a 302 they will not let you buy a 351.


Yea, That's the way I'm thinking of going. 460 sounds great but how about the engine wiring harness and computer. I guess if I could find a f250 with the 460 so I could get all the other items that would be the way to go. I'd have all the pulling power I need!

I've heard some bad stuff about some of company's building the 347's. But from people I've talked to about hte Ford Racing crate engines I heard nothing but good.

Transmission was rebuilt by Jasper about 140,000 miles ago. Never have had a minutes problem out of it.


Here's how my truck gets used. I on occasion pull my TC-30 Newholland (compact) tractor with front end loader, 91 Larson fish and ski boat 3.0L I/O, and our camper (bumper pull travel trailer). During the week it sets at home alot while I'm driving my mustang. I don't race the truck, run it in the mud, etc.... other than pulling that's the only abuse it gets.

I do have a complete 5.0 roller motor out of an 86 mustang gt I wrecked last year. Guess I could order a stroker kit and rebuild it myself.

Thanks for your responses,
Delos

 

Well, you say the transmission was rebuilt by jasper 140k miles ago? I assume it was rebuilt to stock? I'd be alil leary of adding 115-150 more ft-lbs of torque to it without some modifications.

 

I purchased a Mustang shortblock from Summit Racing, it was about 1200 bucks. I added the GT-40 alum. turbo swirl heads, cobra roller rockers, bought a roller conversion for the block, roller lifters, new rods, FMS head gasket kit, added headers and bought the mass air conversion kit. I was also thinking about buying the long block. It was 3200 dollars and had a bunch of parts I didn't need, I was able to build almost the same thing for a lot less money. I also bought all brand new parts for my C-6 tranny and a new torque converter. I spent about 5k dollars to do everything, doing it all myself. I also added a gauge pod and some auto meter gauges, got my injectors serviced, hot tanked my old intake and all other parts I re-used, bought a new water pump, new power steering pump ect... The power difference was much more than I expected! The 351 was just to expensive and so was the 347. If I could have gotten by not doing the tranny and not purchasing the mass air I would have gone the 351 route. The old 302 always was able to keep me at hi-way speeds when I was hauling or towing so a nice fresh one with more performance parts works great for me.

 

Well yes and no. Jasper when they rebuilds a transmission they fix any problems know for that transmission. Also since I use my truck to tow a lot they built it for towing. I talked to them about the new motor they said it would handle it. If I could find my papers on it I could tell you exactly what was done. Like I said I don't race the truck I just pull with it a lot. No jackrabbit starts when I'm pulling.

Man, I haven't even thought about mass air.


tripndrag, What cam did you use with your build.

 

tripndrag

When you converted to mass air what computer did you use?

 

I got my motor with the explorer cam. I think the computer was an A9L??? I only looked at the sticker one time and I can't remember if that number is correct. If you really need to know I can look and get back to you.

My friend put an E303 in his Mustang and lost all low end power, Ford Motorsport suggested the Explorer cam so I used that. The cam gives great power throughout the entire RPM range.

The mass air kit was very nice, came with an inline harness that is built very nice, new airbox cover, all the plastic to connect the meter to the dual throttle body connection, hose clamps, computer and good directions. I only had one question when I installed it, I went to the 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 firing order with the new engine, the mass air kit for the trucks states it is designed to work with the 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8, and the kit is SEFI so I thought I would have to re-wire the injector harness so it would work properly. After talking with the Ford Motorsport tech line I found out it didn't matter. It runs perfect, I have had no troubles for 8 months now. I was getting about 8 city and 12 hwy before the change and I am now getting 12 city and 15 hwy with A/C, I don't have overdrive so I am happy with that also.

The Ford Motorsport guys really helped me out with all my questions and provided me with all the part numbers and all the parts I would need. I was able to do my entire project with no troubles ordering everything they told me to. I wasn't short any parts, everything went smooth. I bought just about everything from Summit Racing, they had great prices and had all the Ford Motorsport parts. If you can get your block delivered to a business it is dirt cheap for shipping.

 

tripndrag

That all sounds great. One other question about your engine are you running stock injectors? Problem I'm having right now is convincing the wife, since Ford Racing Parts do not offer any kind of warrenty. My wife is wanting me to go with the Jasper. I've email them to see what they have to offer on a long and short block.



I'll keep you informed as to whats going on.

Now how about dual exhaust. Are you running true dual exhaust. If so did you have it built by a local muffler shop or did you order one from some where? I've been wondering if a mustang H pipe could be made to work. I've already have the shorty headers put them on when my factory exhaust manifolds cracked about 10 years ago.

 

I talked with a guy at Ford Racing Tech this afternoon. His suggestion was to rebuild my engine totally stock and put a supercharger on it. He told me I would not need to change over to mass air, same computer would work. He talked like it would be the way he would go if it was him.

I'm still waiting on a reply from Jasper.

Delos

 

a 351W is significantly more to rebuild than a 302? Thats news to me. Generally they cost about the same, using a PAW catalog as a basic guide.

While an "atkengine.com" or "jasperengines.com" are good choices, with a warranty, me, being a cheap SOB I'd much rather spend $300-400 at the local junkyard and yank a motor. Most yards have racks of motors that were pulled out of running vehicles. PA, NJ and CT yards where I'm often found do this. Maybe not where you are.

Anyway, anything in the "rack" runs strong, and if its the same motor as yours, its a direct bolt-in and you can call it a day.

Swapping from a 302 to a 351 is easy if its a carb'd engine, if its EFI you need to make very minor harness changes and certainly change the ECM using the one from the donor vehicle.

Remember that the E-series (vans) shared a lot of engine parts with the F-series (trucks) so you have more than one source for engines and related parts. Also, a 302 is as common as tequila as an awful lot of mustangs had them as well. And LTD's, LTD II's, some Lincolns, blah blah blah.

I'd rather swap in a junkyard engine for $400 and drive a few years then swap in a brand-new engine for four times the price, and drive a few years plus 1.

If you do find a mustang 302 to replace your truck 302, do know there are some minor intake differences, though not really a big deal.

 

WEll if it was just for local driving and to the lake occasionly that would be fine. But we enjoy road trips. Pulling the camper to DC, everyother year a trip to the gulf coast are some of the trips we have done. Planning a two weeker in the next couple of years, driving over to Georgia east coast and all the way up as far as we can go. So I'd like to start out completely new.

I have an extra mustang 5.0 motor out of my 86 Gt Convertible I wreck last January.

Now I'm planning on rebuilding it stock using the heads and intake off my truck engine. I'd like to buy new heads also but since I'll be buying a supercharger I'll just have to use the truck heads. That will be better than the 86 mustang heads.

Delos

 

Thats just a matter of being a worry-wart, and thats entirely okay, I'm not passing judgement.

The last "junkyard" engine I acquired was in a dodge D200 extended cab pickup, I tore it apart and put in new gaskets everywhere, slapped it in, and about 150K later it started to give me a little grief.

And to be fair, I had one last a mere 75K miles. I also threw that one in without any R&R whatsoever because I was desperate to get the vehicle on the road at the time.

Again, I'm not passing judgement against your viewpoint, merely offering an alternative experience. If it runs well, it runs well.

Heck, my 99 CV spit out a head bolt (snapped right in the middle!) after 33K miles.

The truck stock intake AND heads flow better than the stock intake and heads from a mustang, absolutely a good choice. A little effort with a dremel and you can take it even further.

Why make the supercharger work harder than it needs to .grin.