I bought a 1977 Ranger F-150 from my Uncle and I have a list of problems I was wondering if I could get some help on.

1) The ignition is in need or replacing. I bought one I thought would fit but it was made to fit a bigger plug, but it was from a 1977. I found yet another one from a 79 but it was the same thing. What year would have the smaller one?

2) When I turn on the head lights my signal light indicators also come on. Would this be a problem in the circuit matric on the back of the guages or a problem in the dash wiring? I replaced the light switch since the old one would overheat but it had the same problem before.

3) Now the big question. This beast had a 455 automatic in it. Yes a 455 Oldsmobile. I have a 1979 Ranger 4x4 in the back with a 351W in it. The 351 is running on 6 at the moment and is in horrible condition compression wise. I want to convert my 77 to a 4x4 using the 79 for parts but what would be the best option?
A) Find a 78 or later 351W block (which my friend had) just because I hear it's made stronger than the 79.Then upgrade it afterward.
B) Rebuild the the 351W I have and upgrade it with aftermarket parts afterward?
C) My dad says I should convert my 77 to a fuel injection. How much work would be put into taking the parts and engine out of an 87 or newer truck (possible a wreak from a salvage yard) and slap it into my truck? Has it ever been done before?

4) Might as well ask this. Would new engine parts from a 5.8L engine fit onto an old 351W block?

Now I know that's alot but maybe somebody will see it as a challenge to answer one or more of them. I am brand new to the site and I think it freaking rocks!

 

Welcome to the site. You have entered the best Ford truck forum in the world

1) You may have an early 77. There were some changes in 77 1/2. Try one for a 76.

2) Usually if the indicators come on with the lights, it is either from burned out parking light bulbs or and more common, bad grounds in the tail light sockets. Usually the sockets need replaced. They are under $10 each at any autoparts store.

3) I would rebuild the 351W that you have if the block and heads aren't hurt. The 5.8L is the same thing and unless it is a hyd. roller cam block, most stuff will interchange. If you could find a 93-95 5.8L from a Lightning truck, it should be a hyd. roller cam with GT40 heads. A late 80's 351HO uses a standard hyd cam that is a marine grind and has a 4bbl Holley 600 on it.
There is alot of power to be had from a 351W and much of the 5.0 performance parts will fit as well.

I hope I haven't rambled on and confused you any. I'm going on very little sleep

Jimmy

 

Im going to start with question 2 because I have never seen a factory ignition switch different in the trucks Ive had. All had a plug in that were approx. 1- 1 1/4 in back.

so question 2. Do the turn signals blink or do the just stay on? If the stay on I would try cleaning the terminals in both the front and rear. Yes the rear taillights. I had a problem with this last summer. My left turn signal in the front wouldnt work until I cleaned the tail light terminal. Dont ask but it worked. If they blink maybe its a short. Dont have a good answer for you there.

now question 3. This one has alot of different variables. It is much easier to build the 79 4x4 frame you have than it is to make your 77 2wd 4x4. So I would start there with a bare frame. 2 things to think of next. Neither motor 351W or 455olds (obviously) were ever offered in 77 or 79 trucks. The olds 455 was a very strong torque monster motor. The biggest problem there would be mating a transfer case to a car transmission and you would have to custom build motor perches. The 351W is a good truck motor and either a 302 C6 or a NP435 with a 300 or 302 bellhousing would bolt right up to an NP205 transfercase. If ease of install is a factor I would go with the 351W. There are plenty of bolt ons that would help the power and they are rather easy to work on. As for pre 79 blocks yeah they might be a little better but you are not (atleast from my inpression) building a serious off road pulling truck. Im sure it wont be a problem. I would stay away from fuel injection because of all of the electrical gremlins that can and probably will pop up if you strip it out of a wrecked truck in a junk yard. Stick with a holley 4bbl and you will be happy.

OK so here is what I would do.
Strip the 79 4x4 down to frame suspension and axles.
pull the 351W and strip it down. Hopefully you have the transfer case and transmission out of the 79 if not get one. have it sonic checked for cracks and have bored and rebuilt depending on budget you can stroke these motors out to 427ci
Bolt on power adders. 4bbl intake and carb 1st in my book.
swap cab fenders and bed from your uncles 77 on to the 79 and behold you have a truck.
Now...you can take as long/spend as much$$ getting from step A to step B but only you know your $$ limit which is really the biggest factor on how nice this truck can be.

Sorry for being so long winded but I hope I helped. Good luck and welcome to the site

 

Make sure you actually have a 351W in the 79. The stock motor would have been a 351M.

Unless you are extremely good with electrical systems I would not attempt the EFI conversion.

Engine Identification (rev):
======================
351C/M/400 335 series: 8 bolts in rectangular valve covers. Timing chain housing is part of block. Thermostat housing on block. Exhaust bolt holes diagonal.
351M/400 335 series: intake is 12.7" wide the 351C is narrow.
351W/302/5.0L 6 bolts on trapezoidal valve covers. Thermostat housing on intake. Exhaust bolt holes horizontal.
429/460 385 series: 7 bolts in rectangular valve cover
352/360/390/427/428 FE series: Intake goes under valve covers.
-There are other indicators but these are enough to distinguish engine families.

 

1) Ford used that Ignition switch from 1969 until near the end of the 1978's
CA0,001

I would suggest that switch has been changed.

2)Please explain exactly what you see with the indicator lights (ie: intensity)

I'm thinking your cluster back is crumbling and you have light leaking past from the cluster illumination bilbs.
If the light is bright,you may have a short at the T/S lights.


3) I would just find a 4x4 and buy it then swap engines.
First confirm that 351 is in fact a Windsor

4) Exactly what engine parts are you talking about.

btw, You can post one thread per topic

 

Ok here goes...
When I use the signal lights, they work. All signal lights work. So do the indicators. When I turn on the head lights the signal light indicators come on. Thats as best as I can explain that.

On closer inspection I think that the engine in the 79 is a 351M with a standard transmission. I might just buy or trade for my friends engine (since he pretty much says I can just take it from him ) because it is a 351 (W or M I don't know, definately not a C) automatic 4x4 since my truck is already set up for an automatic.

Is it really that hard to take the front axel asembly off of my truck and slap on the 4x4 assembly from the 79? They look reasonably the same and switching everything above the frame over sounds like a biggar job.

Also, which has more power between a stock 351M or 351W? What about a pimped 351M and 351W?

Btw, you don't have to reply to EVERY one of my questions, just one or two or them is fine if you want.

 

Check with the engine forums for power and performance questions.

 

OK
A 351M and a 351W are no where near the same motor. Bell housing motor mounts and components will not interchange. A 5.8 is essentially the same as 351W except fuel injected. You can make decent power from a 351M with the addition of a 4bbl carb and intake and headers. A cam and a mild port and polish will help. AFAIK you cannot fuel inject a 351M unless someone makes one of those fuel injected carburator deals that are way overpriced and complicated to install. In my opinion a 351W is a better motor for performance but it makes it a little more difficult to mount and adapt to what you have because a 302(same bell housing and motor mounts) were never available in 4x4 trucks. It all boils down to money and time
As for the 4x4 swap. No its not easy. No you cant slap it on. Yes it can be done, but No you dont want to do it. Like I said strip down the 4x4 frame you have and build your motor then swap the cabs over. Again it all boils down to money and time.

 

That stock 351M came out with about 136 HP
The 351W HP depends on what year it is. Lets guess 215 HP or an 80's version.

About the Indicator lights when you put the headlight switch on, are the indicator lights bright like they are during T/S's actuation ? or a lot dimmer ?

The souped up 400 would be a better choice.

One guy on here gets 700+ hp out of this 400.

 

Sound's like a plan then. As for time, I have oodles. Right now I'm gunna run on the 455 but by next summer I hope to be slapping the better body, the 77, onto the better frame, most likely my friends since everything would line up nicer (automatic, same year, etc.) As for money, guys, I gotta tell you, these trucks come freaking cheap were I'm from. 5 bucks for an ignition, 10 bucks for a used door, and 200 for a whole but well used truck. The only thing thats gunna cost me is the engine rebuilding and aftermarket parts. I have like 8 different trucks to nab parts off of, and all for free! That's what friends with more than they want, and neighbors with peices of these things just sitting behind bushes in fields gets you.

As for the signal lights, same brightness. I kinda think it's something with the wiring behind the dash or the dash matrix itself. Thanks a bunch.

 

The printed circuit can't really allowed "Jumping power" to each other.

I would suggest you have a feedback of power through the Turn signal switch or Headlight switch.
Probably a bad ground.

You see, when you turn the lights on that brown wire runs the parking lamps and side marker lamps.

Those parking lamps share the same socket as the T/S lamps (1157 bulb) which would allow power running back to the other circuit.

The mystery part is BOTH indicator lights are coming on and not, just one.

I'll be checking my trouble-shooting chart now

 

At one time when I had the old headlight switch in (changed it due to overheating) I only had one signal light stay on when I turned the headlights on, but then it went right back to right before I replaced the headlight switch. I'll have to check the signal arm switch and the rear lamps.

Or maybe it's the hazard light switch. Whoever had the truck before my uncle put on a different steering wheel, same column, but different steering wheel. So the truck has no horn or hazard lights. I can't wrench it off either because I don't have the right size of bolts for my 3 bolt steering wheel puller.

 

Trust us, we see this a lot. Poor grounding and worn light sockets in the rear are common causes for this problem. When the lights are lit, there is no ground so it backfeeds through the dash - which causes the dash indicators to light up. Pull both the rear lights and clean the grounding points (with sandpaper) and clean the bulb sockets. Then use new bulbs, it's best to coat the bulb base and ground point with dielectric grease for a long lasting conection. Let us know what you find.

In the future, you may want to keep one topic per thread. This thread could've been 3 - ignition, blinkers, and engine. I think you would get more help that way... Just a suggestion.

Marty

 

just had the same problem with the turn signal indicators on mine. It is typically caused by a faulty ground, usually in the parking lights as they seem to suffer from more corrosion problems. I have had it happen to my '78 also. Try using a piece of wire to go from a good ground to the bulb where it is exposed at the top of the socket. Flip on the lights and see if the turn indicator goes out. Test esch one this way until you find the bad ground.

 

Or maybe it's the hazard light switch. Whoever had the truck before my uncle put on a different steering wheel, same column, but different steering wheel. So the truck has no horn or hazard lights. I can't wrench it off either because I don't have the right size of bolts for my 3 bolt steering wheel puller.

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It took until Post#12 to get this important information

Now you know why I mentioned seperate threads in Post #5