I'm not sure if this is the forum to ask this at but I'll try anyway. I have a 56 P/U with a '79 302 from an F-150 hooked up to a C-4. Right now it's running with a 4 barrel Holley but I got a whole 89 Mustang EFI intake off ebay. What I need to know now is: What kind of distributor gear do I need to work with the 302's cam? Which ECC IV unit can I steal from a junked 5 liter ford car (would the cars that had the automatic be what I need even though the C4 is a 3 speed?)? And if there's any other tricky stuff anybody thinks I should know when doing this conversion, please let me know. Thanks

Craig Early
F-100 Elite of Northern California
Livermore Chapter

 

I'll tell you what I think I know! You need all the sensors, wiring harness (complete for the EFI), and computer. If you don't get all these things in the beginning it gets a little pricey. There are other things to consider like the fuel system. Your fuel pump won't cut it. Your electrical system might not handle the additional load unless you have updated from the original generator. All the parts you need are available new, from scrap yards, or custom aftermarket but as mentioned before it can get kinda pricey. There is a monthly magazine that specilizes in coverage of Mustangs and Fords that has done several articles on this type of conversion and it's associated problems and pitfalls. Good luck and remember this is what I think I know!!

Charles

 

I agree with the above reply. Sensors and wiring will nickle-and-dime you to death. Complete harnesses are available aftermarket. Try to find a car/truck with a complete, but bad motor to get the periphrials from. As to your original question, I don't think the ECU cares how many speeds you have. I'm doing a conversion using an '85 Lincoln MK7, which is throttle body injected. The ECU doesn't even get a VSS signal in that one. I bought the whole car for less than $1000. You could also use an ECU from a manual transmission to avoid problems. You can get a complete factory wiring diagram from Helm (www.helminc.com) for your donor vehicle, well worth the $12 or so.

 

Actually I got a wiring harness in the deal. Since I'll probably have a lot of free time between now and putting this setup in I might try and make my own wiring harness from the original. So I'm only missing the O2 sensors, MAF, and the fuel line stuff but I pretty much know how to set up all that. So using an ECU that was in a manual tranny car will work with my C4 automatic? doesn't seem right but I don't know anything about that magic box so I'll take your word for it. Still does anyone know what type of distributor gear I'd need to slap on to work with my cam? I heard the gear on the normal distributor from a 5.0 Mustang will get chewed up by earlier 302 cams.

 

the EFI, roller lifter engines used a steel cam gear. Your 79 302 uses a bronze gear.The steel gear will chew up your cam.

 

So I just have to put a bronze gear on a distributor from a mustang and all should work fine?