....I have a really nice 1986 F-250 body. Currently there is a vicious 5.0 H.O. police interceptor block from a crown vic in it. That's coming out for a spare engine for our 1992 Mustang GT. Then I have an empty body. Originally I thought about dropping a 300 big six in it. But I just gott a 1984 F100 aluminum flatbed with a 300, and already had an E250 with the 300 too. I love them both. But I'm bored to tears with the idea of another one. Is there a four cylinder engine to try? Or maybe even a diesel to try?...The truck has the AOD tranny in it...Actually the overdrive version that came with the 5.8L v8...

 

You would have had an E40D or similar, not the lighter AOD.

4 cylinder? Sure, a Honda V-tec, just put some 6.11 gears in there with a 5 speed and a Gear Vendors to split the gears with.

Diesel? Ford installed the IH derived oilburners, you can find one at the scrappy if you want to fool with 1100 lbs of engine plus a different trans.

4 cylinder diesel?

Cummins 4BT & Diesel Conversions Forums

You are not just swapping the engine, but rebuilding the truck for diesel.

fordcummins.com - Increase Horsepower with Ford Cummins Diesel conversion kits

Good luck whatever you try.

 

My first thought was that the only 4-cylinder that would have enough torque to move that beast would be a Cummins 4BT. But they seem to be a little more rare (and more expensive as well!) than the 6BT. And the '86 F250 had the 6.9 diesel available as a factory option, so that could be done as a bolt-in swap with all parts readily available. Bit of a wiring nightmare though...I've swapped one the other way, converting an '86 F250 4X4 from diesel to gas.

Your current tranny won't work behind any of the above options however. As far as being a bolt-up, it'll only fit the 289/302/5.0, 351W/5.8, 351C or 300-6/4.9 and even if you made an adapter plate, I don't think it would stand up to the torque of a diesel for very long...

 

....Wow, the diesel sounds intriguing, but maybe more work then I planned on. I found a guy with a running 460 that doesn't sound too bad, and doesn't seem worn out. I can't hear many problems with the stethoscope anyway. He only wants $300 for it, so I think I'll just go that route. At least then I'll have a great puller in the yard even if I don't drive it much. I'll check out the diesel options in the meantime. Maybe a run over the local Junk yards would be in order. Maybe find the whole drivetrain and electronics. What trucks came with the 4BT and 6BT? Ford used a number of different diesels didn't they?.....

 

Ford uses Navistar diesels built by International. The earlier ones were known as IDI, which stands for InDirect Injection but the switch to the Powerstroke came in '94 I believe.

The 6BT is the Cummins engine that Dodge chose for their trucks, though there was also an industrial version used in many different pieces of equipment. The 4BT is exactly the same engine except with two fewer cylinders. It was primarily an industrial engine, though it also found its way into many bread vans and the like, some even running a Ford chassis which meant they came with Ford trannies attached. You'd be very lucky to find a Cummins in the wrecking yard, they just don't seem to show up there. They're in such high demand that they're usually sold from a wrecked truck long before the carcass winds up in the boneyard.

The 460 isn't a bad choice and is also a straight bolt-in swap with the correct engine perches. You'll also need a matching tranny, the 460 shared its bellhousing pattern with the 429, 400 and 351M.

 

......Yeap, it was a 351M originally. I didn't care for the 351M in our service vans. High fuel use with not a lot of power from my experience. I think I'll go 460 and not drive it so much. Thanks.......

 

No, the 351M was a well-known underpowered, oversmogged dog...not too many folks have much use for them. Too heavy even to be a decent boat anchor...