I have a 1992 F250 4x4 7.5L 460 with a 5 speed manual transmission, can I replace the 460 with a 7.3 diesel without replacing the tranny?

 

although the bolt patterns look the same they don't quite line up. I've heard many people here and on other sites that say it cant be done...

but I do have a friend who swears he put a zf 5spd from an idi diesel into his bronco with a 460... but I think the general consensus here is that it cant be done...

Any one else have a more difinitive answer?

 

I was always under the impression that there were 2 bell housing patterns, small block, and big block/diesel.... But again, i have no proof....

 

Two torque ratings, three bellhousing patterns.
SB, BB & Diesel
Check out ZF's site.......ZF Friedrichshafen AG / Troubleshooting Guide
The -42 is for smallblocks and has a concentric slave/release bearing.
The -47 is wide ratio for gas and close ratio for diesel, both with an external slave.
http://www.zf.com/na/content/media/i...uide/S5-47.pdf

The bellhousings are integral and the bolt patterns are different.

Oh, and from what I understand, the diesel has a taller radiator, it uses a different radiator support.

 

if i remember correctly from when i did my swap, the patter is the same but the bolt size is different. you would have to drill the bolt holes on your tranny to a 7/16 if memory serves me.

 

so you did the swap? and you drilled the bolt holes?

please elaborate! did you swap a diesel in or just the tranny's? how did it work?

 

well its been a few years and who knows how much beer since then but ill tell you what i remember. i helped a buddy put a 7.3 idi into a truck that was a 460 5 speed. i know that the bolts are bigger on the idi than the 460. they should be 7/16 with a big shank. we used the bellhousing bolts for the idi and just drilled the bellhousing to fit. to the best of what i can recall, thats how it all went down. that was about 8 years ago when we did that. it makes sense because i have heard of it going the other way, using a diesel trans behind a gas motor, and people making a bushing to take up the slop in the holes from the smaller bolts. i hope my fuzzy recollection is of good use to you.

 

What about the dowel pin locations?
Is the IH flywheel the same diameter?

 

To the OP: is this a 7.3 idi or Power*cough*joke??

 

Dean88,

Nice avatar.
Long Live The 1st Cav.
My Uncle, Freddie Lloyd, Helicopter Door Gunner/Captain.
KIA 'Iron Triangle' S.Vietnam, March 1968

Kind Regards,
Dan U.S.N. '77-'81

Sorry if I was

 

the diesel trans is diesel specific. it will not bolt to a gas engine, and a gas engine will not bolt to a diesel.
this gets hashed over every few month in the diesel sections, and every time it all comes back with the original poster saying i should have listened to you guys and not wasted my time, cause it did not fit.
but if you don't believe this, try it, and waste you time.

 

Thanks man, its kinda a family symbol to me, cuz my Dad, step-dad, brother-in-law and several friends of mine are/were in the 1st cav. So I put it as my avatar as a tribute to all those who have served.

 

I'm gonna get a decal for the back window of Lil' Raven. It will be a nice touch.