What tranny after engine swap?
 

I'm new to this site, looks like it will be very helpful. I've got a 94 F150 short bed that I bought 4 years ago for my son(s). One owner super clean truck. We want to swap the 4.9 for a 5.0. I plan to get an EFI engine from a similiar year truck and do some mild mods. Question, it has a 5 speed manual, will that trans bolt up and be geared right for the 5.0? Thanks...

Yes sir, both small blocks --- will be a direct bolt-on as long as you stick with a small block (ie 300, 302, 351). Welcome to FTE :-X22

I second that...and I'd kill for a 5 spd in my truck....she'd be real quick then...Welcome to the site...lotta good info here...enjoy.

JR

The tranny will bolt up to a 5.0.. with a 5.0 specific flywheel, but you will likely want to change the rear axle gearing. The I6 trucks often came with 3.08 gears, and the I6 handles that fairly well because it produces good TQ, but the 5.0 is a 100lb weakling in comparison so you'll need 3.55-4.10 gears to compensate. But check what you have first, there is an axle code on the door jamb, and the rear pumpkin will have a tag under one of the cover bolts, both of these will give you the axle ratio.

my 96 f150 came with the 355 and its a 300

Ford offers different gearing options at the time of purchase. Paul's point is that if you don't opt for a lower gearing, the default that is used for the 300 is pretty high.

My 89 ford has a 302, 5 speed and 308 gears, and it does just fine. You dont need to swap the gears out, unless you want some serious bottom end power.

I was planning on doing the same exact swap!! Can you tell me what else you will need? I can get the engine complete from a 95... do you need like a wireing harness or anything? Computers? New engine mounts?

Thanks everyone, good info. I'll check the rear ratio, thats a good point that I hadnt thought of. Ech0sh4y, I figured if I get the engine wiring harness and possibly box from the V8 truck I should have most of what I need, I'm sure it will require different motor mounts also.

Whether or not a 3.08/5.0 combo is acceptable or not depends upon the intended use. If you're just scooting around in a reg cab 2wd vehicle.. not carrying or towing anything heavy then it'll work OK. What's OK? Around town and at slower hwy speeds it'll be fine, but try to drive 75mph on hilly interstates or into heavy winds and it'll be one sluggish vehicle. Swap in 3.73-4.10 gears and the vehicle is transformed. It'll require more shifting around town, but it will now haul a few thousand pounds at 70mph without loosing speed uphill. Fuel milage will suffer the more you go beyond this speed, but at least the box behind the cab is usefull again for it's intended purpose.

Conanski and others, I may have a rear-end issue, with the truck that is. I've actually got a 2.73, thats a pretty tall gear. The guy I bought it from bought it new and did a lot of interstate driving, maybe he spec'd this rear-end. May be an issue with the 302......

Yeah that's gonna be a problem, it'll essentially make 5th useless. 3.55-3.73 ratio with stock tires sizes is a good starting point for the 5.0, more if the truck works for a living.

Thanks Paul, I'm running 18" mags, no hauling or towing with this truck. I'm probably thinking 3.73, sound right? Check out my thread on engine swaps, would be interested on your opinion.....

Craig