I'm looking to swap the engine in my 89 F150 4x4 5.0 w/AOD trans. Not sure what I can put in there though. I've been looking at different crate engines and not sure if I should go with a carb or stay with the fuel injection. Also what engines will bolt to the AOD. Can I use an HO out of a mustang? Or an old carb engine? Or does it have to be a specific year?

 

What are you goals for this truck and how will you be using it? Also what kind of a budget are you working with? The 5.0HO and the truck 5.0 are essentially the same motor with a diffrent cam and intake and the truck intake has a lot more flow potential so you can get pretty good power gains by simply letting the thing breath(change the cam and replace the whole exhaust system). A couple things.. the 5.0 will never be a big TQ producer without forced induction, it has to rev up and trucks are heavy compared to a Mustang so it usually takes more displacement and gearing to get comparable performance. Stoker and blower kits are good options but both will need to be accompanied by much better heads to get serious output. The 351w is a bolt-in with this transmission and it has even more buildup potential but the stock trans will need significant beefing to handle it. It's also real easy to get beyond the adjustment range of the stock EFI system in your truck so budget for some upgrades there too if you plan to stay with EFI. I have the same powertrain in my truck, have converted it to mass air, added a tuner, and have most of the parts to build a stout 5.8EFI(350+hp range) for it. I had a warmed over 5.8(cam and exhaust) in the truck for quite a few years and loved it, lots of low end grunt.. gave me the itch to build a proper motor for it and I hope see it done sometime soon.. if I can find the cash.. it ain't cheap to do it right even if you do a lot of the work yourself.

 

hi i have a quick question for Conanski where do u learn all of this stuff i read everyone of ur post u always have the answer could u tell where i can go 2 learn this thanks and sorry that my question isn't related 2 this thread but i been wanting to ask u the question

 

Well I would like a little more performance out of it. Not anything radical but it will be my daily driver. I only get 8 mpg now so how much worse could it be adding a little performance. Not sure how I want to go. Maybe buy a long block but not sure if the intake I have will work with it. Its my understanding that fuel injected engines will need computer stuff done to it if I want performance. If I go carb then that makes it easier. I've looked online at some late 60's performance 302 long blocks but not sure if it will bolt to my AOD

 

The trans bolt pattern for the Windsor family of motors(262,289,302,351) and the 300 I6 is all the same and has never changed so any of these will attach to your trans. The 5.0 trucks of this vintage are embarrasingly weak.. just barely enough power to function, but it doesn't take much work or $$ to get significant gains. The 5.0 in my truck now just has a cam and a full exhaust system and it really hauls when the hammer is down, maybe start with that and see what you think. There are a few cams that will swap in without any computer mods.. the Crane 31-255-5 is a flat tappet that will drop right in your motor, or you could convert it to a roller cam setup with parts from a junkyard motor(what I did) and install the Comp 35-512-8. In either case your truck most likely needs more axle gearing especially if it has larger than stock tires, my truck has 3.55's and 30's and it could use 3.73-4.10 IMO.