So My 400ci in my 81 ford is getting tired I believe. There are some problems with it and the transmission

the 400ci is kind of a pig from what I have read comparing it with other engines like 460 and the diesel

HOWEVER

I have a Chevy 350 engine w/ th350 trans and the TPI fuel injection system on the engine sitting in my garage waiting for a project.

How bad of a person would I be if I did this swap? I have on rare cases seen Chevys swapped into fox body mustang so there must be some sort of secret.

I mean this would save me the time, effort, expense of finding another engine.

Plus fuel injecting! Right?...

 

I'd rather go with a 700R4 than a TH350, but I wouldn't be seriously opposed.

You'll need to have the ECM retuned to bypass the TPI's VATs system.

The TPI engine actually would make a great truck motor, they have TONS of downlow torque. I've seen built engines still running TPI making diesel like torque figures.

(FYI, I have an 87 Corvette sitting in the driveway, so I know a little bit about these engines. Learning as I go...)

 

You could do it but it would mean new motor mounts and trans mounts. Also if I remember correctly you would need a fuel return line back to the tank plus you would have to do a O2 sensor.

 

On that note, most likely a stronger alternator as well. The GM ECM can control a main electric fan as well.

I'd recommend doing the wiring harness out of a 86-89 (MAF), or the speed density setup (MAP) out of 90-92 cars.

Any year (86-89) can have the ECM flashed to work the same as an 89 car.

 

Well as regard to the ECU,

I have use Megasquirt on a couple of cars in the past. I don't really want to use the stock ECU as it is WAY to complicated to setup plus I don't have one for the engine. I would be using an HEI distributor and maybe with the use of an MSD box, i will take control of the spark but to start I will use Megaquirt to control just fuel using HEI for RPM signal. The TPI should improve economy and I also heard that they do provide good low end power.

I do have a wide band sitting around for the ECU.
I also have a fuel pump laying around for the Fuel injection system

I would LOVE to switch to an 700R4 for a transmission and I have the C4 trans and it only likes to drive around at 55 MPH

The only worries I have is

Motor Mounts
Drive Shaft
Exhaust

But like I said before, I have seen Mustangs with 350 chev engines so I know it is possible for some sort of ford to chevy motor mounts.

The other is alternator but it shouldn't be too hard to wire that

 

A CHEVY!!!!!! THE FORD GODS WILL SURELY SEND YOU TO HELL!!!!

Just kidding. Actually that is a fairly common swap in the older Fords why not in an 80's. The 350 makes great power and parts are everywhere and cheap. A little fab work but nothing to serious.

 

The 350 is a great motor. No complaints here. Can you weld? You might need to fab up some mounts.

 

I've contemplated a GM engine swap into a ford truck. The 6.2L Diesel......

However, I am a rather fierce opponent of swapping SBC motors into anything but a GM body. They have been done so many times that it shows a lack of creativity, in my opinion. Besides, I just dislike the SBC engines in general, too many design flaws in them.

 

The SBC isn't for creativity or originality. This is not a show truck that I am doing this to (although the body is in pretty decent shape). I am trying to use this truck for my landscaping business. Kind of a DD

The truck is a 81 Ford F350 Dually 2wd
the engine is a 400ci with a C4 trans (pretty well built but needs some attention)

I predict that gas prices are going to go up. The 400ci is kind of a dog and a pig of a engine. I am just not impressed with it compared to a 460ci. And really, do I need that much power? If I am THAT loaded down, I will just drive slower. I have driven a chevy 3/4 ton with a chev v8 TBI. they aren't that bad. Gas mileage was around 12-15 also.

Right now the truck feels unusable because of the bad gas mileage. It would be nice to get 15mpg so I would feel more comfortable driving it around. I don't know for sure that I would achieve 15 as that is only a prediction but it would be nice.

It was one of those ideas of looking around in the garage saw the engine, looked at the truck and thought Hmmm.... would it work and how much more effort and cost would it take? If someone made engine motor mounts I would be hooked on it. The drive shaft could be taken fabbed up somewhere I believe.

Then the thought of finding a 700R4 because thinking now a 350 would drive like the c4 does. That does add in more cost.

I also wanted to see the opinions of people here and see if anyone has ever done it.

So the motor and the transmission mounts would be the Major obstacle for me as I don't have access to a heavy welder. But looking at the whole picture, that would be it as far as major obstacles! other then that it is a doable swap!

 

When you say MAF on the 86-89 are you talking about Fords? Because MAF didnt come into Fords until way after 86. It was around 95 or 96 before Ford put a MAF in a truck. The older trucks were speed density.

 

Step back and look at the time and the costs and, you are never going to get good fuel mileage from a dually pickup unless you swap in a diesel and you must have a overdrive transmission. I bet that truck has a 4.10 rearend. Your planned swap does not unclude overdrive.

 

If you want to run a 350 why not just trade or sell your truck and get a chevy. Or better yet sell the 350 and buy a 460!

 

I would agree on the sell the Chevy motor and trans and get a new 400 instead of the the 460.

 

The 400s can be built into great truck engines, give Tim Meyer a call, he's an
M-block guru.

TMeyer, Inc. Precision Automotive Machining

 

Chevy, TPI, like the donor engine in question.

Ford EFI is way out of my realm of knowledge. My F-250 is about as much as I know about Fords.