My 460 is tired, was wondering if I could replace it with a 300 six cylinder, 351, or 302 and use my same automatic tranny. Would I save some gas using the smaller engines and would they be more readily available if the bellhousing works?

 

First off welcome to FTE!

We talking a E40D auto tranny? If it's a E40D the bell housing on your tranny won't match any other ford engine. the 300, 302 and 351w all use the same Ford SB (small block) bell housing bolt pattern. If you want to down grade you'll need and engine, tranny and the engine mount towers for starters...

 

buy a parts truck with the motor/ tranny you want, swap the SB motor and tranny into your truck, put the 460 and old tranny in the parts truck, and sell the parts truck for even more!

Ive done it a million times

 

I'm thinking the tranny is pre E4OD, which would be C6 I think, so no other engine uses the same bell housing, I thought I heard tha a 351W was a swap, not sure.

 

All Automatics have molded bell housings so no auto will swap to all engines.

Your tranny, witch is a big block patern, will only fit the 400, 429, and 460.


If you go to a 351, you'll need a small block tranny, from any 300 inline 6, 302 or 351 truck or van.


Your truck is an 89, the 4 speed OD E4OD tranny came out in mid year 1989. But i've seen plenty much newer trucks with C6's.


What does your gear selector say?

P R N (D) 2 1 = E4OD (and will have an OD cancel switch on the dash, right hand side right beside the steering column.

P R N D 2 1 = C6

 

It could be the AOD. which, at least in my truck has P R N (D) D 1.

 

The AOD is a half ton truck only tranny, as it's a light duty tranny found only behind small blocks.

 

That would be a E4OD.

 

I have no OD over ride button and it only shows PRND21 no (D). is the 400 readily available, what years would they be, could I use any of these motors, no matter what year and use my intake, exhaust etc.. What is my easiest swap, would the 400 save me gas.?

 

in reading the question at hand you seem to be concerned about the time ole fav. of fuel mileage with your truck pending on its uses would be my first outlook you can pull anything you want with a 300 straight 6 but your not going to pass anybody on the interstate not pulling youll get around 18 mpg pending on your gears the 460 will get there at about any speed you want whyll getting 10 to 12 mpg i personally dont buy or build trucks to run to walmart I would rebuild that gem of a 460 in another perpective you will spend roughly 8 dollers more per 100 mile trip with that 460 and have the power to do vertually anything you want whyll saving yourself the headache of coverting Just my 2 Cents.

 

Well I would say to keep the 460 and just do a good rebuild on it. Or sell it and find yourself a truck that all ready has a small block in it. If you have your heart set on a small block in your truck then you'll have to swap the trany too.

Or you could try the 400/351M. This wouldn't be a smog legal swap in most states but if you could get away with it, it would be an easy job. These engines use the same bell housing as the 429/460. I've been told they use the same motor mounts too but I have never been able to confirm this. These engines have a bad reputation for being slow and underpowered but if you go on down the engine forums you'll see they have tons of potential. They respond to all the old hot rod tricks and are topped with those amazing Cleveland heads. All you need to do is open up the intake/exhaust, bump up the compression a point or two and stab in a decent cam. It's nothing to build a 400+ HP 400 and, considering it has a longer stroke than a 460, keep a nice torque curve.

 

What years were the 400/ 351M's made

 

A 400 will not save you any money in fuel. Rebuild the 460, or buy a donor truck that has all of the driveline parts intact.

 

No (D) means you have a C6. C6's are really good trannys but the only problem is that they are a 3 spd which hurts your mpgs not having OD.

This is correct a 400 won't save you any gas so a swap would be a waste of money...

If you love your truck you'd be better off to find a donor truck on www.craigslist.org or www.crazedlist.org for $500(+/-)

This way you can find a truck with a 5 spd (which is better on gas) and a 300 or 351w which both are better on gas. You'll have all the parts you need to do the swap and conversion with a parts truck. What series truck do you have F150, F250, or f350? 4x4?

Also as far as 351m's and 400's you can check here... Ford F-Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia it's surprisingly accurate for wikipedia although I have seen some changes that need to be made...

What do you do with your truck? Hual, Daily Driver, errand truck, off road at all???? how you use your truck will help us tell you which engine would best fit your needs...

 

Spend the money and buy a 12v cummins.
More power. Double milage of any ford gasser And tow anything still.