Dumb question from the new guy
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 183
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From: Grand Junction, Colo.
I will be watching this thread intently.
Junior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 54
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From: VA
I hate the poor mileage and high gas prices as much as anyone but....More money has been wasted trying to swap engines, trans, and rear axle ratios to end with virtually no significant gain in Mpg. If you take what it cost to do an engine swap and divide it by the pennies you will save in fuel per 100,000 miles, it just doesn't add up.
Things you can do to improve MPG.............
Maintain max tire pressure
Check alinement often (too much toe-in or too much toe-out kills MPG)
Tune-up engine
Synthetic Fluids in manual trans and drive axles
Check for disc brake drag
Make sure choke opens rapidly and completely
Buy a cheap used small economy car that gets great MPG and use your classic truck on weekends
Things you can do to improve MPG.............
Maintain max tire pressure
Check alinement often (too much toe-in or too much toe-out kills MPG)
Tune-up engine
Synthetic Fluids in manual trans and drive axles
Check for disc brake drag
Make sure choke opens rapidly and completely
Buy a cheap used small economy car that gets great MPG and use your classic truck on weekends
Well said!
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Derry
I would go with either a 302 V8 or a 300 6 cylinder. Both shared the same bellhousing patern.
Any way you go, you're going to need to change the tranny., motor mounts, mount towers, and accessory brackets, and possibly the rear trans. crossmember.
On the plus side, everything is bolt in, no welding or fabbing is required.
Any way you go, you're going to need to change the tranny., motor mounts, mount towers, and accessory brackets, and possibly the rear trans. crossmember.
On the plus side, everything is bolt in, no welding or fabbing is required.
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New User
Joined: Feb 2012
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Thanks for the feed back guys and girls if there was one
I have decided to go with a carbed 300 C4 tranny and I am going to sell the 390 and tranny to help offset the cost I was going to post pix but changed phones and they could not save them. I will try to post some before pictures in a few days I have a friend that is a service manager for a large dealership in Tulsa so he is trying to find the engine and tranny at the best possible price. I will update a progress dictates.
I have decided to go with a carbed 300 C4 tranny and I am going to sell the 390 and tranny to help offset the cost I was going to post pix but changed phones and they could not save them. I will try to post some before pictures in a few days I have a friend that is a service manager for a large dealership in Tulsa so he is trying to find the engine and tranny at the best possible price. I will update a progress dictates.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,521
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From: Lost
Thanks for the feed back guys and girls if there was one I have decided to go with a carbed 300 C4 tranny and I am going to sell the 390 and tranny to help offset the cost I was going to post pix but changed phones and they could not save them. I will try to post some before pictures in a few days I have a friend that is a service manager for a large dealership in Tulsa so he is trying to find the engine and tranny at the best possible price. I will update a progress dictates.
I have decided to go with a carbed 300 C4 tranny and I am going to sell the 390 and tranny to help offset the cost I was going to post pix but changed phones and they could not save them. I will try to post some before pictures in a few days I have a friend that is a service manager for a large dealership in Tulsa so he is trying to find the engine and tranny at the best possible price. I will update a progress dictates.FTE Stories
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 126
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From: Phoenix AZ.
My 2 cents keep the 390 use the money that you would use for the swap to open up that engine. maybe a better intake carb, headers, and so forth you are new to this and it may get to be to much. It always better to learn the basic before you do a transplant. you could get halfway through it and it overwhelms you. besides all the money you might end up putting in it could buy alot of fuel. The 390 is a excellent motor and I have a friend that gets about 13-14 in town and 17 on the freeway. It took some time and learning to get it there, but he did it. The way the truck is designed it will never be fuel effiecent due to aero dynamics I have heard on here is equalivent to a garage door. LOL I think if you do some research you can make that 390 humm and get decent MPG and I am sure your dad will appreciate having the power there for towing or what ever. Welcome and good luck
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 16
From: Lost
You should check out the Ok chapter section. We have a get together coming up in March, over in Skiatook.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...gtg-garys.html
A 300 swap would be one of the easier swaps to do, since the engine mount towers are the same, just need to be relocated. But, it still won't be the simplest of jobs. In the end, it may not give much of an improvement in MPG over what the 390 could get, once it's running in top condition.
I have an 80 F150 with a 300, and the 74 F100 with a 390, and there isn't a lot of difference in MPG between them. Power and torque, totally different story.....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...gtg-garys.html
A 300 swap would be one of the easier swaps to do, since the engine mount towers are the same, just need to be relocated. But, it still won't be the simplest of jobs. In the end, it may not give much of an improvement in MPG over what the 390 could get, once it's running in top condition.
I have an 80 F150 with a 300, and the 74 F100 with a 390, and there isn't a lot of difference in MPG between them. Power and torque, totally different story.....
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New User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 10
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on second thought
after much grief and hate from my little brother that I am cutting the "grapefruits" off a awesome truck and that Dad would not like it since he is a "car guy" and would like the beast motor that is in the truck and I wasn't going to be paying for the gas any way I am keeping the 390 I will just rebuild the 300 in my class for my project and put it in something else I hope all the ford Gods smile on me for this choice now on to other decisions like keeping original hubcaps or or go with new wheels windows tinted or not fun things like that
now on to other decisions like keeping original hubcaps or or go with new wheels windows tinted or not fun things like that
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