I hate to nit pick, but:

--a 302 is a stroked 289, 4 x 3 vs. 4 x 2.87. I agree most people are not happy with them in trucks. However, they make about the same torque and more HP than the six, at slightly higher rpms. Truck 302s crap out about 4500 rpms so it's said.

--the pistons in a 300 are the same diameter of those in a 289 or 302--4".

http://jastrauss.fastmail.fm/1990_p16.jpg

I think that's '92 but I'm not sure. The comparison shows the 351w the hands down winner.

 

300 (4.9) routinely goes quarter-million miles or more before needing any major work. Neither V8 will EVER feasibly achieve that. The fact remains that the longevity of the 300 considering its output and efficiency make a preferable over the 302. The oldest of the 300's achieve peak torque and HP under 2400 RPM to say nothing of the fuel injected units.

Stroked, bored, whatever, the point was as mentioned that if you use your truck AS a truck and not an oversized race-car, the low-end pull from a 300 combined with the aforementioned longevity, make it a clear choice over the fuel-hungry, higher revving 302.

 

i want to find a 351w to put in it. but are the motor mounts the same after 89? also, for right now i would like to find just a transmission. So the bolt pattern on the bell housing off of a 94 will fit right up on my 89?

 

Correct, bell patterns are the same for all years of the 302/351W.

 

Alright cool, thanks you guys, you all have helped me out a lot. So thank you all.

 

Who is really using their bronco to race or pull tractors anyway? If you were looking to do either, you probably should have bought an f 250 with a diesel engine. They have a lot more ground clearance stock than a bronco does anyway. My '83 bronc has a bad *** tow hitch on it, but I wouldn't use it for more than towing a 10' john boat. The wheel base isn't good for it. For hunting/fishing trips, driving on the beach or old forestry service access roads, and picking up house maintenance items the bronco works just fine and gets ok gas mileage at stock height with 31's, a 302 and a c6. A properly tuned 4bbl carb works just as good as fuel injection, unless you're trying to climb Pike's Peak, but again you have the wrong vehicle for that. BTW, I still believe the 300-6 is the best engine ford ever made. You can run em 300k and only change the oil filter periodically if you wanted to.

 

I just got a hitch put on my 78 that has a 2bbl stock carb (not for long though) 35 inch tires and a newely rebuilt C-6 mated to a 400M. I haven't had to tow anything but i would be nice to use it for pulling someone. A while back this guy was broke down a few blocks from my house, and i tried to help him by getting gas in his gas can but it still wouldn't start. I decided to help by pulling him home but i didn't have the hitch at the time so we attached my towrope to the rear leaf spring mount. I really didn't like it there but it got the job done and he got home. Turns out a fuse blew and turned his frame mounted fuel pump off. I got $5 out of it too. Basically if i have to pull someone out of a hole or a ditch or some mud or something i now am able to. I won't be able to tow some 40' cruise liner boat or anything but so what. and having 35s reduces towing by a lot but once again i don't plan to be towing houseboats or 5th wheel sized trailers so i am not worried about it. These broncos may ave short wheel bases but they can tow a lot when needed to, it may not be safe or practical but it will do it.

 

I use my Bronco to play with. I only go down level B roads, and the occasional off road parks. I also use it as a daily driver so i need an engine tranny set up that is good for on and off road driving. so far everyone has told me to go with the 351w and the E4OD transmission. Has anyone converted your TTB to a solid front end? is it hard? Is there a lot of fabrication to do it?

 

Ya my 78 is my DD as well and i plan to do some offroading in it. As for the SAS there is a few people who have done it and you might look around the other threads, i thought there was a dedicated section to the SAS.

 

yeah i really miss my '65 f1 with the sas. that sucker could go thru anything...and hopefully you had a full 5 gal gas can in the bed. those FE's really guzzle the petrol. the ttb seems to eat tires and cut into the gas mileage.

 

i'm gonna nit pick further, your 89 5.0 doesn't have an e4od, it has an AOD...the e4od for the 5.0 engines didn't come standard till 91.

the aod is a non computer controlled trans and is dirt cheap to rebuild, and can hold plenty of power when rebuilt right...just keep it simple with a 5.0 or a 5.8, and a rebuild on your aod and you'll be fine.