Well here we go... Over the next few months, I'll be doing what many people have had a lot of questions about: swapping a Modular Ford V8 into an '80-86 F-Series. I'd like to answer them once and for all with a write up and plenty of pictures.

Since my '80 F100 is getting a cab and all, I figured it's the perfect time to install the drivetrain. My Lightning swapped 5.4L F150 with over 267k on it will be the donor. Drivetrain runs great, but she's giving me all kids of electrical issues and I think it's time to retire her. The plan is to pull the drivetrain from the F150 and install it in the F100 with a twist... I won't be keeping any of of the fuel injected crap. No computer, no tuner or software programmable hooey... Doing it old school. I will be converting it to a four-barrel carburetor setup, and Duraspark II by ways of building a distributor drive for it.

The only dilemma I have, is figuring out if I should keep it a 2WD street truck, or 4x4 conversion. What do you guys think?

 

MSD I think makes a relatively cheap ($300-400) electronic box and harness that will allow you to run a carb on this motor. It runs the stock 5.4 coil packs and would work in place of a distributor.

There are several aftermarket intake manifolds to run 4bbl carbs on Mod Motors. the only issue that I see is that they are all single plane manifolds and as such might not be the best choice for a street driven motor.

I have toyed with the idea of a DOHC 4.6 swap from a Lincoln Mark VIII so I did a little research.

The single plane manifold is the biggest draw back from what I was able to find.

Good luck with the project.

TR

 

How are you going to control the transmission? You will have to keep some type of electronics on it or run a Buaman or similar tranny controller if I am not mistaken.

Kenny

 

You're in for a LOT of work by dumping the EFI. However, getting rid of it will probably make your job in every other aspect easier.

Why not just sell the other truck, find a 351 and do a mild build, and drop it right in?

Also, if you're really going to go through with it the way you have planned, stick with 2 wheel drive for now. Don't complicate things too much further.

 

Well what fun would that be?

IMO keep the OD trans and run a Bauman controller (The US Shift Transmission Control System). If you're lucky you can reuse your harness. As for 4x4 vs 4x2, what trans do you have now? If you've got a trans and transfercase and it's a driver side drop then I'd consider going 4x4. If it's a 4x2 then I'd leave it alone. You're likely going to have to get shafts made either way.

Another option, rather than run a carb setup is to run a MegaSquirt. I'll give you it's not for everyone, so I won't take it personally if you hate it... But there are a lot of options and a decent amount of support for it and you eliminate all the extemporaneous BS that the factory computers have in them now. I'm having very random electrical issues with my Ram 1500 and I think it's the power distribution system but there's almost no way for me to verify without simply throwing parts at it. With megasquirt it's just an engine controller...

MegaSquirt | Engine Management System | Electronic Fuel Injection - DIYAutoTune.com

I've got the MS3 but even the MS2 is a decent candidate and they are available pre-built for a little extra but I wanted the fun of building it myself. I plan on running EDIS dizzy-less ignition...

http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_arti...ar_mustang.htm

Just because...

 

Current trans is an E4OD 4x4 with ~30K on it, and a BW4406 electric transfer case. Transmission will be controlled with a OptiShift controller (already have) and a US-Shift wiring harness, and the transfer case would be controlled by the 4x4 switch and computer wired together out of a '93 Explorer. Already have the manifold for the engine... It has an Eaton M112 on it. Just need to plug the injector holes. Morana Racing now makes an adapter plate to bolt a Holley onto it, all I have to do is find the right sealed bearings for the rotor assembly to run fuel through it so I don't wash the grease out. Distributor drive will be something like MMRs setup....

Products » Modular Engine Components » MMR » Modular Distributor Drive System

A 351 would be sweet too, but already have this drive-train and the 351 has been done over. Great swap, but I also want to do this for the sake of doing it. The Lightning 5.4L hauls in the F150, it'll probably throw the Flareside around like a toy.

 

OUCH! $900 for a dizzy setup?

Since you are running the blower, I would seriously look at the MSD 6-Mod (6011). It can do custom curves and boost retard... And it's half the price...

I would not spend $900 of a DSII conversion + extra for a boost controller...

 

Oh heck no I wouldn't spend that, I'm going to build one. I really really hate electronic engine controls, especially after all the crap I went through with the F150. That MSD billet distributor is expensive and all... So I'll just get a stocker. My pop is telling me I should run a cut down Mallory DP mechanical advance. I guess I'll see what happens as the project advances. I do have TrickFlow aluminum covers on the engine, so they can be welded/fabricated on. I've seen them done before by people in the Mustang community that don't feel like paying MMRs extreme prices. You just weld a socket on the end of the distributor shaft that goes over the cam nut, and it turns the distributor. I'm my case I believe it's a 3/8 square drive in the end of the cam shaft.

 

What are you planning for boost timing control?

I'm fine with the idea of hanging a modified DSII of the cam, I've seen that done on other engines... Up until you add boost.

You can run the DSII with an MSD 6-BTM ($379) and fab everything up or you can run the the MSD 6-MOD system (#6011 $454)... No fab work. You just need a map sensor and coil packs which you probably already have. It'll work with a 3-bar map for up to 29psi boost...

And you get the benefits of dizzy-less ignition. There's a reason I'm going to run EIDS-8 on my 396" stroker and not a TFI when I go EFI. TFI will be easier but there are benefits to the EDIS system.

I know you hate electronics at this point but you're going to need them if you want to run boost.

Also, you do know that a DSII is an electronic dizzy right?

 

Haha, yes I know it's electronic... But it's vintage electronics. Even my original 300 six had a DSII, so I'm not opposed totally. I'm just going for a lot simpler technology then the EEC-V system that was running it. A lot less "snakes", aka 50,000 miles of Ford harness. I'm trying to stay as simple, low-tech, and uncluttered as possible.

That 6-BTM box is pretty sweet...

 

You know what, however you choose to do this is fine by me. But I think I speak for everybody here when I say that we want to see pics and videos when its done. This sounds like its going to be a sick build!

 

A DSII dizzy can trigger the MSD 6-BTM box with no Duraspark box. You need to fab up the dizzy mount.

The 6-Mod uses a coil pack harness (included) and a 2-bar map (included). Add power and ground and hook into your existing cam/crank sensors and that's it. It even has a 2-step rev limiter.

Both have similar electronics and wiring. Both are extremely simple by late model standards. Even my MegaSquirt system is only going to have 30-35 wires... A far cry from late model standards.

The big difference between them is the timing curve on the DSII setup will have to be mechanically tuned and will be pretty liner. The 6-Mod has LOTS of tune-ability when it comes to the curves both under boost and cruise.

I would use the 6-Mod but it's your build and like Steven said - PICTURES and VIDEO!!!

 

Be weary of Morana. He makes a lot of m90 adapters and from what I hear on sccoa and v6power.net he sells a lot of snake oil and muffler bearings.....

 

Looks like a lot of his stuff is somewhat generic that requires fabrication, but sometimes an adapter plate or something simple and pre-machined saves time. All else fails, I'll get a spare Eaton casing and cut it up, fab up some pieces and take it over to a friend of mine and have him weld it all up.

 

Been sourcing parts and saving paychecks... Looks like I will be going with the MSD MOD 6 (6011) ignition box. Performance Automatics bell-housing to bolt the 5.4L to a C4 transmission, eliminating any and all transmission wiring garbage. On thing on my mind... I'd like to get some A/C in this truck using factory (albeit modified) parts. Looking into that as well. Also would like to find a set of long tube headers that will work with the older body style truck... Something tells me long tubes from a Lightning may work.