So I have a few questions for my fellow Bronco lovers!

1996' XLT MAF Bronco
1) Rebuild the 351W in it now OR get a MAF 460 and put that in? (Exclude the issue of money) I already know it will be costly and the 460 has quite the pounds on the 351.

2) I have the E4OD transmission. I can pick up at ZF-5 trans for ~$400 on C/L. Should I do the swap? BTW if I go with the 460 I will be finding one with a manual Trans behind it with a granny gear.

3) IF I go with the ZF-5 trans (4x4 trans) will my BW1356 fit behind it or will I have to go with another T-case.

4) Lastly I believe that if I go with the ZF-5 I don't think that my headers will not fit anymore so.... might have to go the 460 route and get fender well exit headers.


Yes, I have researched this topic quite a bit from the 351W to 460 swap and there are many for and many against it due to A) cost of rebuilding the 351 is cheap and parts are vast, B) the 351 is much lighter then the 460 so no suspension changes will be needed, and C) parts for the 460 are a little harder to come by (or so I'm told) and they are a little bit more costly.

If I go with the 460 I will get a donor truck to swap everything over to make the swap easier!

If I keep the 351w and build it up then I will be changing my suspension/drive train as well. (4.10 Detroit lockers F/R with posy trac, (might go with Aussie Open front because a lot of people have it but I have no experience with it, but that's another topic!!))

Anyway, I WANT EVERYONE'S OPINION!!!

 

Build the 351W, it's plenty for the Bronco, even better if you modify it to improve it. The ZF5 will handle anything you throw at it, so it's a good swap, and the selling price of the E4OD will give you most of your money back. The BW 1356 was the sole transfer case for the trucks of this gen, so it will mate with the ZF5.

 

The only downside of the zf5 is that my long tubes say in the JBG description it says they won't fit around a manual bell housing.

 

Plus my e4OD is brand new so I can make 1200 off it

 

I vote keep the 351w and build it. I think a MAF conversion and a stroker would be sweet hooked up to a ZF5.

 

I was considering your average $500 used E4OD, that's great then, you could get $1500. I will be making a B&M Shift Kit install write-up soon if you wish to upgrade that E4OD a little.

 

Edge my 351 is already MAF OBD-II.

A shift kit would be nice but I would like to have a manual with granny gear first! . My dad used to have a power wagon (ya I know it's dodge) but in 4 low granny gear first he could wheel stand and roll smoke off all four tires! I want that!!!

 

Also I was talked out of a stroker kit because of how much it moves my pistons. Someone said I'd have to shave my piston heads because it would get to close to my valves so I'm going with edlebrock performer rpm heads (2.02/1.6 valves port and polished). Stock crank, bigger cam, 24lb injectors, trick flow intake/throttle body, new pistons, 1.6 roller rockers. (I already own the heads, and the rest of the parts are on my summit wish list... 2,800 in parts!)

 

What a crock. How many 400m and 460 motors do you hear about blowing up because the pistons move too much.

 

I didn't believe it, but I moved away because I have never done a stroker motor myself because I'm rather new to the engine scene. I have built them but never ordered parts for them although a stroker would be sweet. Then again so would a 460! Grrrrrr I hate options

 

You can get 427cid from the 351....
So unless you're building a stroker 460, stay with the sbf.
Then on top of that, the 460efi heads need work, only one intake option, limited headers(and banks headers fit around a zf5 because I put it on mine)
The 351 has the awesome ability to use nearly all the mustang go fast items and has lots of support otherwise as well.
Do what you want, but ill just add power to compensate for my hp robbing e4od. Put a +500rpm stall converter in it with a big cooler and be happy. I like the manual trans occasionally, and I bitch a lot about power loss with auto, but I won't go through the trouble of swapping either of them around just because.

 

Well then ill stick with the 351. Currently it has K&N filter (need to swap it out though), Hedman headers from JBG, MSD wires, and iridium plugs. Somehow I burnt through one wire though, it's all charred from something but doesn't touch the header and it misfires while idling (along with a high idle.).

Going to a stroker or not though is still in the question.

As for E4OD with stall converter and shift kit vs a ZF5, not sure yet >

 

I always put a piece of that window foam around the sealing part of the lid to keep the dust from bypassing the crappy fitment of the k&n filter. They are fine if you don't mess with them all the time. They filter better when dirty, and you can't oil them too much or else it gums up the mass air meter.

The skip is a trait of the 351. LoL. I can't seem to get mine to stop either. It skips every 7-15 sec. Drives me nuts.
Your plug wire may be burnt from a gasket leak maybe. I can't think of what else other then it rubbing while driving down the road.
The bronco had an option for being manual. I've seen one. It's pretty rare from what I've heard. It's an easy swap. All the truck stuff interchanges. Just get an ecu from a manual to keep from throwing codes.

Look into tuning hardware and software. You'll need it once you get playing with some decent hp. If you're not going stroker just get a set of gt40 heads. You don't need anything big. If you go stroker, you have economy 392/393 for 800$ good for 500hp or better kits like 408/427 for around 1200-1500$ and good for way more hp.
All depends on your budget.

If your trans is good, get a converter and a punisher valvebody and big cooler. Or find a cheap truck to be a donor for your 5spd swap. Just realize you'll need a healthy clutch, which is almost the price of a tq converter. And a new slave/master/tob is almost the cost of a vb upgrade. We can minipulate the numbers for either of our causes. Just try and look at it rationally. And if you say "I just want a manual because I want it" then ill be all for it. I'm always up for modding this stuff.

 

Well head wise I already own a set of Edelbrock performer rpm heads port and polished with 2.02/1.60 valves that I picked up for $1,000 a few months back.

I've been looking at stroker kits for a 393.

Tuner wise Conanski already recommended the Quarterhorse one for me and I have all the downloads already on my laptop for it.

One thing I do have a question on though is: what is the difference between a floor shift for say a C-6, AOD, C-4... etc compared to one for a E4OD? because they make hundreds of different kinds that I like the looks of for the other transmissions BUT only JBG has ONE for the E4OD and it is so plain I might as well keep the column shifter.

 

The shifter itself is the same, its the bolt on levers down at the trans that is different to get the leverage correct for the rotational travel. And a bracket that usually bolts to pan bolts to hold the cable.
Unless you're planning on shifting this thing like a drag car I'd stick with the column shifter. Especially if you go in the mud any. A ratchet shifter sucks for going from forward to reverse and back.

Those heads are decent. I have a set of worked over ones.
Quarterhorse is nice, I've read a lot about it as well as tweecer, but I haven't had a chance to use either.

Sounds like you're on your way to having a good build. Ill be happy to read along and help where I can.