Engine Swap

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Oct 26, 2013 | 08:52 PM

#16

Briancolorado

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Jul 2012

Posts: 21

Likes: 0

I should be able to remove them on the '86 and use the ones out of the '83 shouldnt I?

Oct 26, 2013 | 08:57 PM

#17

Gary Lewis

FTE Legend

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 32,875

Likes: 48

From: Northeast, OK

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briancolorado

I have an '86 F250 and it has the 300 in line in it with a 4 spd manual. I also have an 83' with a 460 in it and an automatic transmission. I want to put the 460 into the '86 after I remove the 300.

Got it. Thanks. To do that properly you will need several things from the 83, including the perches. But, they are NOT easy to get off as most of them have many rivets in them, which don't come out until you drill a hole through them even if you grind the heads off.

Also, I think you have another problem - the radiator. I'm sure you know that the 460 takes a different radiator than the 300 as the inlet and outlet are swapped. But, I'm pretty sure the radiator size as well as the core support are completely different between the 83 and the 86 - so much so that you cannot swap the radiators w/o swapping core supports. I'm not 100% sure of that, but I know that the change was between 82 and 85, and I think the 83 has the early style core support.

Oct 26, 2013 | 09:05 PM

#18

ArdWrknTrk

pedant

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 23,576

Likes: 40

From: EXTREME southwest CT

The other issue with 460's is oil filter clearance at the front crossmember.
Best to know about that before you are trying to set it into the mounts.

Oct 26, 2013 | 09:06 PM

#19

Gary Lewis

FTE Legend

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 32,875

Likes: 48

From: Northeast, OK

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briancolorado

I should be able to remove them on the '86 and use the ones out of the '83 shouldnt I?

If you mean the perches, then yes. With a lot of work, broken drill bits, and exasperation. Someone, Shaun I think, worked out a process to do that: Grind the head off with a right-angle grinder or a die grinder w/a carbide burr, and then drill a hole through the middle of most of what's left. Said hole should be 1/4" or larger, and it serves to relieve the pressure of the material on the sides of the holes. Otherwise they do not want to come out - at all.

Once you have them drilled out you can punch them out. With them out and the bolts removed (one side has both bolts and rivets, IIRC) you can swap them to the other frame. Use at least Grade 5 bolts, if not Grade 8's, as well as washers and lock washers. You do not want them to come loose.

Oct 26, 2013 | 10:00 PM

#20

Briancolorado

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Jul 2012

Posts: 21

Likes: 0

I actually found a site that sells the new ones, a little pricey but probably worth it to not have to fight with removing the old ones.

Oct 26, 2013 | 10:03 PM

#21

Gary Lewis

FTE Legend

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 32,875

Likes: 48

From: Northeast, OK

Well, you will have to remove the original ones anyway, so why not perfect your skills getting them off. Then you'll know how hard it is and how much you are willing to pay so you don't have to do it again.

Oct 26, 2013 | 10:32 PM

#22

Briancolorado

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Jul 2012

Posts: 21

Likes: 0

That is true, but I think the engine swap is gonna be much easier than making the '83 a 4x4 using the parts from the '86! lol

Oct 26, 2013 | 11:05 PM

#23

86Stepside

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 493

Likes: 1

From: Minneapolis, MN

I just took off the engine perches on my parts truck, the drivers side had 4 rivets and 2 bolts. I ended up using a air chisel and it worked great. After I chiseled the rivets off the perch still wouldn't come off, so i took the air chisel and wedged it between the perch and the crossmember, pulled the trigger and it came right off. I don't know why ford thought they had to use bolts and rivets on one side, and just bolts on the other side.

FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Joe Kucinski

3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Brett Foote

10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

Pouria Savadkouei

Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Brett Foote

10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Joe Kucinski

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Michael S. Palmer

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Verdad Gallardo

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Joe Kucinski

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Brett Foote

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Joe Kucinski

Oct 27, 2013 | 01:16 AM

#24

ArdWrknTrk

pedant

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 23,576

Likes: 40

From: EXTREME southwest CT

Rivets expand to completely fill the hole.
This keeps it from shifting at all.
I imagine because of engine torque only acting in one direction.

Oct 27, 2013 | 01:21 AM

#25

Briancolorado

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Jul 2012

Posts: 21

Likes: 0

So when I put the new ones on should I use rivits too? Would need a pretty big rivit gun I would imagine?

Oct 27, 2013 | 01:31 AM

#26

ArdWrknTrk

pedant

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 23,576

Likes: 40

From: EXTREME southwest CT

No, you can't use rivets.
They are way too big.
Just use quality bolts like Gary said.

I would probably ream to size and use flange head bolts and nuts without washers.
But I am a little crazy like that,