Best engine for hunting
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2014
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Best engine for hunting
Hey all, I'm new to the forums, and to turning wrenches but I have taken on an ambitious project. I have a 1994 f150 in great shape except the engine. I want to turn it into a nice hunting truck and don't know witch way to go rebuild the 302 that's in it or get a 351 from a salvage yard or buy a new one from oreilly auto parts. O'reilly because that's all my budget allows.
Thanks for any info
Thanks for any info
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
What are you looking for in "a nice hunting truck"? To me that means a low-cost but reliable vehicle. Swapping in a junkyard engine would probably be lowest cost, but you're at risk of finding out that the engine belonged in a junkyard. Buying a rebuilt 302 is probably the lowest cost route to a reliable engine (rebuilding it yourself MIGHT be cheaper if you know what you're doing, but it's not always easy to save much there).
If you want to take this opportunity to also get more power, swapping in a rebuilt 351 will add some cost, or getting a built 302 or built 351 will get into more cost and more performance.
If it were me, I'd go with a rebuilt 302. But I can't tell you where you should land on this.
If you want to take this opportunity to also get more power, swapping in a rebuilt 351 will add some cost, or getting a built 302 or built 351 will get into more cost and more performance.
If it were me, I'd go with a rebuilt 302. But I can't tell you where you should land on this.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2014
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I'm in north west colorado and hunting gets pretty rough, so performance would be nice. I'm not trying to go crazy just get a little more power. I would like to rebuild it but I'm very green when it comes to mechanics, I do have some intelligence and a lot of ambition, but I don't want to get in over my head.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,635
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From: Lansdale, PA
Look on craigslist for a cheap explorer with a 5liter, go buy it for $500 after you hear it run.
BOOM!!!
All done. Yank the engine and put it in your truck. You'll also get 373 or 411 gears with LSD diff you can put in your truck. Disk brakes you can retrofit on the back if you're interested in that crap, or sell complete rear to a jeep guy for 150-250.
Whoever suggested a 2300 dollar engine for a "hunting" truck has more money than I do.
Sell leftover parts then scrap the rest of explorer for 250-300.
No room for extra vehicle, junkyards sell these engines complete for 3-600 dollars. But you can't hear it run.
BOOM!!!
All done. Yank the engine and put it in your truck. You'll also get 373 or 411 gears with LSD diff you can put in your truck. Disk brakes you can retrofit on the back if you're interested in that crap, or sell complete rear to a jeep guy for 150-250.
Whoever suggested a 2300 dollar engine for a "hunting" truck has more money than I do.
Sell leftover parts then scrap the rest of explorer for 250-300.
No room for extra vehicle, junkyards sell these engines complete for 3-600 dollars. But you can't hear it run.
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Engine has a blown head gasket and 250,000 miles on it, I pull a small camper with it in the summer, and run it hard in the winter chasing coyotes, the mane reason I would like to rebuild it my self is to learn but the only teacher I have to help is a book, might be the deep end of the pool for a beginner
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Charlestown, RI
+2. Or 3. Whatever we're up to on count.
The only thing that would concern me about just replacing the head gaskets, is the oil being contaminated with coolant, which can ruin the lower end (main and rod) bearings.
Since reliability is what you're after, perhaps pulling the engine and going through it is the best plan. Install all new gaskets and seals, check the oil pan for rust, replace the oil pump and screen, and pull a couple of rod and main bearings to check them. Probably not a bad idea to replace the water pump, reseal the timing chain cover, and install a new timing chain and gears.
Provided all mechanicals check out good, you should be able to pull this off for less than $500.
The only thing that would concern me about just replacing the head gaskets, is the oil being contaminated with coolant, which can ruin the lower end (main and rod) bearings.
Since reliability is what you're after, perhaps pulling the engine and going through it is the best plan. Install all new gaskets and seals, check the oil pan for rust, replace the oil pump and screen, and pull a couple of rod and main bearings to check them. Probably not a bad idea to replace the water pump, reseal the timing chain cover, and install a new timing chain and gears.
Provided all mechanicals check out good, you should be able to pull this off for less than $500.