I am in the process of picking up an '87 f150 with the 300 and SROD manual transmission. My hopes would be to at some point transplant the engine and accessories into another project truck (pre '75 so no smog checks) but would like to be able to drive the '87 for awhile as my DD. Any thoughts as to how reliable the first versions of the EFI were and any thoughts on the SROD transmission? I have never thought of getting one with the EFI, but this truck is the right price and has the "extras" that I would like to transfer onto the '75 at some point in the future.


Would the '87 engine bolt up to an earlier T18/19 or are there other issues that I am glossing over.


Thanks for any and all input and advice that you may want to toss my way.

 

Here is a recent thread which might be helpful in your research.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...o-82-f100.html

 

Don't like the early EFI from Ford. They used batch fire injection, where 3 cylinders would get squirted for every cycle. So two banks of 3 cylinders...

Very wasteful in my opinion. And probably why the air pump was used to fully burn the excess fuel in the catalytic converter.

 

most efi cars (not just early ones) use batch fire, it doesnt waste any fuel because the fuel is sprayed onto the back of the intake valve until the valve is ready to open when the fuel just gets pulled into the cylinder.

one benefit of this is that the backs of the intake valves get cleaned

 

Still seems wasteful to me...

Somewhere though ford swapped to fully sequential EFI, the '96 being the most desirable with OBD II and MASS AirFlow.

 

It may be, but they still run great. Ford built a whole lot of 4.9L powered trucks and vans from 87-95. That ran good and worked hard for many, many miles.


Mass air may be better but that doesn't mean the older system won't work great for most of the people doing the swaps.

 

Are you sure it has the SROD transmission? The SROD is a 4speed with overdrive that was offered in the early 80s (80 - 83 I think). Someone would have had to do some custom work to put one into an '87.

 

AB, no I am not completely sure of the transmission. I have not been able to free up my work schedule to go look at the truck. It shows as a 3 spd (1,2,3,OD), so I am not sure what transmission that would be now. I have not been able to find a definitive answer. I was mostly interested in this truck with the thoughts of using the engine (already set up with AC, PS, ect, and possibly switching back to a carb system) and interior seats and being able to use it in an '75 f250 extra cab that I have (currently w/ 390, C6). Any thoughts on my overall long-term plans, or would it just be easier to pick up an older 300 and work on installing an aftermarket AC unit to it?
I appreciate all the input and advice that is offered by the members to those of us that are still a little green.

 

Could it possibly the T170FT (top loaded 4 speed with 4th being OD), but the information that I found shows that this was only available through '85 thus contributing to my confusion...

 

I know I have a source somewhere that said the M5OD 5-speed was introduced in 1988 (along with the AOD), but can't find it at the moment. I did check fueleconomy.gov and they list the A3 and 2 different Manual 4-speed transmissions. As these were the EPA ratings, they tend to be accurate.

I'm guessing this one has an SROD transmission.

 

I was wondering about that too, but like you said, it wasn't offered in your year.
It was either special order (doubtful since it was discontinued) or it's been swapped in. Either way, if it's a 4spd manual transmission with overdrive, it's pretty weak.

But, as far as using it as a candidate for a swap, it would work. The 300 was offered in the '75, so there should be mounting hardware available, although you may need to find some junk yard parts such as frame perches, etc.
You won't be able to use the C6 since the 390 and the 300 have a different bolt pattern. The 390 is "big block" and the 300 is "small block".
The EFI 300 would accept everything from a carb'd 300 except for the fuel pump. The EFI does not have the opening for the fuel pump since it was electric and in the tank. That could be overcome with an aftermarket electric fuel pump for a carb'd engine though.

 

AB, actually no need to change the frame perches. The 300 & FE V8's used the same perches. If I remember correctly you do need to move them forward a little though. But he may need to pick up some 70's 300 motor mounts.






B_line66 The 300 efi would work fine. But like AbandonedBronco you'll either need to open up a hole in the block for a mechanical fuel pump ( the boss for it is there ) . Or you'll need to run an electric fuel pump & a fuel pressure regulator to get it down low enough for the carb. I personally prefer the carbed engines for a starting point. But I do like the EFI engine's accessory drive parts and the efi dual exhaust manifolds. But if the efi engine runs good then go ahead and use it. The efi head does have a fast burn combustion chamber. So if you convert it to a carb you'll also have to swap out the distributor. And you'll need to recurve the distributor and take out some of the total timing advance. Or you could also just swap on a 240 head.

And for the transmission. Since this is going in a F250 I would go with either a NP435 or T-18 with grany low 1st or a ZF 5spd if you want an OD gear.

 

fordman75, thanks for the input. I would also prefer to start with a carbed engine, but have not been able to find one with the proper accessories (AC mainly) and I could use the EFI engine and truck for awhile while working on other components of my '75. My plan was to pick up an 240 head and swap in an DUI distributor at the same time for simplicity and less clutter. Other than the cost, would the DUI ignition / distributor work for this application?


My thoughts for utilizing a small block C6, was that the truck now has a C6 and would just prefer to keep the automatic and not mess with adding the clutch linkage. Though not ideal, I would assume that the C6 would perform adequately behind a 300 for DD and light towing?


Thanks for all the advice and input.

 

I'm swapping the EFI brackets and waterpump onto a carbed engine. That way it's the best of both worlds. Sounds like you've got a good plan. Just don't expect a compression increase with the 240 head. The efi & 240 head have roughly the same sized combustion chamber. The 240 just doesn't have the fast burn chamber design. I personally don't like the DUI set up but that's just because I'm a gm hater. I like to keep my stuff all Ford. A lot of people run them and love them.

Yes the small block C6 will work fine. It eats up a little more power then a manual. But it's about as tough as you can get in a automatic. Just make sure to get the matching block spacer plate with the C6. And the correct 300 flexplate 164T, 0 imbalance. The 300 flexplate doesn't have any balance weights like the SBF V8's do. If you run the V8 one you'll have a nasty vibration.

 

remember that EFI heads use pedestal rockers..something you may have to deal with while adapting on older head to the block...