Guys,

I was lucky enough to find my first truck. A 1990 F-150. this truck will never leave my sight again.

The motor is toast. Which depending on how you look at it can be a good thing. Because it is the original motor and it was my first truck I plan on keep the stock injection system BUT I would like to rebuild the motor with some better touches. Cam, Heads ect. How much can the stock fuel injection system handle? Can the stock fuel injection system handle a cam, headers, heads????

Just curious as to what you guys have pulled off.

I don;t want to make the truck a full mod....just make it run better then it used to back 25 years ago when I first had it!

 

What engine is in it now?

 

Ya that might be worth knowing.....

5.0/302. With manual transmission.

 

The stock 19lb injectors will technically support 275-300hp depending upon how much abuse you subject them to, the bigger limitation will be the SD EFI control system which will limit your cam choices to pretty mild choices, yes you can throw more lift and duration at it but the total combo must still produce a strong and stable idle and vacuum as that is what fueling is based upon.

 

Since you need an engine anyway, now would be the time to swap in a 5.8.

 

THIS. Because even a bone stock 5.8 will put you ahead of the game.

 

Normally I would.

But it is the original motor that drove me around in when I was a kid. So I am keeping it for sentimental reasons. The 302.....she needs to stay.

What if i used high output injectors in the fuel system? Would the stock fuel pump keep up with it? Buying a higher volume pump i would do.

 

If y ou are dead set on keeping the original engine this will cost you more money. First thing I would do is find out whats actually wrong with the old engine, how much it will cost to fix that, then figure a budget from there.

 

The different cam manufactures list cams that are computer friendly. I actually talked to the techs at Crane at the time and got there recommended cam for my efi 460. And I am happy with it. Your only other choice is to go with a mustang MAF conversion which would widen your choices for cams

 

Thx guys.

Good stuff

 

Agree with bashby. Depending on the level of "toast" it may not be monetarily feasible to even repair the original 5.0. So that is something to consider during the autopsy of the engine. Do you know the story of how it became toast or just know that its no good?

 

No that won't work, the basic principle of an EFI system is that it receives feedback from the sensors and constantly makes adjustments to fuel and timing to keep the engine operating as close to optimal all the time. To accomplish this the system must retain all the components the computer is programmed to work with including the injectors, so you can't just throw bigger injectors and a bigger fuel pump at it without reprogramming the computer.