Forgive me if this has been asked before.

I have an 86 E-150 with a 302/automatic which had belonged to a local power company. They converted it to run on natural gas, then reverted to gasoline when they retired it. These days it leaks oil like crazy, as well as having other issues, and,worst of all, it's fuel injected and computerized.

I'm not looking to start any arguments about FI-vs-carbs! It's just that, at my age, I don't particularly care to pick up a new skill set from scratch when I already have a skill set that has served me well for decades. I'm very happy with carb/points/plugs/condenser technology.

So, after all that backstory, here's my question: Is it feasible to swap the existing engine (and possibly the transmission) for a carbureted inline six, say a 300? My definition of feasible is that it not require any cutting and welding type of alterations; adapter plates and bolt on mods are just fine.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance any ideas, suggestions, technical info, half-baked ideas, or wild conjectures.

 

I have a 1988 and a 1985 e150 both with a 302 engine. The 88 has Fi and the 85 has a carb. I well understand your desire to simplify. I also understand the attraction for the inline 6 but another 302 would be your simplest way. If you change to a inline 6 you will need to acquire allot of parts from a salvage yard as well as buy new parts. BUT the van did come with the option for a inline 6 so I doubt there are any special parts that you wont be able to find somewhere... There is the motor mounts and I am not sure about the motor mount frame supports, if they will need to be changed or not. You will need a new exhaust system at least from the engine to under the front of the van. You will need to find accelerator cables. Redo vacuum lines, Ac system may not mount to the engine. Those are just a few things...

If you went with another 302 it should drop right in and the exhaust bolt up along with all the accessories you have such as AC, alternator, ect will bolt to the engine. You would need to buy a intake manifold designed for a carb. If you found one at a pull a parts, you would wind up with ll the accessories that go with that system such as Carb spacer which the EGR mounts to, accelerator cables as well as TV rod accessories for the transmission providing you have a 4 speed AOD in there now. You would get the coil mounting bracket and perhaps the wiring harness. Those are just to name a few..

My 85 had a feedback carburetor, electronic TFI ignition and computer I believe is called EEC lV. I removed the EEC lV system and put a standard carb on along with removing the TFI ignition and replacing it with the Drua-Spark ignition which in my opinion is just as good as points if not better as long as you buy a Motorcraft Dura-Spark ignition module.

The good news, I believe is that your 1986 probably has all the wiring you need to swap to a carb system regardless of what engine you use. In 1986 the vans with a 351's and larger were still carbed. The wiring harness that comes out from the firewall on the drivers side has all the connections you would need to easly swap to a duraspark system and do away with the FI system and EEC computer. On my 85 they were two separate harness systems.

If you have these 3 harness connectors coming out of the firewall on the drivers side under and around the master cylinder. One round connector with the purples in it goes down to the neutral safety switch on the transmission while the other round and square connector are for the ignition dash gauges. At least on 85 and I believe 86 year vans, they were transitioning from carbs to FI and the same ignition/gauge harness was used as the vans that had the older Dura-Spark ignition system so it would accomidate a 302 EEC or a 351 which was still carbed.

 

FWIW stay with the 302. Go Pertronix on the ignition, and run a carb.

With the 300, you do get "easier" side access, but any manifold or carb work puts you right under the windshield in the toughest place to get.

And, due to the height, you have to use (stock anyway) an air cleaner like so:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/a...1&d=1331339639

JMO. Don't be fooled by the myth that the 300 makes more torque. Maybe off idle, but overall the 302 with the slightest of mods (like a decent manifold and carb, especially if you get a later Explorer engine with good heads and cam) will run figure 8s around the six.

I enjoyed my 300, but I enjoyed it slow....

 

FYI: a 302 can be made into a 347 pretty easily

 

The I6 is not a direct bolt in, the engine mounts and frame towers are different and the towers are riveted to the cross member so you have to grind them off and then bolt on a V8 set.
Lots of other differences in the engines too of course so you will need an I6 rad and hoses.. the hoses are on opposite sides compared to the V8, and the engine balance is difference so you would need a different flexplate. The trans does not have to change though, these motors use the same bolt pattern and this trans would not be computer controller so there is really no need to change it.

The much easier route would be to simply put the 5.0 back in or another 5.0 if this one is beyond repair, once the longblock is stripped bare you just need to mount a carb intake and stab a distributor of your choice, install an ignition system and a bypass fuel regulator to bring fuel volume and pressure down to something a carb can handle.

 

Thanks to all who answered. I guess I'm going to look into another 302 for this beast. I really like the van, I just need it to be reliable over the long haul.

 

Personally if I was replacing the engine on your van and it could be easily be converted to a carburetor, that is what I would do. My recommendation is based solely on my lack of experience of working with FI systems though and finding the carbureted engines much simpler with less issues to go wrong and have to diagnose.
On the other hand the stock FI system when new and working properly is supposed to give a little better fuel mileage and power.