I just ordered a new monster transmission for my truck and I have the motor to do next, probably next summer. Now, my problem is deciding what to do. I was thinking a forged rotating assembly built by Scat would be nice, probably a 302 to 347 kit. Now from there, id like to add a turbo. Do any of you have experience with turbocharging these trucks/this motor? Any ideas on what pistons, heads, carbs, etc? I currently have a Holley 650 carb and long tube headers, dual exhaust with brockman steel pack mufflers and an x-pipe. This setup sounds awesome btw, like a BBF. Anyway, just trying to find a good option. Yes it is a daily driver and I’m looking for more power in both areas, but obviously more torque.

 

There are a few HP books out on turbo charging you should get and read them to under stand what all has to be done.
Can't use headers so trash them, may be the X pipe and duels to start.
You need an oil supply and return for it also.
You have to use low compression pistons with turbo or blower.
Cam made just for turbo or blower too.

Speaking blower that is how I would go. You can keep the headers & duels.
Some have a sump for oil so no supply or return and there are kits for the Ford 302.

Again get books and read it's not that easy to just bolt on a turbo or blower but blower would be easier.
Dave - - - -

 

Your gonna need a way to bend some big pipe.

 

Putting a turbo on a carbed engine is difficult. If you blow through the carb you have to put the carb in a sealed box, and a a fuel pump or fuel regulator whose pressure reference is remote and can be installed to sample the boost pressure. You can't get 5 psi of fuel into the carb when it has over 5 psi of boost.

If you do a draw through system, the turbo needs special expensive seals, since there will be vacuum on the turbo when the throttle is closed. And the usually the carb needs to be remotely mounted off the engine so it has a tendency to freeze up, and the fuel tends to drop out of the mixture because of the longer fuel mixture route.

You must have lots of money and dreams. Not trying to knock them down, but the more practical way to get your truck moving is to put a 460 in it.

 

Honestly a 460 is what I want but it actually will take more work, and money. I’ll need to change radiators, mounts, transmission, exhaust, and much more. I found an adapter made to mount a BBF to an AOD, but it costs over $1000 so I don’t think that’s worth it. I like super chargers more also, but they cost a good bit more. I know the turbos can be a headache but they look to be the more viable option for me. Unless, I can find a 351W block and build it out to a 427 CID. I don’t need just insane amounts of power, but I would love to be around 400/400. So if I boost it, it’s not gonna be high pressure, just kind of giving it that little bit extra.

 

Like I said the controls will kill you on a carbed boosted setup. That's why you see more turbos on cars now, they are fuel injected and computer controlled, so it's easier for them to do.

I don't agree on the cost problem. If you hunt around long enough, you should be able to buy a rusted out truck with the 460 already in it for not much money. You will then have the proper radiator, motor mounts, transmission and all the other small parts you need to drop it in place.

If you are set on a automatic, the only one that will do if you want overdrive is the E4OD. If you get a newer truck it will already have one of these in it, but it will have a computer also to control it. If you do not want to mess with the factory stuff, there are companies like Baumann controls that make a aftermarket controller for those later model electronic automatics. The AOD is way too small to use behind a 460, even a beefed up AOD. I assume you want overdrive since you mentioned the AOD, but if you did not want to mess with overdrive and all those wires, the old c6 will hold up to the 460 and it's cheap to rebuild and simple to install.

If you want a manual trans, the factory option that would work is the zf 5 speed. If you did not need overdrive, any of the old granny 4 speeds would work also.

I have never tried bolting in a 460 into a f150 chassis, so I do not know if the factory 460 motor mounts would work. But I believe I have heard guys on here talking about some 460 conversion mounts made by a company called L&L.

 

I’ll keep on the lookout for a donor truck.

Honestly, if I was going with an electronic trans setup, then I was going to go with a 4.6/4R70W setup, just because I like them and I’d get more power with significantly better mileage than the carb setup I have now. But, I’d want a reman motor or build it myself and the Tritons are quite pricey to build. For now I guess I will just stick with a small block and the 302. I mean I just bought a $1,600 transmission so i figure I might as well use it. I’m sure with a 302 forged rotating kit (but 9000 series cast crank) and GT40 heads I can make a fair amount of power. Not sure how much, though, but I imagine a decent amount more. This truck was originally EFI but it now has the Weiand dual plane intake and Holley 650 as I mentioned. I imagine with the new motor setup I mentioned, the 650 will still be fine, unless you think otherwise?

 

What transmission did you spend $1600 on? If it's the AOD, just like it will not hold up to a relatively stock 460, it's not going to hold up to a fire breathing stroked 302 unless you drive it with some care. Going wide open in 4x4 through a mud bog with a stroker 302 is going to test it to the max.

 

It’s a stage two Monster transmission, and it’s 2wd. I believe it’s spec’d to hold 500hp/500tq. It’s far from factory and very stout, I’ve used them before. The only thing not rated for that power is the torque converter, but I will swap it for a stronger one when the time comes to rebuild the motor. Like I said, i definitely want more power, but max power I’m looking for is around 400hp/400tq. And I don’t need a high revving one per say, cause I will still tow some trailers with it. So, I need a lower rpm torque curve and so on.

 

A 302 is a small engine. So it will not make much power in the lower rpms. Stroking it will help with that. Long stroke and big cubes will give you the most torque at lower rpms. And if you design for that, it will make your horsepower numbers low.

The foreign carmakers are trying to have their cake and eat it too. That is the idea behind the 4 valves per cylinder stuff. Run the engine on small ports and one set of small valves for good low rpm torque and response, and when you what upper rpm power, open another set of runners, and another set of valves, to almost double the capacity of the intake and exhaust.

 

That’s what I was thinking. I’m going to have to think on it and decide on a firm budget too. I have seen that 331 motors tend to be more rev happy with the smaller stroke, so they seem to be more of a mustang motor. So, I imagine the 347 is a better choice. Btw, I also have access to a 352 FE motor that has been rebuilt with a C6, but I believe the C6 is busted. The motor wasn’t used long before being taken out cause the truck was wrecked. I know the guy personally and he’ll only make me pay 600 for it. I like it, but idk how much else I will have to change on the truck to make that work.

 

Then do a 460, they're cheap power. You can get 700 HP out of cast iron heads with some port work. Great instructions here Parkland Performance Auto Machine - BBF Technical Index log on here to access porting instructions., well worth the few bucks for the knowledge. At the very least grind out the smog bumps, radius the short turn, and deepen the area around the valve guide to point toward the valve. There are large gains to be had with even fairly minimal and straightforward work in the exhaust port without getting very technical. You can have an easy 400-500 HP build with 600+ ft/lbs withouttrying to hard or spending much.

I am using a small block radiator in my 460 truck. You need a shroud or it'll overheat at low speeds in summer, aside from that I replaced the water pump with an Edelbrock high flow (don't bother with Holley or others with stamped impellers, overpriced junk) and it'll stay at 170-180 with a 180 thermostat.

Mounts are reasonably priced at $75.44. Use Hedman 4225 solid mounts. https://www.hedman.com/product-detail/4225 If it's too rough for your taste use a rubber L&L conversion mount on the passenger side. You need a solid mount on the drivers side or you'll just tear them up with big boy torque.

You will need a remote oil filter or to modify the small block crossmember for clearance (cut and weld bracing) to clear the oil filter on the 460.

For a transmission you can use whatever you want, but not an AOD... It'll be broken in a few miles. NP435/T18/T19 are cheap, as are C6 if you like slushboxes. With patience you can find deals on a ZF5, but don't shock load it too much or you'll break the case. E4OD if you want a slushbox with overdrive, they're not terribly more expensive than a C6 but you'll need a controller for overdrive. Any of these options will cost under the $1000 for that expensive adapter that'll sllow you a few seconds of amusement destroying the AOD.

You can do this for $1000-$2000, including freshening up or a decent rebuild of the 460. That and it's a bolt in deal... Very easy and straightforward.

 

Don't bother with a turbo. You'll still have a tiny torqueless engine but you'll spend more than a 460 swap if you want to do it right so it performs half as well as a 460 and will survive. Of course a turbo will involve a lot more work than a 460 swap too, for plumbing and custom fitting parts, custom exhaust, etc. Tiny engines with forced induction are not suitable for large heavy trucks.

 

I'm glad I stuck with a plane-Jane 351W an put on a 600 cfm 4-v Edelbrock,
Found a small block ZF-5 for $400, and took out the NP-435. used the same crossmember and located the front-hole of the crossmember and put it in the rear-hole of the frame.
Complete new Hyd clutch. I even lucked out, my flywheel was drilled for the ZF-5 from the factory!

Pay no attention to the one-wire GM style piece of crap. It failed in one season, installed another under warranty, it failed too. Went back to Duraspark II and custom built dizzy, perfect ever since!