Coyote Swap?
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 581
Likes: 7
From: IOWA
Geeze, look at all the negativity! I'd love to see a coyote swap. Do it yourself on a budget! I believe in this: the older stuff is easy to work on and inexpensive to do. The new stuff is expensive to fix, but you don't have to have the hood up very often. If I'm going on a cross country road trip, I'm sure taking the Excursion and not the dent. Ever. The older I get, the more I appreciate the modern conveniences and reliability.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
A guy on youtube called "grenade motorsports" has a video series of him doing a swap. I've looked into it a bit, and you can get a plug and play ECU from Ford Racing. Other than typical swap considerations it would be a really cool project. Better gas mileage, decent power options and huge aftermarket support.
Getting an engine for a decent price is hard because everyone else swapping them into everything under the sun, but doing a lot of the work yourself it will probably still cost about 10-15k.
Getting an engine for a decent price is hard because everyone else swapping them into everything under the sun, but doing a lot of the work yourself it will probably still cost about 10-15k.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 5
From: Burlington, WI
Anyways, my point is relative to what I see every single winter here in sunny southern Wisconsin. Come January and February, I trust my 460 powered '77 over my 4.0L Explorer to start any day of the week. Same thing goes for the ex-company plow truck (90's Chevy) and company van ('06 Dodge). I could take the time to explain to you why it is that a properly calibrated carbureted vehicle will start faster than a fuel injected one, but you already know why...correct? It doesn't matter if the battery I'd healthy or half charged, faster starts mean less draw and less chance of being stranded.
However, this isn't a discussion about carbs and fuel inection, and I have zero intent to hijack the thread concerning that matter. Feel free to PM me to discuss further if you wish.
To the OP, a 5.0 of any kind of too small for a 4x4 of this vintage (due to weight) if you plan to ever drive it on anything other than gravel and some snow.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 5
From: Burlington, WI
You have me there. I was aware it was a 5.0 but unaware they called it a coyote. Learned something new today.
Because of all it's gizmos, they can run 10.5:1 compression and change all it's innards to accommodate towing and a trucks weight I'd assume. Which is great if you love sensors and working and such, but in an old rig like this retrofitting that much in would be a PITA for very little gain considering what our current motor options are capable of producing.
Because of all it's gizmos, they can run 10.5:1 compression and change all it's innards to accommodate towing and a trucks weight I'd assume. Which is great if you love sensors and working and such, but in an old rig like this retrofitting that much in would be a PITA for very little gain considering what our current motor options are capable of producing.
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 581
Likes: 7
From: IOWA
Come on guys, a stock early coyote truck motor is rated at 360hp, 380ft/lbs of torque. STOCK! Even the cubic inch king 460 in 79 was only 214hp, 362 ft/lbs of torque in stock form. And as far as weight, a newer f150 weighs as much if not more than a 70's dent when you compare them. A coyote would be just fine. There are people that look to these forums for good information. Opinions are fine, but do some research to be sure you pass along correct information.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
Come on guys, a stock early coyote truck motor is rated at 360hp, 380ft/lbs of torque. STOCK! Even the cubic inch king 460 in 79 was only 214hp, 362 ft/lbs of torque in stock form. And as far as weight, a newer f150 weighs as much if not more than a 70's dent when you compare them. A coyote would be just fine. There are people that look to these forums for good information. Opinions are fine, but do some research to be sure you pass along correct information.
I think the biggest problem with a Coyote swap is the width of the motor, they're on the wide side. But dents' have a wide engine compartment.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 854
Likes: 7
That same 460 that made 214hp in 1979 made nearly 400 hp and 500 torque STOCK 10 years earlier. It idled well, made vacuum, and was reliable as hell. Go to a drag strip any Saturday, and you'll see 40 and 50 year musclecars driven to the track with license plates, inspection stickers, no injectors, no turbos, no spray making pass after pass reliably on the same bottom end it left Detroit with....eating coyotes, crushing LS and destroying cummins, requiring only a few adjustments in the pits while our "modern conveniences" brothers are screwing with laptops, VE, adjusting trim, injectors, crank triggers on and on and on just to LOSE again to a F.A.S.T. class 10.5 ancient tech car. Does that sound like we've made "advancement"?.....your other comment about if you had a long trip, you'd prefer to NOT take your dent? To each his own, but my 2015 Patriot is at the dealership NOW for a throttle body and a PCM, but my 43 year old carbureted dent just took me the 130 miles to Mom's house. Again. Wow, what technological adannces we have made! Yay computers plastic and aluminum!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 12
Let's think about this in terms of horse power per dollar.
We'll assume the truck has a running 390 FE or 460 and transmission. We'll assume that a good used Coyote engine can be found for around $3,000.
We'll say OP has about 15k to spend.
Which setup will end in the most horsepower if all the money is used? Don't forget that the Coyote will need a transmission, harness, exhaust, driveshaft, and other miscellaneous stuff to be able to run properly in the truck.
I'm genuinely curious what you guys that have experience with both will say.
We'll assume the truck has a running 390 FE or 460 and transmission. We'll assume that a good used Coyote engine can be found for around $3,000.
We'll say OP has about 15k to spend.
Which setup will end in the most horsepower if all the money is used? Don't forget that the Coyote will need a transmission, harness, exhaust, driveshaft, and other miscellaneous stuff to be able to run properly in the truck.
I'm genuinely curious what you guys that have experience with both will say.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 324
From: Central Florida
I'm not sure that horsepower per dollar is a good metric when we're only looking at the initial cost of the swap. Cost of ownership over time should be another important consideration. That might best be looked at as cost per mile.
Of course, efficiency or cost effectiveness isn't everything. Aesthetics, the challenge of figuring stuff out, etc. These are also important contenders in rationalizing what we do.
Of course, efficiency or cost effectiveness isn't everything. Aesthetics, the challenge of figuring stuff out, etc. These are also important contenders in rationalizing what we do.
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 581
Likes: 7
From: IOWA
I had briefly looked into swapping a powerstroke into my crew cab project. I decided not to do it because I chose to go with more of a resoration than a restomod. But what I came up with when looking into it made sense.
It made more sense to buy a complete donor truck, preferably rolled or rear hit, and swap the old body on to the modern driveline. All the work is already done as far as the driveline is concerned, you've got the modern suspension, and all required components are there. Something to consider when looking at a swap to a modern engine.
It made more sense to buy a complete donor truck, preferably rolled or rear hit, and swap the old body on to the modern driveline. All the work is already done as far as the driveline is concerned, you've got the modern suspension, and all required components are there. Something to consider when looking at a swap to a modern engine.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 654
Likes: 2
From: The Lone Star State
That is one sweet swap in that video. I like my old 429 and 4 speed manual but... its pretty old tech and really does not run like it should because it needs racing fuel for the proper timing. (I have 11:1 compression) The old 4 speed is a stump puller but this truck is no fun to get out on the highway, it just feels like shes working pretty hard at 65-70 mph. I would actually like a coyote swap into my old beast. The 2WD drive coyote swap in the video did not look too tough. The added complexities of a 4WD transfer case would sure make it interesting. I'm up for doing this if you want to sponsor my build. I'd probably want the aluminator crate motor that is built for boost and then add a 2.9 Whipple supercharger to it so I can have 550-600 streetable horsepower running on pump gas. That is something the old big block could only dream of doing.
Cross-Country
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 53
Likes: 2
I like the big block builds. I like the Coyote swaps. I never could get my head wraped around the amount of energy that folks put forward when it comes to somebody else's money. Spend what it takes and then borrow the rest to finish the project!
I have been searching the web for a good Coyote swap thread for a "79 F-150 4X4 that I have. I like the aluminater/ supercharger combo but that might be a bit much. Also need to figure out the 6 speed auto mated to the '79 T-case. That might take some thinking.
I also have a '77 Hi-boy that will be getting a big block swap. currently has a 400. I would LOVE to swap a Kasse Boss 9 into it as well, but not too sure how cranky it will be for a 3/4 ton 4X4.
So, if somebody on this forum is working on a Coyote swap into a 4X4 I am more than interested to follow a thread if you build one. I will build a thread when I get to that point.
I have been searching the web for a good Coyote swap thread for a "79 F-150 4X4 that I have. I like the aluminater/ supercharger combo but that might be a bit much. Also need to figure out the 6 speed auto mated to the '79 T-case. That might take some thinking.
I also have a '77 Hi-boy that will be getting a big block swap. currently has a 400. I would LOVE to swap a Kasse Boss 9 into it as well, but not too sure how cranky it will be for a 3/4 ton 4X4.
So, if somebody on this forum is working on a Coyote swap into a 4X4 I am more than interested to follow a thread if you build one. I will build a thread when I get to that point.