I found the truck I want, 1986 F250, great condition, runs & drives but I don't want an engine that big...

Would love a 6cyl with lots of torque, any swaps that can be done?

I would be ok with 5k for a budget (engine, trans, whatever is needed for the swap)...


thanks

 

What transmission do you have? Is it 4x4?

 

2WD, I was hoping the 460 would narrow down which trans it has... I couldn't tell.

 

You did not say if auto or stick?
Auto I am pretty sure would be a C6.
Stick as a guess could be anything from a T18, T19 or the NP4??
Post up a picture of the sticker in the door opening and we can tell you what it left the factory with.

As for the motor I don't think you could find another Ford motor with more torque than a 460.
Granted the 300 is nice for its size but is vary limited on what it can pull / cary load wise at speed.
I also think the 300 is a little under size in a full size truck in today's traffic as a DD truck.

Yes mine does have the 300 & T18 short bed flair side. I have not driven it yet but I am not going to be using it as a DD either. I do know what to expect from it as I have driven straight six trucks & cars before.
Dave - - - -

 

The reason I was asking what transmission, if you have a manual you can most likely keep it with a six cylinder swap. If it's a automatic you will have to swap the transmission also. Since it's 2wd you can look for a 2wd trans if you need to swap it.

If you have your heart set on a six, you will have to go to the junkyard and grind/drill/unbolt the frame brackets out of a truck that had a six, and bolt them in your truck so the six cylinder motor mounts will bolt in.

 

Its an automatic, I never look at manuals (bad knee) so I no longer know the meaning of 'what transmission does it have' hehe

Anything modern that I can put in there without welding and lots of fabrication? like Jeep 4.0l inline six but not that modern...

So if I want the 300 will the mounting brackets bolt into this '86 F250 or will I need to drill/reinforce etc.?

btw, the freeway only serves the opposite side of town so I rarely get on it, its 5 miles to the home center and 2 miles to the dump and all other errands are here in town, I drive about 2000 miles a year. hauling is never heavy at high speed but I would like to take it up some steep gravel roads once in a while. so reliable trans is important, new would be nice!

thanks a ton, going over to look at it again today.

 

I would just leave the 460 these is no "easy" swap the only other motors that shared that bell housing with the 385 series and motor mount style were the 400 and 351M . So to swap to anything else is going to require some fabrication/ parts sourcing..

I would keep the 460 and if you local laws allow it I would clean it up/desmog it and and install an after market carb and intake.. This will add some power and torque and improve fuel economy.

 

There is no 6 cylinder with "lots of torque" unless you go with a Cummins. All the Ford (any every other company) 6 cylinder gas engines will be torqueless wonders no matter what you do. The only way you'll get appreciable torque out of even a small block is to start with a 351w and stroke it to 408 or 427, even then it will pale in comparison to a 385 series.

I think you'd be better off not worrying about what engine is in the truck and instead tell us what your goals are with this truck and the intended use. Without knowing those things, and only arbitrarily stating you "don't want an engine that big" (Why?) then following up with saying you want "lots of torque" which can only be provided by a large engine... It's pretty absurd on the surface. Quantify your goals and describe the intended use, we will make recommendations to meet those goals and perform well for your use.

 

For 2000 miles per year keep the 460. You have a functioning vehicle. Be happy!

 

update: saw the truck again and it's a 'special' so it has factory? trailer brake controller under the hood release, and tie downs for camper if that dials in the transmission options any... it was pouring rain and the battery was dead so I didn't get very far underneath (overgrown).

when I said torque I meant a 6 cyl with more torque than speed would be fine, not more torque than any other engine choice...

the gravel roads I will find are steep logging roads, can I get a low gear somehow for that if I am buying a trans anyway?

sticking with the 460 seems like 9mpg might not be sustainable, ideas?

 

2000 miles at 9 mpg = 222.22 gallons of gas. Looks like you are up to $3.20/gallon, so let's say things get worse and you pay $3.50.

222.22 x 3.50 = $777.77 for gas for a year.

Put a 300 with a shorter gear in that behemoth and maybe you get 15 mpg.

2000 miles at 15 mpg = 133.34 gallons.

133.34 x 3.50 = $466.60.

What can you do engine swap wise for $311.17?

You will repay your $5000 budget in only 16 years,

If you want a 6 cylinder truck, that you can use now, keep looking.

If you already bought the 460 truck, drive it.

 

The other posters have good points. Sticking with your original question in this thread, the 300 six will go in, no fabrication necessary since it was originally offered in a f250 and f350 of this year. You just have to find the right parts.

The brackets you need are attached to the frame. I have never personally taken them off a junkyard truck, but have heard some are bolted, some are riveted, and some might even have a combination of rivets and bolts. If you take a battery drill with a couple of batteries, a good sharp 3/8 drill bit, a good size chisel, center punch and hammer, you should be able to quickly deal with any rivets. You just center punch the head of the rivet, take the drill and drill the center of the head down till the bit is even with the frame, and then take the chisel and a couple of wacks and the head will come right off. Then punch the remaining shank of the rivet out of the frame and the bracket.

I looked up your truck on Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market and with the 460, your transmission is most certainly a c6. A little bit of a gas hog but almost indestructible trans. You should be able to find one these trans rebuilt fairly cheap, should be less than $1000. You will need to get one that has the small ford pattern that is common with the 302, 351w, and the 300 six. They are all the same bell pattern.

 

Again I would clean it up/desmog it and and install an after market carb and intake.. This will add some power and torque and improve fuel economy. There is no practical way to get a lower first gearing in the trans. You could always swap out the rear gears to a numerically higher one (lowering the final drive ratio) This will limit hyway speeds and increase fuel consumption though. And the 460 will have more torque at all engine/ vehicle speeds that an I6 will. If you are concerned about fuel economy then do the changes necessary to increase it. You should be able to hit the mid teens on the hyway with these changes.

 

wow, thanks ppl. seems like all good news,

if I can complete the intake & carb swap without issue and get 14mpg then its a no-brainer to me, which is perfect since people tell me all the time I have no brains! hehe

if it doesn't serve me well I am down the road with more experience and more money than if I bought a rebuilt engine & trans! although even writing that now it sounds so nice to have a fresh powertrain in this grand old rig, someday...

 

I usually never disagree with the advice given, but in this case, I gotta say that I am a great fan of the 300 six. I drove one from Alaska, and NEVER had a problem. At first, I thought, yeah...it might not work as well with a C6. Then I remembered seeing a six in a 3/4 ton flatbed with an automatic. Sure a 460 is stronger. But, yes the gas mileage sucks. At least my 400 did!