Ok all you experts...here's a chance to give me your opinion...I have an '84 f250 4X4 with a 460 and auto trans. The engine is on it's last legs. It has about 250,000 miles on it and it is now getting about 100 miles a quart and about 5 mpg and fouling plugs after a couple hundred miles. I have a chance to buy an '84 f250 2X4 with auto trans and, I believe, a 360 (if that's right?) engine. The engine in this truck is in good shape and was rebuilt not too long ago. The truck, itself is rusting apart as it was driven for many years by someone that worked right at the beach and it got a good dose of salt spray over the years. I can probably pick up this truck for like $500 or less. My question, for you experts, is will this smaller engine bolt into my transmission without modification or would it be better to take the engine and trans and bolt that to the transfer case? Is either of those ideas even possible? Also, this truck used to be a Texas truck and has no smog on it. Will the smog stuff from my 460 work on the other engine? I figure this engine might give me a few more mpg since it's smaller and in a lot better shape. Opinions on this idea would be appreciated, (even if your opinion is that I'm nuts to try this). Thanks in advance.

 

By no means an expert, but I would be hard pressed to do swaps that include a difference in motor size. My 84 f150 went from 302 to 351w and although I'm happy now, I believe I could have been plenty happy by rebuilding and adding some performance to the 302. But that was back when I thought everyone was impressed with "cubic" inches. Good Luck.