1985 inline swap questions
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Brevard NC
1985 inline swap questions
I have a 1985 inline six single carburator and my head gasket went out and I think the motors shot. I'm looking at getting a used motor but want to be certain as to what year model inline 6 will fit. Can I get one out of an 88-96 and just use all my parts to convert it back to a carburator? Or if I want to keep the fuel injection what else will I need to get, computer, wiring harness, etc?
Fleet Mechanic
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From: Atlantic Canada
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Brevard NC
Ya that's what I was planning on doing. I'm just wandering about the rest of the components?
Moderator
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From: Virginia
As long as you keep your old engine for parts, it should work. You might need a different fitting. Or you might need the older style valve cover. Little odds and ends that will make it fit better with the carb setup. I hope you have already converted your older engine to a durasparl II setup. If you haven't, you need to. Then the new swapped in engine will run it's best with the original computer out of the way.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
As nice as it sounds to run the factory EFI I would not even give it a try, stick with a non-feed back carb.
Now you can use the EFI exh. manifolds and Y pipe for a little better flowing exh. your carb intake will bolt up.
Dave ----
Now you can use the EFI exh. manifolds and Y pipe for a little better flowing exh. your carb intake will bolt up.
Dave ----
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: South central, Minnesota
The 87-97 EFI engines have a different combustion chamber design. They are smaller chambers and are a fast burn design. You can use the parts off your carb engine. Because of the chambers, the EFI engines need less total ignition timing. So You'll want to convert to a DS II ignition system, instead of your 85's TFI system. And you will also need to adjust the centrifugal advance on the DSII distributor to give you less mechanical advance/total timing.
The 87+ engines also have a serpentine belt drive on the accessories instead of the multiple V-belts on your 85.
If you wanted to run the whole efi set up. Then your best bet is to buy a good running donor truck. That will give you everything needed for the swap. Otherwise you'll be nickel and diming yourself to death finding all the parts you'll need. You'll need the complete efi engine, engine harness, computer. And don't forget about replacing your entire fuel system to go to a high pressure system.
The 87+ engines also have a serpentine belt drive on the accessories instead of the multiple V-belts on your 85.
If you wanted to run the whole efi set up. Then your best bet is to buy a good running donor truck. That will give you everything needed for the swap. Otherwise you'll be nickel and diming yourself to death finding all the parts you'll need. You'll need the complete efi engine, engine harness, computer. And don't forget about replacing your entire fuel system to go to a high pressure system.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Tennessee
You could have a machinist cut a hole in for the fuel pump provision. I ran into a guy who had an efi block but mechanical fuel pump. Or holley makes a low pressure inline fuel pump that would work too. Probably cheaper that way.
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Freshman User
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From: Brevard NC
The 87-97 EFI engines have a different combustion chamber design. They are smaller chambers and are a fast burn design. You can use the parts off your carb engine. Because of the chambers, the EFI engines need less total ignition timing. So You'll want to convert to a DS II ignition system, instead of your 85's TFI system. And you will also need to adjust the centrifugal advance on the DSII distributor to give you less mechanical advance/total timing.
The 87+ engines also have a serpentine belt drive on the accessories instead of the multiple V-belts on your 85.
If you wanted to run the whole efi set up. Then your best bet is to buy a good running donor truck. That will give you everything needed for the swap. Otherwise you'll be nickel and diming yourself to death finding all the parts you'll need. You'll need the complete efi engine, engine harness, computer. And don't forget about replacing your entire fuel system to go to a high pressure system.
The 87+ engines also have a serpentine belt drive on the accessories instead of the multiple V-belts on your 85.
If you wanted to run the whole efi set up. Then your best bet is to buy a good running donor truck. That will give you everything needed for the swap. Otherwise you'll be nickel and diming yourself to death finding all the parts you'll need. You'll need the complete efi engine, engine harness, computer. And don't forget about replacing your entire fuel system to go to a high pressure system.
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From: Virginia
Here is a thread where a guy finally made it through the DS2 swap. Can't dumb it down much more than this thread in the link below describes it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...onversion.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...onversion.html
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Freshman User
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From: Brevard NC
Ok based off the pics I think mines already ds2 but I'll take some pics in the morning and have y'all look them over to verify. If that is the case then all I should need is an online fuel pump right?
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
On the belts you could keep the serpent setup if all there and working or just swap over what you have to that motor.
Dave ----
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 25
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From: Brevard NC
Here is a thread where a guy finally made it through the DS2 swap. Can't dumb it down much more than this thread in the link below describes it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...onversion.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...onversion.html
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Brevard NC
Will all that still work with a newer model 4.9 until I can afford to change it all over?
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
It should work just as good or bad as it does now when moved to the new motor.
I wonder if the dist in the new motor is also a TFI and your wires will plug into it?
I say this because I think you say the new motor was EFI and a computer would also control timing on that motor also.
Dave ----
I wonder if the dist in the new motor is also a TFI and your wires will plug into it?
I say this because I think you say the new motor was EFI and a computer would also control timing on that motor also.
Dave ----