Hi, all.

I'm new to the forum but I've been lurking for several months. I recently started working on my 1985 F150 4x4 LWB pickup. I bought the truck several years ago bone stock except for the camper shell and edelbrock 4-barrel. It has the 5.8L 351W engine. Literally everything worked when I purchased it from the original owner's son - almost 9 years ago.

It served me well until a catastrophic and sudden loss of oil pressure on the interstate lead to a spectacular come-apart leaving an oil pan full of broken lifters, connecting rods, and a broken camshaft.

The truck sat out in the weather behind my garage for the last five years until recently I found time and resources to get it back together.

I'm trying to do this as correctly as is reasonable. The truck will be purely for occasional cruises and runs to the liquor store; my daily driver is a newish GMC Sierra and my commute to work is only a couple miles.

I want to keep everything as simple as I can - and in turn that's going to drive several questions. I'm a perfectly capable mechanic but I flippin' hate electrical work beyond installing a stereo or auxiliary lighting. I've rebuilt a few SBCs and also LS swapped an '84 Silverado - this is my first Ford rebuild. I did freshen up a killer '74 F100 but it was mostly cosmetic work.

Anyhow, long story long, I don't know where to post an intro so my bad if this is in the wrong location. I'll update with pictures soon.

 

Hey! Welcome to the forum, look forward to seeing your posts.

 

I guess the project started a couple months ago when I finally sourced a 351W relatively locally and for $400 which was just within my budget of "I really don't need to be spending money right now but I won't find a cheaper one." Facebook marketplace will be my ruin.



Supposedly, it was a running engine the previous owner had replaced due to a lifter tick. I planned to have it machined anyway so I figured I'd take a chance for the 400 bones.

I'm planning a mild build for the truck with some fun goodies but I'll also reuse much of the front engine components. I'll replace the important bits with new but I'm not opposed to cleaning and reusing what I can.

I'll get the rest of the project thread up to current tomorrow. It's time for a beer and a shower.

 

The first order of business was to get the new motor stripped down and sent out for inspection. The cylinder walls were clean but would ultimately need a 0.040 over-bore.



I went ahead and had the machine shop assemble the short block for me. I replaced the factory crankshaft with a stock forged unit from Summit racing. I think it was an Eagle Spacialty or something. This was mated to factory connecting rods and Wiseco pistons, also from Summit. ARP fasteners are being used throughout. Of course all the bearings and journals were replaced as well.




According to the Vin, this block is out of an '89. I'm keeping it flat tappet mostly to keep costs down. It is getting a nice little Comp 239 cam - 218/226 and matching lifters.



Thoroughly lube your shaft before jamming it in the hole.



The cam was followed up with a new timing cover and double roller timing chain to button up the short block.



From here I'm just about ready for paint. Again, it's just an old work truck so I'm not looking for perfection; clean and correct will be good enough.

 

The oil pan on the donor engine was in fair enough shape so it's getting cleaned and repainted with the rest of the block. Similarly, I scored a used Edelbrock Performer intake for $80 that also was cleaned and painted.



You can also see the new Ford Performance aluminum water pump. Everything is primed with an etching primer before a few coats of VHT engine paint in classic Ford blue as well as a couple coats of VHT gloss clear.




I baked everything except for the block in my kitchen oven while my girl was at work.



Before bolting on the oil pan I installed a new Ford Performance high volume oil pump and ARP oil pump shaft.

I'm missing some pictures because I got carried away and forgot to take them.

 

So anyway, with most things cleaned and painted and parts were slowly but consistently arriving I started bolting it all together. The ARP timing cover kit only had a couple of the bolts I needed so I bought a second kit from a later roller engine to get the rest of the hardware I needed. The ARP waterpump bolt kit was correct, however.

You may have also spied the new Comp roller rockers. I stuck with the stock 1.6 ratio. These are mounted on aluminum cylinder heads from Skip White Performance. They vehemently deny that these have any association with Pro Comp. The castings were clean and they're flat, best I can tell. Specs are 62cc combustion chambers with 190cc runners, 2.02/1.60 stainless valves. I used a TrickFlow measuring tool and confirmed stock length replacement rods are fine.



I'm also using Felpro gaskets from the Jegs master 351w set.

 

I guess you got the waterpump and timing cover compatibility all straightened out? You have a later model engine, so it may have had a reverse rotation waterpump. That's ok if you are going to re-use the serpentine belt setup. But I should warn you also just because it is a serpentine setup doesn't mean it has a reverse waterpump on it. It can be a real puzzle to figure out sometimes. I see you have a carbed intake to put on it, I guess you are going to use a electric fuel pump? Or did you use the old style timing cover that will accept the fuel pump? If you used the old style timing cover you may need to use all the old style pulleys to make everything line up.

 

Good eye. The waterpump/timing cover combination was a pain to figure out but I got it sorted mostly thanks to info from this site. I'm using an old-style cover. I purchased a 110gph 8psi mechanical unit from Summit. I have a couple carbs on the shelf in addition to the Edelbrock I pulled from the blown engine. I have a Holley 750 double and a refurbish kit from Holley - I'm leaning that direction because I already have it.

I am using the front engine accessory brackets and v-belt set-up from the blown engine. I'll source new belts.



Here is the front engine cleaned, painted, and installed minus the crank pulley. I hate the look of the AC bracket but I don't have a better option at the moment.

I also deleted the smog pump. I modified the smog pump bracket to keep the alternator in the original location.



I cut up a stainless chainguard off an old Harley iron head, shaped it a little, and drilled some holes to triangulate back to the waterpump. It's super rigid.



The G1 style OE alternator is shown bolted up. I have already purchased a new G3 style with a new pigtail that I will install before I drop in the engine. I'll have some questions related to the ignition and charging system real soon. I want to simplify the harness as cleanly as possible - legit de-pin instead of clipping wires. I already have an MSD billet ready-to-run dizzy with new Ford Performance wires yet to install.

They're blue.

 

I'm not a Ford aficionado so forgive the stupid question... what is that crazy inline intake? Is it a later model EFI thing? I guess lve never seen one w the throttle bodies off.

Looks kind of... primitive/exotic, like something Smoky Yunich would have dreamed up (if he was a Ford guy).

 

That's the stock lower intake manifold from an 87-96 EFI truck. I'm staying with a carb for now.

 

Sounds like you are staying with mostly the older engine dress and pulleys for the front. That works. When I did a 302 like that, I found the alignment dowels were smaller on the older cover. The later model block had large 1/2 diameter alignment dowels. So I had to take the older timing cover and drill out the dowel holes.

 

I think the 750 will be too big for the street a 650 would be a better fit.

I say this after running a 650 DP HP and a 750 DP HP on my 350 AMC drag motor.
Both carbs gave the same times but the 650 just felt better and took no real tuning where the 750 I had to do a lot of tuning to get a bog out off the line.

I am sure if I was going to strive this motor it would be the 650 carb.
Dave ----

 

That's exactly the information I was hoping to get. Thanks!! I have the 750 and a couple 600 carbs. Looks like I need to source a 650.





Meanwhile, I bolted on a set of long tubes that I've had in the shop for several years. They're unstamped but look like Doug Thorley knockoffs with equal length primaries.

Question: Will I have clearance to drop the motor in with these installed, or should I go ahead and remove the driver side header and just tie it back to the inner fender while i drop the motor in?



I've also started cleaning up the engine bay. As I mentioned previously, I'm simplifying the wiring and vacuum system as much as possible while retaining all the basic functions like heat, AC, wipers and washer. The smog pump is gone as are the carbon canisters and the mess of vacuum lines related to the original carb feedback loop. I don't live in a county where emmissions checks are required.

I also plan to re-loom the wiring harness and hide as much of the wiring as I can. I've got a couple specific questions once I get the motor dropped back in. Everything underhood is going to be cleaned and sprayed satin black.



I'm out of town this weekend so won't make any progress. I've got my fingmyself crossed for getting the new motor bolted in next weekend.

 

I would try the 600 carb and see how it runs and then if you can try the 750 but I think you will like the 600 over the 750
The thing to remember on the 2 carbs is this is for street and not racing, that I know of, so they would not be living at WOT
Just my .02 on the carbs.

On the headers can you lay both of them in the bay and held off to the side like you wanted for just the one?
I think that is how I would try and do it. Its what I did on my drag car motor it used 1-7/8" long tubes and a pain to get in place if the motor was already installed.
Dave ----

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.

While chasing wires I found and unplugged this thing from under the dash. Any idea what it is - and do I need it?



It says OEM REPLICA SERIES Automatic Transmission Electronics Module. The truck has a regular C6 transmission and I don't what which stock transfer case.