Hey All, I recently picked up a 1975 300cid fresh from the rebuilder, that is going to replace the 240 that came from the factory in our 1966 F100 Custom Cab long bed with a C4 auto trans.

So just fyi, I have been messing with old cars for a lot of years, but a full engine swap is new for me, so I have a lot of questions, and as I go through this process I will have a ton of specific questions each step of the way, so I figured I’d put them all in one continuous thread.

Here is what I’ve done so far- I got it home, put it on the stand, spent a lot of time masking the areas that I assume I don’t want to get paint on, and proceeded to paint the engine. I did two light coats of primer, and then the next day I did about 4 or 5 coats of Old Ford Blue.

So my first question is- where do I start? What should be the first step it putting parts back on this engine? Timing cover? Oil pan?

Any help or advice is appreciated, and please, feel free to explain it like I’m an idiot. Mostly because I am. Thanks!

 

It looks like you have a lot taped off on the front, what all do you have covered?
Is the cam installed in the motor and gears lined up?
Do you have the old motor out of the truck on a stand so you can start pulling parts off it?

From what I see and you said you will need a oil pan & pickup tube. If using the old tube make sure the screen is clean or get a new one.
Front balancer and timing cover, motor mount brackets & mounts.

Before you put the 240 on a stand pull the flywheel, clutch assy. and motor plate.
I dont know the 240 clutch size is or if the flywheel is drilled for different size clutch assy.
They say, I did not know this at the time, the flywheels for the 300 in the 80's trucks are drilled for 10" and 11" clutch assy.
When it comes to size the 11" clutch is the way to go if you can. I have the 10" in my truck and pull a 20' enclosed trailer on some weekends for my car club and has been fine.

I dont know what you want to do with the intake & exhaust manifolds?
You can use the 240 manifolds or go after market intake and header or like I did factory intake and carb and 87> 300 EFI exhaust manifolds and 94 Y pipe or any combo of them as some have use after market intake and EFI manifolds.

For a distributor I would not use your points distributor and trying to find a Ford DS II is getting hard so get a HEI off Ebay.
One wire. must be 12 volts maybe with relay triggered from the trucks coil wire? to get the HEI to have power.

Just somethings off the top of my head.
Dave ----

 

Thanks Dave, yeah I taped off pretty much the whole front, not knowing what sections would be exposed after everything is bolted on. I just figured I can go back and touch up any spots that are exposed.
The 240 is still in the truck, and will stay intact until the moment we are ready to pull it since we still regularly drive the truck.
Ive got an aftermarket GM style HEI distributor on the 240, which I plan to pull out and throw into the 300.
The 300 that we bought for rebuild came with everything, including the intake and exhaust manifolds, which I had the rebuilder clean up since I planned to use them. I painted those using VHT.

 

I think the first place to start as far as reassembly would probably be the timing cover? Since the threaded holes at the bottom of it I think are where the oil pan gets bolted into, so it kinda makes sense to do the timing cover first?
Just want to make sure before I proceed, which way does the seal go into the timing cover?

A


or B?


I think it’s A, but just want to confirm. Also can I just coat it with bearing grease before pressing it in, or do I need to use something specific?

 

If you are using a 1 barrel carb with a "hot air choke", it would be a lot easier to get the hot air tubes figured out before installing the manifolds.
Or just use a manual choke.

Are you reusing the alternator?
I can post some photos of the hot air tubes, if needed.
Jim

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14503689

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14503882

 

The older style exhaust pipe, that uses a donut gasket will still work with the newer style exhaust manifold, that has a flare and no gasket.
I had to hack saw off about an 1/8 of an inch to get some squeeze on the donut gasket.
Jim
Edit: I also had to switch to longer studs, I went with fine thread.

 

"A" looks to be right, spring / lip goes into the oil side to keep it "inside" the motor.
A trick some do, I did not when I had to replace the timing cover gasket, is to remove the lip on the front side where that seal fits so if you have to replace it all you have to do is remove the crank pulley and pop the seal out.
If left the way it is you will have to remove the cover also.

Being you want to keep the truck running as long as you can before pulling the motor for a swap I would pick up a new flywheel and 11" clutch assy.
This way when the motor is pulled you only need to get the motor plate off from behind the 240 flywheel. Other wise you would have to pull motor, remove flywheel and send it out for re-surface, read down time, before you can install it on the 300. With what I see you have and a new flywheel / clutch assy., swap over some other parts from the 240, I dont see why you cant start this Friday after work and have it running by Sunday evening.
Have fun
Dave ----

 

Oh on the seal / cover I am pretty sure there should be a oil slinger, looks like a large thin washer, on the crank shaft to help keep oil from the seal.
Your re-built motor may not have it so you may need to use the 240 one or get one from somewhere?
Dave ----

 

The carb spacer, on pre EGR trucks, is thinner. Which means the carb hold down studs will be to long.

Also I would use the newer style 1 piece oil pan gasket.
There's threads with photos on this, if you're not familiar.

Jim

 

Im probably going to use the Carter YF that I put on the 240, it’s got an electric choke, unless there is a better carb that is recommended for a 70s 300? I’m not going to be implementing any smog or emissions type stuff that may have been standard for that era, was planning to keep everything as close to 1966 stuff as possible.
And yes will reuse the stock alternator from the old 240.

 

Dave I’m not sure about the oil slinger, what that is or where it goes. Can you take a look at these pics I just took and let me know if looks correct or not? Am I missing anything or am I good to proceed with installing the timing cover?

 

Based on what I’m seeing online, it seems like at one point Ford stopped using the oil slinger. Even though my Haynes manual that goes up to 79 references it in their diagrams, I’m thinking that maybe my 75 engine just didn’t have one? Either way it seems like the consensus is that maybe it’s not really necessary?
I think I’ll proceed without it, and put the timing cover and harmonic balancer on this weekend.
Need to pick up a harmonic balancer installer tool tomorrow.

 

Sorry to get back so late

I dont remember if mine had one or not as I did the job on New Years Eve many years ago.
I am pretty sure my motor is newer than the truck that is a 81 but what year I dont know

If you find the front seal starts to leak then I would say you need the slinger as it is to keep oil from hitting the seal directly from what I hear.
I was going to say when you get the 240 out see if it has one and use it.

I used a HF puller and installer when I did the cover gasket. I was trying not to drain the cooling system, leave the radiator in, but I could not get the puller in with the radiator in place
Being yours is on a stand should not be a problem.
Dave ----