I have a 1991 f150 4x4 with a 302 and manual. I have 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires and my truck is so sad that i can't even turn them in 4H up hill. I have about $7500.00 to put into it to make it my daily driver with a new attitude. I want loads of tourque since i mainly off road slow but steep. I also want good highway characteristis. Here is where you all come in. I have seen so many different options that i can't decide what to do. Should i put in a 460 efi with new c6, wiring and computer and use my transfer case which will be at least $5500. Have my 302 stroked to 347, fix my 5 speed that has a weird problem in which i can't tell when i am in gear or not. About $3600. Have my 302 rebuilt to add life and add a blower ( do i need the mass flow conversion to use a blower?) $4000. Whatever money is left i will use for lockers and if i still need more low end change out my gears. IF there is still any money left bigger tires and maybe a lift.


If you had this situation what would you do? The truck is in great shape so i plan on keeping it for at least 5 - 10 years.





Thanks,

 

What I would first do is vist the 221, 260, 289, 302, 351w V8 forum by clicking the link below.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/f...splay.php?f=55

Tell them what you have & what you want & the expert engine builders in there will be able to give you a better idea if your 302 will handle being built or if a transplant is in store.

 

I would start by changing the gears. That will likely provide the most noticeable, economical, and easiest difference in power. Your truck has no power, not because you don't have enough engine, but because your tires are too tall and your gear ratio is likely too high (numerically low), thus your engine is not operating up in it's power band and feels like it has no power. Put some 4.10 or lower (numerically higher) gears in there and you will have more power.

I changed the gears in my truck from 3.55 to 4.56 with 33" tires and it turned it into a completely different truck. Before it was a real dog, quite embarassing for a one-ton being passed on every hill by every pipsqueak econobox on the road. Foot on the floor and truck going nowhere... Now it is a respectable puller and I enjoy driving it.

I also put a locker in the rear axle at the same time and it made a world of difference off road. I go places now in 2wd that before I had to lock in the hubs to make it through with the stock open diffs front and rear. Gears and locker was the best money I've spent on that truck .

As for the engine, probably the easiest and cheapest thing would be to swap it for a mildly built 351W/5.8L. Stroking the 302 will be costly and you'll be accomplishing about the same thing as putting in a 351 but spending more money to do it. The 351 is a direct swap.

The 460 swap is possible but you need to change the tranny too, as the small block and big block trannies dont interchange, so that's a big added cost there, plus the other costs associated with doing that swap. The power of even a stock 460 will certainly be plenty for a half ton truck though .

I would forego the supercharger or nitrous plans, those engine mods are quite costly and usually doesn't add to the longevity of the engine any and often raise the powerband up to higher rpms where the power isn't as useable in a truck. Of course if you have alot of money to spend, it would be cool...

 

Wow, thanks for all that information. My orginal plan was to put 5.13 gears in both the front and back with lock-right lockers (Recommended by off roading store). Then the issue got murky when i talked to the performance engine folks (no gears, bigger engine).

I do need to rebuild the engine though since it has 170,000 miles on it an a main seal leak, so i will still need to do something like a 5.8L or rebuild my 302. Since then my 5 speed is hosed, the gears are all lose so even when it is in gear it feels like it is in neutral and i can't always find the right gear, i will need a new or rebuilt tranny.

So knowing that, i wanted the best performance truck engine/tranny that would be the most economical and easiest upgrade.

I have seen powerdyne blowers that claim large increases of both torque and hp at all rpm. Any truth to that?

Thanks again for the replies.

If you can't get the answer here it doesn't exist.