Engine Upgrade
Engine Upgrade
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,499
Likes: 2,811
What do you want to do with the truck?
--if your six is in good condition, but you just want longer legs, consider a tranny swap to an OD tranny like the ZF or (gulp) M5OD.
--If your six is junk, well the easiest thing is another six. For a little more challenge, find a late model EFI and swap over everything.
--As for V8's, the stock V8 in your year would have been an FE motor like the 352 or 390. I'm not sure when the put the smaller 302 in the F100, but they never put 289s in and your truck predates 302s.
FE's are fine motors but are heavy and they like gas. The fact that FE's came in your truck makes them the "easiest" to find a donor truck for. Easy mods for meek, mild or gonzo power.
A 302 is a good motor, but you have to spin it a little harder than the six, so gearing comes into question.
A 351W is an easy fit (as easy as the 302), makes more oomph, and responds quite well to mods. 300 HP without too much trouble. 400 if you like, bring money. A little lighter than an FE & was in production later than the FE so the odds of finding a bolt in are better.
So post the following for better advice:
--what you want to do--race, cruise, haul hay?
--tranny
--axle ratio and if you want to fool with it to that degree
--2x or 4x?
Better minds, and people who have actually done this job, will chime in.
--if your six is in good condition, but you just want longer legs, consider a tranny swap to an OD tranny like the ZF or (gulp) M5OD.
--If your six is junk, well the easiest thing is another six. For a little more challenge, find a late model EFI and swap over everything.
--As for V8's, the stock V8 in your year would have been an FE motor like the 352 or 390. I'm not sure when the put the smaller 302 in the F100, but they never put 289s in and your truck predates 302s.
FE's are fine motors but are heavy and they like gas. The fact that FE's came in your truck makes them the "easiest" to find a donor truck for. Easy mods for meek, mild or gonzo power.
A 302 is a good motor, but you have to spin it a little harder than the six, so gearing comes into question.
A 351W is an easy fit (as easy as the 302), makes more oomph, and responds quite well to mods. 300 HP without too much trouble. 400 if you like, bring money. A little lighter than an FE & was in production later than the FE so the odds of finding a bolt in are better.
So post the following for better advice:
--what you want to do--race, cruise, haul hay?
--tranny
--axle ratio and if you want to fool with it to that degree
--2x or 4x?
Better minds, and people who have actually done this job, will chime in.
Last edited by 85e150; Dec 24, 2004 at 01:29 PM.
