i own a 89 f150 4x4 with a inline 6. this is my first project truck. my first goal is to swap out my v6 to a v8.is it a huge job to swap engines. will i need a new wiring harness, trans,mounts? what size engine should i get.
info please thanks.

 

Question... What is the truck going to be used for, towing, off-roading, hauling A$$?? Also alotta crate motors are not for the speed density stock EFI set-up. Most crate motors are set up for race. There are alotta options out there.
Al

 

You really haven't given us any specifics to work with as far as what you want to use the vehicle for... and the 300cid inline is a decent engine actually. Lower RPMs and fairly decent torque.

While the 302 will give you a bit more power, it's going to be at higher RPMs than you're used to with the 300. The 351 makes its power closer to the 300cid as far as RPM, and offers more power still.

Both the 302 and 351W would be the easiest swaps, because the bell housing pattern on the back of the engine matches your 300, so you wouldn't have to swap out your transmission unless you really wanted to.

And yes, you'll have to swap out the wiring harness if it's EFI. If it's not EFI, you can use the existing harness but some of the connectors/wires might be a little long or short depending.

And you probably don't want a "crate motor" as you're going to find that to be highly expensive. You can find a running junkyard motor much cheaper than that. Last year I snagged an 89K 460 big block Ford to use as the foundation for my 500cid twin turbo stroker project, and I could have thrown the engine in "as is" - cost me $350, and I live in NJ, an anti-junkyard state.

How many junkyard engines could you buy for one $3500 crate engine? Quite a few. And because it's a stock engine, you have the flexibility to machine, stroke, modify it any way you like. Crate engines are often strokers and have been bored out close to max, limiting what you can do down the road.

 

Swapping engines is one thing, but these darn computers are a total different animal. I just finished swapping engines and tranny in a 97 Taurus, both 97s. Mine was wrecked and I bought one that needed a head gasket, (same engine in both cars). I started home with the car after the swap and it shifted 1-2-3-2. Took it to the tranny shop and the codes were read and they decided we needed to use the other cars computer, no problem swapped in the puter, and the tranny ran perfectly but the engine wouldn't.

We had to put the computer, engine, & tranny back as a family and it was happy again.

Go ahead and get your head shaved so you can't pull your hair out, and if you aint computer savvey, you might want to rethink this whole idea.

It aint you dad's 60s truck any more.

John

 

John, not sure why you had that problem, there must have been a change mid-year on that car to cause you this aggrevation. I've swapped stuff like this around left and right with no problems.

In fact, my 93 crewcab, from an electronics perspective, is part Ford, part GM, and part Chrysler

But you are right... the days of banging a carb with a crescent wrench are long over...

 

thanks for the info guys.ive decided to go junkyard hunting instead of paying the big bucks.