I would like to swap out the 4 speed in my '85 f-350 2wd, 460, for a 5 speed. Can anyone tell me what tranny I am looking for? Also, can the same one be used later in a 4wd?

 

You're looking for a ZF5spd. If you wanted to go 4wd later, you may have to change some internal parts, or just get a 4wd version of the ZF.

 

Thanks, I thought the ZF had an integrated bell housing, and bolted to the diesel. I didn't realize there was a gas version also.

 

It does have an integrated bell, but there is the diesel, gas BB and gas SB version's of it.

 

Take a look @ this site.
http://www.motivegear.com/tech_info/...nny_guide.html

Oooooh....I'd love to get a ZF behind my 460. W/ the stock size tires, 4.10's and a T19 I'm turning over 3k @ 65.

HTH,
Jim

 

Thanks for the link Jim. I am swapping to a 5 speed because I am putting in a new 460. I had to build another one, as the original started to knock. I wonder why, only 270,000, with 4:88 gears. These buggers sure do scream on the highway huh?

 

Why YES they do.
Or Suck, the fuel that is....
Pardon me, I'm a noob here too.
But there's SO much information available on this site.
Just use the search and follow some threads, or check some of the articles on the page header.
Lots of these guys know far more than I do about Ford trucks, but I DO know MINE. (inside and out)
Thank you numberdummy, monsterbaby, franklin2 et al. Your encyclopedic knowledge of FoMoCo is greatly appreciated.
I found myself here researching a repower for my '87 250, so you and I have something in common.
BTW, Mine is a ' custom' 4v 460, T19, 4X4, 10.25 4.10 SRW w/ tow package. I've had it since new and it now has 315k on the original bottom end. It's starting to rap a little too.
I'd like the ZF for the extra gear. I get 7-8 city and 10-12 hwy, it's bleeding me dry. I've got a 4X4 or I'd just change the R&P and learn to use 1st.
So I was lurking here trying to decide whether to ****** up a re-man long block or find a donor and build something myself w/ even more *****.
But my experience is all w/ OHC motors, aside from my '77 BMW motorcycle. So I'm just trying to learn something.

Let me know how it goes you crazy Canuck. How the hell do you do it up there and what weight oil are you using?
-40=-40 lol..

Jim, where it's 65f today.

 

Actually it is nice this morning. I'm not positive how the conversion works, but it is only about -12 Celcius. 0 would be you 32. I run 10w30 in summer or winter in all my V8's, and the small stuff gets 5W30 in winter. That 460 has two block heaters, but that bugger will start at -40 Celcius, with a wind chill that makes it feel like -50, not plugged in. I am for some reason getting about 14 mpg an the highway, and don't take it to town enough to bother calculating the city mileage. Oh, and just for fun, guess what I did last night. Yup, I went cross country skiing in the backyard, and I do own snowshoes. Cool huh?

 

My truck was the same way, except I had a C6 and 33" tires. Swapping in the ZF brought the RPM down to about 2k at 65mph. I can actually use my whole speedometer now. I never felt comfortable going faster than 65mph before the swap. I also got an increase of 3-4mpg.

 

Meteor,
-12c is abt 10f here. Years back out in Wyoming I learned that -40 is the only temp where the two scales cross.
REALLY cool to have space for skiing, I live in a small city just north of New York.

Thanks for that reality check on the MPG Sycostang67.

Since you've done the swap can you tell us about it?
Did you run into any frustrations? Anything to look out for?
Did you need to change your crossmember or anything else on the chassis/ driveline?
What kind of transfercase do you have bolted behind the ZF?
Did you end up swapping out your steering column, going from an auto?

My trouble has been finding a donor. Most JY's around here won't save anything over 10 years old. They shred it (THAT'S an amazing machine) and float the scrap out on a barge.
Ideally I'd find a 133" wreck w/ both a block and gearbox that could be used. This way I'd feel sure the transfer case and driveshaft would fit too
Motivegear says Ford started using the ZF in '87 so I doubt they were fitted to pre EFI engines like I have, (so the heads won't work). But then again they're only showing the T19 I do have used up to '85.

TIA any advice,
Jim

 

I got pretty lucky, I managed to score a complete running donor truck that was even the same size/configuration as my truck. The PO didn't have the title, so I got a 1990 F-250HD XLT SC 4x4 for $700. I sold the EFI460 for $500 and the front clip for $150 and then sold several other misc. parts I knew I wouldn't need. I also sold my old C6/NP208 for another $100. The money I made back mostly went to get a new 12" clutch and new hydraulics for the clutch.

The swap was pretty easy. I also used the BW1356 T-case from the donor truck which required me to use the rear drive shaft and the rear axle yoke since the newer DS used larger u-joints. I swapped the floor pan so I didn't have to cut that hole, but the t-case lever was in a different spot so I had to cut a hole for that. I used the 90' x-member but I had to elongate the tranny mount holes and use the tranny mount backwards so everything would line up. The front DS's were the same so I hung onto the other one as a spare. I kept the auto column, it confuses people when you have 2 shifters in your truck. I would have swapped columns, but the tilt function on the 90 was broken and the one I have still works.

I used a bunch of parts off the donor truck. I now have buckets seats, center console, PW, PL, and a rear slider. I even used the Brake booster/master cylinder in my truck. The newer unit was a lot lighter than the old one. I also made a trailer out of the back of the truck.

Here it is when I brought it home.

 

Thank you for that Syco!

Glad to hear it didn't end up costing you a lot, other than time.

Did you need the firewall stiffening brace kit for the clutch master? Or was it already in the donor? I got to mine before it tore out.

Dropping 1k @ hwy. speeds would certainly make it feel less 'busy', It's not as if the engine would care. I'd like to know what the O/A ratios are, ZF v/s my T19.

So, I still don't know about using my flywheel/pilot shaft bushing, or if the clutch master I now have is the right size for the slave in the ZF. I'm assuming I'd need at least the crossmember and TM.
Like I said, ideally I could find a whole donor and have a block to rebuild too. I guess it's down to 'what fit's what'

Thanks again for all that information

Jim

 

I found this chart pretty much answered my own questions abt. overall ratios in Ford p/u's, just ignoring the overdrive ratios.

Driveline ratios w/ various Gearboxes/r & p's:
<http: www.drivetrain.com="" new_overdrive="" fordmanual="" overdrivefordmanual.html#final%20drive%20ratio%20t-19%204-speed%20m="">
* edit *, no url...again, why'd it work above in this thread? It was the drivetrain .com overdrive page (yes, there's a space)

If I'm reading this right I should end up turning 76 percent of existing RPM's in top gear.

Jim..........reinventing the wheel.
</http:>

 

The donor truck had a torn firewall which is one of the reasons the guy was selling it. I bought a reinforcement plate for my truck to prevent the tearing. I also used a 1990 slave cylinder on the tranny and an 1985 clutch master cylinder. The 1990 hose connected to the 1985 CM perfectly. The 85' CM also has an adjustable pushrod. I think someone mentioned that it was only available for 85'. The 90' CM mounted a little different anyhow, so the 85' CM just fit better.