I'm installing an 88 sefi 5.0 in my 53 F100. Can the air pump and related plumbing be discarded with no ill effects?
What about the EGR system, what must stay and what can go?
Thanks

 

I'm doing roughly the same swap except my motor is a 5.8 and the truck is a '51. I pulled the straight 6 out of my '87 awhile back and replaced it with an EFI 5.0, so I've got a little experience. Here's the real deal: The air pump, brackets, hoses, and plumbing can all be installed in the nearest dumpster. There are two vacuum solenoid valves (TAB and TAD) that operate the air injection system. You can remove them completely, but the computer will notice that they aren't there and set a code. I left mine plugged in and zip tied them to the harness behind the engine out of the way. Just don't bother running any vacuum lines to them. The computer will turn them on and off, but it never pays any attention to whether or not they are actually doing anything during normal driving. IF you do an engine running scan with a code scanner, it will open them and watch for the oxygen sensor to lean out and when it doesn't, you will get a code. Just ignore it. It never pays any attention while you're driving. The EGR system, however, needs to be hooked up and fully operational. A lot of people don't understand what it does and chuck it in the trash. It really doesn't hurt performance at all, but it DOES allow the engine to run a bit leaner with more advance without pinging and burning holes in your pistons. More advance + leaner air/fuel ratio = more power and better gas mileage. There is also a vacuum line that goes from each throttle body bore (assuming you are installing a truck EFI motor) to a Y and then to the charcoal canister. Throw all that away, too, and then be sure to cap the ports on the throttle body. Short of that, everything else has to stay, especially the oxygen sensor. Make sure all your sensors and actuators are in good condition, do an engine off and an engine running code scan when you get it all put together to check for trouble, and then it should be good to go.

 

Doh! Almost forgot! The air injection system pipes air into the exhaust through a crossover tube that is bolted across the back side of both heads. You can take this off, but you will need to plug the ports or you'll have a nasty exhaust leak. You will notice that the port itself is threaded. It is straight thread, NOT pipe thread! If you try to cram a pipe plug into it, you may bust the head. This port is drilled through the entire length of the head. In the front of the head, Ford used a screw-in adapter plug that threads right into the port and plugs it while converting to a useful 3/8 or 1/2 bolt hole, I can't remember which. You can do the same thing. Go into the dealership parts department and tell them you need two replacement thermactor port adapters and describe what you're talking about. They'll know what you mean. DO NOT tell them that you want them to plug the ports on the back of the head! I made this mistake one time and they got pissy and refused to sell them to me. They are only a couple of bucks apiece. Do yourself a favor and run a tap into the port before you thread them in. The threads will be full of carbon.

 

Thanks for the info, I was hopeing I didn't have to install the EGR piping into the exhaust but if it's gotta be there it's gotta be there.
Thanks
mikem