I own a 1990 ford f-150 4X4. the engine is getting old (duh). I am trying to build a budget to do a engine swap sometime this year. If I am going to spend the money for a swap I might as well add some power. I am thinking of a few options tell me what you think.

1. 9th gen Lighting engine.
2. go with the bigger 460.
3. go with a 5.4 or 6.8 out of a totaled newer truck and replace tranny as well. (I think there would be a lot of wiring and fabricating involved)

I traded my grandfather a whole summers worth of labor to get this truck from him when I was 16. getting rid of it is not an option. LOL most marriages don't last this long. Give me some ideas I know I could just get a stock replacement, but what is the fun in that, and it is not what Pops would have done.

 

I for got to mention that the engine it has now is a 351 windsor, E40D tranny.

 

well im planning on putting a 460 in my 89 f150 this summer. all hopped up and sucking the gas. right now its got a 351 and a c6 tranny. imo i think it would be the cheapest easiest thing to do.. i had about the same ideas rolling throuhg my head as you do. going with teh 460 cuz they are cheaper and easier to find than a good 5.4 or lightning motor and i would think alot less fabricating.. just my 2 cents

 

A cam upgrade and full exhaust is well worth the $$ and will provide significant power increases over stock, no other EFI mods necessary as long as you get the right cam. The Crane 444232 was a Lightning upgrade and it works very well.

 

It already has dual exhaust. I am not going to put a perfomance came in an 18 year old motor.

 

I think your best option is a built up 351 as Conaski says. A 5.4 or a 6.8 will require some serious wiring.
Someone correct me if Im wrong, but I think you'll have to get a new tranny if you go with a 460.

 

I don't see why not unless its totally shot, but if it is then rebuild it and put a cam in. All the other optins you presented will involve stripping the whole powertrain and electrical from the truck to install the newer powertrain. The upgraded 5.8 will produce just as much power as a 5.4 and requires no changes at all besides what I mentioned above. It's your truck and you can do what you want, I was just presenting the best bang for your buck option.

 

For the amount it costs to have a motor rebuilt I could probably buy a rebuilt 460 or lighting motor. I don't think they changed things too much from 8th to 9th generation, but then again I just started doing research. I will look into the cost of getting this one rebuilt with some mods. I think my E4od will work with the 460. All it is, is the electronic version of the C6.

 

I'm sure someone will chime in if Im wrong but,1. I read somewhere that an E4OD isn't biult stong enough for a 460, and 2. are the bellhousings the same? 460's might be bigger than the 351's.

 

I think the bell-housing is different......351 = small block, 460 = big block, bell housing = different.


I would almost build a carb'ed version of your 351, and eliminate 15 pounds or so of wiring from your bay. A nice cam, nice intake, and nice 4bbl carb will definately make it a totally different animal.

Don't now about in Boothbay, but around Bangor newer salvage yard engines are expensive....Even to swap a 100k + mile 2.4 from a minivan into my neon will cost more than rebuilding the stock 2.0, and then I would know exactly what I have. So I would scrap the 4.6/5.4 or lightning motor from a wreck idea.

Grab an uncle henry's and look for a cheap "plow truck" or "yard" truck for 2-300 bucks, yank the motor and rebuild it. I found an 85 2x with a 460 and C6, low miles on rebuild, for $500, and that motor/tranny is going into the 67 I got eventually.....

I had an 84 F-150 with a 300-6, 4-speed, and with some custom mounts, a new bellhousing, and rigging up a mount for a hydraulic clutch, I swapped in a mid-70's 390, and that only recieved new rings and bearings, a rv cam from napa, hedman hedders, and an eddy intake and carb, and that thing was scary powerful, and for cheap!

 

yes, but then he has to spend thousands on a computer for the tranny.
Conaski will tell us all about it if he wants to.

 

Sorry I like the fuel injection. especially in the winter time when I have to go with out letting it warm up. I don't mind putting money into it. **** in the past 13 years I could have bought a new truck with the money I have put in it. I like the idea of the 460 c6 combo. Especially because the C6 has more aftermarket support (can you say floor shifter).

 

Eh, minor detail!!!

Forgot about the computer controlled tranny.......

Then I would freshen up the stock motor and do the basics.....up the comp., cam, ignition, exhaust, etc.....shoot, just having a fresh rebuild would probably add a noticeable difference in the power dept.

 

waynaferd, i agree with you about the 2-300 beater. thats what im waiting for, missed my chance when i was short on cash last summer. oh well. i mean you drop $1000 into performance for a 460 and c6 you will have a heck of a truck that wouldnt be close to too many ppls vehicles around. just be patient and wait for a wrecked truck or if you are lucky and can find a rv with a 460 that was wrecked or burned or something. i dont think to many ppl pi** pound a rv..

 

if you can afford to drive a hoped up 460 then do it, but if you already have a 351 i would just hope it up and rebuild better than stock!