Thinking of doing some engine work on a 1990 F-150 EFI. Dont know if i should keep the 302 or go for the 351. Also should i stay with EFI or go to a 4bl. Lost at thought any suggestions

 

Well first thing you would need to figure out is how much $$$ you have to work with. Second would be whats your goals with the truck ? If your on a low budget and staying with the 302 or even swapping it with a 351 start with the basics like headers, exhaust, and a cam. the type of cam. would depend on what your goals with the truck. If you had more money to spend you could always get new heads, intake, bore it out, stroke it etc... once again depends on how much $$$ and your goals with the truck. You have to remember stock componets on the truck are ment for a stock engine, so you have to keep that in mind when you set the goals for the truck. Hopefully that helps you out my friend

 

Well the truck runs and drives right now as is. I was hoping to buy a bare block or a good used one to build from the ground up

 

I would keep it EFI.

What transmission? If its the AOD you may want to stick with the 302.

 

I would agree... Keep the EFI. I think what 93F250tn was trying to get at is what are you doing with the truck? Pulling? Daily driver? 4x4 off road? You need to decided what you are going to be doing with the truck the majority of the time... IE: I have a F-250 w/ a 300 I6 and use it for some runs to the lumber yard and out hunting... I don't need a 7.3 diesel even though I would love to have one... Decided what you are going to do with the truck and then we can give you some good ideas as to what you should do with the engine.

 

Not a daily driver but will be driven quite a lot. Basically just a toy

 

If you give vague information like this you're going to get vague answers.

 

If its not gonna do hard heavy work, stick with the 302. If your "toy" is gonna be working, Id go with a 351.

 

Okay right now the truck has an AOD but i have access to a C6 from a 78. I was looking at getting around 400 hp. I dont to have a motor that is bored to the max.

 

If it were mine, I would keep it an overdrive transmission. There is no way I would go back to a 3 speed non overdrive setup. That will just make fuel economy worse and reduce engine life since the RPMs will be high at highway speed.

 

Well.. getting 400hp from a 302 is going to involve a lot of high rpms so gas milage will suck when you're using all those ponies, a larger motor produces a wider powerband at lower rpms so it makes a better truck motor and can get better milge in some situations. But it depends what you want, if this is going to be a 2wd street truck a built 302 with lots of gearing can work real well and still get decent milage when you're not honking on it. But if it's mud and big tires you want to play with, get a 351, stroke it out to 400 cubic inches, mount some big heads on it and let the fun begin.