engine swap.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Butler PA
engine swap.
Hello guys it has been awhile since I have posted on here but I got a question for ya. I have an 81 f-150 four wheele drive with a 4 speed trany. I am wondering if I could swap out the 300 straight six to a 460? I am also wonder what is involved to do the swap? My truck has michanical clutch linkage if that matter. I would like to keep the same trany if it is possible till I can find a replacment five speed. Any info would be greatly appreciated thanx.
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From: Virginia
Of course it can be done, they installed that engine in the 83-up trucks. I am big on donor trucks. It would be easiest to find a truck with a 460 in it, and swap it in. That will give you all the little necessary parts, and you will end up with leftovers you can sell and get some of your money back. And donor would not have to be 4x4.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: San Diego
do some searching, there are plenty of guys on here that have done that swap. if you don't want to get a donor truck, have fun making lots of trips to the junk yard, you will be there a lot. To think of a few, you will need at a minimum, radiator, and hoses, oil filter relocation kit, belhousing or bbf tranny, throttle cable, and about a $250 bucks worth of little parts that you will make repeated trips to the parts store for. (I ran into all of that just swaping a 300 in and a 302 out...)
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From: Virginia
One of the first things you will need to do once you get the six out, is grind the six motor mount perches off the frame and put in some v8 perches. I thought all the v8 perches were the same, but I seem to remember a post from someone that said the 460 perches may be a little different?
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: San Diego
One of the first things you will need to do once you get the six out, is grind the six motor mount perches off the frame and put in some v8 perches. I thought all the v8 perches were the same, but I seem to remember a post from someone that said the 460 perches may be a little different?
And if I'm not mistaken, the 460 sits a little more forward than the small blocks, just to keep from having to move the trannies back.
All the more reason to either get a donor, or spend a lot of time at the jy... I don't have any friends to help with big a$$ stuff at the jy... so maybe I am a little prejudiced against going there, all though I do like finding small things....
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From: Butler PA
Well I I talk to a buddy of mine and he said that I would have to change the front axle and the cross member that runns under the engine major work like that. I dont have a problem with buying diffrent parts to make it work but I dont want to have to change out the front axel and the crossmember.
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i am in the middle of taking out a 400 and putting in a 300 straight six. i am also running into some problems, the number one is the front cross member. from my understanding the cross member is set lower for the big block v8s. (i found most of this out when i was trying to put in the straight six.) at this moment i am not sure what to do yet. when i had the six hovering in the truck with the hoist i also found that the clutch link is not the same. from my measurements the engines posts would need to be 8 or 9 in tall. in your case you probably need to lose the same to make a big block fit.
what to swap trucks
what to swap trucks
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Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Dryden, ON, Canada
The engine crossmember is the same for all engines other than the 460/diesel, they just use different stands. The 300 and 6.9 ones sit on top of the crossmember, while all the gas ones hang off the rear of it.
The 460/diesel units are shaped a bit differently for clearance on the drivers side of the engine, but, as far as the mounting is concerned, the stands for a 460 will bolt right on to any other crossmember. The difference in shape on the 460/diesel crossmember allows room for the factory angled oil filter adapter on the 460. With the other style crossmember, you need a remote filter setup. No big deal.
Agapewood: The clutch link is the same, just the engine side pivot on the 300 actually screws into the block, rather than being bolted on. Once you get the proper mount stands in there things will make sense.
The 460/diesel units are shaped a bit differently for clearance on the drivers side of the engine, but, as far as the mounting is concerned, the stands for a 460 will bolt right on to any other crossmember. The difference in shape on the 460/diesel crossmember allows room for the factory angled oil filter adapter on the 460. With the other style crossmember, you need a remote filter setup. No big deal.
Agapewood: The clutch link is the same, just the engine side pivot on the 300 actually screws into the block, rather than being bolted on. Once you get the proper mount stands in there things will make sense.
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From: Virginia
Well I I talk to a buddy of mine and he said that I would have to change the front axle and the cross member that runns under the engine major work like that. I dont have a problem with buying diffrent parts to make it work but I dont want to have to change out the front axel and the crossmember.
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From: Butler PA
ok I am going to do the 460 swap in my 81 ford f150 but I want to make it an automatic tranny and take out my four speed. Do you guys think this is wise? I am hoping to find a doner truck to do thid I found a doner with a 351 engine but it is probably diffrent though. well tell me some feed back on this. thanx
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From: Virginia
Be patient. Find a donor with a 460 and a auto tranny. It will have everything you need. And don't be afraid to spend a little money on the donor. You will be money ahead in the long run, and when you are done with your truck, it will look factory. The donor will have all the proper stuff to make the 460 fit, and it will even have the correct wiring harness to plug into the auto tranny.
You should be able to find a 460 donor reasonable, since they are well known gas hogs and gas prices are up again.
You should be able to find a 460 donor reasonable, since they are well known gas hogs and gas prices are up again.
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From: Virginia
83ish(when brought the 460 back) to around 89-90(when they were still putting the c6 in some of the trucks).
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