85 with many mods needs help
 

Let me start off by saying I wish I found this site sooner. I have an '85 Eddie Bower that I just chopped up and converted to FI. I pulled the original 351HO motor and replaced it with an 88 351. I also replaced the dash with the '88 style. I replaced the wiring from headlight to taillight w/new gas tank and fuel lines/pump. I mated it with the existing c-6 (I got everything else for free but no AOD) out through a 9" rear. I don't know alot about the FI motors and performance. Aside from the AOD, Headers, Electric fan I have planned what other things are a good way to get a little more umph outa this motor. I also am running dual 2.5" exhaust (Yes with the OS in a h-pipe). Should I go back to single. No cats cause no smog here too. Does anyone make a chip for this year motor? Sorry for the long post.
I plan on new paint, sas, and air bags one of these days but for now I need power. Thank You All

well, I'd recommend keeping the C6. Also, the FI mods are pretty similar to mods for a carbureted engine. Intake and head work are your best friends. Heat management is next. Then exhaust work. I put that one last b/c you want to know how much air you'll be moving before you decide the best way to get rid of it.

Of course, there are little differences b/t EFI and carb... and the '88 FI engine uses an SD setup which is not as moddable as an MAF setup. I hate to break it to ya, but you might have been better off with that '86 351HO. The intruduction of a more involved computer means it takes more work to get the same effectiveness from your mods.

Anyway, good luck and let us know how it turns out :)

Yeah I thought about the fact that the '85 motor would of been better for more power. The gas savings I have gotten is well worth the trade off though. Besides the '85 motor is in another project at the moment lol. I have noticed that the way it sits right now it feels about the same as the old motor power wise. So any thing to add a few ponies would be an improvement. Why would keeping the c-6 be better than putting an AOD in? Last things- I have heard about throttle body spacers alot. Do they do anything worth the money it costs to buy them? and What would be the best way and not too expensive to put lmtd-slip in a 9" rear end?

Thanks

Probably cheepest is a bone yard for 9" pumpkin with trac loc, I found a good one for $225. Then just swap it into your rear housing.

How do I know which axles have trak-lok. So I pull the right one when I go to the yard.

If you jack both wheels off ground and turn the pinion, both wheels turn in the same direction.

Oh yeah duh. I swear I'm loosin my mind with this project. Any answers to the other q's?

Can't help on the FI issues. I went the other way.. 351 went away and 460 went in. The milage is not as good but power is not an issue. :lol:

It's like an addiction. I just got done converting to FI now I want to go find a 460 myself and throw it in. I swear I'm never gonna be done with this damn truck. lol BTW ! I'm just now finishing my soft top that I made in my shed. When I get the canvas back(waterproof and easier to work with than vinal) I'll put pics up and if anyone likes it I'll put the plans I made up too if anyone want's to make their own. I couldn't justify paying that much money for a top.MCL

Can anyone tell me what the diff. between the speed density and MAF is. If it is that much of a diff. and the MAF makes better power there is a shop selling a MAF full conversion from Ford Racing for $250. Is that a good deal?

I don't know where you found that MAF conversion, but every kit I have ever seen has been in the $750-$1100 range.

I looked through it and it can the computer, maf, all hook-ups, everything the instructions call for. It is made by Ford Racing. I didn't know that they are that much. They have 2 for sale. It is at a local performance shop. Something about someone put a deposit on them and them went to jail. Anywho if anyone wants one they are $400. sorry I said 250 but that was the tag on another item that was misplaced on those. The guy told me they were $750-800 from the place he ordered them. He just wants what is left from the deposit to pay for them.

What would be the best way to replace the radius arm bushings. I have been told to grind off the rivets and put bolts in. I've also been told that you can pull the tires forward and get them out that way. The cheapest shop up here wants 215 dollars to put the bushings in. That's just to put em in, I have the bushings already.

Anyone with an answer to the bushing q?

I can't answer your bushing Q... I've not yet replaced mine... but I can help on a few others. For what it's worth, grinding off a rivet and replacing it with a grade 8 bolt is always a good idea if you have the means. That way, next time it's much easier to replace. Does your manual have anything about replacing that bushing?

The difference between SD and MAF is the way that your engine computer determines the amount of oxygen entering the engine, and thus decides how much fuel to give it. The MAF system is alot more accurate and in our trucks it is coupled with a single-fire fuel injection system. The SD engines use a bank-fire injection system which is inherently less fuel efficient since 4 cylinders get fuel at once instead of just 1. In a stock configuration, the power is about the same from SD to MAF, but when you start modding that engine you'll have many more options with the MAF. The potential for more power is much better with an MAF setup than with an SD one.

If your local shop is offering 2 brand-new MAF conversion kits for $400 each, just buy them both. You can sell one of them on eBay or somewhere for the same price you paid for both... or even if you don't need it, you can make money on a deal like that.