Nope...not even close.

 

400M might bolt up to a 460 trans, maybe not. I think it is the same bolt pattern but that doesn't always get you there.

With a little luck you can get an engine really cheap. It will be cheaper to replace with the same engine than to do any kind of swap. Swaps are not cheap.

Go down to the local pull it urself junkyard and see what they can do for you.

 

 

Not impossible, but there is so much to consider.

You will need to deal with the fuel system. Mechanical pump on the 400, electric in tank pumps on the 90. I believe that was the changeover year for the FDM's as well, so now you have to deal with high pressure fuel and the tank switching will not work as designed. Don't even think about fuel pressure regulators.

The 90 was designed for EFI, the 400 will be carbureted. You are going to have to butcher your wiring harness to accommodate the change.

Exhaust will have to be reworked. Possibly radiator, not sure on engine frame brackets. It's going to eat $$$$ and time.

It would be so much quicker, cheaper, and easier to locate and install a junkyard 5.0.

On the transmissions, you would pretty much have to use the trans coupled to the 400, but if it is not 4WD, you have a whole new set of problems.

 

You will spend more converting this than you will to just get a like kind replacement engine.

 

See if you can trade one truck for a good engine for the other truck. But, don't sell yourself short. Maybe sell the truck and buy the engine and the other stuff you will need.

 

 

 

Since I'm not there and can't see what you are working with and don't know who you are dealing with, it's real hard to guess what is right for you.

Around here you can buy an engine for under $200. You have to be real careful not to buy junk. Some people look for wrecked vehicles thinking it was the wreck that got it to the junkyard. You can look for sludge in the oil filler, buildup in the intake and breather, and oil in the exhaust for some clues on engine condition. If you ask or if you're real sneaky you might be able to start it before you pull it.

Even if you swap to a 351 you hit snags that can be expensive and time consuming. If you swap, go ask a mechanic what he would charge to do it. They have reasons to charge so much. It will probably cost twice as much and take three times as long as your best guess.

I had a 1979 supercab with the 400. I drove that truck for 15 or 20 years. Drove it through most of the states. It was a good truck but my 91 is a world ahead of it.

The 302 could come from a number of cars also, doesn't have to be a truck. I'm not a 302 fan so other people can fill you in on the details. It's a good engine. Better in a car than a truck. It's a compact engine and makes a lot of power for the space it takes to install it. Trucks have plenty of room for an engine and don't need a compact engine.

 

 

Ah, well that explains a lot.

Actually, we love helping out the Chevy guys and do our best to convert them to the Ford religion.

The thing with Ford is that the engines and transmissions do not interchange as readily as the GM engine families do. Sort of like Chev vs. BOP in Bowtieland. Easiest path with a Ford is to get as close to the engine originally equipped and go from there. Even within a given engine, say the 302/5.0 Ford, there can be variances. You are in luck because late 80's pickups are a very common source for such an engine. I would suggest you look for the 87 to 91 range although the newer engines changed to a very desirable roller cam design. Some of the differences you will encounter in a Ford are the engine balance change in around 1980 as well as a relocation of the dipstick from the oil pan to the block. Oil pan is also different for the truck application vs. cars. There are internal differences in the connecting rods as well, but this won't be noted in light service.

Sounds like you may have an early engine, so I would suggest getting the flexplate and balancer from the engine you will be transplanting. No telling what you may have in your truck at this point. Flexplates also are unique to the transmission, i.e AOD will be different from EOD.

That said, I agree that an engine can be had quite cheaply at the self serve wreckers and if you look carefully, you probably can find a good one.

 

 

What a deal! I hope it is a good one. Might be the best ever.

You could do a leak down test without even spinning the engine over. Or just hook up the starter and spin it to do a compression test.