1986 supercab

[SuperCab]

Looks like fun

 

[crazycanuck]

Engine swap 1986 supercab

So , iv posted in the engine section but figured I'd document the work here, the 302 in this truck is pretty well worn. Has OK oil pressure but smokes pretty bad. I have a 1989 f150 4x4 auto that has a 351 that runs great... About 10 years ago when it was dismantled. But I still have the truck, the engine is in the garage and pieces here and there but I have everything. My plan is to use the 351 engine, the wiring in the 1986 and the computer from the 1989. Is this combo going to work or am I going to have a mess. Oh, I know I'll need a 28 oz flywheel for the 351 also

 

[Fellro]

The wiring in the 86 and the wiring to the 89 will not likely play nicely... The firewall plug is different for certain, so you are going to have to figure out the transition from 86 to 89 at that interface. I will be interested to see how it does work out, as I have similar ambitions with a 78 and an 89 motor...

 

[crazycanuck]

Well, what I was thinking was leaving the wiring alone in the 1986. Just unplugging and swapping the computers.the 1986 has efi already but the computer is under the dash.

 

[crazycanuck]

Maybe I'll try the 1989 computer in the 1986 before I touch anything, to see if the 302 will run with the 351 computer.

 

[crazycanuck]

I'm trying to do as little work as possible. Fellro, you can make yours work pretty easy. In my old cj jeep , my buddy has done your exact swap with 351 efi with m5od. I'll get some pics next time I'm out his way for you.

I was just wanting to not to rewire a truck that is already wired with efi. I know its wired different physically from the 1989 but they are both speed density efi. I all just go ahead and pull the trigger with this and report results

 

[Fellro]

If you already have EFI, and are of the same style then there isn't any real reason to change the wiring out. The general wiring will be able to hook up the 351W just the same as it does for the 302. I don't know as you will even actually need to change the computer. I can't say I have done this exact swap, but I have done other swaps where they were similar configuration setups but different cubes and the computer adapted just fine. I have my doubts that just plugging in the different computer will work out.

 

[crazycanuck]

Got the new flywheel ordered. Crappy because I just put new clutch and new flywheel in the 302. Oh well. Gotta be done.....

 

[crazycanuck]

I haven't been able to dig the 351 out of mom's garage yet. The engine was the first thing in that garage about 10 or 11 years ago and now it is filled with stuff including moms corvette and my sisters stuff from her house when she moved to an apartment.

In the meantime I decided to start working on my plow truck because it had the crap kicked out of it last winter. The frame broke behind the spring mount on the driver side and I had no choice but to keep pushing snow. This has twisted and mangled the pass side frame rail beyond repair . I was planning on welding her up but scared if we get snow like last winter it won't make it through the season. She is pretty rusty (rotten). Trans is on its way out also. Only 1st and reverse left and the planatarys for low range are howling pretty bad.

That said the old 302 runs great. It will be quicker to pull the engine out of ol blue and throw it in the super cab. Some pics of disassembly

From left to right. Driver frame from behind the wheel looking to front
Pass frame from in front of wheel looking towards the back
With the plow on
After dissambley and back into the driveway

 

[cbaker65]

I haven't been able to dig the 351 out of mom's garage yet. The engine was the first thing in that garage about 10 or 11 years ago and now it is filled with stuff including moms corvette and my sisters stuff from her house when she moved to an apartment.

In the meantime I decided to start working on my plow truck because it had the crap kicked out of it last winter. The frame broke behind the spring mount on the driver side and I had no choice but to keep pushing snow. This has twisted and mangled the pass side frame rail beyond repair . I was planning on welding her up but scared if we get snow like last winter it won't make it through the season. She is pretty rusty (rotten). Trans is on its way out also. Only 1st and reverse left and the planatarys for low range are howling pretty bad.

That said the old 302 runs great. It will be quicker to pull the engine out of ol blue and throw it in the super cab. Some pics of disassembly

From left to right. Driver frame from behind the wheel looking to front
Pass frame from in front of wheel looking towards the back
With the plow on
After dissambley and back into the driveway

Wow,How long have you been putting it to work?

 

[dustybumpers]

Don't know how I missed this thread!
Good you have another 5.0 to go back in, as the 5.8 was going to be a big headache
Firing order, and fuel injector order is different, requiring a different wiring harness, and the computer wouldn't have just changed over. There are other changes, but you don't have to worry about that now!
Nice truck BTW

 

[crazycanuck]

I'm still going to do the 351 swap as soon as I can get in that garage. Just quicker to scrap the plow truck and throw the 302 ii from that. There is an "Ultimate Adventure" style overland run at the end of the month for 3 days and nights I'm planning on going on and current engine is just worn out. This will also give me time to gather the mass airflow components for when the 351 goes in, because its getting a rebuild top to bottom with big torque in mind.

 

[crazycanuck]

Haven't done much, but I did acquire 5 Military tires, the Michelin XML 325/85/16. They are the same height as my 39.5 super swamper Irocks. This set of tires I'll leave on the truck all the time. The IROCKS have never seen pavement but use them lots off road.

Unmounted Michelin 325/85r16 on the left and Mounted 39.5x15 r15 on the right

 

[DNFXDLI]

How noisy will they be on the road?

 

[crazycanuck]

Probably quieter than the 35 inch crushers I usually have on. Road noise is not an issue with this truck.

 

[crazycanuck]

Got all 5 xml's mounted last night and installed on the truck this am

 

[DNFXDLI]

Looks good!

 

[crazycanuck]

Hello, it's been a while since I've last posted here. Crazy stuff happening in my world but it's smoothing out again. Picked up a 351ho 1986 the other day and am planning to drop that in and keeping the 4bbl carb on it.

Work IV done on the truck in the last week included reattaching fender flares, they got tore off the last time I drove the truck, along with a lot of sheet metal damage. No plans on repairing dents, sold the superwinch, installed my warn m12000 on the push bumper, new radius arm bushings, tie rod flip, new slinger seals on the rcv shafts,

Now the problems I'm having with this lift, too much stress on the frame rails by the cab mounts where the radius arms bolt on. It's tipping the bottom of the frame rails inward. Also alot of flex between the pivot drop brackets under the engine cross member. My solution for the radius arm drop brackets is to spread them back out into position and weld square tubing between them. For the pivot drop brackets , I'm going to weld a piece of square tubing between the drop brackets so that they can't flex independently and hopefully transfer forces between them, also going to add a piece of plate onto the drop bracket on the driver side for the pass beam. Should make it a lot more solid feeling.

I haven't driven or moved the truck since summer last year. Had a lot of woman problems, she is gone but the truck is still with me.... Too bad I can't say that about my 440 4 speed challenger

 

[DNFXDLI]

Women problems eh?

Know why divorces are so expensive?

























Coz they are worth every penny!

 

[crazycanuck]

Got the push bar off, truck looks kinda naked