89' F-250 Towing Capacity

[Diesel1050]

In the process of buying a 1989 F-250 which currently has the 300 "I" 6 EFI gasser. Found a cheap 7.3 turbo diesel from a 1995 F-350. The F-250 has a 4 speed trans with "D" (Overdrive/5th?). With this trans behind the 7.3 (Will be eventually built to 100's more hp!) Will it still have a good towing capacity?

 

[john112deere]

The diesel has a different bolt-pattern.

If it's a 5-speed (which it sounds like) in the gas truck, the bellhousing is part of the transmission and will not fit behind the diesel.

If it's actually a 4-speed (no OD) you may be able to get the correct bell to join it to the diesel.

 

[Diesel1050]

It says 1,2,3,4, "D" and R......what is the "D"?

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[Fellro]

The 7.3 from a 95 is a Powerstroke, which will be a major operation to change over. The D stands for Drive, the circle around it is Overdrive. That one would have the push button in the shift lever. In that day, it would be a 4 speed essensially, D would be 1: then 4th (OD) is the overdrive gear. 5 speed autos weren't out yet.

 

[Diesel1050]

Ok I think it's got a circle around it, therefore overdrive. How much of a pain in the behind will it be to mate the 7.3 to this tranny?

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[Diesel1050]

No push button as I recall though? The T-Case is manual also if that helps. These obs Ford's are new to me. Used to tractors and Jeeps

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[john112deere]

Roger- I think he's looking at manual transmissions...

 

[Diesel1050]

Yep. Manual all the way....every day! Want to keep it with the manual. Trans. Just to recap, it is a 1989 F-250 with a 300 straight six and 4 speed with overdrive. Swapping in a 7.3 Powerstroke from a 1995 F-350.

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[Diesel1050]

Oh and if it helps you guys, the shifter for the transfer case is down on the floor, to the left of the shifter. Also it is the "Custom" edition.

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[Diesel1050]

Just went and looked at it, and the bellhousing IS part of the tranny.

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[Lorddurock]

not to hijack the threaded. but doesn't the the 7.3 have a big block ford bellhousing pattern adapter? whats stopping diesel 1050 from putting a zf 5 speed in as long as his t case mates with it. or getting a 460 bellhousing for what im guessing is borg/warner t-19 in his 89.

i dont have any answers for diesel1050 every 7.3 i've worked on has a SAE housing

either way a major concern for this swap is axle radios.

 

[dustybumpers]

There is a 7.3 Zf transmission. It does NOT have an adapter

It would be a whole lot cheaper and easier to just skip the 4.9 truck, and look for a 7.3 truck.

The core support is different.. the front cross member is different.
The wiring harness is different. I could go on, but you get the point.

I have a F350 4.9, and a F 350 7.3.
the 4.9 does everything the 7.3 does, just not as quickly.

 

[Diesel1050]

I already own the 4.9. Swap won't be hard as I am rebuilding the frame with new crossmembers and mounts, and I will get a wiring harness with the motor. Hard to find the right tranny aeound here.

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[dustybumpers]

It's not just the motor harness tho. Cab harness, dash harness, frame harness.
Motor mounts to frame. etc.
If you are going to go through with it, make sure to take plenty of pictures, and post a build thread.

I would suggest buying a whole PSD parts truck to get your parts from. Buying everything you need from the junk yard is going to be costly and time consuming

I'm not telling you what to do by any means, I've been there, believe me.
After many projects that should have been passed by later, I have learned

 

[Diesel1050]

Not worried about it. Wiring isn't that difficult. Like I said before, motor mounts will all be custom. There are no PSD parts trucks in my area, that's why i'm repowering the F-250.

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[Fellro]

The powerstroke is completely computer controlled, so you need the entire harness that is associated with it. The pedal, computer, full harness, then mounts springs rad support, radiator and intercooler, all the fuel lines and in tank pumps, associated wiring there, then the dash harness to complete the wiring for the computer and have functional warning lights and diagnostic hookups. It is no small feat, but it is being done. It does take a strong understanding of what you are doing though.

For the motor mounts, you can actually just re-use the factory pieces with a little modification to your frame as the 300 has a hole in the frame to clear the oil filter, while the diesels have a plate that bolts over where that hole would be (it isn't there on diesels, only 300, 302 and 351W trucks) then the motor mount goes over the top of that plate.

the 460 and the diesel bell housings are a close but not quite bolt up. They can be modified a little to work by rounding out the line up pin holes, but you risk the trans shifting around by doing such.

The diesel is considerably heavier than the 300, so you will need to change the springs to accommodate the additional weight.

 

[Diesel1050]

Change in priorities. Just finished paying off the truck! I officially own a Ford! Think before I do the motor swap, i'm gonna do a Dana 60 front end and a lift, get some new rims to fit my 37" Irok's on there and piddle on it until I find the right motor....

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