Hey guys. Been cruisin' the local U-Pull-Its, and found that they will sell any engine for 90 dollars, sans Water Pump and Accessories.(ie; Alternator, Power Steering Pump, etc.) Anyway, I'm looking at doing an engine swap for my truck. I love my little old straight-six, but really want the power of a V-8. I've looked at tuning both, and while I'd love the notoriety of having a really fast straight-six, I think that in the long run, it's gonna be more affordable to use the V-8. So I guess that my question is, What kind of engine, 302, 351W, 351C, or 460, which are all of the ones that I can get locally. Are there any compatible parts, like the Power Steering Pump, A/C Compressor, (Yes, I still have working A/C) Alternator, Transmission, Engine Mounts... Basically, Which engine will involve what work, and what parts will I need to buy? Oh, and what am I looking at for price?

 

Not sure about the accesories but jeffs bronco graveyard carries motor mount towers to install anyone of those engines. I bought a set and they appear to be really high quality. The inline six to 351w is a popular swap, try searching these forums for more info. Your local junkyard probably also has c6 trannies a dime a dozen to bolt up to those engines if yours wont work.

-Jon

 

I am looking to do this with as little extra parts as possible, so if the 3 spd will work, I'll use it.

 

I had a 351C and loved it. If I had a carbuerated truck and did a swap I would do the clevland again. Man that motor made a lotta power

 

Seems everyone I ask gives me a different answer for this one... Is the Cleveland or the Windsor the Big Block?

 

Cleveland is the big-block.

The Windsor is a small block.

 

Niether is a big block.
The 302, W, and C all share many accessory parts.
To swap between them is so simple it should hardly be called a 'swap'.
They share all the tranny parts, mounts, and pulleys.
Oil pans, distributors, intakes, and exhausts vary and would be needed from aftermarket or donor vehicle with that engine.

You may be thinking of the 351M/400 engines...
They are loosely based on the Cleveland, but very little interchanges in a swap context.
They have unique mounts and share tranny parts with a 460... among other things.

Good luck
Dave

Edit: Btw... your I6 tranny parts will swap straight over to a 302, 351c, or 351w.
The 'baby' C6 is what you would want for those engines. It uses the same bolt pattern as your 6. One thing about a C6, it is 'bulletproof' at a cost. It is heavier than any other tranny you might use and has a big parasitic loss factor on the HP.
I don't know how long your tranny is, but you may also need to shorten your driveshaft if you swap to a C6.

 

I'm thinking that I'll try to keep as much as possible from the old engine, so the tranny stays. It also looks like I'll be swaping for the 351. What are the differences between the Cleveland and the Windsor?

 

A lot of things. The 351C is much wider then the 351W due to the heads. All in all the 351C is a completely different animal then the 351W.

The 351W is pretty much a 302. (The 302 and 351W are in the same family) So it is probably your best bet in swappign everything over.

The 460 can use the 302 acc. but there is some mods needed, but you will also need mounts, headers, larger rad and all the small stuff.

 

You would do best using a W if you don't know alot about the C.
It is wider when compared to a W when both engines do not have exhaust manifolds. However the C exhaust ports point down towards the ground while the W's exit toward the fenders, so with exhaust in place, it is a toss-up. I put a C in my Maverick, so you know it's not a 'monster' because that engine bay is tiny.

The W is just a 302 with a 1.3" taller block deck (over-simplified). This makes the engine wider and heavier, but the swap is extremely easy.

The C block is only 1" taller than the 302, so it is shorter than the W and only appears wider when the heads are installed because they are bulkier than the 'wedge' heads on the W. The C uses canted valves (ala-Big Chevy). This allows larger ports, valves, and better flow through the chamber. The C used to be known as one of the greatest engines built, but the aftermarket for the SBF and W have caught up... Now it is easy to get the same power from a W, plus the C parts are getting hard to find. The W power parts are as close as the nearest speed shop.
A side note, Boss 302s were made using Cleveland heads. The heads are interchangeable between the SBF, W, and C. A little thought and parts swapping is needed though for parts like intake, pistons, pushrods, and sometimes headers.

Long story short:
Stick with a W. The swap is easy as using a 302 and parts are everywhere. If you need to use stock heads for money reasons, but want the best available, use 69-73 heads. They have the largest ports and valves while retaining a small chamber.
74-76 are the same head as well, but some emission plumbing in the heads gum up the works a bit. After 76, 302s and 351s used the same heads with tiny ports, valves, and huge chambers.
A cheap power mod for a W is a 393 cast crank. They can be had new under 300 bux. They replace the stock crank, use stock rods, and stock 302 pistons to give you 42 more cubic inches!
Think about it, you gotta use new pistons when you bore your block anyway, so there is no expense there over a stock build, the crank is fresh, and you use stock rods... it is a tremendous deal.
One tip with any SBF is to use aftermarket rod bolts. They are the absolute weakest link in Ford's engines. Especially a 289/302. Those short stroke engines are basically bullet-proof except for the weak rod bolts.
Good luck
Dave

 

I don't have a 302... I have a 300. Straight-six. No-ey V8-ey.

 

Got a question about this swap. Does anyone know how it works with fuel injection and what would need to be done to the computer. I am curious as I need to put new bearings in the bottom end of my W and this sound intriguing. How much cam is needed to compensate for the extra cubes? What about the exhaust manifolds, I don't care for headers. Anything else I need to know?

 

So if I go from a 1982 I-6 to a 1988 302EFI, will I be able to use my 3-speed, or do I need a new transmission?