Have a 1996 F-150 4WD 5 speed manual. Engine bad. Going to put a used in it. What year's have same engine? Been told back to '88 but skeptical. Looking for as much as straight swap as possible. What's the difference between an auto and a standard trans engine?

Thanks for the help!

 

87 and newer. That's when they went to fuel injection. The block is the same going back to the 70's, but in 87, they changed the intake and exhaust manifold, and a bunch of other stuff. They went to single serpentine belt except A/C at that time too iirc.