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Ranger Project Idea


Shran

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Oh boy.

Boring an engine is a fix for scored and worn cylinder walls, not increasing displacement (although it DOES result in that, but not a huge amount.) If you want more cubes, build a stroker. I also highly doubt that there is any scientific evidence that will give you proof of an Olds 350 block being somehow stronger than a 351W block. Dude, people are building HUGE stroker engines with a lot of HP using 351W blocks... they're plenty strong.

The transmission you mentioned was also never used in an Ford truck. Never. So yes, you're still going to have to fabricate a bunch of stuff to make it fit. Clutch, crossmember, driveline, etc. All custom fab.

You are right, I have never heard of an Olds swapped F150, but probably because it's a dumb idea to swap a 200hp engine that fits the truck for a 200hp engine that doesn't. It's just not cool in that application, but in a Ranger, YES, it is a potentially neat idea.
 


85_Ranger4x4

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Well you can buy a 351W F-150 from the factory, doesn't make a whole lot of sense to rip that out the entire powertrain for a different brand to do basically the same thing. Same goes for a 460. Dad bought a 2wd '96 F-250 with a 460 for $600, needed the rear axle rebuilt. Runs freaking awesome, truck is a riot to drive. Basically a BB F-150 but with heavier suspension and axles.

My advice is mainly aimed at a Ranger, I side with Shran on the fullsize. It is silly IMO to gut a fullsize to run a similar performing power train of a different breed.

350's are swapped into just about everything, I bet they are pretty far and few between swapped into 80+ F-150's too.

If you are going to rebuild the engine you are probably going to have to bore it, especially if it is a 50 year old engine. Boring for power is a slow way to get power. Figure your 350 makes 300hp. 300hp/350cubes=.86hp per cube. Punch it out and gain 5 cubes. Congratulations you just gained 4 more hp. You are 1/3 of the way to gaining something detectable by a butt dyno.
 
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4BangerRanger99

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Shran, im not saying the 351W arent strong, people build engines to crazy amounts of power. But how much it takes to get there is the real question. The 351W are great engines, Frankly im a little bit dissapointed for the fact that you keep calling these ideas stupid, and dumb. I think ive been as respectful as i can, but im 16, these ideas aren't stupid. They may not make sense to you, but you've been around longer than i have, yes? You also have more experience than i do. So calling these ideas stupid and dumb isnt constrcutive. Though i am thankfull for the input of you all. The reason im here is because i wanted to know if the engine would fit, and if the swap would be a cool idea. I didnt ask for name calling. Though the swap may not make as much sense or be as easy as something thats been done before, If nobody ever tried anything different; everybody would have the same vehicles and that would be boring. Ill admit the engine is a dog the way it came from the factory, but so are the 302, and 351Ws. You do things, you add parts, you tune the carbs to the way you want it. These engines have had nothing but good things written about them on the Olds forums about longevity, and torque. So i went for an idea that made sense to me. The 351 and 302 dont make as much torque as the 350 Olds made(before emissions this engine made 400ft-lbs torque while the 351W made 380ft-lbs. Both ratings in 1969.) I thought that since it made good torque that id would be good in a Ranger, and since it would take more work than id be willing to do to make that happen, so i thought, why not a f150? I know its gunna be work. And I think that this will be really freaking cool. Sure theres other engines that could work as well, and go in easier, but i wanna do something cool. Some dude put a cummins 6bt in a ranger!:icon_surprised: That i could see as being a waste of money. Its still freaking cool though. But he did it. Granted i think mines a bit easier. This project will be happening, in the future. And ill make sure to do a complete write up of it here with tons of pics.:icon_welder: Sorry for the long post.
 

4BangerRanger99

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In 1972 when net ratings were put in place a 351W made 160hp with a 4bbl. An Olds 350 Rocket made 180hp with a 4bbl. So i don't see why your saying that the 351W is better for the swap other than the fact that it came factory. Which it did not in the truck im looking at. The truck im looking at has a 300 I6 in it. I know swapping a 351W would be so much easier, but i want a challenge. Plus the 351W didnt get near the 350 Olds in mpg. 15-17 hwy vrs 18-20 hwy.
 

4BangerRanger99

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but probably because it's a dumb idea to swap a 200hp engine that fits the truck for a 200hp engine that doesn't.
The truck doesnt have a 351W in it already, its got a 300 I6 which i know for certain does not make "200hp". More like 140hp. So yes, if it had a 351W in it already i may want to keep it where it is, but since it doesnt, and i have the option to put something i think of as a cooler and a lil bit better engine in; ill gladly seize the opportunity. Not saying the 351W isnt cool. Its a cool engine, very reliable. But i like the Olds one better. Ill think about an LS. That would be a very cool swap too. :icon_thumby:
 

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In 1972 when net ratings were put in place a 351W made 160hp with a 4bbl. An Olds 350 Rocket made 180hp with a 4bbl. So i don't see why your saying that the 351W is better for the swap other than the fact that it came factory. Which it did not in the truck im looking at. The truck im looking at has a 300 I6 in it. I know swapping a 351W would be so much easier, but i want a challenge. Plus the 351W didnt get near the 350 Olds in mpg. 15-17 hwy vrs 18-20 hwy.
An 80's 351W was never below 200hp and peaked at 240hp in 1994 until it died out in '96.

All the while choked with heads designed for a 289.
 

Shran

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I'm not calling you stupid or dumb, hope you didn't take it that way, but what I am saying is spending a bunch of time and money to end up with something that can be easily accomplished another way is maybe something to think hard about. I'm not telling you to scrap the whole idea; it's just totally 100% counterproductive to do it to a full size truck. I am totally in favor of you doing it to the Ranger because that would be a cool swap.

I was 16 about 14 years ago, I know exactly how your thought process works, lol. I wanted to do a cool body kit and spoiler on a Ford Probe among a lot of other oddball things and fortunately most of them never materialized. Looking back it was for the best.

Inline 6's are super cool, by the way, 300's are one of my favorite engines. Always wanted to build one for some power, maybe run a turbo or nitrous. And they have the same bellhousing as a 351w. Just sayin'. Lot of potential there, a set of motor mounts and a 351w is sitting in your F150 and bolted to your trans without any custom work whatsoever.
 

stmitch

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The truck doesnt have a 351W in it already, its got a 300 I6 which i know for certain does not make "200hp". More like 140hp. So yes, if it had a 351W in it already i may want to keep it where it is, but since it doesnt, and i have the option to put something i think of as a cooler and a lil bit better engine in; ill gladly seize the opportunity. Not saying the 351W isnt cool. Its a cool engine, very reliable. But i like the Olds one better. Ill think about an LS. That would be a very cool swap too. :icon_thumby:
I don't think they're suggesting buying a truck with a 300, and then swapping in a 351. I think they're suggesting, since you don't have a truck or an engine yet, you just buy a truck with a 351 in it already and skip the costly, time consuming swap. If it's not enough power out of the box, then spend the cash on a cam or whatever. Doing tons of work to put an engine in it that's no better than the engine that was available is kind of wasting your time, and it's not going to appeal to many people, so any resale value that the truck might have will probably tank.
 

4BangerRanger99

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I didn't mean to come off as sounding rude in those last few posts, I know that this isnt going to be easy, and it would be better and cheaper to just get a truck with a 351W in it already. But im going off of what i can find in decent to good condition around my area for cheap. A 351W truck isnt really a surplus sale item around me, and if there is one for sale its either big money, or a rotted frame with 7/16 of an engine. There is a listing for a used 351W for i think $300. cracked head, and all of the accessories are needed. This is a bare engine, but it doesnt have a cracked head, so i can rebuild it and get it running with less of a cost than the 351W. Plus that engine has already been sold anyways. Ive been searching craigslist since i could type on a keyboard, and the number of 351W or 302s worth buying i could count on one hand. I wish i could do it in a Ranger, i think that would be so freakin sweet. But i dont have the money or the time to do anything that in depth. So im going with something a lil bigger so it'll be easier to put in there. I did a search and i cant find any 351W engines near me for under $500. I dont wanna pay anymore than that for a used engine with no record of mileage that im gunna have to rebuild. I dont mind rebuilding an engine, just dont wanna blow a ton on an engine, then the cost of the rebuild. This was originally a good option. I still think it is, but im open to suggestions, as long as they're all Olds 350 Rocket engines:icon_rofl: Naw im just kiddin, but i think it would be a good engine, they did good mpg wise, they made great torque, they were reliable as all get out. Please dont take what i said about the 300 I6 as an insult or a degredation of the engine. From what ive read and seen, theyre amazing engines. Good torque, pretty ok on fuel, and they were as reliable as can be. Just not quite what im looking for. And when i do this swap, i think i am gunna go with a Fitech setup. i think itll be better in the long run, better power, better fuel economy. Summit sells an adapter for the Ford speedo cable to the TKO600. Is there anything that i missed (besides the ease of using a different engine....) that would need to be done for this build to succeed?
 

4BangerRanger99

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As for resale value, i dont plan to sell this truck for a long time, if ever. You are right though, the only way i would ever get anything for it(if i sold it) is if somebody wanted that setup.
 

4BangerRanger99

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My knowledge is in diesels, but my experience is in gassers. My personal favorites diesels are Internationals, thats where most of my vehicle/engine knowledge is. My personal favorites their A-series pickups. Fords got my with the Ranger. Ive spent many hours fixing outboards(none younger than 1980. (Im partial to two strokes cuz of outboards.), and lawn mowers, and pocket bikes, cars, trucks(nothing above a 1/2 ton yet.) so i know my way around a gasser, i just like diesels better. But a nice 4bbl old school gasser is still really freakin cool too.
 

stmitch

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Like I said before, cheaper up front is almost always more expensive in the long run so the economic aspects of this swap don't really make sense. It's kind of backwards to complain about a $300 351, and then plan on spending $2k on cylinder heads for the Olds. Even if it's down the line, the Olds is going to cost more.

Now, if you understand that you're taking the more difficult and expensive path, and you still want to go ahead with things, then have at it. Make the truck what you want it to be.

Personally, I think there are tons of better ways for a 16 year old to spend their time and money than the swap that you want to do, but it's your life to live as you choose. Best of luck with whatever you decide.
 

4BangerRanger99

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