Engine swap

[1978 Homebuilt Fords]

I'm looking to swap my engine in my 1978 Ford f150, and I'm looking for something singnificantly more powerful, but I don't know what to go with. I'm tossing in between a 351 Cleveland or a 460. Or even a diesel engine if that's possible. I currently have a 300 inline 6 under the hood . I don't know much about the reliability or power of these engines so any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Curious Hound]

The possibilities are endless for an F150. First off, the 300ci straight 6 is a very good motor. It has decent low end torque and is very reliable.

When deciding what engine you want to swap into it, think about how you are going to use the truck and what you want out of it. Is it Rwd or 4x4? Are you looking for street performance? Daily driver? Towing and hauling? Offroad trail riding? Rock crawling? Etc. Also, what is your skill level, budget and tools availability? Buying a used motor can be more economical unless it needs a rebuild or you want to do a lot of performance mods. Older carburetor engines are simpler electrically. But you need to know your way around carb tuning and rebuilds. Newer fuel injected engines can give you better efficiency and economy.

 

[19Walt93]

The 351 Cleveland was only built from 70-74 and I don't think any were installed in truck. They used FE engine- 360's and 390's through 76 and after that the 351 Modified was used. A 351M looks like a Cleveland but it's based on the tall deck 400 block and used the 429/460 bell housing pattern. A 351C or W would bolt up to your bellhousing, the flywheel would bolt up too, but the balance is wrong and it will shake the teeth out of your head. If you own the Cleveland, I'd be tempted to use it- but don't go nuts with the cam choice. If you have to buy an engine, I'd favor a roller cam 351 W from the mid 90's and convert it to a carb, just remember to put a steel gear on the distributor. If you do mostly in town driving an occasionally tow, I'd freshen up the 300 and keep going. How much power does your wallet make?

 

[1978 Homebuilt Fords]

The 351 Cleveland was only built from 70-74 and I don't think any were installed in truck. They used FE engine- 360's and 390's through 76 and after that the 351 Modified was used. A 351M looks like a Cleveland but it's based on the tall deck 400 block and used the 429/460 bell housing pattern. A 351C or W would bolt up to your bellhousing, the flywheel would bolt up too, but the balance is wrong and it will shake the teeth out of your head. If you own the Cleveland, I'd be tempted to use it- but don't go nuts with the cam choice. If you have to buy an engine, I'd favor a roller cam 351 W from the mid 90's and convert it to a carb, just remember to put a steel gear on the distributor. If you do mostly in town driving an occasionally tow, I'd freshen up the 300 and keep going. How much power does your wallet make?

My wallet is slowly getting there, lol it'll get me about 450 hp in a couple months if I don't blow my whole pay every week. its going to be my summer project. Would the 351 modified bolt up to my bellhousing?

 

[pjtoledo]

no.

in addition to a 351M you can also consider a 400. same engine except different crank and pistons.
engine power recently built a 300 with good results.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=6c6800db0359c7163659e9e55850794379737bd7a5b1b8d2d8109638e5e1a479JmltdHM9MTY1MDQxODYwNSZpZ3VpZD02MjZlNzFjZS03MWNiLTRmZDAtODg4Yi1jZGY5NGQxNmZkNTkmaW5zaWQ9NTUzNA&ptn=3&fclid=5684cc58-c04a-11ec-b65a-ee6ad281b0e5&u=a1L3ZpZGVvcy9zZWFyY2g_cT1lbmdpbmUrcG93ZXIrdHYmZG9jaWQ9NjA3OTg5MDM4MDc5MjgyMDIzJm1pZD0zQTAyQ0NBRTk5MDkxOEQ2RTM1RjNBMDJDQ0FFOTkwOTE4RDZFMzVGJnZpZXc9ZGV0YWlsJkZPUk09VklSRSZtc2Nsa2lkPTU2ODRjYzU4YzA0YTExZWNiNjVhZWU2YWQyODFiMGU1&ntb=1

 

[Snoranger]

Common engines that will bolt up to your current trans:
300 (obviously)
302
351 C or W

If you want to stick with factory ‘78 f150 engines:
300
302
351m
400
460
Those would be the easiest... anything else may require custom mounts. If you’re not worried about that, the choices are unlimited.

 

[1978 Homebuilt Fords]

Common engines that will bolt up to your current trans:
300 (obviously)
302
351 C or W

If you want to stick with factory ‘78 f150 engines:
300
302
351m
400
460
Those would be the easiest... anything else may require custom mounts. If you’re not worried about that, the choices are unlimited.

I really appreciate that, that's helpful. I've been trying to find such a list. Thanks for the great information all. I might have to try a 460, because 351 Windsors and Clevelands seem to be scarce

 

[19Walt93]

My wallet is slowly getting there, lol it'll get me about 450 hp in a couple months if I don't blow my whole pay every week. its going to be my summer project. Would the 351 modified bolt up to my bellhousing?

No.
Like I posted, the 351m and 400 both use the 385 series(429/460) bell housing pattern. As was also posted, a crank and a set of pistons will convert a 351m into a 400 and I'd recommend it, if you're going to add all the weight, you might as well add the cubes, too.
>>>One thing to keep in mind: mid 70's 351m's and 400's had problems with the block cracking in the lifter valley and allowing coolant to ooze into the oil. If the sides of the valley are flat, it's the crack prone block, the revised block has a wavy surface on the sides of the valley.
Roller cam 351w's shouldn't be rare, we sold a pile of them in F series and Broncos in 95 and 96 and quite a few in 97 F 250's and 350's.
Your bio says manual transmission, if that means creeper gear 4 speed, it should live behind about any engine, you'll just need to find a different bell housing. Actually, if you have a 3 on the tree, it would probably hold up, too. Late 60's Pontiac performance cars used a Ford 3.03 3 speed behind their 400 if and automatic or a 4 speed wasn't ordered because GM didn't have a 3 speed that could handle 400ci.

 

[1978 Homebuilt Fords]

No.
Like I posted, the 351m and 400 both use the 385 series(429/460) bell housing pattern. As was also posted, a crank and a set of pistons will convert a 351m into a 400 and I'd recommend it, if you're going to add all the weight, you might as well add the cubes, too.
>>>One thing to keep in mind: mid 70's 351m's and 400's had problems with the block cracking in the lifter valley and allowing coolant to ooze into the oil. If the sides of the valley are flat, it's the crack prone block, the revised block has a wavy surface on the sides of the valley.
Roller cam 351w's shouldn't be rare, we sold a pile of them in F series and Broncos in 95 and 96 and quite a few in 97 F 250's and 350's.
Your bio says manual transmission, if that means creeper gear 4 speed, it should live behind about any engine, you'll just need to find a different bell housing. Actually, if you have a 3 on the tree, it would probably hold up, too. Late 60's Pontiac performance cars used a Ford 3.03 3 speed behind their 400 if and automatic or a 4 speed wasn't ordered because GM didn't have a 3 speed that could handle 400ci.

So yes, it is a 4 speed, (creeper gear 4 speed), and I think that's a np435. I could be wrong, but that's what I've seen. So what you're saying is that my tranny will take just about any engine, but I need to get a different bell housing if I want to use a 351m, or if I go with a 351c/351w it will bolt right to the np435 transmission?

 

[1978 Homebuilt Fords]

So yes, it is a 4 speed, (creeper gear 4 speed), and I think that's a np435. I could be wrong, but that's what I've seen. So what you're saying is that my tranny will take just about any engine, but I need to get a different bell housing if I want to use a 351m, or if I go with a 351c/351w it will bolt right to the np435 transmission?

If my questions are stupid I apologize, but I'm still learning so much about these older trucks.

 

[Snoranger]

Roller cam 351w's shouldn't be rare, we sold a pile of them in F series and Broncos in 95 and 96 and quite a few in 97 F 250's and 350's.

The roller block came out in late ‘93 but they didn’t use the roller cam and lifters until they mid ‘94.

E150s could also have the roller cam 351w.

 

[19Walt93]

The roller block came out in late ‘93 but they didn’t use the roller cam and lifters until they mid ‘94.

E150s could also have the roller cam 351w.

After being a dealer tech I try not to think about Econolines.

 

[superj]

ha ha ha /\

they make all kinds of cool bolts ons for that 300. you could get an offenhauser intake and put a nice four barrel on it. get some headers, maybe a cam. i bet you could make that 300 fly.

i put an offenhauser on an inline 4.0 i had in a wrangler so i could easily put a holley four barrel on it. what a difference that made!! it was amazing the night / day difference and the gas mileage improvement those two parts made.

i would play with that 300, since its there. with those parts changed, i bet you could run some dual exhaust on it and impress people at the local car shows.