Put a 7.3L PSD in a '77 F-250

I got a wheeler dealer magazine today and i saw a '77 F-250 4x4, Highboy, AT for $1,500 OBO. It has the 460 gasser in it. claims to have 97,000 original miles. from what i can see in the crappy picture it looks pretty clean and still has those chrome arches on the wheel wells.

My dad and i were thinking how cool it would be to get that truck, pull and sell the 460 and tranny. Then find a rolled 2000-2002 7.3L PSD and do a transplant along with a PSD tranny.

I know i would have to probly do a little bit of fab, but what all would be required and would it turn into a real painstaking task that half-way through i would wish i had never gotten into?

Opinions?

Thanks

Good luck with it, man. I'm trying to do a 6.9 swap into my 78, and apparently it's one helluva project to make everything fit. I can only imagine that the PSD is an even bigger headache, due to it's bigger size.

lindstromjd said:

Good luck with it, man. I'm trying to do a 6.9 swap into my 78, and apparently it's one helluva project to make everything fit. I can only imagine that the PSD is an even bigger headache, due to it's bigger size.

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Thanks

Well, I'm by no means an expert on this kind of thing so take this with a grain of salt. From what I understand, with all of the electronic complexeties of the PSD, actually just swapping in just the motor and the trans into an older truck is extremely difficult. I've seen people on other forums start this kind of project and just get stuck with a half completed project truck and a pile of parts. From what I've heard, it's far easier to just do a body swap. Basically putting the 70's body on a newer truck, keeping the newer truck's dash and gauges. Although if you're handy, it sure would be cool to just swap in the motor and tranny and call it good There are some examples of this kind of swap online, I'll try to find a link for you. Good luck and I hope this helps

This would get a helluva lot easier if someone would make a standalone harness for it, but as it stands from what I've read it's at least a dash swap. I can't find it now but I swear I saw a vid a couple years ago of a bumpside with a '99-ish dash and powerstroke in it.

Here guys. Read this thread, there are 2 links i posted
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50138

Diesel_brad said:

Here guys. Read this thread, there are 2 links i posted
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50138

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Holy crap man. you just had me trippin' out. cuz i clicked the link and it took me to my thread about this in the 7.3L PSD forum. then i realized i posted it there and here.

on a side note i thought that the industrial powerstroke engines had a stand alone system. not like the ford ones where they are married through the harness on everything.

Jred said:

on a side note i thought that the industrial powerstroke engines had a stand alone system. not like the ford ones where they are married through the harness on everything.

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Could you explain that a little more?

I believe on a T444E (IH Version of the 7.3PSD, in a School Bus, Dump Truck, Garbage Truck..) it has a stand alone harness, and the PCM/FICM mounts to the valve cover, and the engine will run as-is with just that control. On a Ford Pickup 7.3PSD the PCM/FICM is inside the truck, and controls more than just the engine, like the Transmission, Instrument Cluster, the cup holder...... etc..... so more has to me moved over. A T444E could me used with all mechanical gauges.....
Just as an example. In the F7,800's they still use the same dash and instrument cluster as the 83-86 pickups........

snicklas said:

I believe on a T444E (IH Version of the 7.3PSD, in a School Bus, Dump Truck, Garbage Truck..) it has a stand alone harness, and the PCM/FICM mounts to the valve cover, and the engine will run as-is with just that control. On a Ford Pickup 7.3PSD the PCM/FICM is inside the truck, and controls more than just the engine, like the Transmission, Instrument Cluster, the cup holder...... etc..... so more has to me moved over. A T444E could me used with all mechanical gauges.....
Just as an example. In the F7,800's they still use the same dash and instrument cluster as the 83-86 pickups........

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Thanks for explaining that for me. will be someting to think abut if i go through with this project.

There's a guy on the binderplanet that got a wrecked 90s stroker ford and swapped it into a 64 scout 80...its pretty badass and I'm pretty sure the international 444e has all the harness and ECU mounted on the engine its self. Makes things a bit easier.

Here's some info on the engine:

http://www.internationalpowerstroke.com/t444E.html

Today i called about the '77. the guy said the body and chassis is clean except for some rot in the box. he said the PO didn't clean the leaves out of the box and they caused the box to rot some. he said the 460 that is in it runs good along with the C6. the 460 has new rad hoses and h2o pump but that would not matter for me with what i want to do. he said the u-joints on the front axel are in decent shape but he bought new ones that he would give me. Said he has another '77 hood that i could have along with 2 new doors w/ good glass. the interior he said is pretty good. has a new head liner cuz the PO had a CB and it hung from the roof. he said he also has some mud/snow tires that he would give me.


The current owner was going to use it as a project truck but his back went out on him so he can't work on it and is now going to sell it.

Now my dad and i are going to look at it sometime. i think it would be a good deal for $1,500, even just to sit on it right now while i get some more funding and find a donor PSD.

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