77 F150 Motor Swap

[DieselCowboy]

I have a 77 F150 that I've pretty much dumped my heart and soul into and it has done nothing but screw me. The oil pump went out and I blew up the 390 that I put in it last summer, and just got running fine a week and a half before it blew up. (I may have put 150 miles on it...)

I picked up an 89 7.3IDI with 110k, ZF5 2wd, tranny, wiring harness, hydraulic clutch set up, and motor mounts for $200. I was told it was for a mud truck project and that it runs good, but the guy had too many projects and he needed it gone.

My plan is to get the motor into the F150 with 5 inch turnouts, etc, etc.

But...

How hard is this going to be?

I have no problem with fabricating, but I'm lost. I know that the motor weighs on the up side of 900lbs. My plan was to just get lift springs, coil spacers, etc to compensate for the massive chunk of iron crushing my dinky coils. I'm doing a highboy frame swap in the near future, so this is just temporary.

With it being a half ton and the motor only being offered 3/4 and up, will the frame hold up to it? I have a feeling it will because the frame seems more "heavy duty" than the one on my 94 F150. Just curious.

The truck has a NP something or other 4spd. I know it wont bolt up and I don't like the way they're geared. I'm a poor kid so fuel economy is king so I'm going to stick with the ZF. What will I have to do to get this to fit? I'm guessing a new crossmember, but I'm lost after that.

What will I have to do to keep my 4x4? I was thinking about just getting a divorced tcase from a highboy, but I was told that you lose a good bit of torque because all of the driveshafts. My friend told me that I could swap out the tail shaft of the tranny with the tail shaft on the ZF bolted to my 302. Therefore the tcase from it would work, too. I'm not sure.

I'm relatively new to the diesel pickup scene. What should I know about these motors? I've been told they're really reliable and capable of 400k-500k miles. I know they don't have the power to set the world on fire, but I'm not worried about it. If you guys that are familiar with them could tell me the ups and downs of them, that'd be awesome.

Anything else I should know?

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[86truckpull]

I'd use a tease from the high boy try and look for an np 205 as for torque loss it's not much and the diesel will more than make up for it

 

[Optikalillushun]

Good to see ya made it over! Few guys here have done swaps into older trucks just be patient as many dont get online often.

 

[GOOSE]

It may make better sense to put the engine in the high boy frame and put the truck together around it. The ZF will drop in and the divorced T-case is already there. I wouldn't want to do the frame modifications twice Good luck, I do like those older Fords

 

[DeepRoots]

doublepost

 

[DeepRoots]

congrats, you are the first person that I've heard that ever called the 76-77 era F150 frame "heavy duty"

Good luck, I considered doing something similiar, but I've got a number of 390's kicking around here..... stuck with that for now.

 

[DieselCowboy]

congrats, you are the first person that I've heard that ever called the 76-77 era F150 frame "heavy duty"

Good luck, I considered doing something similiar, but I've got a number of 390's kicking around here..... stuck with that for now.

I meant heavy duty compared to the frame on my 94. It's pretty dinky.

But I started the swap off by pulling off the tranny to check the clutch. The clutch didn't look too bad, but I'm going to replace it regardless. The pilot bearing was trashed. The guy said it only had 109-111k on it and that seems a little early for a bearing to get that boogered up, but he said it was in a dump truck and they get run hard. I drive one at work, I know.

I did figure out that I need a new driver side exhaust manifold. I'm going to pull the the valve covers off probably tomorrow and probably the oil pan. I'm really hoping that I don't have to replace bearings, but if so, so be it.

The 77 has a HACKED wiring harness in it, so I was thinking about doing a complete interior swap with my 89 F250. I was hoping that the wiring harnesses would fit together a little better. Still an idea....

 

[GOOSE]

Actually, the frame on my '74 F100 4X4 looked heavier than my '77 F250 4X4. The 77"s had straight c channels. The 74's had cupped and rounded edges on the rails and crossmembers around the tank area. The rounded edges certainly gives more strength. I had a bed full of I 5 gravel to the point I screeted the top rails, the truck clipped a telephone pole with its previous owner, it was tortured and never gave up. I would have put an IDI it that truck in a second.

 

[77f250diesel]

I have a 77 F150 that I've pretty much dumped my heart and soul into and it has done nothing but screw me. The oil pump went out and I blew up the 390 that I put in it last summer, and just got running fine a week and a half before it blew up. (I may have put 150 miles on it...)

I picked up an 89 7.3IDI with 110k, ZF5 2wd, tranny, wiring harness, hydraulic clutch set up, and motor mounts for $200. I was told it was for a mud truck project and that it runs good, but the guy had too many projects and he needed it gone.

My plan is to get the motor into the F150 with 5 inch turnouts, etc, etc.

But...

How hard is this going to be?

I have no problem with fabricating, but I'm lost. I know that the motor weighs on the up side of 900lbs. My plan was to just get lift springs, coil spacers, etc to compensate for the massive chunk of iron crushing my dinky coils. I'm doing a highboy frame swap in the near future, so this is just temporary.

With it being a half ton and the motor only being offered 3/4 and up, will the frame hold up to it? I have a feeling it will because the frame seems more "heavy duty" than the one on my 94 F150. Just curious.

The truck has a NP something or other 4spd. I know it wont bolt up and I don't like the way they're geared. I'm a poor kid so fuel economy is king so I'm going to stick with the ZF. What will I have to do to get this to fit? I'm guessing a new crossmember, but I'm lost after that.

What will I have to do to keep my 4x4? I was thinking about just getting a divorced tcase from a highboy, but I was told that you lose a good bit of torque because all of the driveshafts. My friend told me that I could swap out the tail shaft of the tranny with the tail shaft on the ZF bolted to my 302. Therefore the tcase from it would work, too. I'm not sure.

I'm relatively new to the diesel pickup scene. What should I know about these motors? I've been told they're really reliable and capable of 400k-500k miles. I know they don't have the power to set the world on fire, but I'm not worried about it. If you guys that are familiar with them could tell me the ups and downs of them, that'd be awesome.

Anything else I should know?

Thanks for your help!!!

This is a relatively easy swap so if you can fabricate you'll have no problem.

I used skyjacker 2" lift coils on mine and they barely moved when I set the motor down.

You have to mod the existing mtr. mount "towers" or build new ones.

The 44 front end will take the weight and survive, unless you'll be beating on it, then who knows ???

Don't go divorced on the t-case, it'll be alot easier to get the right tailshaft for your zf.

You want to keep the motor as low as possible in the frame, mine has the vibration damper 1" off the front crossmember.
This will keep your driveline relatively straight and give you more room for that future turbo that your going to want

The frame will handle the motor, these trucks are some of the toughest Ford ever built.

Soundproof everything you can, these motors are noisy (diesel) and the older Fords are metal everything (steel dash etc..) so the sound really travels.

Your stock fuel tanks are fine just get as much gas as possible out.
You need a return line back to the tank, just remove the filler neck an braze/weld a piece of 3/8" tubing in.

Cooling--I used the largest rad. made for this body style, pretty sure it was called the super cool and run a shroud !
When/if you get to it I can tell you how to put together a cheap ($20) shroud that looks custom.

This will give you an idea what your in for, any other questions just let me know.

As far as more info. on the motor or trans., there's a good group of knowledgeable guys here that can help you with anything.

Dennis

 

[greg_a_morton]

Mine runs 190 degrees with a new small block radiator. I could not find a good super cooler when I put mine together. If you can get one of theses idi's in a 2wd it should be fairly easy on a 4wd with no cross member! Good luck with your project.

 

[ocnorb]

So is it possible to mate an NP205 to a ZF?

You guys make it sound like it, but I would like it clarified. Maybe I missed some important detail.

 

[DieselCowboy]

So is it possible to mate an NP205 to a ZF?

You guys make it sound like it, but I would like it clarified. Maybe I missed some important detail.

It's possible.

BUT

You'd probably have to put in a new crossmember or something to mount it to and new driveshafts. Then mounting the linkeage and shifter.

Anything is possible.

 

[GOOSE]

So is it possible to mate an NP205 to a ZF?

You guys make it sound like it, but I would like it clarified. Maybe I missed some important detail.

I may be going out on a limb here but I thought I remember reading that all Ford T-cases will mount universally. It was in a Peterson's 4 Wheel article a long time age. I am not saying the cross members or drive shafts are a gimmie but the spline count and bolt pattern match up across the board.

 

[Fordman75]

Don't go divorced on the t-case, it'll be alot easier to get the right tailshaft for your zf.


Dennis

Easier to swap tailshafts on the ZF then go divorced transfercase???

Unless I'm wrong here, to do that you need to swap out the main shaft of the transmission not just swap tailshaft housings. That means completely tearing down the ZF transmission. Am I missing something here?

The easiest would be to find a 4x4 ZF for an IDI. Then just do a little grinding for the shift linkage clearance. Then bolt up the married NP205.

But since he already has the 2wd ZF the divorced set up would be pretty simple. Mount the divorced crossmember, mount up the shifter and linkage/s and then have 3 driveshaft made up for it.

So is it possible to mate an NP205 to a ZF?

You guys make it sound like it, but I would like it clarified. Maybe I missed some important detail.

If I remember correctly it bolts up. But the tailshaft housing needs to be ground down some for the transfercase shift linkage to clear ( or maybe it was for a shift rail to clear? ) . The NP205 is also much narrower then the newer transfercases. So be prepared to fabricate a new transmission crossmember. Or modify one to work.

 

[Diesel_brad]

I have a 77 F150 that I've pretty much dumped my heart and soul into and it has done nothing but screw me. The oil pump went out and I blew up the 390 that I put in it last summer, and just got running fine a week and a half before it blew up. (I may have put 150 miles on it...)

I picked up an 89 7.3IDI with 110k, ZF5 2wd, tranny, wiring harness, hydraulic clutch set up, and motor mounts for $200. I was told it was for a mud truck project and that it runs good, but the guy had too many projects and he needed it gone.

Good deal just make sure the cylinders are not caviatated

My plan is to get the motor into the F150 with 5 inch turnouts, etc, etc.

But...

How hard is this going to be?

I have no problem with fabricating, but I'm lost. I know that the motor weighs on the up side of 900lbs. My plan was to just get lift springs, coil spacers, etc to compensate for the massive chunk of iron crushing my dinky coils. I'm doing a highboy frame swap in the near future, so this is just temporary.

With it being a half ton and the motor only being offered 3/4 and up, will the frame hold up to it? I have a feeling it will because the frame seems more "heavy duty" than the one on my 94 F150. Just curious.

The truck has a NP something or other 4spd. I know it wont bolt up and I don't like the way they're geared. I'm a poor kid so fuel economy is king so I'm going to stick with the ZF. What will I have to do to get this to fit? I'm guessing a new crossmember, but I'm lost after that.

What will I have to do to keep my 4x4? I was thinking about just getting a divorced tcase from a highboy, but I was told that you lose a good bit of torque because all of the driveshafts. My friend told me that I could swap out the tail shaft of the tranny with the tail shaft on the ZF bolted to my 302. Therefore the tcase from it would work, too. I'm not sure.

Unless someone put a ZF behind your 302 it is not a ZF it is a mazda trans. As for converting your 2wd ZF to a 4wd you will need a 4wd rear housing and a output shaft

I'm relatively new to the diesel pickup scene. What should I know about these motors? I've been told they're really reliable and capable of 400k-500k miles. I know they don't have the power to set the world on fire, but I'm not worried about it. If you guys that are familiar with them could tell me the ups and downs of them, that'd be awesome.

Anything else I should know?

Thanks for your help!!!

Welome to the site. there are a bunch of good guys here to help you maintain that engine