77 F250 highboy 6.9L idi swap begins!

[64rarebird]

Well my project begins a little sooner then expected, I purchased my 77 F250 highboy early this winter, pretty much replaced everything brakes suspension etc, installed headers and dual exhaust on the supposed rebuilt 351M engine, Had the truck safety certified for the road and have been driving it for a few months and loving it! But I made one mistake lent the truck to my 20 year old son for the weekend. Got the call early last Sunday with my son trying to explain the noise coming from the engine bay he had made it sound like the waterpump had let go, well you might have guessed by my thread title it was not the water pump the supposed rebuilt 351M has a thrown rod stills runs but makes some nasty sounds so my plans for a future diesel swap has been moved up. My truck is currently in pieces front clip removed etc. I also just picked up a 87 F250 6.9L diesel donor truck. It has just givien up its heart and auto trans , going to be a interesting swap some quick measuring has not shown any major clearance issues but time will tell? I have taken a ton of pics and once i figure out how to post them i will be glad to share them

 

[64rarebird]

hopefully this works trying to post a pic

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[64rarebird]

the heart donor

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[64rarebird]

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The 6.9L will be going in for a test fit this coming weekend have a 3 day weekend hopping to get a good portion of this conversion done, I should have stated earlier this is a very low budget swap this highboy is my work truck slash toy I have a few other ford projects on the go that have been calling for me to finish them for quite some time, a 1964 2 door falcon wagon and my wifes 1964 2dr falcon sedan hardtop. The highboy will be my towing truck and work mule so even though its a budget build need this thing reliable and a daily driver , currently trying to source a good place/decent price on a new injection pump and new injectors, the engine has fairly low miles but for my piece of mind i would like to go new as from experience these idi's purr with new fuel system parts mated with decent exhaust and a fresh air intake

 

[64rarebird]

Was wondering has anybody tried to use the highboy engine mount frame towers and modified them to fit a idi engine? I have my frame towers unbolted and sandblasted right now seems like they may be able to be modified to fit?? I also did remove the idi engine mounting plates from the donor truck maybe mate the two if them together?

 

[laserjock]

Looks interesting. Another guy just recently transplanted a 7.3 in a 79 I think. It was a half-ton if memory serves. Look up 73idi (I think that's his handle). He's got a beautiful 73 that has a 7.3 in it now. Just as an aside, I don't think your donor is an 87. 87 was the first year for the brick nose. Not that it should matter for your purposes. Might when you go to get rid of the rest of the donor truck. It looks pretty clean.

Nice build. Good luck!

 

[64rarebird]

yea sorry realized after i wrote the donor is a 84 good eye! hopefully this weekend turns out productive just need to get some help into my shop removed the idi myself and frig that thing is heavy!! need to sit it into the chassis and figure out how to mount it, hopefully the factory 77 engine mount towers along with the 84 idi mounting plates can be modified to work? or going to be a full custom engine mount build?

 

[Can30Diesel]

This should help you a little..

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?57046-7-3-IDI-in-a-79-f250

 

[laserjock]

I know what you mean. Doing mine by myself sucks. Everything takes three times as long as it should.

This may help you too.

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=66770

I remember him fabbing motor mounts. Not sure if it's the same or not for your truck. His was coil sprung because it was half ton.

 

[bbjordan]

Hmmm, I didn't know the '77s came with a cat...

 

[64rarebird]

Yea lol that little ****** decided to make my truck it's temp home got paw prints all over my freshly painted frame
also thanks for the links got some reading to do

 

[79jasper]

Nice truck.
The wheels on the 84 look like newer model e-series wheels. Should be able to sell them.


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[64rarebird]

Thanks for the links guys just spent the last hour or so reading and studying the pics etc, cant wait to get this weeks work road trip over with and get back into my shop and get this idi mounted, maybe get the wife of my back been nagging me about buying a old truck but had this plan in the back of the mind for quite some time, now just need to put everything together!

 

[Can30Diesel]

I'll be watching this one!

 

[64rarebird]

I have noticed from looking at the pics and engine mounts seems everybody is mounting the idi very low in the frame? Don't have the truck here to look at but the 351M sat above the frame rails, i am assuming the size of the idi is the reason for setting it so low? Curious as with the two engines sitting on the floor the diesel does not appear to be that much larger, maybe when i get back into the shop i will get a better understanding also with my truck being a highboy with the narrower frame? maybe that will offer up some more challenges?