Well the 351W in my '92 F-250 4x4 pooched out (it was expected) and I limped back to Abbotsford. Been a stressful coupla few days trying to locate an engine. The wreckers, and only 1 in the lower mainland at that, want $800 for a used one.. the HELL with that. Totally lucked out today as some guy 100 km away juuuuust posted on Craigslist selling a '93 F-250 351w 4x4 w. 5 spd standard (clutch near shot, but drivable) and big meaty tires for $700! I was, like, the first caller and he agreed to hold it for me. Grabbed my Mom, hopped in the car and barreled down there. <br> <br> Well, I got 'er; drove it back and beat rush hour to boot! Now, gotta do a few checks and start rippin' into it. Debating whether to stick in the 5 spd, keep it as a spare, or sell it. The tires are load range D (BOOOO!! HISSSssss!), so I'll probably sell them to some stupid kid who wants to go muddin'. <br> <br> After all is said and done, I figure that I'll about break even dollar-wise (labour don't count) and, in essence, have picked up an engine for FREE!! GAWD... luv the sound of that word. Gonna also be a lotta decent parts to add to my stash too! <br> <br> Well, here are some pics..<br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1604673" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1604673"><br><br> <br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1604674" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1604674"><br> <br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1604676" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1604676"><br><br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1604677" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1604677">
Doin' the big NASTY engine swap!!
- Thread starter Willy
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Ziggy Moon
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Lucky You! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br><br>I need tires.... and even though I'm not a kid, and I would need some 16" rims... you can send them down to me. I'll give ya $50 to take off your hands. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">
The truck box is beat up to $hit, w. rust and whatnot all over. See, this is the thing about photos, and Craigslist, stuff looks wayyyy better than it really is. My other truck is, believe me, is in 10x better condition.. 'cept for the engine. The throwout bearing is shot on the parts truck anyways, so there's major work involved there. <br> As for them tires.. SHOW ME THE MUNNY!! ..and plenty of it. Figure they'll go quick, since the cheapest set of 4, mounted/balanced, would be running at about a grand.. and they come with rims!! Figure I could get $350-400 easy. ..Willy.
<br><br> Wow.. your truck is beat-up all to $hit too? Go figure.. small world 'n such. <br><br> On a more serious note, I had a look at the tranny and.. it looks like they used that POS Mazda 5 spd. Didn't think it was an option for the 351W in an extended cab F-250, but looks like. Could have been aftermarket, but don't care.. not going on MY truck. I'll stick with the E4OD auto for now, but keep the other hardware for the standard, just in case I decide to stick a PROPER 4x4 5 spd in there sometime in the future.<br><br> Doing a compression check right now and, 1/2 done, it looks like 140-150 PSI; fingers crossed. Looks like the original plugs in there too; sooooo rusty it's a miracle I could even get the socket on 'em. Electrodes worn too, but no oil/carbon fouling, and a good colour. Think I'll pull the oil pan once I get it out and check for shavings, cuz the time to replace bearings is when the engine is OUT. I hope I luck out there and, at the very least, I can clean out the oil pickup screen.<br><br> I'll say one thing though.. would like to get the engineers who designed the works all standing in line and give 'em each a swift kick in the nuts. Talk about hard to get to stuff; near exhausted halfway through the compression check and I'll be a certified contortionist by the end of this little adventure.<br><br> ..Willy.<br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1605400" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1605400"><br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1605399" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1605399"><br> <img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1605397" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1605397">
wagoneer
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Willy, your a better man than me at 65 I am feeling the results of all the motors i've pulled (a lot of flatheads) chevy 350's and such good on ye I loved to wrench had a puller <br>until someone took it and it WAS chained. THIS E350 HAS ME BLOODY KNUCKLED Just no fuckin' room to wrench. Yah kick 'em once for me too.
Maybe I'll sell tickets; kinda like a 'kissing booth', but a kickin' one instead. I bet I'd have a lineup of shadetree mechanics a mile long, just itchin' to fork over their $5. ..Willy. [video]
LucyImHome
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This would be a nice option for me too! Find another truck with same engine and decent transmission. Good tires too would be a great bonus! Going to CL right now!
The way I look at it, I'm getting an engine that I KNOW runs, a buncha extra (and spendy.. some of those sensors cost an arm & a leg) parts, cheaper than a wrecker, and don't haveta try to arrange delivery. Being able to sell some of the stuff just makes for a nice bonus. <br><br> Another big plus, to my mind, is that doing the re. & re. teaches me something and, sometime in the future, could be valuable knowledge. I got sooo good at pulling VW van engines, for example, that I could do so in 15 minutes if I had a jack (timed myself). ..Willy.
$5, that is cheap. LOL<br><br>I have had mine since it came off the lot. It has been a great truck for me. I have 185K on it. I carry all my stuff in it, under a home made cap/utility box/roof rack carrier. I do have a hitch platform, but could do away with it if need be. At times I pull the pop-up (in storage) if a lady friend wants to go on vacation with me. LOL<br><br>I have done a bunch of uncluttering and re engineering with mine. The stupid windshield washer fluid container for one. Hit a bump and the hose comes off. Leaking making your heart stop for a moment and then you go "OH!" it is soap not coolant. lol<br><br>All and all it is simple to do small repairs on. Mine is quite high with the 35" tires on it, so I lowered it with 33" LOL.<br><br>One thing I did this spring was short stick my power washer and go under it and give it a washing. Then spent $70 bucks on spray coating and coated it really well. I had a passenger side leaf spring mount snap. (Thanks PA road dept.) Me being frugal, I made my own bracket out of 1/4" iron plate. Welded it up and so far so good. But, I have not done the true test of the PA trapping/hunting and late fall flyfishing season. LOL<br><br>Keep up with the maintenance and front end grease and you should be fine. Another thing I have found is 1200 degree rustoleum is a life adder to the exhaust parts. Cat converters, pipes, hangers and mufflers are up there, a can of good 1200 is $6 times 3 and you will get another year or two out of them parts. <br><br>Heavy truck too, I was shocked at the recycle center when mine weighted in at 6400 with me in it on the scale, prior to the cap and camp gear full time. Close to 8000 now I would imagine. <br><br>
wagoneer
Well-known member
Had a 21 window bus and pull the motor land it on a wood crate . donno about 15 min. but under 1 hour fer sure. drove the band up to Mazula Montana to the "top Hat lounge" many times
I think there's somewhat over 200,000 Km's on it; can't remember offhand. Finished with the compression check and it looks like, basically, 140-150 psi across the board. Lost about a square ft of skin doing it too. The compression might even be higher, but couldn't really tighten up the gauge.. deep recesses, flexible gauge extension, and very little clearance. Still, it gives me an idea and looks promising. Switched over all but 1 of the plugs; lousy POS fell and the thread got smacked up on the cement. Oh well, just have to make a trip to Wal-Mart tomorrow.<br><br> Was at Lordco today and see that they have a sale on Lucas synthetic 20-50 oil at $25/gallon. Hmmm.. wonder if that's a 'true' synthetic (polyester) or a modified mineral oil; seems kinda cheap. Regardless, my get up 'n go got up an' went, big time, so I figured the whole works will keep till tomorrow cuz one thing I've discovered about the meds I'm on is don't do <em>anything</em> while tired. That's a sure path to failure and significant blood loss. It also makes for a handy dandy excuse to kick back and 'recover'. ..Willy.
wagoneer
Well-known member
Lucas has some good stuff and they answer your questions on-line unlike some other GIANT oil congloms. My hands are fairly large skin is getting thinner It takes me forever to work on the tight Ford E series motors they should re-introduce the mid-engine.... Mr. Coffee and a ashtray I'm a happy wrencher.
I know the fords are a pain with tucking the engine way back under the dash. I had to fix a striped out plug on a rear cylinder on the passenger side one time. But they are a breeze when compared to an engine swap in a chevy van. When doing that, I had the van on a trailer so I could raise and lower it with air in the tires of both the trailer and the van. Then had to keep the cherry picker lift arm level because of the windshield area body work being so low. and when it was time to remove and replace the engine, it was by pulling the van and trailer away from the engine and then shoving it back with the new/rebuilt engine stationary on the lift. This was all done by myself and took over a week with all my physical problems.
I'm REALLY considering selling the truck after I've swapped the engine. Running well, I can get anywhere from 2-4 grand for it. I've seen quite a few really really nice step vans within that price range on Craigslist here, and they're soooooo much easier to work on. I've also got a lotta stuff, so the extra space would be nice to have. ..Willy.
Well.. got the engine out. A whole buncha parts all over the place fer shure, but did it.<br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608732" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608732"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608736" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608736"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608738" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608738"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608740" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608740"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608741" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608741"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608743" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608743"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608744" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608744"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608745" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608745"><br> The old POS engine is now dumped into the back of my scrap truck & ready to be hauled away.<br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608746" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608746"><br> Here's my new engine stand; bright 'n shiny yellow.. Ooooooooh!<br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1608747" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1608747"><br> Just a comparison between the tires. I like the aggressive MANLY tread on the right hand tire, but I like money more, and the ones I have on should do fine enuf.<br> One thing I'm pretty stoked about is the under-hood fuse box I pulled out. Has a big honkin' power lead going to it and a heap of those new spade style fuses. Gonna be the main fuse box in my camper. Didn't take a pic.. but it's coming! ..Willy.
ilovemyvan
Well-known member
Incredible Willy, I would be in a full blown state of panic at this stage. Unbelievable! I am so impress that you don't seem to be, good on you.<br><br>Nicole
Here's that fuse box.. <br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1609070" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1609070"><br><img rel="lightbox" src="/file?id=1609069" class="shrinkToFit decoded bbc_img" alt="https://vanlivingforum.com/file?id=1609069"><br> Notice the flip-up cover? There's also one for the bottom; makes it water resistant, which is a bonus. To the left, at the end, you can see a nut on a stud under a cover.. that's for the main power lead. ..Willy. ps.. Thanks for the positive comments folks.
