'86 F-350 w/powerstroke! Plausible?
 

Ok, I got a question for you guys, I have always been a huge fan of pre '87 ford f-series, particularly the f-350 Crewcab (I've heard all the justifying My manhood remarks for this, but hey If I was insecure about that would I drive a pink Cadillac! :scool: ) I think they just look mean. I have a chance to by this truck below for a good price. It has a 460 and 71,000 original miles. it is rust free except for where those bolt holes are for those dumb flares (which would come off anyway) I was planning on buying it as a project and painting it a real nice Blue (Probably Bright Island Blue as I am partial to them) Now I know a Carburated 460 can't get anywhere near decent gas mileage and I want to make my own biodiesel, So I was thinking, of maybe putting in a newer Powerstroke engine. I know I am goign to need the wiring harness and there will be some fabrication required, But I think when I am done I could have the truck that I have always wanted in the looks department, coupled with the power and gas mileage of a modern powerstroke. What do you all think?


Here it is:
http://images.autotrader.com/images/..._A.562x421.jpg

A power stroke complete engine and wiring harness on ebay: I also have a friend that buys rolled F-350's and some of them are so bad that he buys them for the motors only, so I might get a better deal from him.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-9...spagenameZWDVW

Put a cummins in it. There is a company soley for that purpose, I think their website is fordcummins or something like that.

That is something to consider too. I will have to do a cost benefit analysis. I was thinking if I could get a complete wiring harness and Engine from My buddy for say 5K and I won't need and expensive adapter kit, that the powerstroke might be easier. I could be wrong, but it seems that since the power stroke was in a 95-97 F-350 which was essentially the same body and frame that their would be less fabbing needed.

~HJ

YES, DO IT then u can join my forum where we can help ya out!

if u can find a complete wrecked 1994.5-1997 F250/350 then go for it. but remember u'll need a new fuel tank and plumbing as well. id personally look for a 6.9 then turbo it, its a mech. engine and was available in the 83-86 series trucks. if u wanna 7.3 then u can get one up to 1993.

oh and swap out that TTB dana 50 for a solid 60, realitivly painless swap.

that paint job alone makes it worth 30G's in my book BUY IT!

it was the fender flares that does it for me! They aren't tacky in the least! :scool:

Except the part where you see how much a ford kingpin/even balljoint d60 will cost you :cool:

not that much if u know the right people :cool:

Oh BTW in F-350's have a solid front axle from the factory. I didn't catch the TTB thing earlier. I have know Idea what Kind of axle it is but it is a Solid axle. So no swap needed. In the 80'-mid 90' you had to have a F-250 or down to get a TTB

~HJ

80-86 F350s had dana 50 TTB, unless Ford did a mid-year switch in 1985.

This one has a solid axle, and my Uncle's '83 has one two. Maybe it was an option. He bought his truck brand new and has never changed a thing. So I guess I don't know.

~HJ

News to me, Ford has always been http://www.preplayground.com/forum/i...les/cookoo.gif

That was my first thoughts also. I would think you could find a junkyard powerstroke 7.3L diesel and drop it right in. I have no idea what it would take to put a cummins in but that would be really cool. Also I have heard of people putting catapiller diesels in F350 that would just be sick.

Yeah, either do the 7.3 powerstroke or a cummins. Stay away from the 3208 cat swap. There is a reason they call those cats boat anchors and "throw away" engines.

Maybe I am wrong, I honestly thought all f-350's have a solid axle. But I can't find one on Cardomain. I am now wondering about my Uncles too. He never drives it anymore, Just a show truck so I haven't seen it in years. Maybe I just thought it was a solid axle. Well if this truck has a TTB, that'll suck, no ofense to you guys that have them, but I don't like them.

You ever have one of those days, where you are sure your right about something so you go about proving it, only to convince your self you might be wrong? That's what happened here. You really do learn something new everyday.

~HJ

i looked at that fordcummins thing...i say do it. Cummins is a powerfull and reliable diesel. My uncle has a 3500 that spins DRW all day. He's also got over 5k in engine mods too :shrug: It's a tow rig for a 26 ft boat...it needs some serious power.

edit: if it matters my friend has an excursion and it looks like solid axle, it may be TTB for all I know though. It seems like solid axle at least, the pumpkin is offset, it uses springs and everything, if I can find a pic I'll upload one.

Update: The truck Above undoubtedly has a solid front axle. I forgot the camera so you have to take my word.

~HJ

cummins would be a nice swap but the 6.0 turbo diesel is an amazing engine!!!!

ford HD>dodgeHD

i know the cummins is used by ford but the 35 series with a powerstroke.....i have driven/heard of nothing better


that is a sweet truck!

but

dually would make it even better :)

maybe it was 85 when they switched, now i cant remember! not saying ur right, not saying im right...i dont remember now.

i would stick with a Cummins 12V or a Pre-97 Ford Deisel (6.9, 7.3DI/IDI or PSD 7.3)...easiet swap. a 6.0 will require to much rewiring and component swapping.

::edit:: right from my sources fingers:

CUMMINS all the way. as i was reading the first post i was thinking to myself.. cummins, then i read the second post by jey was like crap someone beat me to it.

anyways Cummins 12v that would be the way to go. forget the power choke.

make sure the cummins is turbo charged so 93-98.5 in the dodges.

LOL, im not even gunna comment on that man. Cummins is NOT the god send light medium duty diesel. but i am partial to inline 6s... :smirk: so...its hard for to say what to go with...

just refined my info and any diesel from 83.5-1994 would be a cake walk to drop in. that would include a 6.9 N/A IDI, 7.3 N/A IDI and 7.3 IDI turbo. still mechanical (for the most part) and realible.

ive been to several different diesel pulls, drags, and shows. i dont see to many strokers doing anything worth a sh!t but sitting there and being purty. that doesnt mean i still dont like them its a ford and i love fords in general.

but if you want an engine with some potential i think your best option is cummins in the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.
ive really only seen one or two power chokes that really did anyhting and they had a boat load of moeny in them.

I found a 7.3 Diesel IDI motor with 70,XXX miles and a wiring harness for 3500 bucks, But it has no tranny!

I Drove that truck tonight and It drives as well as any new rig I have ever driven. I really like it. It makes my Ranger seem like a Ford Courier! LOL It must have a C6 and some tall gears as I was at 3000 RPM at 65 MPH with stock tires on it.

I Peeled back the Flares and peeked and the sure did a number on the fenders and the wheel openings on the rear to get those in there. The fenders are no big deal, I'll just buy new ones. but the rears are chewed up and drilled I will have to weld in a new wheel opening, no big deal done it before and I'll do it again. I am starting to get really Excited about this truck. The plan now is to buy it and a small car to go to work and back and use it as is over the summer and fall, Mostly to tow my boat. Then in the winter Do all the body work and get it sprayed in the spring. Then the winter after next put the diesel drive train in and have a badass truck.

I like cummins, but I am partial to Powerstroke and I think it will make the swap easier. That Ford Cummins thing say it will take 15K to do just the swap. I am hoping on bringing it in for around 10K with the body work included.
~HJ

all i hear all day in class is "cummins this, cummins that"...just saying they arent the best...they just make power the cheapest and easiest. any diesel will last 500,000 miles with matience.

but like i said, i love inline 6s and diesels...

Hazzard, im glad the truck is what u want. rust is a *****, im dealing with it now again. if ur serious about the diesel swap ill dig into my resources and find some places for ya to browse and maybe my buddy will help ya VIA aim. hes good with this ****.

maybe there is a reason you hear cummins all day? :wink:

nothing wrong with cheap and easy power. id take it over complicated and expensive

im no diesel finatic. i like them and im surronded by cummins all the time. im prolly just brain washed to say cummins. :shrug: :smirk: