NOT Buick. Looks like Im going to be keeping this 86 F350. If its going to be my tow vehicle I gotta do something about the milage. Took a trip up to Savanna to help a buddy bring back some 50's oldsmobiles and although she pulled very well the milage was far from acceptable with the 460 and C6 trans. So I'm wanting to go with a 5 or 6 speed manual gearbox. These trucks came with manual trans so all the mounting points are there. I'll need pretty much everything from the clutch pedal and hanger back to the cross member. I believe all of the Sq. body Fords of the same era used the same clutch set ups with the BBF bellhousing stuff being specific. If you got something or have a lead let me know.
The big block Ford (429/460) used the same rear block bell housing flange as the 74 - 82 Modified engine series (351M-400) which was a kind of "medium" block engine. Vast majority of those were auto, and all were 2 barrel carbed. Have a few Ford contacts here, can certainly ask.
Let me know what years interchange exactly. Tampa LKQ is loaded with trucks and they parked 2 rows per week and I know I saw some with manual set-ups. Email me direct...was there today/Friday. GS@BuickPerformanceClub.com
google Davis Auto wrecking in blue springs mo and call them. They are a ford truck specialty yard, and have been doing ford stuff for 52 years. they work with man trans swaps every day, and theres many things that are specific, ask for Alen and tell him what ya want to do, and will put you on the right path...even with a rebuilt trans, but they can get you a list of the correct stuff to get the right swap pieces..the arent like chevys, where ya buy it and it works.lots of specifics that only work one way..he's a good guy..tell him youre calling long distance etc and he will give you the time needed..
I'm kinda in the same boat right now...I already have the 5-speed,but it is a grinding machine. These are a ZF trans and everybody says they are the same for years. This is NOT true and if you do some homework you will find a 95-7 ZF is the one you want. Basically you need one from a gas engine and you should be fine. Be aware of the main shaft and bearing for excessive play because that is usually a dry front bearing that creates issues like mine. That is a pretty solid looking truck,you may want to buy a rust bucket diesel stick Ford and swap everything.The early IDI non turbo motors as very reliable. I just bought a powerstroke 7.3 and it has a lot more to look at under the hood than my old non turbo truck which had 600K on it when it rusted out.
Listen to Mark. 86 460 Bellhousing's are famous for cracking(84-86). They are junk. Even if you put a 5 speed in your Truck you still have a 4.10 or 4.56 rear end out back. You cant just mix and match with Ford trucks. Try to find a driveline for that rig. I think Ford has over 60 driveline combo's for 1986 alone. Oh don't put in a ZF trans, Junk also. I am a Counterman for a Truck only yard, people call me when their S@#T is broken. You have to get well into the 2000's before you get a reliable Eng/Trans combo from any of the big three. Sure you get a 300,00 mile Truck once in a while here, or there on early models, but in general their Junk.
"60 driveline combos for 86 alone"...."ZF is junk".... Maybe after 300,000 miles of an idiot shifting,or maybe 600,000 of my last truck which was bought new by my friend and never changed...get real. 2000 what? Is more reliable than a 7.3? I would not trade my 7.3 truck for anything that is newer than 2001. If you want to drive without buying exhaust fluid or other emissions parts every other month,stick with the trucks that people kept that are still worth repairing. Just because someone needs a twenty year old part does not mean that part was a junk design,quite on the contrary,it means it lasted twenty years before needing replaced.
schlep..dont be so hostile...we are all friends here... because you had good luck, or are smart enough to be able to drive a truck for 300k or 600k doesnt mean everyone else is..I sit at the yards counter i posted 1 or 2 days a week for a couple hours at a time, and watch and listen to whats going on, and those 80s-90s stick parts are the absolute hottest parts they sell..and they cant get enough to supply demand at times, Davis has bought, sold, swapped more of that stuff than you could imagine since they where new...and believe me they tell stories about them being a few years old and they where having problems then..people think superduty means bullet proof and they abuse them...and the stick stuff is the reason..theres generations of people driving them that dont know how they have helped 100s of people over the decades, get what they really want or need and never made a penny giving advice, they give it freely..and they use the words junk all the time in describing the transmissions and parts all the time..but they rebuild and upgrade them and have good luck with it theres 4 or 5 trannies sitting on the floor every week going out, they have a trans guy and they rebuild etc...they beg me for help on finding trucks and parts.. GS44667 works a part counter and sells this stuff..i think he's qualified to call it like he sees it...
I'm not sure if his helps in your search but I have a 90 F-350 truck that has a 77 460, 5 speed manual from a mid 90s diesel truck, so you may be able to look into more options for parts donations.
No hostility intended or given,just replying to the OP as my 40 years experience has taught. If those ZF trans are junk than why do so many people want them? And there is NOT 60 combinations of drive lines in a 1986 Ford F-350. I would not try to steer anyone wrong here or elsewhere,but if your looking at reasonable drivetrain swaps on that particular vehicle,you have limited options without being a master cobbler. The OP has what appears to be a nice old truck that will retain its value if kept in stock form so I do not see what 2000 and newer driveline suggestions have to do with making it dependable. If that were the case you could just bugger it together with a 5.9 Cummings and drive til it rusts in two....lol. Nothing against anyone and sorry to call it out.
I put a tach in the truck yesterday just to see what kind of rev's shes turning. Its no damn wonder its getting crappy mileage. 3000 RPM @ 60 MPH. I dont know what gear is in there. Got a tag on the rear. I will run the numbers to see what it comes up with. Can only imagine how hard it was cranking on the trip to Savanna when the lead guy was going 75/ 80 MPH and I had to keep up.. A gear change may be what it needs. Went from 4:10 in the 01 F250 to 3:55 and it was a night and day difference.
I was thinking we might be overlooking the obvious,but the tires look pretty tall right now. I was going to suggest a taller tread to knock down the revs. Those look like a 235-85 or 265-75 that are on it,so that might be the tallest you can fit on it without issues. I do not know if I would go through the time and money to convert it to a stick solely for mileage purposes. You will never see 11 mpg towing no matter what you do and I like the stick just for heavy hauling reliability. Perhaps knocking down a gear size is the best bet for your application. 3000 rpm is too high for the 460 at highway speeds and if your trans is in good shape you might look for a used gear vendors overdrive unit. They are too pricey new,but you see them used occasionally in older motorhomes and heavy trucks.If these parts guys keep an eye out for one....it would be an easier option.
I do think that you would enjoy the overdrive gear... The 5 speed in my truck is nice it tachs 2500 at 80 mph and the 460 is happy chugging along at 2000 rpm or 2300-2600 when towing. I guess the obvious solution for now is to slow down till you either swap the rear gear or the trans. It really is a complicated process to swap parts on those fords. I would keep an eye out for a 99-01 7.3 turbo diesel with auto overdrive I think it would suite your towing purposes better. I love my 2000 7.3 turbo it's great on fuel when pulling
WELLL.. I have a 1999 Ram, Cummins 5.9L diesel, auto. CrewCab, 8' long bed. Well maintained since new. Amzoil Turbo Diesel/Marine 15 w 40 since breakin. 21.5 MPG TOWING or EMPTY! I love this truck. Bought it with 6 miles on the odo. It now sports just 182K & barely broken in. Original A/C system, never serviced and will still freeze you out! New Discs, new brakes. New Crank Position sensor. Newer BOSCH Fuel pumps...(from Jim Haas) New Michelin 265/70R/17 Defender Sept 17, 2016. All power accys work. Pwindows, locks, cruise, aftermarket stereo on & on... ZERO RUST and the paint is typically faded...About the only thing I need to look into it is the TPS< 'throttle positioning sensor' code tells me TPS acts up every so often at low speeds... othern that, I wouldnt hesistate to drive this truck to California and back in a heartbeat. Barely a day goes buy when filling the tank, someone walks up and wants to buy my truck... The 1998.5 to 2002 cummins is the best performing Diesel Dodge Ram ever offered AND the easiest to POWER UP the PERFORMANCE ~according to Dodge Turbo Registry.... I'd venture to say you could prolly buy my truck for a little more than time/labor/and parts would cost you to convert your Ford. I never thot I would say this, but I may consider selling it. Just dont use it enuf any more. Its kinda dirty at the moment because we just experienced another tropical downpour at midnight... Anyway, keep this in mind. Wheelz, Tampa Bay
The tires are tall enough to throw the speedo off 10 MPH. + they are brand new. Would not want to go bigger anyway. I looked into gear vendor and that is the way to go if I want to drop 3K on a unit. Id jump on a used one if the price was reasonable. I have a F250 super duty with the 7.3. It was getting tired and starting to drive sluggish + use oil. I parked it in favor of driving this until I made a decission on what I was going to do with it. I made my decission today and took it into a shop. They diagnosed several bad injectors and a few that had leaking O rings. Gave them the go ahead to fix it up. I'll most likely keep both trucks on the road for awhile. The gas truck for around town and short pulls and the Diesel for long hauls. I might be down with that if its REALLY affordable. Would it by chance be a 5 or 6 speed manual?
The last manual trans Cummins truck I had I sold for what it cost new after 10 years....Dennis would probably get 3 times new price with his smooth talking and somebody would still be getting a buy because they are HARD to find.......lol.
