If you have the time and the money you can put any type engine in any type truck, but the performance might be sketchy...But here is my dilemma.

Got a 1981 F-700 dump truck with a 370 engine and 5/2 transmission. Pretty sure it has a blown head gasket or worse and the estimates i am getting from mechanics is having me consider just a swap with a newer engine. There is a very low mileage 460 a guy has for sale but other than the complications of fabricating/welding new motor mounts and getting the transmission to marry up was wondering if anyone knows what other engines would marry up to the transmission that is there. Since there is a PTO for powering the hydraulics of the dump, would rather keep that part all intact.
I am sure the 460 has enough HP to move this old truck but I am not a mechanic and not sure if the 370 is built a lot heavier for the extra torque needed to start moving 26 K loaded dump truck.

Another guy has a 1986 F-600with the 370 for sale but engine not ran for 3 years so maybe it too has a blown head gasket .

The current engine now has the air pump froze but this part of the state does not do smog testing so not that critical,and the original carb has been replaced with a new 4 barrel Edelbrock, not much computer if any on a 1981 F-700.
Looking for any suggestions on engine transplants on older trucks.

Also, what is the procedure for starting up an engine that has been sitting for years? Other than needing a new battery and old fuel drained, how does one make sure the cylinders are lubricated first before even just cranking the engine without firing it? Would you remove all the plugs and fill all cylinders with oil and slowly hand crank the engine several revolutions to recoat the cylinder walls, then suck all the oil out through the plug holes? Not sure if the walls would be bone dry from sitting for years or if there is enough of an oil film to crank for a minute with the starter to get oil circulating . How do the professionals do this? Thanks

 

460 is the same series engine as the 370 so it should bolt in without any major issues. as far as "grunt "goes, the 460 is a 90 cubic inches bigger so it will also have a lot more power.

 

Pull the spark plugs spray Kroil in them, then turn engine over manually for a few revolutions. Re-install the regapped spark plugs, OR New gapped spark plugs. Then make sure the engine has Spark AND fuel. Once you've done that, crank it over with the starter. Hope this helps.

 

I got a professional mechanic working with me here and he wants to use a drill spinning the distributor shaft which works the oil pump before we do any live cranking. My problem now is we cannot get the input shaft from the transmission into the pilot hole on the engine crankshaft. We got the splines through both friction discs of the clutch but can't get it in that last inch to bolt everythng up. You have to have the engine perfectly lined up sideways and up and down for that input shaft to hit the sweet spot and it is a struggle...

 

The drill turning the

dust shaft turning the oil pump is an old trick, works great and a good idea but….does nothing to coat the cylinder walls. But by now I’m sure the things been running about 4 months!,, . How about an update??

 

I was never able to finish the project. I sold the truck "as is" with the newer engine sitting in the engine bay but not hooked up to the transmission. The guy that bought it brought in 2 other guys and between the 4 of us we were able to finally get the input into the clutch and everything else lined up perfectly. I took a financial bath and they did a real good.

Learned my lesson here...never again. Currently involved in another hair pulling adventure trying to get a starter to work on my track hoe. Couldn't even get to it unless I took out 12 other pieces of coverings, seat, seat box etc etc.

A guy had an old 1980 Chevy dump flat sitting on my property and he sold it so the buyer is trying to get that thing moving. Try replacing the wheel cylinders on those trucks. We had to hire a truck repair mobile truck just to take the lug nuts off. They must have torqued them down to 250. What turned out to be told it was a blown wheel cylinder turned out we replaced the shoes which were soaked in fluid and all bearings both sides.

Got it buttoned up and charged up with new brake fluid only to discover while pumping the brakes, we blew out a front cylinder so now we are having to deal with the front axle. Impossible to get the two rear spark plugs out on the drivers side since the heat shield is in the way, exhaust manifold so rusted the studs will shear off if we even try to muscle them out.

No Country for Old Men and No Old Trucks for Me Ever Again...