87 Bronco 302 engine replacement...

Just got a hell of a deal on a 87 bronco. It was equipped w/302ci which came in pieces. I don't want to bother and put it together because of lack of time. I can get a good deal on a used motor at the boneyard but what I would like to know is how new can I go? Someone told me I can put a 302 out of a '96, is this true?:smile:

I'd be surprised if doing a '96 conversion would be easier than rebuilding the old one. The electricals would most likely be different. The bolt pattern to the Tranny are most likely different, as well. Would you have to convert to a '96 Exhaust? Is the '96 a 5.0 or a 5.4T? (Ever looked into an Explorer? The '90's models have very different architechture than the 80's models.)

For that particular year, you'd be better off sticking with something '87-'89. That's what I did.

A 96 302 will work fine 85 and newer are all fuel injected. Exhuast will be fine. You could use a 302 out of a car but u will have to swap alot more parts. I am putting a 91 302 in a 65 mustang with a 289

Thanks guys...i'll let you know how it goes...later.

Hey, i'd be a little concerned about this. I have a 1989 full size bronco. Blew the motor last year and was told that I could replace it with a 1995 explorer 302 roller motor. I did the deal and it's never run properly since. I went directly to ford with this issue and they researched it and said that the 95 302 roller motor is incompatable with the 1989 bronco. Sounds crazy I know... Something about the cam timing being different and always adjusting itself.

My Bronco runs great for the first 20 miles as long as I don't shut it down. When I turn it off for even a couple of seconds and turn it back on, seems like the timing is way off and it knocks badly and sputters black smoke after idling for about 4 minutes or heavy acceleration.

Well, if you hooked every thing up right and used the right gaskets and the right sensors it will work just fine. What did the dealer say was causing your problem. The part numbers dont interchange and that is about all they could tell you. Which injectors did you use?

Well, if you hooked every thing up right and used the right gaskets and the right sensors it will work just fine. What did the dealer say was causing your problem. The part numbers dont interchange and that is about all they could tell you. Which injectors did you use?

Oh everything was hooked back up properly. Even the mechanic at Ken Marks Ford here in St. Pete said it was all set up properly too. On his own time, he actually called the home office to ask about this engine being put into that Bronco and had them research it. They came back a couple of days later with a big fat no...

It doesn't make sense to me at all and am looking myself on these boards for a better explanaition....

Thanks

The only thing I can think of on this engine would be the cam. If this engine does not produce enough vacuum the the MAP sensor will try to flood the engine out. When the engine is running poorly , hook a vacuum pump to port on bottom of map sensor and try to apply 18 inches of vacuum and see if it smooths out.

Wow...I guess whoever told me that a 96 302 engine would work on my bronco lied to me, huh? Well, I guess the bronco will sit for a long while till I get time to start rebuilding the original motor. Hey, I just remembered I have and old 351, does the tranny bolt pattern match the bronco's setup?? This truck's future life will be offroad only(except for the driving in town to get offroad) so, if there's some easy mods to make the 351 fit, let me know...thank you guys!

Well, join the crowd.. The guys down at Clearwater Automotive which is a barely used auto parts place in Clearwater Florida were the ones that told me this 95 engine would work fine too.

They had origionally offered me the correct same year engine from another bronco but when I got there, they couldn't find it. So for $350 they offered me this 95 Exporer HO roller motor with something like 20k miles on it. It made perfect sense to me that a base block is a base block.... So I thought.

Way confussed.

The newer trucks use a MAF sensor which works better than the MAP sensor that the old broncos use. I know they make a conversion kit for mustangs. You should check to see if the make them for the Broncos.

ok, what if I was to use only the block and heads off the donor engine, and use my old intake manifold...would that work?

ok, what if I was to use only the block and heads off the donor engine, and use my old intake manifold...would that work?


Well, that's exactly what I did. Just the heads and block and kept everything else. It all worked great and every thing fit of course, but again, there is something different about the camshaft that is not synching correctly with the old computer.

The big thing about the donor engine was that it did not have a mechanical distributor. Does anyone think that could be the problem?

Thanks

I think what you have is bigger cam then your MAP will compensate for.

Wow...I guess whoever told me that a 96 302 engine would work on my bronco lied to me, huh? Well, I guess the bronco will sit for a long while till I get time to start rebuilding the original motor. Hey, I just remembered I have and old 351, does the tranny bolt pattern match the bronco's setup?? This truck's future life will be offroad only(except for the driving in town to get offroad) so, if there's some easy mods to make the 351 fit, let me know...thank you guys!

The thing to check is the distance between the two top bolts. I got a used AOD unit, and fought with it for nearly an hour before finding out there was no way it was gonna fit. (The block has bolt holes 10" apart, the tranny's were about 13".) Again, this is just the top two holes. How old is your 351?

Any 351 W will bolt in but Ford never used the AOD behind the 351 because they figured it wouldnt hold the torque. No 351 M will bolt to that trans. A 351 W is 2 inches wider at the intake manifold so you would have to do something different with the exhaust. It will be cheeper and easier in the long run to pay more for a 302. But it can be done. I have done Much harder conversions.

In 88 the 5.8 was only available with the AOD. (As opposed to the 4 or 5 spd.) And it did not hold the torque.

I'm pretty sure mine is the W, but if it's M I wouldn't mind. I've never found a used replacement unit, so I'm stuck in the mud.

Have I just been mistaken these years?

The 351 W I believe came witha C6 In 89 Or earlier. In 89 ford came out with the E4OD electronic trans and that is what they used since. The 351 W and 302 do have the same bolt pattern, and it also shares this with the 300 inline 6.