Hello. I am new to the CCB site, but have been on CB.com for a bit. Some of you may have seen some of my posts on the CB website which predominately involve my frustrations at trying to get my '74 to run at 9500 feet in Crested Butte. She's currently a stock 302, 2 bbl motor craft with stock cams and heads and BCB headers. Ran like a champ and pulled strong at sea level but has been a challenge getting to run right at altitude. Well, after 3 mechanics telling me that the carb jets were fine, but having to change fouled plugs every 10 miles and gassing out my house with rich exhaust, I dropped one of them from a 48 to a 44. Runs much much better. Problem is, the other jet is stripped and won't budge. I suppose I could just replace the carb fairly easily, but I'm hoping to run it in the winter as well and want to just bite the bullet and go to efi. My wife is too young to remember carburetors and the necessity to crank to start and warm up an engine and has struggled to accept "Bertie" (she named it, not I).

Anyway, I could ship the thing all the way back to Texas and have my mechanic down there do a conversion, but I'd rather find someone up here that wants a fall/winter project. I had figured I'd just do an entire '97-01 Explorer engine swap, but my mechanic at home says that it's the strongest stock 302 he's seen in a Bronco (he restores a few a year) and is encouraging me to just do the "top swap." I had just recently completely swapped out for new aluminum front dress and aluminum radiator, fan shroud, and heater core. Problem is, I have neither the time nor the tools up here to do any of it. I live in Texas and spend about 13 weeks a year in and around Crested Butte. I have 4 boys under the age of 11 and free time up here is difficult to come by. I also figured that since I'll likely need to replumb the fuel, I might as well swap out for a 23 gallon main tank and abandon the aux tank. As far as I know, the C4 is stock and seems to run fine though torque is a bit weak on BFG 35s going up inclines.

So there it is - I'm looking for someone who's looking for a project to assemble the parts and make the swap for me some time between next week and Christmas. Anyone? Any suggestions? Should I consider changing anything else for performance parts as part of the conversion to try to regain some of the lost HP related to altitude? This is not a crawler. It's a back country trail truck.

Thanks. And thanks to all of you CCB members that have helped and responded to my questions on CB.com. A special thanks to gunnibronco, who gave up a free Sunday to help out a few weeks ago.

if I had room in my garage I would be open to doing the swap for you. I will have to see what I can do but room is at a premium down here right now and not sure I could swing it.

I know Zoso has done a couple EFI adds for CCB members and can likely add some insights. Another option is the EFI kits on Wild Horses. I have watched the install videos and looks like it is a straightforward project.

I think you are headed in the right direction and I am hoping that one of the members here has the time to tackle your project.

Were you an LEBC member? Where in TX? We were stationed in San Antone for 3 years.

I am somewhat interested if anyone has come across a good resource for what is needed to do the conversion? Good donor vehicles, required parts, install tips, etc.

Shoot, looks like fordfuelinjection/oldfuelinjection is down.

I too lack the time and space to take on such a task. I do however know just the guy for the harness and computer work. I'm sure he can provide top notch tech support to the installer.

I do have some harnesses and PCMs on hand, maybe some other misc. sensors as well. But to be honest, I'd look for a cheap donor before trying to piece it all together.

I counted 5 Explorers today at the yard. Just saying.

Dave,

Hope you can find someone close who is able to do your swap. I agree with your route of adding EFI to your motor. There isn't much to do to add power to your motor. I guess you could swap a cam, or even go with bigger/aluminum heads, but short of a bigger motor, or supercharger, there really isn't a good way to regain the power you loose up here. Loosing 25-30% of the oxygen is a game changer.

If you haven't already experienced your carb vapor lock, that would be the next altitude induced problem you'd get to sort out.

EFI is really the best thing you can do for the loss of power, vapor lock, and our cold winters. It will get the most out of the motor. Especially the Explorer EFI, it can do more to make sure the motor is running at it's best. Plus the higher fuel pressure should eliminate vapor lock from ruining a family off road trip.

For Eck,
Here is EFIGuy's thread at CB.com. Lots of your questions will be answered by reading through it.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showth ... p?t=224697

You'll need a lower manifold from a 351 truck + BC Broncos adapter or GT40 lower manifold, the 5.0 stuff won't work. You also need a 3.8L cam sensor and collar, see here:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6464

The cam sensor will have a gear for a roller cam, and you'll need to run a roller cam or swap to a gear compatible with a hydraulic cam.

You'll also have to upgrade your alternator. High amp alternators on v-belts always squeel a bit, so changing to a serpentine set up is preferred, but not necessary. The Explorer serp is good, but has a crappy p/s pump, Wild Horses has a bracket to install a Saginaw pump. The truck serp is a little long, but apparently workable, but has an even worse p/s pump. A van serp has a Sagniaw pump & bracket that can be added to the truck serp.

I'm sure that's incomplete, at best.

Looks like Chad covered most of it.

I will add that you pretty much need to run the Explorer serp setup (which is setup for a 4G alternator). Otherwise you would need to fab a trigger wheel and a mount for the crank sensor (which must be timed correctly).

I personally like the Explorer P/S pump. I suspect hydro assist and possibly even hydroboost would change my feelings on it though. At that point, I'd look in to the saginaw bracket for it. I think Cascade Johnson was making a bracket to use the Wild Horses version on a 351. I believe there is a thread on CB about upgrading the Explorer pump using Powerstroke internals as well, I'm not sure how well that one turned out.

Well, since everyone else just jumped into your build, let me be the one who says welcome to CCB. Here you will find all the knowledge and support you need to build your dream bronco, whatever that might be.

I suggest you check out JTSs thread in the staging area, he is in the middle of doing exactly what you are talking about.

Ok. SO I've had many many answers to this question. Doing this from afar, and asking plumb doctor to help me out with it, I think finding a complete donor would be the best way to go. There are several promising ones on the Denver Craigs list currently. So if I have a 125k mi donor that runs well, do I swap the whole motor, just grab the efi and associated parts and place onto the current stock, or add some performance parts to the original motor and then add the explorer efi and associated parts?

I know gunnibronco's opinion (keep the stock, add the efi). He may have that opinion bc the current original 302 and engine bay DO look fantastic, as he has seen. Do I have to convert to serpentine on the front dress anyway? If so, do I swap out the water pump?

If I go complete swap, is anyone interested in a good solid and very good looking 302?

The reason I suggest grabbing a complete donor is one stop shopping and the newer motor at the same time. You get a roller block with Gt40 heads and a 1 piece rear main that way. It would save piecing the thing together with components from different years and you don't have to worry about the balance factor. Your old block may be 28oz, the Explorer balancer is 50 oz. Not a huge deal, but another added cost.

Adding the EFI to the older block is doable, and easier than swapping motors. But, by the time the boneyards are done nickle and diming you for the individual components you probably could have purchased a wrecked donor. The catch is finding a good "wrecked" donor.