Hey everyone...I'm new here and wanted to say hello to my fellow Ford fanatics. I just purchased a '76 F250 with a 390 and a 4-speed. It has 160,000 miles on it and the motor is beyond tired. It is burning serious oil, leaking oil and generally running horribly. I paid $1000 for the truck so I expected this. I am not tremendously mechanically inclinded so I wanted to ask everyone here the easiest/most reasonably priced way to get the motor rebuilt. I would need the shop to do everything from removing the motor to rebuilding it to putting it back in. What is a ballpark figure for the total cost of this? I've heard blue oval performance is a great shop. Please help me out if you can!

Nate

 

What part of colorado are you in...If you expect a shop to do all that, youre looking at a few times what youd pay if you pulled it, took it in, had it rebuilt, then put it in yourself, atleast 2 to 3 times as much id think. If youre close, ill pull it, and drop it back in and get it running after its rebuilt for cheaper than a shop would...thats if youre close. Something to keep in mind. Better to invest money in the motor than it is to spend money on the motor.

--John

EDIT:

I also have a friend who runs a shop that would pull it, send it to the rebuild place i had my engine built at, then put it back in your truck if you want a shop to do all the work. Lemme know, hes a really good mechanic.

 

Hey John. I hate the fact that I'm probably going to have to do this since I don't have a whole lot of money. I live in Centennial, but I could try and drive the truck wherever I had to to get the job done. I would just need the motor rebuilt to factory spec with maybe an Edelbrock manifold. Any help that you could give me would be absolutely huge. Does your friend charge a huge amount? that would be great if that could be an option as well. I'm still trying to get the truck to run well enough to get through the winter, but we'll see if I can get that done!


Nate

 

First off Nate, how much do you want to spend? Blue Oval is fantastic, I have deposited about $2500 there myself to rebuild the motor in my gallery, but the assembly work was done at home in my garage. Here is something to ponder... You can pick up a remanned motor with warranty for about $1500. If you pay a shop to do what you stated, my guess would be upwards of $3000. You will definitely save money doing things yourself, but since that really doen't sound like something you wish to entertain, explore everything. Now you may be able to tap John (Colo79)for more info, we are here to help you out!

--Mike

 

Hey everyone....just wanted to ask another question. I have been looking at options for remanufactured engines and I think I found one. Its at rebuilt-auto-engines.com. They are selling 390 long blocks with a 7 year/70000 mile warranty for $1275. Seems toog ood to be true....can one of you guys look at the site if you get a chance for me? I figure you guys know a whole lot more than I do about this. If I went this route, I could just then put an Edelbrock intake on it and carb right? Thanks for helping a new guy out!

Nate

 

I have not checked out the website, but it actually does not sound wrong.. The thing you need to watch is shipping and all. I would check with Autozone or Checker, also try Ryan Engine Exchange. For what it will cost shipped to your door, there may be a place locally that will work better for you. If you get the long block, slap on the intake/carb/exhaust and have at it.
--Mike

 

John and Mike.....
Do either of you guys know how much it would cost to have a shop pull my existing motor and put in the remanufactured motor instead of pulling, rebuilding and installing my existing motor? I just don't have a garage, so I can't keep the motor at my place (I wish I could). I was just wondering because no matter what, I'll need someone to help me remove the old motor and put the new one in. Thanks!

 

I just did an engine swap on a 76 Ranger high boy. I bought a good 390 engine from a local salvage yard with a 30 day warranty for $300 and it took me a couple days to install. This may be another option for you. I can do the work for you but I'm located up North by Loveland. I have a truck and trailer that could be used to bring the truck up. If you choose to buy a rebuilt motor I could help you do that also. I'll charge you less than what a shop would charge to do the work plus a tank of fuel to pick up the truck. Let me know if your interested.

Bill

 

Bill, John and Mike.....thanks for all of your help. I may end up asking one of you for help or all of you for help! All I know is that I want this beast to run well and get it on the road as soon as I can. I just don't have a whole lot of money and I'm trying to see what I can do to get the best deal. BTW...where does everyone live? Except Bill because he just told me! Thanks everyone!


Nate

 

Hey Nate, I'm in Littleton... Give Bill at Ryan Engine Exchange a call ( Evans and Federal-ish) and see what they would charge to do what you are looking at, remove and replace with a remanned motor. I would offer to do it for you but unfortunately this job takes up too much of my fun time (then there's the 2 year old) and it sound like you need this baby running...

--Mike

 

Well Mike...I'm just a little ahead of myself. I'm hoping right now just to get the thing running so I can ACTUALLY use it for the winter. Right now its leaking pretty bad and its refusing to start (think its the starter) so the new motor is just a great looking pipe dream. So it may be a spring project...would that change any situation you may have? BTW...I've been a part of the Mustang community for several years now and have enjoyed the friends I have made....I'm glad to see that I may have found a community for the truck as well! Thanks for everyones help!

Nate

 

Depends on the weather and my rate of progress.... It's a lot of fun to get into such a great forum. I also own a 68 Cougar and the crew in that forum is wonderful. The funny thing is, you start to see several guys cross over between them as you go.

--Mike

 

Hi Nate,

I've been following your saga, and still wonder if you have a partner in grime to hold this while you turn that. It's always good to have a fresh set of eyes to study a problem. I offered to look at your motor before Christmas, but alas, school starts the 18th. The offer still stands, I'll need an escape now and then. I just won't have as much flexibility.

Since buying a long block is a long term goal, now is a good time to research. Try posting your question over in the FE forum. If there's anything especially good or bad about this outfit, someone will be certian to sound off.

See ya in the weeds, Mike

 

Thanks Mike. I'm still interested in another set of eyes looking at it with me since I'm new to the whole thing. This week I'm finally going back to five day work weeks and around 45 hours so I'll hopefully be able to look at the truck a little more. I'll let you know if and when I have any time and I'll see if your free time may line up at all. I would really enjoy to get this thing running so I can drive this truck at least a little this winter. I'll let you know!! Thanks again.

Nate