BigBrother-84 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 I went at my local junk yard yesterday, just for fun. They have couple of old Ford trucks, I would say from 1970 to 90’s ones. Looking under the hoods, I realized that my '84 Bullnose has much more in common with older '70s than last '80s and the 90's trucks. Is there a key moment when the under hood changed suddenly? When the carburetor disappeared? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdude747 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 When they went to the bricknose generation in '87, carbs went away on all engines too. '85 and '86 were transition years with the advent of the 5.0 EFI; 1985 could be EFI or carbed while (correct me if I'm wrong) 1986 was EFI-only on the 5.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 The move to EFI was the most significant change, and that came about in several steps. The 302/5.0L had EFI as an option in late '85. The other engines got EFI after the Bullnose era and I don't remember exactly when that was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 You still got a carburetor in 1987 with the 460. That was the end of it for trucks between 8,500-11,000 lb. In fact, in F53 (motorhome) chassis you got a carb up to '92. I'm pretty sure the long snout 429 in medium duty trucks wore a carb that late as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 The move to EFI was the most significant change, and that came about in several steps. The 302/5.0L had EFI as an option in late '85. The other engines got EFI after the Bullnose era and I don't remember exactly when that was. 1987 351 non-HO and 300 received EFI systems. 1988 351 HO (if they still were offered) and 460s went to EFI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 When they went to the bricknose generation in '87, carbs went away on all engines too. '85 and '86 were transition years with the advent of the 5.0 EFI; 1985 could be EFI or carbed while (correct me if I'm wrong) 1986 was EFI-only on the 5.0. The move to EFI was the most significant change, and that came about in several steps. The 302/5.0L had EFI as an option in late '85. I've always wondered about the 5.0's transition from carburetor to EFI. I've always known that it was 1985, but how exactly that was rolled out, I don't know. Gary, I'm not questioning what you're saying, because a lot of people will say that EFI was optional in 1985 with the 5.0, but I thought Vinny said one time that there were no carbed 5.0's built after February 1985 (Certification label date, not dealer sold date). The end of February would be roughly the middle of the production year. Of course there would have been weeks, months, and probably many months in some places where carbed 5.0 trucks were on the dealer's lots with the EFI 5.0's, so in that sense you'd definitely have options to choose from, at least temporarily. Or, was it an actual option in the 1985 brochure that you could choose one or the other? Splitting hairs here, I know, but I'm curious being a bit of a 5.0 fan boy and all. Where's Lariat Rick?...He might know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 When they went to the bricknose generation in '87, carbs went away on all engines too. '85 and '86 were transition years with the advent of the 5.0 EFI; 1985 could be EFI or carbed while (correct me if I'm wrong) 1986 was EFI-only on the 5.0. The move to EFI was the most significant change, and that came about in several steps. The 302/5.0L had EFI as an option in late '85. I've always wondered about the 5.0's transition from carburetor to EFI. I've always known that it was 1985, but how exactly that was rolled out, I don't know. Gary, I'm not questioning what you're saying, because a lot of people will say that EFI was optional in 1985 with the 5.0, but I thought Vinny said one time that there were no carbed 5.0's built after February 1985 (Certification label date, not dealer sold date). The end of February would be roughly the middle of the production year. Of course there would have been weeks, months, and probably many months in some places where carbed 5.0 trucks were on the dealer's lots with the EFI 5.0's, so in that sense you'd definitely have options to choose from, at least temporarily. Or, was it an actual option in the 1985 brochure that you could choose one or the other? Splitting hairs here, I know, but I'm curious being a bit of a 5.0 fan boy and all. Where's Lariat Rick?...He might know. The screen grab below is from the 1985 Dealer Facts book, and is all I know: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 The screen grab below is from the 1985 Dealer Facts book, and is all I know: I ordered an '85 F-250 new and took delivery in Nov 1984. Don't recall exactly when I placed the order, but probably sometime in September. That, as well as the high line body molding my truck had, definitely made mine an early 1985. Mine was an F-250HD, so no 302 available, and I had a 351 in it. But before I decided on the HD a 302 was a possibility. And I definitely remember being told that was EFI. That was actually part of what pushed me to a 351. I didn't want a first year effort at something more complicated. I don't know what the actual availability was. If I'd ordered an EFI 302 would it have taken 6 months to get it? Who knows. But I do know that early in the '85 model year I was told I could get an EFI 302. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 I ordered an '85 F-250 new and took delivery in Nov 1984. Don't recall exactly when I placed the order, but probably sometime in September. That, as well as the high line body molding my truck had, definitely made mine an early 1985. Mine was an F-250HD, so no 302 available, and I had a 351 in it. But before I decided on the HD a 302 was a possibility. And I definitely remember being told that was EFI. That was actually part of what pushed me to a 351. I didn't want a first year effort at something more complicated. I don't know what the actual availability was. If I'd ordered an EFI 302 would it have taken 6 months to get it? Who knows. But I do know that early in the '85 model year I was told I could get an EFI 302. Thanks Gentlemen! That explains why BigBro’s similar cousins resting in the junk yard are aged a lot more behind him than ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 I ordered an '85 F-250 new and took delivery in Nov 1984. Don't recall exactly when I placed the order, but probably sometime in September. That, as well as the high line body molding my truck had, definitely made mine an early 1985. Mine was an F-250HD, so no 302 available, and I had a 351 in it. But before I decided on the HD a 302 was a possibility. And I definitely remember being told that was EFI. That was actually part of what pushed me to a 351. I didn't want a first year effort at something more complicated. I don't know what the actual availability was. If I'd ordered an EFI 302 would it have taken 6 months to get it? Who knows. But I do know that early in the '85 model year I was told I could get an EFI 302. Bob - Doesn't look like you'd have had to wait all that long as this, for the early 1985 brochure, says November, 1984 availability: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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