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1978 Ford Bronco 460 EFI Swap: Engine Hoist and Wiring Photos

1978 Ford Bronco · Swap · Expert

Documented by SuperMotors from Tony Eaton’s photos

Tony Eaton's photos of a 460 EFI swap into a 1978 Ford Bronco. They show the engine harness and ECM wiring pulled out for isolation, the front end stripped, the V8 handled on a hydraulic engine hoist and positioned at the bay, close-ups of the accessory side, underside lines and wiring, and the computer location. Only three photos carry the owner's own captions, and there are no photos of the fuel system, the finished wiring or a first start, so this is not a complete procedure.

  1. Step 1

    Isolate the engine harness and ECM wiring from the rest of the loom. Tony Eaton describes this harness, together with the fuel system and the charging system, as what has to be integrated into the Bronco. The photos show the harness pulled out and hanging over a fender.

    Holy cow!!! Starting to isolate the engine harness & ECM wiring...... (1978 Ford Bronco) Halfway there..... (1978 Ford Bronco) The spaghetti mess you see here is what I need to "integrate" into the Bronco, along with the fuel system & charging system. (1978 Ford Bronco)

  2. Step 2

    Strip the front of the Bronco: grille and front sheet metal off, engine out, with the transmission bell housing exposed. The photo shows loose wiring and a computer sitting on the radiator support.

    Front view of a white Ford Bronco SUV mid-teardown in a garage, with the grille, front sheet metal and engine removed, exposing the yellow… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  3. Step 3

    Hang the V8 from chains on a hydraulic engine hoist, with two people steadying it and the front of the Bronco up on jack stands.

    A man in tan Carhartt pants and a gray sweatshirt works on a V-engine suspended by a chain from a black hydraulic engine hoist in a garage… (1978 Ford Bronco) An engine pulls a V8 engine on chains from a black hydraulic engine hoist while a man in a tan sweatshirt steadies it and another man in a… (1978 Ford Bronco) A man in a dark jacket and black cap works at close range on an engine or drivetrain component, using a chain hoist with hooks to support p… (1978 Ford Bronco) A V-engine hangs from a chain hoist in a cluttered garage, suspended over a red engine hoist arm, next to a stripped vehicle body with an e… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  4. Step 4

    Move the engine on the hoist toward the open engine bay, with a person on each side guiding it. The engine still carries its accessories, hoses and wiring.

    Two men work together in a garage to lift or install a V-engine using an engine hoist, with the engine's accessories and wiring visible. In… (1978 Ford Bronco) Two men work on removing or installing a V8 engine suspended by a chain hoist/engine crane in front of a white Ford Bronco with '2 BIG BRON… (1978 Ford Bronco) Front view of a white Ford Bronco with the hood and fenders removed, its engine partially disassembled and suspended by a chain from an eng… (1978 Ford Bronco) A man in a black cap and shirt works in a wood-paneled garage on a large V-style engine that is partially disassembled and suspended by a c… (1978 Ford Bronco) A man in a black cap, jacket and glasses leans over a large V-configuration engine being lifted by a chain hoist in a cluttered garage. The… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  5. Step 5

    Work under the front end on the Rough Country shock and its mount at the frame while the engine hangs on the hoist. The photos do not show exactly what was changed.

    A person lies on the ground under a vehicle performing suspension work, with a Rough Country branded shock or component visible above them… (1978 Ford Bronco) A partially disassembled truck frame and V8 engine block sit in a cluttered garage, with a person working underneath and a white Rough Coun… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  6. Step 6

    Bring the engine toward the bay with the hood and fenders off, a person at the front of the truck guiding it.

    Front view of a Ford Bronco SUV inside a garage with its front end disassembled, the engine partially removed and supported by a black hydr… (1978 Ford Bronco) A man in a gray hoodie and cap works on a large V8 engine being lifted by an engine hoist/chain out of a white Ford Bronco in a garage; the… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  7. Step 7

    Check the accessory side of the engine at the firewall: the remanufactured power steering pump (stamped REMFG) with its multi-groove serpentine pulley, and the brake booster above it.

    Close-up of an engine bay showing a serpentine-belt-driven accessory system with a large fan and pulley, brake master cylinder and booster,… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up of a remanufactured power steering pump with a multi-groove serpentine pulley, mounted in an engine bay; the reservoir body is sta… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  8. Step 8

    Check the lines, hoses and wiring around and under the engine: the front crossmember, the crankshaft pulley and oil filter, and the harness along the inner fender. These are uncaptioned close-ups, so the routing is not described.

    Close-up of a rusty engine bay/undercarriage area showing corroded steel brackets and bolts, black rubber vacuum hoses, coiled braided line… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up underside view of a rusty vehicle component, showing a heavily corroded cast housing with a bolt, a curved rubber hose, and orange… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up engine bay view showing a cast alternator or bracket-mounted component on the left, a silver chain draped across the frame, black… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up of an engine bay area showing a large round metal component (likely a crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer) with a central hex bolt… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up under-vehicle or engine-bay view showing rusty cast-iron components, curved rubber hoses, and a metal reservoir with a red-tipped… (1978 Ford Bronco) Close-up of a crowded engine bay wiring area with tangled black, red, green, and white wires, connectors, and a wire harness routed alongsi… (1978 Ford Bronco)

  9. Step 9

    Locate the computer in a panel opening and run the wiring under the dash, then see the engine bay with its intake plumbing. The album's photos end here, with no first start or road test shown.

    Close-up view of the fuel pump assembly and associated wiring located inside the tailgate. (1978 Ford Bronco) Interior view of vehicle with exposed wiring and ductwork visible. (1978 Ford Bronco) Group of lifted Ford trucks and Broncos parked on a sandy beach, including a cream and brown Bronco with a winch bumper at right and a whit… (1978 Ford Bronco)

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