Tag torque converter hardware

Alright Paul — we’ll get you squared away. I’m Bullnose Bill, and I won’t sugarcoat it: older trucks lose small hardware all the time and it’s annoying, but it’s fixable. I can’t call or text (don’t post phone numbers here), but I’ll walk you through exactly what to check, what to measure, what to buy, and where to look.

Quick summary of what you asked for

• Intake manifold bolts (you said “5 same + 1 oddball center torque bolt”)
• Motor mount nuts
• Torque converter nuts (you think they’re nuts)
• Smog (air) pump and associated hardware
• Transmission bolts (bellhousing / trans-to-engine bolts)
• A/C compressor bracket

A couple house rules before we jump in

• I can’t source parts physically for you, but I’ll tell you exact steps, measurements, likely sizes, and where to buy OEM or quality replacement hardware.
• If you want, I can look up OEM part numbers and listings for your truck — I’ll need either the VIN or the engine code, or at least confirmation it’s the 5.0L Windsor EFI (1986 302). Say “yes — look up parts” and I’ll do a parts search.

What I need from you to get exact parts

• Confirm: 1986 F-150, 302ci (5.0L) with factory fuel injection (not carb).
• Tell me if it’s a 4×4 with manual hub or automatic hubs (not usually needed for these parts, but good to know).
• If you can, snap and upload clear photos of: the intake manifold area (show the oddball center bolt), motor mounts, bellhousing/transmission mating surface, and the A/C compressor/bracket area. Photos remove all guesswork.

How to verify and replace each item — practical steps and pro tips

1) Intake manifold bolts (5 same + 1 center odd)

• What to check: On the 302 EFI Windsor intake, many bolts are standard hex head bolts; a center “odd” could be a stud holding a throttle body linkage or EGR/sensor bracket, or a longer bolt that reaches through a spacer.
• Measure what you have left: thread diameter (use calipers or a bolt gauge), thread pitch (pitch gauge or compare to known bolts), and length. Note head type (hex, allen, Torx).
• Buy options: OEM Ford bolts or Grade 8 replacement bolts of the correct size and pitch. For engine hardware, use OEM or Grade 8, zinc or black-oxide coated. Don’t use stainless for intake bolts unless you understand thread seal/galvanic issues.
• Torque: I want to be exact for you, but torque specs vary by bolt size and intake type. Best practice: I can look up the intake torque spec in the 1986 Ford shop manual if you want — say the word and I’ll pull the specific ft·lb value. Otherwise, typical small-block intake bolts run ~15–30 ft·lb depending on size. Confirm with manual before final torque.

Pro tip: mark the “odd” bolt location with a piece of tape and photo it. Often it’s a stud for the throttle cable bracket or a locator stud for the intake spacer.

2) Motor mount nuts

• What to check: Engine mount stud/nut sizes vary. Common sizes on Windsor V8 mounts are 1/2"-13 or 9/16"-18 for the stud nuts, and larger bolts to frame. But don’t assume — measure.
• If the stud is missing, you can replace with a new stud + nut kit. Buy the OEM-style stud (rolled thread stud) or a high-quality grade 8 stud.
• Tightening: torque the mount nuts per manual; over-torquing can pull studs or distort mount. If studs are corroded, replace both studs and nuts.

Pro tip: replace mount fasteners in matched sets. If the rubber mount is old, swap the whole mount — cheaper in the long run.

3) Torque converter nuts

• Likely yes — converter attaches to flexplate with nuts (or studs + nuts). On many Ford automatic converters the bolts are hex-head bolts that thread into the torque converter. Some shops call them “nuts” if adapter studs/plate used.
• How to verify: remove inspection cover on flexplate (if present) and count fasteners. Measure bolt head size and thread. These are critical: use correct grade and new bolts if original were lost.
• Torque & threadlocker: usually use hardened bolts torqued to spec and medium Loctite. I can fetch the exact torque for your transmission if you tell me which tranny is in the truck (AOD, C4, C6, etc.). 1986 automatics for F150 are commonly AOD or C6 depending on year/options.

Safety note: never crank the engine with converter bolts missing — the pump will spin but the converter can separate and jam.

4) Smog pump (air pump) & bracket hardware

• 1986 emissions gear is picky. If your truck originally had an AIR pump (smog pump), the bracket and drive pulley mount are specific to the engine. If the pump was removed earlier, the belt routing and A/C bracket clearance may differ.
• If you want the pump and bracket: search for “1986 Ford F150 302 AIR pump” or salvage from a complete donor engine. New/aftermarket pumps exist but can be pricey.
• If you’re planning to run without the pump (depending on emissions laws where you live), you’ll need a block-off for the ported vacuum and a proper pulley or bypass to keep belt alignment. Don’t just bolt random hardware.

Pro tip: take a picture of the driver side of the engine with belts removed and we’ll match the bracket and pump.

5) Transmission / bellhousing bolts

• These are the bolts that tie engine block to bellhousing. Sizes vary by bolt position: some are longer, some have studs. Use OEM bolts of correct length/grade (usually Grade 8 or factory spec).
• If bolts are lost, do NOT use cheap hardware — bellhousing shear stresses are high. Use new OEM or high-grade replacements.
• If you want exact bolt lengths and torque values, tell me the transmission type (AOD, C4, C6, FMX, etc.) and I’ll look them up.

6) A/C compressor bracket

• The A/C compressor bracket for the 302 Windsor is specific to whether you have factory A/C and which compressor (Sanden, Delphi) is fitted. Bracket can be sourced new (rare), aftermarket, or used from a wrecking yard.
• If you lost bracket bolts, measure bolt pattern and thread, or show a photo. Compressor-to-bracket bolts are typically fine thread and must be the correct length so they don’t bottom out or distort the housing.

Where to buy parts (my recommendations)

• Pull-a-part / local junkyards (LKQ, local salvage) — best for matching brackets, smog pump, intake studs. Cheaper and correct fit.
• RockAuto — good for hard-to-find bolts, motor mount kits, torque converter bolts, and brackets.
• Ford parts / OEM dealers — for OEM studs and bolts (best fit).
• NAPA, AutoZone — for hardware kits and grade 8 bolts.
• Specialty Ford forums & Bullnose Ford subreddit (reddit.com/r/bullnoseford) — you might find donors, parts lists, and people selling hardware.

How I’d handle it if this truck was in my shop

• Don’t guess. Identify each fastener visually and measure thread diameter/pitch.
• Replace engine-mount studs/nuts with new OEM-style studs and Grade 8 nuts.
• Replace torque converter bolts with new hardened bolts and use Loctite; torque to trans spec.
• Replace intake bolts with correct thread/pitch and torque to intake spec from the shop manual.
• If smog pump is missing but you’re restoring, source a used OEM pump/bracket from a salvage yard. If you plan to run without it, do the correct block-off & belt change.
• Keep photos and label each bolt bag. That keeps sanity.

I can do more for you if you want

• I can look up OEM part numbers + current listings for intake bolts, motor mount kits, torque converter bolt kits, smog pump assemblies, bellhousing bolt kits, and the A/C bracket. I’ll need confirmation you want that and either the VIN or these details:
  • Which transmission is in the truck (AOD, C6, C4, etc.)?
  • Confirm “EFI 302” and whether truck had factory A/C / smog pump.
• If you give the VIN or engine/transmission code, I’ll search and return likely part numbers and links to sellers.

Last bits

• Don’t post private phone numbers here. I’ll help through chat.
• If you want, upload photos of the areas where the hardware is missing — I’ll identify the fastener sizes visually and give exact part recommendations.

Give me permission to look up OEM parts and tell me the transmission type (or upload photos). I’ll dig into part numbers and torque specs next.