5.0 swap into 92 ranger 5 speed 4x4

[RJRanger]

Hello all,

I have been lurking here for a while and I finally made a profile to ask the questions that have probably been answered already. I have a 92 Ranger with a 4.0 5 speed 4x4 and I want to do a 5.0 swap and it remain a 5 speed 4x4. From what I have seen the best way to do this is with an Explorer 5.0 and wiring harness and the manual trans and transfer case from the 97-03 F150 4.2 V6. My main question is, what do I need to do to the harness for everything to talk to each other and retain all the factory gauges in the ranger? Also how much power can I expect the trans and transfer case to handle? I don’t want to do a ridiculous engine build but I do want to have some nice heads and a mild cam in it.

 

[SenorNoob]

I'm pretty sure 92 Ranger gauges are all wired directly to sending units. So they don't care what engine is in the truck. Just that the right resistance sending unit is there.

As long as the current speedometer is cable driven, it'll work with any transfer case that has cable drive.

Not like the newer trucks with the digital cluster synced to the PCM.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS
Well 1st post at TRS

I am sure you have read the Tech Articles, like this one: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/v-8-swaps-1983-1997-ford-rangers/

It covers the basics of a V8 swap into Ranger engine bay
The 1996-2001 5.0l Explorer V8 has the shorter "nose" setup for pulleys and the lower profile intake manifold setup so fits, snuggly, into Ranger engine bay

But these V8 Explorers only came with Automatics so the 5.0l computer will be for an automatic and 1998-2001 computers will have PATS(passive anti-theft system) this adds another layer to the installation

You can have the Explorer V8 computers reprogrammed to delete Automatic trans software AND delete PATS, just costs a bit more money, and the programmers can tune it for a bit more power as well
In larger cities there will be "Speed Shops" and Dyno Tuners, call them, they will know Locals that can tune Ford Computers, or they have that service themselves

Yes, the 1997-2003 F-150 manual 4x4 with 4.2l V6 used the same bolt pattern as the 302/5.0l OHV engines, its an M5OD-R2(M5R2) manual transmission so same as used in F-150 and F250 V8 trucks, it will handle the power
Must be from a 4x4 so a transfer case can be bolted to it

But you need an older transfer case, one with a speedometer cable hook up, these disappeared from Ford transfer cases in the early 1990's on full size 4x4 trucks
Maybe 1992 and earlier had speedo cable hook up
BW1356(early years) or older BW1345(all years)

OR............worst case, use newer transfer case and then an electric motor speedometer drive, like this: https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=886/category_id=-1/mode=prod/prd886.htm
It takes the Electrical pulses from VSS(vehicle speed sensor) and changes it into mechanical rotation for a speedometer cable
But not cheap

If you have electric shift 4WD in your 1992 then your current shift motor setup can be used on other BW(borg warner) full size transfer cases that are electric shift
Or get a manual transfer case, preferable, just make sure you get ALL the shift linkage with it, manual transfer cases are not hard to find, the shifter linkage is very hard to find

1995 to 2003 Rangers are much easier to do an Explorer V8 swap, as they are OBD2 and electric speedometers, and no digital stuff, lol

So with a 1992 you don't need to be locked into Explorer V8s because your 1992 is OBD1 and mechanical speedometer
You can pull the 302/5.0l manual 4x4 drivetrain out of an older Ford truck and use it, EFI or carb
Just need the short "nose" pulley setup, most full size trucks had long nose
The older manuals have the shifter farther forward so need to cut out floorpan a bit and bend shifter arm down a bit, not a deal breaker
If EFI then its computer will be same 60 wire computer you have now just with V8 software and for manual trans