Need to know if it's worth it.

[MikeR]

I currently have a 2.9l and just installed a 6inch lift and 35s. I was going to swap a Dana 35 in the front end this winter. And after that was going to address the engine and trans.


So what I have
I received a free 2.9l and FM145 also everything to swap a manual into my truck.

So should I port the heads on the 2.9 and rebuild it slap some headers on it an swap in a manual.

Or

Pick up a carbed 302 and c4 trans get the advanced adapters kit and put the BW1354 on it and go that route. And I am assuming the 1354 will work with the advanced adapters swap it's made for a 1350 is there a diff in the bolt patern.

I figure I can swap in the manual and rebuild the 2.9l for less than 2k. Or do the 302 for prolly about 4k just don't know witch one is worth it.

 

[adsm08]

That is a loaded question. 2.9 is not worth rebuilding and the fm trannies are not really that great either.

On the other hand a carb can be unreliable off roading, especially on a good steep incline. It is also more work to swap a carb engine into an fi vehicle.


My personal opinion, get the 302 and then run out to Carlisle first weekend in june and go looking for 5.0 efi stuff.

Postin' from teh Galaxy

 

[dangerranger83]

I did my 302 swap for a grand so a 4k budget should get you what you are wanting.

How much do you plan on driving your truck? If you drive highway alot, then I would get a trans with overdrive.

If she's going to be an offroader and you want a manual with overdrive, go with the zf5, has a granny low first gear. If it doesn't matter about having OD, then the np435 is the ticket (I have it and love it).

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[MikeR]

I guess the better question is I am not opposed to swapping a manual in but I really didn't want to have to get in to custom length driveshafts and too much other stuff. You said you did your swap for a grand? What all are you running.

And I am not opposed to running fuel injected stuff just there is a lot more stuff avail cheaper for the carbed stuff. And if I was going to swap in fuel injected stuff I would need a whole new doner harness.

 

[adsm08]

You would not need a new donor harness.

The 2.9 harness is almost a 5.0 harness. Read this article once.

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/summer2008/2_9-to_5_0-Swap.shtml


Also, I have been told that on the older batch fire systems you can splice two extra plugs onto the 2.9 injector harness and change a few pins for the 1-wire sensors and get away without the 5.0 injector harness.

 

[FirstRanger86]

Sorry, I'm new here, what's a batch fire system? I have the 2.9 and was planning on a carbed 305, but if it's THAT simple..

 

[dangerranger83]

Batch, making they all do something at once.

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[josh-the-ranger]

How in the hell does it cost you so much for a carbed 302 with c4 tranny swap? I did my whole 5.0 explorer swap with 4r70w and AWD t case for $1300. EFI is alot better in the long run, carb it and your just polishing a turd.

Otherwise just turbo the 2.9l

 

[Surrey]

Otherwise just turbo the 2.9l

Terrible idea.

You'll just destroy the 2.9 doing that.

Sell the 2.9/fm145, and get a 4.0, they are more powerful, have more aftermarket options, and are a direct swap.

Also, I would be looking into doing a d35 as soon as possible. 33s break a d28 without much effort, your 35s are going to snap shit the first time you get sunk in a mud hole.

 

[adsm08]

Sorry, I'm new here, what's a batch fire system? I have the 2.9 and was planning on a carbed 305, but if it's THAT simple..

Batch fire, or bank fire as it is sometimes called, is when all the fuel injectors on one bank fire at the same time, meaning you only need one power bus and one ground bus in the injector harness for each bank on the engine and the individual plugs just tee off from the main lines.

This is in contrast to a sequential fire system that is used on most vehicles after 1995, where each injector has its own dedicated power and ground and fire individually.

 

[dangerranger83]

I had to piece together stuff on my engine along with by new stuff for it. The little things added up to about the same as the big things.

Could I have done a swap for 500, yes, but it would have been a set-up out of an 84 f150 with an auto trans and I wanted to keep my truck a manual plus wanted more power then the 84 could give.

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