• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

carberated 5.0 swap


civersen50

New Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
ford
Transmission
Manual
okay, so i have a 93 ranger flareside, 3.0, 4spd with overdrive 2 wheel drive, i want to do a 5.0/trans swap out of a foxbody. has anyone thats done this have a full build list or guide i can use? in school for mechanics now. so i have a little knowledge, but its my first big build and engine swaps are scary when you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. i know its going to be a lot of work, i just dont know where to start.
 


adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Where to start.

The Fox 5.0 is one of the better ones, but the Explorer is better. The Fox trans works, but requires more custom work than some others out there.

You will basically want to find and buy a whole vehicle for this. That way you have all your hard parts, your wiring, everything sitting there. Then you will still probably spend over a month chasing and splicing wires.

One other thing, I don't know why you seem to want a carb, but on a vehicle that is already fuel injected it will be easier to put and EFI setup in. If you think you are doing it for the "learning experience" thinking the knowledge will have some sort of practical value in the field, go think five or six more times. If you go through school and become a professional mechanic you will never once touch a carb unless you go work at a custom speed or classic restoration shop.
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,207
Reaction score
17,523
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
Ideal for an engine swap is to keep the donar and donee as close to the same year as possible. Explorer 5.0's are great but you run into PATS, OBDII and more stuff that your truck does not have and you will have to either add to your truck or delete from the powertrain. And most are AWD so you lose the benefit of getting a trans with it too.

Some reading for you:

http://www.therangerstation.com/how-to/engines-fuel-systems/how-to-install-a-1996-explorer-5-0l-into-a-1995-1997-ranger/

http://www.therangerstation.com/how-to/engines-fuel-systems/v-8-swaps-1983-1997-ford-rangers/

Knowing anything about carbs is not a bad thing at all. If you go pro it might be worth it to keep it under your hat unless you go to a speedshop or something like that. Once they find out you know about carbs you wouldn't believe the absolute crap they will send to you.

Every ratted out old grain truck that isn't running right that comes into the local dealership... is my brother's baby. Only get ran a month out of the year and the farmers can do their own inspections on them so they are really cherry. The last one had an electrical fire under the dash after the service writer pulled it into his bay. For most guys a carb might as well be a hyperdrive.
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Welcome to TRS :)

+1 to all the above

And don't think of ALL the things you need to do.

The engine and its wiring is a totally separate thing, self contained unit
You add fuel, and 12volt power to this "unit" once it is installed in ANY vehicle
One temperature wire, one oil pressure wire and one Alternator wire is all thats connected to dash from engine, 3 wires

I agree that Fuel Injection is the way to go, which means you need the computer(PCM) for that specific engine size, but except for power and ground wires all the computer wiring goes to the engine, pre-made for you, plug and play, it all comes out as one piece, computer and wiring harness.

Computer, wiring harness and engine just one unit, add fuel and 12volt
 

Themechtec

New Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Cincinnati, Oh
Vehicle Year
2005
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
You don't have to break it, stupid!
similar project

I'm doing something nearly identical, 2006 3.0 Ranger, '85 Mustang 2bbl carb 302. We should exchange notes, as these projects advance.

It gets frustrating when you're searching for information and everybody says, " go purchase an EFI or Explorer donor vehicle" ... blah, we already know that!

I do know that a fuel pressure regulator is required, if you intend to use the in-tank fuel pump. Need to drop fuel pressure to 7 psi MAX. I'll post a link to one that I intend to purchase.
 
Last edited:

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
When using an electric fuel pump you should also add a secondary "AUTOMATC" power cut off.
Rangers, and most vehicles, with electric pumps have an Inertia switch, which is a metal weight that holds fuel pump's 12volt wires closed, in the event of a sudden stop(accident) or roll-over this weight should move, because of its "inertia" cutting power to fuel pump.
And this is a very good safety measure, but.............we are talking about your life here, and lives of any one else in the vehicle

Rangers will already have a Fuel pump relay in the engine bay, and it is operated by the computer Grounding this Relay's Coil to close it and send power thru the inertia switch and then to the pump.

Back when electric fuel pumps were starting to be used and Carbs were still being used auto makers came up with the Oil Pressure switch, this switch closes when oil pressure is above 5psi, and it is a GROUND switch
Engine provides the Ground via the threads on pressure switch, the one wire connection on the switch becomes a Ground when oil pressure is above 5psi.

If you connected one of these to the Fuel Pump relay's coil ground then fuel pump relay would only close/send power to fuel pump when engine was running.
So if there was a broken fuel line engine would stall and electric pump would stop pumping gasoline.

Carbs have reserve fuel in the bowl for startup, so don't need the fuel pump to come on instantly.

With fuel injection the fuel pump only runs for a few seconds with key on, then computer waits for RPMs to get above 400 before it sends power to fuel pump full time, and if engine should ever stall, computer would unGround the relay and cut power to electric pump.
So same setup as oil pressure switch, cheap and easy since you have all the parts now, just need to run 1 wire
1989 and up Ranger engines used oil pressure switches, not senders
 
Last edited:

RangerFabWorks

The O.G blackwidow67
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
V8 Engine Swap
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
5,197
Reaction score
705
Points
113
Age
32
Location
Lexington, North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
302
Transmission
Manual

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
It gets frustrating when you're searching for information and everybody says, " go purchase an EFI or Explorer donor vehicle" ... blah, we already know that!
Well if you already know what people are going to tell you is the best way to do what you are trying to do, then why do you bother to ask?

I have found in life, with cars in particular, that if most people are doing something a certain way there is usually a very good reason for doing it that way, and doing it another way is only good for making the job a lot harder.
 

RangerFabWorks

The O.G blackwidow67
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
V8 Engine Swap
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
5,197
Reaction score
705
Points
113
Age
32
Location
Lexington, North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
302
Transmission
Manual

tdw41483

New Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
6
Reaction score
2
Points
3
Location
South Dakota
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Does anyone know how to wire the oil pressure switch in a 91 to keep the fuel pump running?
I'm deleting most of the original engine wiring and went with a 302 crate engine with carb. It would be convenient to keep the original fuel pump as it's been very reliable for 30 years.
Going with aftermarket gauges and will not be using the original wiring. Some of the harness is still good and I can tap into wires, but a lot of it has been damaged by melting on the exhaust of the original engine and will be snipped.
 
Last edited:

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
You can use a stock oil pressure switch for the gauge and for a ground for the fuel pump relay, but you need a diode on the Ground wire for the relay

Fuel pump relay should be on passenger side inner fender, it will have a green base/plug in
It will have 4 wires connected
Black/yellow stripe is 12v from a 30 amp fuse in fuse box, for powering fuel pump, or add an inline 30amp fuse
Dark Green/yellow stripe wire is 12v OUT to inertia switch/fuel pump

Red wire needs to be Key on power, this is for relay's coil, can be the same key on 12v used for the ignition coil/spark system
Light Blue/orange stripe wire is the GROUND that activates relay, this can be spliced into the oil pressure switch wire, but with a diode

The diode is needed so the 12v(key on) passing thru the relay doesn't go to the oil pressure switch and the dash board gauge the line on the diode should be on the relay side of this ground wire

The relay will activate fuel pump when oil pressure is above 5psi
So if you run carburetor out of gas you will need to prime the carb to get engine to start so fuel pump can run a few second to fill float bowl up again
 

tdw41483

New Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
6
Reaction score
2
Points
3
Location
South Dakota
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Thanks for the quick reply!
Have had this 4.0 OHV Ranger that I did the cam and it made good power but it's always been a tuning nightmare and eats transmissions, and now it blew another head gasket.
Have another 1967 hot rod that I just don't see finishing in the next 10 years and I had bought a 340 hp Ford crate engine years ago and rebuilt C-4 transmission with Air Gap intake and carb for the 67 (back before I had an unlimited budget before I was married).
Rather than let the engine continue to rust, swap it in the Ranger as the Ranger is "done" other than a good power plant.
Read several of your posts on wiring it for a safety shut off.
You're a big asset to this forum and my project. Thanks for posting!
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Thanks for the kudos :)

The older V8 may have an oil pressure sender, a PS60, which won't work with Range oil gauge or as a ground for FP Relay
The 4.0ls oil pressure switch should fit on the V8

Reads like a nice build, that will be one quick Ranger, you may need to look at an explorer 31-spline rear axle with those HP numbers,
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top