4.0 liter engine performance mods

[wahl_7s]

GEARS.............GEARS...............GEARS.

Its all been done and the output is just not conducive to engine durability. Its kinds hard to swallow but its either one way or its dead.
I am not trying to be a dick at all. I am just saying, the only way to get more power/torque is to do the SOHC 4.0 or the 5.0 v8.
Otherwise change the gears to play offroad.

i agree this is the best way! my daughters truck has 33's w/4:56 runs good for 3.0

 

[Will]

http://www.moranav6racing.com/category.html?CategoryID=32

I can't find a single 4.0 on the web, on the strip, with Morana anything. It's like flipping up a cowpie and finding it's still warm underneath.

People that don't complain are on the strip? Where?

He's not offering anything performance for a 4.0.

 

[Neal Cuba]

It's hard for an engine like this to be 2 things at once. A low-rpm performer needs to keep the mass of air in the intake low so the speed is high and the air can accelerate quickly into the cylinder. At high rpms, you want the paths all large so a lot of air can pass through. The pushrod 4.0 tends toward the low-rpm motor. I'm not saying you can't make it better, but Ford developed it from the drawing board for what it is. It's a lot of cubes in a small package and it delivers good torque and power for compact trucks and SUVs. It's 200ft# at 1,000rpm keeps up with about any modern engine of its size because the 4.0 was tuned to be able to do that. You start grinding out ports and increasing cam duration and you will have a motor that might make more power higher up, but will not return the money you through into it and will definitely not make 200ft# at 1,000rpm anymore.

For the high-performance version, look at the SOHC 4.0. It has a variable intake manifold so it can do the low and high speed stuff, overhead cams to get the valve stems and pushrods out of the way of the ports and get rid the the rpm-limiting valvetrain. If you want a bolt on 50hp, swap in a SOHC 4.0. It's got your performance heads.

The next step is 4-valves per and variable cam timing which pushes the power up another 50+ hp.

Whatever you can do to your pushrod motor you will definitely feel in the seat-of-the-pants because your wallet will be lighter.

so in your view: it is worth it to do some mods as long as its a SOHC 4.0? headers free flow exhaust are no big deal, and a blower kit with some injectors is not out in crazy range if you really like the truck, 5,000 cash may sound like a lot, but a complete tire change on my semi runs about 3,000 including higher quality steers

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

ive been battling this issue as well. i have a pushrod 4.0 pushing 35" tires. the biggest and most cost effective difference i saw both by feel and on paper was paying for a good dyno tune. putting the truck on the dyno and tuning the computer got me about a 25-30 hp and tq gain. which doesnt sound like much, but considering when i got there it put down 100 hp to the tires.... 130 sounds alot better haha! my "mods" if you wanna call it that are a custom aluminum intake with k&n cone filter (i dont have inner fenders anymore so the stock one wasnt possible to use) cats deleted and a magnaflow muffler. the shop i went to was 150 an hour and i was charged for two hours. not bad IMO. the gears option is alot more expensive but just as if not more important. i have 5.13 gears in mine

 

[86merc5.0]

1994 Ranger, extended cab, 2wd, 5 speed manual, headers & custom made exhaust, 3.55 ring & pinion, Zexel Torsen gear drive diff, J.C. Whitney helper springs & rear sway bar, 4.0 ohv--Vortech supercharged, over 185,000 miles only isses were 2 thermostats ( one at 75,000 & 2nd at 160,000 ) and one alternator ( at 120,000-- stereo with sub & aux lighting present ). The truck has been extremely reliable/very fast--road trips very fun/ran 157 mph outlaw speed run ( 1998 ). note: also put a single turbo in the bed over the axle in a 96 extended cab 2wd 4.0 ohv, 5 speed manual, had a big sub box from the front of the wheel wells vented into the cab, used Thunderbird, turbo coupe hood scoops ( found in boneyard for 10.00 ) inlaid into pass side front of bed for air intake, battery & amps were on drivers side of bed next to wheel well, everything was divided & had a fiberglass tonnue cover, no other engine mods, sold with 110,000 miles, never had an issue. I still have a 97 4.0 ohv, extended cab, 2wd 5 speed manual, 208,000 no issues. these vehicles all driven hard, loads/towing/road courses/ various race tracks/every world ford challenge event/ multiple Naperville il. burnout competitions/cross country road trips. **( this has been stated as positive side of supposed 4.0 ohv durability issues ). Also I used to know a guy who had a rear turbo under the truck in the mufflers location ( he had been in contact with Squires Turbo Systems for sizing info ( he's the one that I got my info from--he's has since passed away ) he had over 350,000 miles on his 93 Ranger. *( also I'm biased to Vortech superchargers, my 86 Mercury Capri, 331 cid & the wifes 04 Mercury Maurader are Vortech Supercharged ( Maurader from 1 week after we bought it new ).

 

[Neal Cuba]

the durability and simplicity of the ranger is something I truly appreciate, until it comes to motors that are good but shrunk into small engine compartments, but what did I get the small truck for, well it fills my needs, I can carry an air pump or steering unit from my tractor trailer to the repair facility. I can picnic with the wife and kid, and not extremely comfortable but family love go most places and back, neither one of my trucks have left me, they endured houstons floods while not challenged but did survived. yes I do want mine to look a little more special, an adaptation of the American know how and design adjusting to new marketplaces. heck yes I will keep mine and make it nice or er, besides if someone really pisses me off, I take half the stored things from my 5 ohh and kick some ass lol.