Need V-8 Swap Articles

[Loganwildman]

LWM, Are you talking about schematics for the Lincoln donor or for the Ranger (or both)?

I think you will need both.

 

[Rick W]

Thanks. My motives are different, more showmanship fantasy than any actual logical desire for the most horsepower or such. My desire for the Lincoln engine is exactly that, to put a “Lincoln” engine in to talk trash with my buddies (who know me for my Lincolns) about my “Lincoln” truck.

My terminology might be off a touch, but the 81-84 town cars had throttle body injection. The 85-87 had injection the same way, single point, but into the intake manifold instead of the throttle body. The 88-89, had the sequential, 8 squirts, but also into the intake, not directly into the cylinders. I had an 81 a few years ago, and I have pristine 87 & 88 now. 87 and 88 are noticeably more peppy than the 81, and the 88 is noticeably more peppy than the 87. Both of mine are “dealer HP” cars. So what’s that? Huh?

Dealer High Performance (not HO High Output). All of you guys probably know about the Yenko Camaros and Novas and such. When the insurance industry forbid the “manufacturers“ from putting the big engines in the lighter cars, some dealerships started to buy the new cars and the big engines and do the swap at the dealership. They’re some of the most sought after hot rods in existence. These cars still have factory warranties, etc. Later, to counter this, again driven by the insurance industry, the law was changed to prevent “swapping the block“ before the car was sold as new. Yenko and the rest simply used existing blocks and put upgraded guts and heads on them and still produced hot rods, although not as high performance. GM definitely had the market on all of this.

Little known, there were three Ford/Mercury/Lincoln dealerships (Hawaii, Tennessee and someplace Midwest) that kept the 302 blocks, but changed the cam and some of the top end akin to the mustang high output, just before the law changed again and killed it. Ford also screamed blue murder.

If you look at both engines, the mustang HO is almost identical except the upper intake is flipped around 180° To the best of my knowledge there were only about 13 or 14 cars produced, only 13 with the “full treatment.” I/we know where nine of these cars are today and I have two of them (Hawaii and Tenn). They’re sleepers, cuz who wants a hot rod town car? They are not particularly valuable even though they are very unusual and rare.

The early 80s town cars put out about 150 to 160 hp, truly. The direct injection and sequential injection 85 to 89 cars put out a nominal 150/160 but like many cars of the day, the claims were understated for insurance reasons. Also, they were detuned by the fuel system and by the computer. They have always stayed under the radar because who hot rods their town car? No insurance pressure.

I’m going past my direct knowledge, but it’s my understanding if you just change the injectors (or modify them?) and you tweak up the computer, you can get up to 180 or 190 hp. Tweaking the computer is hard to do and hard to find somebody who does it, simply because it’s not that popular and it really doesn’t yield a lot of results. However, if you update the injectors, cam and heads, and polish out the intake manifold upper and lower, and a few other tweaks you can push these cars to 210 or 220 with an open dual exhaust. But most of this additional horsepower is evidenced in torque, not in acceleration off the line. You don’t go a lot faster off the line, but you could carry around six big old farts like me with all they’re luggage more easily. Town car....

If I ever do the V-8 swap, i’ll find an 88 or 89 SECI Lincoln 302 with all the wiring etc.(so I can use mine as a go-by) and then I‘d do these kind of upgrades. But as I said earlier, I’m still kind of talking trash, because I don’t think there’s a big possibility I’ll actually go through with it (but I’ve said that before about a lot of the cars I’ve had and since sold...)....

Right now, I’m happy to talk trash, and I’m just gonna be happy if I can get the 2.3 to push it down the road...

& I can burn all the gas I want in the ‘78 460!

 

[Rodney Weaver]

I am about to start my swap. 3.0l 4wd and I am planning on doing a 5.0L but I have no clues on what all I will need and where I get the info to do it! I have found a motor, trans, and ecm I will rebuild them before installing but not sure what else is needed HELP! Lol very excited about this

 

[Hale Ranger]

I'm doing a v8 swap in my 85 ford ranger next month & I will show pix's when it is done.

How is it going and do you have some pixs?

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I’m currently installing a 5.0 in my wife’s explorer sport trac … will post when I get done sealing the engine

 

[Bobby'sFFRanger]

Trying to do a '96-'97 Explorer 5.0L swap into my '94 Ranger 2WD manual.
If anyone knows a thread focused on OBDII Explorer into OBDI Ranger, please shoot me that link. I think I've got what I need to shop for and buy the right donor rig and transmission, but I need direction on the electronics...

 

[Bobby'sFFRanger]

I am interested in seeing more info on doing the 93-97 Ranger..Explorer 5.0 swap. Especially on wiring the factory explorer harness with the Ranger and why its supposed to be a nightmare.

Any info you have on the same swap, but into a '94? I know the trucks are no different, but mine's OBDI and was under the impression it makes things simpler...

Shouldn't I be able to just use the Explorer's harness for the motor, leave the Ranger's cab harness alone? Wont the Explorer's harness report to my gauges, or is that the cab harness linked to the Explorer's?

Also, any info on PCM re-flash for a M50D-R2 manual trans (linked to Explorer's V8)? With Moates out of business, who does everyone go to now?

 

[Tomm1468]

Any info you have on the same swap, but into a '94? I know the trucks are no different, but mine's OBDI and was under the impression it makes things simpler...

Shouldn't I be able to just use the Explorer's harness for the motor, leave the Ranger's cab harness alone? Wont the Explorer's harness report to my gauges, or is that the cab harness linked to the Explorer's?

Also, any info on PCM re-flash for a M50D-R2 manual trans (linked to Explorer's V8)? With Moates out of business, who does everyone go to now?

Drag radial Performance - Steve is great, idk what he can and cannot do.

 

[Tomm1468]

Hey guys,

We need some V-8 swap articles for our tech library.

We need a write-up from someone who has done a swap on a 98+ and newer Ranger. We need both a 4.6 and 5.0 article with emphasis on wiring and any required conversion parts to help give our readers some guidance.

Thanks.

idk if youre still looking for submissions for a v8 swap. but i have one for submission saved in a word file.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'm always ppen to sharing good tech with others. Send what you have.

Jim@therangerstation.com

 

[Aidyndavis05]

Ill probably have a fully detailed 5.0L swap forum posted probably in the next few months.

Im swapping a 99 explorer 5.0L 2wd auto in to my 00 ranger 3.0L 4wd auto.. I will be keeping my ranger transfer case so i dont have to build new driveshafts. There is also an adapter kit that will transform my 4R70W 2wd tranny into a 4wd that my ranger transfer case can bolt up to. No other modifications will be needed to my knowledge except having my exhaust redone and the PATS system reprogramed through the FORD dealership. Ill probably go ahead and buy the torque monster headers for better mpg's and a little more horses Other than that the motor will be pretty much stock. Ill be using the Explorer motor mounts since they will all fit in the ranger. The radiator part will probably give me the biggest issue as to I really dont know what kind i want yet. I heard the 4.0 ones are good BUT require modification.. 5.0L one works and i do believe thats a direct bolt in. dont quote me on that. Im retaining all emissions and AC because this will be my daily driver. Ive been doing a ton of research on this topic and pretty much i think i have it all down. Now im waiting on the guy to pull the motor and all the parts i need to make this swap work and ill be set.

Ill have plenty of pictures of the process.

The 99 explorer(8 cyl) and 00 ranger(6cyl) have a lot of similarities when it comes to electronics. Both vehicles use type B in the PATS system, also they both use a returnless fuel system, and both read vehicle speed through the VSS/ABS from the rear axle. So this swap should be fairly PLUG AND PLAY. I think i read somewhere ill need to adjust my wiring for the AC but ill figure that out once i get the motor running. Also have to swap a wire for the tach and pretty much should be the only thing ill have to mess with electrical wise. WHEW thank goodness lol

PS: Jim i bought that Advance Adapters 9 inch AOD to 1350 kit from this site to start things off Cant wait to get it and take lots of pics of it lol

Me and my dad are doing a 5.0 liter 2000 explorer into a 2001 ranger 4.0 but we are having trouble with the wiring can you help us out

 

[fastpakr]

Me and my dad are doing a 5.0 liter 2000 explorer into a 2001 ranger 4.0 but we are having trouble with the wiring can you help us out

What specific questions are you running into? Start a separate thread with them and lots of us will try to help you along.