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Want to swap - need some ideas




Dirtman

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Get this man on an I.V drip of milky 2.9 oil immediately!!
 

PetroleumJunkie412

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Get this man on an I.V drip of milky 2.9 oil immediately!!
NOW! STAT! DOCTOR VERNACULAR!



Sorry. Been slamming my head against a wall with my POS F350. All I can see is plastic and shitty engine components.
 

98v70dad

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Do you want power or mileage? Lol.

Pretty hard to have both.

Whats your 3.0 getting now? It should be up around 20. Even with a pricy ecoboost swap you arnt going to pick up much i wouldnt think. Aerodynamics kill these things.
Mileage averages 21 plus a little. BUT it can barely get out of its own way. Almost scary driving it on the highway here in Atlanta due to the lack of acceleration. I know I can buy something else but my 89 year old father gave it to me on the condition that I keep it. I figured I could have some fun with it by upgrading the engine when I no longer have to pass emissions.
 

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From what I've read the 3.o likes high revs. It doesn't have torque down low like a truck engine, because it was originally a car engine.
 

Dirtman

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3.0's do suck but you should realize unlike other ranger engines, they like to be revved high. The 3.0 isn't happy below 3,500
 

98v70dad

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From what I've read the 3.o likes high revs. It doesn't have torque down low like a truck engine, because it was originally a car engine.
Exactly right.
 

PetroleumJunkie412

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Thanks. Very helpful. I used to live in the Pittsburgh area and designed nuclear reactors. Maybe I'll put one of those in. I asked for some help and expected not to be ridiculed.

?

You uh... You're not being ridiculed. I was dead serious with all of those...

2.9 is a gift from the gods.

The Ford 300 swap has been done. Runs like a tractor, indestructable, and is a low down torque monster. Fantastic powerplant that will easily exceed 1m miles if maintained.

The BMW M60/M62 is a tiny V12. It will fit. Transmission may be an issue. That one or the 4.2 Maserati/Ferrari V8 is the dream build for me.

2JZ will fit with some firewall work. Literally one of the best engines ever built. New billet blocks are now being manufactured.

Jag V12 can be had for $100. Will fit with some cutting. Can be a very powerful engine, but high maintenance.

Hyabusa and Mazda rotary engines will fit (literally) anywhere. If you want RPMs instead of torque, both good picks.

BMW I6 and Benz Kompressor engines are everywhere, cheap to build, and most are built for longevity as long as they don't have the Vanos system (bmw).

Supercharged Benz V8s are expensive, but, it's an AMG engine. If you're going to go big, go big.

Steam? How do I know youre not all into the steam stuff?! You designed nuclear reactors, so obvi you're into steam...

OK I'll admit the last one is a jackass response. The rest are not.




Oh. And you don't know ridicule from TRS yet. Try being the guy with a Megasquirted and methanol injected 2.9 that's in the middle of grafting on a Mercedes supercharger.

Those scars run deep, yo.
 
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PetroleumJunkie412

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Oh, and if you want on demand power. There are two other methods.

Easiest way is wet nitrous. Cheap, cheerful, and not many modifications. Plus, you get to keep your fuel economy AND get some hustle when you need it.



Second way is to strap a supercharger to it.

Both have been successfully done on the 3.0. Here's a link to a 3.0 nitrous success story, complete with cad drawings of the 3.0 supercharger adapters. Morana also makes one.

 

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?

You uh... You're not being ridiculed. I was dead serious with all of those...

2.9 is a gift from the gods.

The Ford 300 swap has been done. Runs like a tractor, indestructable, and is a low down torque monster. Fantastic powerplant that will easily exceed 1m miles if maintained.

The BMW M60/M62 is a tiny V12. It will fit. Transmission may be an issue. That one or the 4.2 Maserati/Ferrari V8 is the dream build for me.

2JZ will fit with some firewall work. Literally one of the best engines ever built. New billet blocks are now being manufactured.

Jag V12 can be had for $100. Will fit with some cutting. Can be a very powerful engine, but high maintenance.

Hyabusa and Mazda rotary engines will fit (literally) anywhere. If you want RPMs instead of torque, both good picks.

BMW I6 and Benz Kompressor engines are everywhere, cheap to build, and most are built for longevity as long as they don't have the Vanir system (bmw).

Supercharged Benz V8s are expensive, but, it's an AMG engine. If you're going to go big, go big.

Steam? How do I know youre not all into the steam stuff?! You designed nuclear reactors, so obvi you're into steam...

OK I'll admit the last one is a jackass response. The rest are not.




Oh. And you don't know ridicule from TRS yet. Try being the guy with a Megasquirted and methanol injected 2.9 that's in the middle of grafting on a Mercedes supercharger.

Those scars run deep, yo.
Ok, then sorry. Its the steam engine comment that set me off. I really didn't look at the others too close.
 

PetroleumJunkie412

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Ok, then sorry. Its the steam engine comment that set me off. I really didn't look at the others too close.
No worries.

Turbo 2.3 is a good option. I think someone else mentioned the Mazda rotary as well.

Also, most imports are turbocharged nowadays. Drop by your local smouldering heap-o-cars and rip one out. Turbocharging a Ranger is around the same level of difficulty as an engine swap. Here's a list of every factory turbocharged car and what turbocharger is in it up to 2012


Doesnt have to be an ideal setup. Cram one in under the bed, set up a boost retard and FMU, dump 93 down its throat, and light the tires.

DCinDC's build is what inspired my build

 

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Ok, then sorry. Its the steam engine comment that set me off. I really didn't look at the others too close.
Im as die hard 2.9 guy as petroleumjunkie is, but, seeing as how the newest 2.9 was 92 and you would more then likely need a 96+ engine to meet emissions...

Cause yes, the 2.9 will wake up your butt dyno pretty good if youre used to the taurus engine turned sideways 3.0....

However, in the OPs case, im still sticking by recommending a 4.0.

It will buy you only about 15hp over your 3.0, but about 50ftlbs more and at about 1000 less RPM.

Not to mention you find a 96 4.0 truck it would be a basic matter of stealing everything you need (and you will need alot, motormounts, radiator, wireing harness, trans...) but it would be a simple matter of unbolting old parts and bolting the 4.0 stuff in.

Any other engine choice is going to require reengineering the whole truck, alot of cutting and custom fab, and alot of headache. Plus higher cost.

That said the 4.0 will get pretty close to the same mpg as your 3.0.

Also, have you considered regearing the axle(s)?
 

bobbywalter

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98v70dad

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Im as die hard 2.9 guy as petroleumjunkie is, but, seeing as how the newest 2.9 was 92 and you would more then likely need a 96+ engine to meet emissions...

Cause yes, the 2.9 will wake up your butt dyno pretty good if youre used to the taurus engine turned sideways 3.0....

However, in the OPs case, im still sticking by recommending a 4.0.

It will buy you only about 15hp over your 3.0, but about 50ftlbs more and at about 1000 less RPM.

Not to mention you find a 96 4.0 truck it would be a basic matter of stealing everything you need (and you will need alot, motormounts, radiator, wireing harness, trans...) but it would be a simple matter of unbolting old parts and bolting the 4.0 stuff in.

Any other engine choice is going to require reengineering the whole truck, alot of cutting and custom fab, and alot of headache. Plus higher cost.

That said the 4.0 will get pretty close to the same mpg as your 3.0.

Also, have you considered regearing the axle(s)?
Thanks. My truck doesn't have to meet emissions after this coming april. So I can do anything - any engine. My plan was to pass emissions this one last time to get the tags and then start doing the swap. I agree that the 4.0 seems like it would be a fairly easy upgrade - not sure how much it buys me in HP and torque. I need to look into that. Are there upgrades to the 4.0 that would boost the HP.... not much you can do to the 3.0? The ranger needs a new radiator anyhow. Trans and harness would be an added expense. I like going to junkyards so sourcing parts doesn't really bother me. Re-gearing the axle has occurred to me. I haven't looked into that much. I have a 3.73 axle now.
 

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