2005 4.0L into a 1990 Ranger

[dangerranger406]

I got 2 4.0L motors for my 1990 ranger that currently has a 2.9L that is done, burning oil like a siv and knocks like a type writer, one engine came out of a 2005 Mustang, the other came out of a 2005 explorer,
i have the wiring harness for the 2005 motor, my question is whats the bare bones needed to get the swap done?
i have a drive by cable throttle body to delete the drive by wire, can i use the ECU from an older 4.0 to bypass the anti theft?

 

[Josh P]

I'd use the 90-91 4.0 ohv ecm and wire it like an ohv engine.

 

[SenorNoob]

This. ^ It'll be by far the easiest way to handle the electrical. I know the SOHC will run on the older computer. And it and the wiring with it fits right into 90 truck.

I suppose you could adapt an early SOHC computer and matching harness to the 90 body. It wouldn't be easy tho. There was never an OBD1/EEC-IV SOHC computer. Nor any OBD2/EEC-V in the 90 body style. The layout was changed completely in 93. If you choose to go this route, I suspect a 98 Explorer would be the simplest. Pretty sure they could be had without PATS and with the SOHC.

 

[dangerranger406]

Yeah that might be a possibility, we had a 05 mustang come into the dealership I work at to program keys, the PATS module is toast in it and everything is obsolete, I have an HP Tuner and can reprogram the ECU, but by the time I get harness and the license for that era Ford ECU I'm way out of my budget,

I'd like to get OBD2 support in the ranger, makes diag on issues and getting realtime feedback from systems so much easier, but yes it's ALOT of work, for now a project for further down the road as I unfortunately at this point in time don't have the time or place for something that extensive,

I guess my biggest concern was compatibility with sensors, I think the 90 harness could theoretically be wired into the sensor pigtails, if I could get a ECU for a 4.0L, since the 2.9L ECU lacks the fueling and are tables for the bigger displacement, also I think a few sensors have 3 and 4 wire where the 90 has single or double wire, and not sure the sensors themselves would cross over and the ignition system, going from a distributor on the 90s to a coil pack on the 05, a complete donor truck/explorer would be the ideal route, but tracking one down in my area has been a real challenge

 

[SenorNoob]

4.0 never had a distributor. It was always coil pack.

I know some of the early sensors can be bolted on the later engine. What would worry me the most is the crankshaft position sensor. Connector looks the same. Pretty sure they are both 36-1 wheels too.

 

[dangerranger406]

Yeah, my 2.9 doesn't have a crank position sensor (that I am aware of or been able to find) so that'd have to be custom wired in

 

[SenorNoob]

It wouldn't. It used a pickup in the distributor for that.