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96 Explorer 5.0L into 2000 Ranger Fuel System Questions


mrm

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There is an excellent article on one of these forums on swapping a 96-01 Explorer 5.0L into a 98-up Ranger.

I'd like to swap a 96 Explorer 5.0L into my 2000 Ranger regular cab short bed 2wd with front coil springs.

The article states that there are 2 fuel system choices when swapping a 96-98 Explorer 5.0L into a 98-up Ranger: 1. Run a fuel return line and, I assume, use the stock Ranger fuel pump and the Explorer fuel rail mounted fuel pressure regulator. or 2. Use 99-up Explorer fuel rails and install a 99-up Explorer in-tank fuel pressure regulator.

If I use the 96-98 Explorer 5.0L engine for this swap my fuel system questions are: 1. Am I correct in that if I run a fuel return line that I can use the stock Ranger fuel pump and the stock Explorer fuel rail mounted fuel pressure regulator? and 2. If I use 99-up Explorer returnless fuel rails can I use the stock Ranger fuel pump if I install a 99-up Explorer in-tank fuel pressure regulator? How do you reset the 99-up Explorer in tank fuel pressure regulator to the 35-45psi fuel pressure required by the 96-98 Explorer 5.0L?

Any help and advice on the fuel system issue would be most appreciated. Thanks.
 


RangerSVT

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Its easiest to match the engine to the truck's fuel system. If the ranger has a returnless, use a 99-01 explorer as your donor (and grab all pats components including keys from donor), if the truck has return style, run 96-97 (stay away from the 98 year-wiring issues) explorer donor (no pats to deal with)...

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mrm

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I would rather use the 96-97 Explorer 5.0 because I do not want PATS and I want the vehicle speed sensor to come from the transmission tail shaft so that speedometer corrections for rear axle gear ratio changes and tire size changes are a simple speedometer pickup driven gear change. Thanks.
 

win

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I installed a '96 Expo 5.0 into my '02 Ranger -- very simple wiring (though working out the a/c was a bit tricky)

For the fuel system, I pulled the in-tank FPR, replaced the later 3 nipple Ranger fuel filter with the earlier 2 nipple Explorer fuel filter and then used the fuel return from the filter to the (now removed) FPR of the Ranger along with a bit of fresh piping to run the complete return from the 5.0. Very easy, neat and simple to do.

The one place that was not intuitive, on the Ranger filter, the rear/center hose is the return to the FPR and is the correct size for the Expo filter but is not plug and play. I had to swap the two fuel lines before the filter, since the lines are nylon and the same size (despite the differences in plugs at the filter) a pair of push on nylon fuel line couplings made quick work of the needed swap.

I'd swiped the original return line from the Expo doner, grafted on a generic nipple for the return line. Just took a bit of tweaking to get the Expo metal return line to follow the Ranger supply line.
 

mrm

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Thank you win.

Did you use the stock Ranger fuel pump? If so, did the 96 Explorer fuel rail mounted FPR have any trouble regulating the fuel pressure with your 02 Ranger fuel pump (which I assume produces a higher output pressure than the 96 Explorer fuel pump). And the hose on the rear side of the Ranger fuel filter closest to the center of the vehicle is the return hose?

Thanks so much. Your method sounds neat, simple and clean.
 

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The ecu will control the fuel pump pressure, and yes, the ranger pump will work with the explorer motor/FPR. ..

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win

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Yea, sort of still have the Ranger fuel pump. With 175k miles on the truck, I opted to replace the OEM pump with a generic replacement. Hey, it was original, I was in ther pulling the FPR, NO way was I going to leave that old pump in there.

The Explorer FPR has no issues passing excess fuel back to the tank.

Both the Ranger and Explorer use essentially the same pump. Many generic pumps lists both vehicles in their fitment specs. The pump is your basic driven gear pump and will run much higher pressures that the rest of the system will tolerate. Both fuel systems rely on the pump oversupplying fuel pressure to the fuel rail with the FPR's passing unneeded fuel back to the tank.

On the Ranger 3 nipple fuel filter, the larger/centered in the rear of the filter is the return, the smaller offset one is the supply. On the 2 nipple Explorer filter, it's your basic in/out filter but the nipple size for the supply is the same as the Ranger's return. Looks "plug and play" but it's an illusion.

You can argue that the higher fuel pressure system of the later 5.0's should offer better fuel atomization but the OEM injectors do a pretty good job at the lower pressures. Not having to deal with PATS made the fuel system mods a no-brainer.
 

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Use a 255lph walbro intake pump. Don't do returnless in my opinion. 190lph pump will get you buy but the ranger pump how it might look the same isn't.
 

mrm

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Thanks win. I too will replace my fuel pump when I remove the in-tank FPR. Were the fittings for the plastic line difficult to find?

Did you go with a manual or automatic transmission? I want to go with a Tremec 5 speed and am working on what external clutch slave cylinder I can use with my stock clutch master cylinder.

Thanks.
 

win

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The fuel line fittings were very easy to find. For the hard line, a double ended 12" metal, for the unions, simple press on couplings. All commonly available. (mine were on the rack at AutoZone)

I silver soldered the 5/16" line inside the original Expo 3/8" line, not an option for everyone. A 5/16" to 3/8" compression coupling would work perfectly well.

Nope, I'll keep a 5 speed in my toy (77 Lotus Eclat 523) but I kept the 4R70W auto behind the 5.0 for the Ranger.

It's only on occasion that I regret having to wait on the downshift of the auto on "point and squirt" maneuvers that I lament the lack of a manual. The rest of the time, I"m more than satisfied to let the PCM do the shifting for me.
 

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