02 3.0 Ranger + '96 5.0 Explorer = FUN! (or so I hope!)

Finally got back on track with getting a '96 Explorer 5.0 into my 02 coil spring Ranger. Got a significant delay when my youngest totaled one of the SAAB's in the driveway (no injuries!!) and I had to source and commission a replacement. I love buying inexpensive projects but I really didn't need to loose the time on this one.

Prep work/test fitting is (mostly) done.

Other than the Torque Monster headers, a bit of port matching and the FRP rear sump pan, engine is box stock. Doner had 140K miles, but both the crank and cam were still on the high side of standard with very little taper in the cylinders. Someone had taken GREAT care of the Explorer, only needed a cleanup, fresh rings/bearings, cam drive and oil pump.







Pretty unhappy with the fit of the Bosch plug wires, going to get some new spark plug terminals, cut and re-terminatel the wires for a better fit and probably add some additional heat protection. These are their "custom" fit for the Explorer 5.0, TERRIBLE fit!!!!!

Had a heck of a time with the FRP oil dip-stick. Had to toally reshape the tube and move the bracket for a workable fit. It'll complicate getting to a couple of of the plugs and wires on the left, but that's better than the abismal fit as it came out of the box.

Using Strada Shop's engine mounting plates, did have to carve on them to get clearance for the headers and add a bit of aesthetics

Went through the rear end, all new bearings, changed the gears out for a set of FRP 3.27's, fresh clutches for the Trac Lok. Rebuilt the rear calipers, new shoes, pads and rotors.



Maybe could have added a few thou to the pinion shim but it's certainly close enough!







Added a drain plug for the trans, new filter, front and rear seals. As with the engine, the internals of the trans were in great shape



The 3.0 gets yanked on the 4th -- going to be a long fun weekend!

Always good to see another swap go down.

where are you located? I might need some leftover parts

Looks good so far. Question, why'd you flip the thottle body?

SVT

RangerSVT said:

Looks good so far. Question, why'd you flip the thottle body?

SVT

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Blame Ford on that! It's the way it came out of the Explorer (well, after a bit of cleaning that is!) Maybe a '96 thing?

Busy day. Got the 3.0 out and the 5.0 resting on new engine mounts and the transmission cross member.

Only snag I'd missed in research was the new 4.0 engine mount has it's alignment pin slightly off from the 3.0's riser. Can live with that.

Got the prep work done, nice to look at them on stands for the last time:





Gotta hate the 3.0 and coil spring front end for having to drop the front suspension to get to the engine mount bolts.



Dropped the fuel tank, popped out the high pressure FPR, installed a fresh fuel pump while there.



A bit (ok, a LOT) of dissassembly and getting stuff out of the way and out with the old.



And in with the new after finishing up mating the engine and trans together.



Not bad for day one. Still hoping Monday has me waiting on nothing but a stretched driveshaft and a custom power steering hose.

Power steering hose should be a stock explorer V8 unit, unless you're running hydroboost. Good progress...

SVT

RangerSVT said:

Power steering hose should be a stock explorer V8 unit, unless you're running hydroboost. Good progress...

SVT

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What year Explorer? The 02 Ranger uses a hose with a slip fit and retaining collar at the rack, the 96 Expo hose I've got is either 14 or 16mm screw in.

The slip fit sounds like thats the return line. Can you post a pic?

SVT

RangerSVT said:

The slip fit sounds like thats the low pressure return line. Can you post a pic?

SVT

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Not the best photo, but shows the clear differences between the Ranger slip fit p/s hoses and Explorer screw in ones.

Ok, I gotcha. I'd just cut off the slip fit and flare it, and use a union...

SVT

RangerSVT said:

Ok, I gotcha. I'd just cut off the slip fit and flare it, and use a union...

SVT

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Oh! That's too damn funny! Had not even thought about that and I've got a 3/8" hydraulic line compression fitting sitting around with nothing to do, could not use it when I married the 3/8" fuel fitting to the Expo's 5/16 fuel return line to plug into the original Ranger fuel return at the filter.

Been so focused on the forest, did not see that tree at all!

Weekend finished up without a lot of obvious progress, but appearances can be deceiving: Spend nearly the entire time under the Ranger.

Finished up the fuel return to the tank. Silver soldered a std 3/8 push-in connector to the front half of the Explorer's 5/16" fuel return line. Had though to use a compression fitting but the mismatched sizes ment the Expo tubing would slip inside of the 3/8 made the more permanent union my best option.



Had to add clearance where the bell housing interfered with the front suspension. Simple trim of the offending bit of aluminum.



Getting the full set of '96 Explorer catalytics under the Ranger took a lot of work, had to add clearance, shift the engine/trans over. Still need to make a bracket to hang the new muffler to the Ranger's rubber muffler hangers. No way the Expo muffler was going to fit, used it's inlet flange with bends and some 3 stainless exhaust to make a "Y" pipe.



Once the front half was done, got going on the Expo's 8.8 rear end. I'd bought a 2nd set of spring mounts, used them as the base for the old Bronco II 1" sway bar -- keeping that sway bar had always been a key need moving to the LSD 8.8 with disks. What good is a 5.0 under the hood if the damn truck wallows like a pig in the curves?



Somehow I've misplaced the Expo parking brake cables but other than that, the rear end is in and supporting weight.

The Expo driveshaft goes to the shop today for a stretch to fit the 70 5/8" gap between the 4R70 box and the 8.8.

Ouch!

After 4 days, finally got a call from the drive shaft shop -- No go on the 70 5/8" driveshaft -- simply too long for a steel shaft in my rpm range and I don't have the room for a 5" aluminum one.

So, $550.00 later, I've got a stunning two piece shaft made -- even with that, finding room for the carrier bearing is going to be tough. Hoping I can use the cross member at the forward end of the fuel tank as the support but it looks like I've got some fab work to do this weekend. I half expect to need to dimple the side of the fuel tank at the cross member.

Still, will be nice, the shaft was the last major piece of the puzzle and now I'll be able to go forward with the last of the fluids, a bit of final detail and hopefully get the Ranger back on the road.

Had not expected to loose the better part of a week on something I normally expect a 1 day turn around on.

And it's in!

Think it's all complete but for the air conditioning and some detail work. Wanted to wait for the last to install the a/c accumulator and get the system up and running.

Have hit a minor snag, no fuel pressure. The relay is doing it's thing, the fuse is good. Gotta get under it tomorrow to see if its something easy or if the new fuel pump is the problem. Grrr

Looks good. Make sure you change out that red bpp switch...

SVT

RangerSVT said:

Looks good. Make sure you change out that red bpp switch...
SVT

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What's the deal on the brake pedal position switch? Same thing that had Ford install that fused dongle on a recall?