93 Rebuild with a 95 4.0L Short Block

I know y'all don't know me as I'm a long time lurker here. I'm very appreciative of many of the postings on here that has helped me many times in the past. Forgive me for not posting an introduction thread, but I'm not much for small talk, I'd rather cut to the chase. Anyways...

I've got a 93 Ford Ranger (XLT I think) 4x4 4.0L Manual. I've needed to do a engine rebuild for sometime now, but I've been pushing the issue as long as I can as she's not my daily driver. As of late she has gotten bad about not starting up when she's hot. I''' cold start her just fine and then drive 20+ miles somewhere and she won't start until she cools off. If she hasn't completely cooled then it's a rough ride home. (I did just replace the fuel pump with a delphi.)

I just came across a surplus Ford Factory Motorcraft 4.0L Shortblock. However, the SB is for a 95-96 Ranger. I intend to purchase complete heads from ProMaxx (thoughts?). So here's the purpose for this post. What do I need to make this SB work in my truck? Will the covers/intake/oil pan/etc off of my 93 engine work on this 95 shortblock? I had already purchased lifters for my 93, will they work on this shortblock or any chance it'll come with them? Where should I go for head gaskets and bolts/studs?

I've got a Luk clutch kit and pressure plate coming, so I can replace my clutch when I do this swap. Anything else I should replace during this swap???

Here's my list of parts so far. Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

Haynes Repair Manual Ford Ranger Pick-ups 1993 thru 2011
Motorcraft 4.0 OHV Reman Crate Small Block 95-96 Ford Ranger
Fel-Pro Head Bolt Kits ES72794
Fel-Pro HS 9081 PT Cylinder Head Gasket Set
Fel-Pro CS 9724-1 Conversion Gasket Set
Fel-Pro 72515 Oil Pan Drain Plug Gasket
ARP 100-9909 Ultra Torque Assembly Lubricant - 1.69 oz. Fluid Squeeze Tube
Competition Cams 104 Engine Assembly Lube, 8 oz. Jar
COMP Cams Pro Cam Lube 153
COMP Cams High Energy Camshafts 49-410-8
ProMaxx Complete Head FOR625-59
Melling MR-927 Rocker Arm
Push Rods mpr471 Melling
90-00 Ford Aerostar Ranger Explorer Mazda 4.0L OHV 12V Lifters Lash Adjusters
M328 High Volume Oil Pump
Royal Purple Break-In Oil 11487
Royal Purple Extended Life Oil Filters 30-8A
Standard Motor Products PS240 Oil Pressure Switch
Auto Specialties Underdrive Crankshaft Pulleys 526400
Goodyear 4060850 Gatorback Poly V-Belt (BB16)
Davis Unified Ignition Screamin' Demon Coils 31738
Motorcraft Platinum Spark Plugs AGSF42FM
Motorcraft Spark Plug Wire Sets FOPZ12259J
BBK 1580 66mm Throttle Body for Ford Ranger, Explorer 4.0L
C&L 73mm Mass Air Meter / Sender Housing 19lb Injectors
Blackhawk Intake Tube 27599TK
K&N RE-0950 High Performance Universal Air Filter
Spectre Performance 9541 Black 3.5"-3" Coupler/Reducer
Spectre Performance 95411 Black 3.5" x 3" EPDM Coupler/Reducer
Cambridge SAE Size 56 Worm Gear Hose Clamps, 10 pcs/Box. 1/2" Band Size, Min Dia 3-1/16", Max Dia 4" Stainless Steel
Uni Filter UP-104 5/8" Clamp-On Breather
Pace Setter 70-1170 Black Exhaust Header
Percy's (310068) 8mm-1.25 x 25mm Vibe-Lock Black Oxide Bolt Kit, Pack of 12
NGK 22503 Oxygen Sensor - NGK/NTK Packaging
J.W. Winco 906-ST-M22X1.5-GPC DIN906 Threaded Plug
FORD 4.6 5.0 5.4 MUSTANG GT / F-150 19 LB # POUND FUEL INJECTORS SET 8 USCAR OEM
GooDeal 8pcs Fuel Injector Adapter Kit for EV1 to USCAR EV6 & EV14 Chevy LS1 LS2 LS3
Motorcraft CM4713 Fuel Injection Pressure Regulator
K&N PF-2200 Fuel Filter
Delphi HP10141 Hanger Pump Assembly
Summit Truepart Select Replacement Starters 3240N
Engine Coolant Water Outlet 4 Seasons 85668 fits 91-00 Ford Explorer 4.0L-V6 35mm vs 32mm Hose required
JET 10142 Thermostat
Delphi TS10001 Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor
Volvo 2-SPD FAN RELAY and 2 Speed Fan
Upgr8 Aluminum Water Temperature Sensor Adapter (34MM, Black)
High-Speed Steel Hand Threading Tap, Uncoated (Bright) Finish, Round with Square End Shank, Bottoming Chamfer, M14 x 1.5 Size
URO Parts 61 31 8 361 787 Water Temperature Switch
BMW Collant Sensor Wire 164060
BMW Collant Sensor Ground Wire 164061
BMW Collant Sensor Wire housing 164509
Gates 38134 Belt Tensioner Assembly
Motorcraft WPT361 Pigtail
Motorcraft WPT237 Fuel Tank Connector
Genuine Ford Fluid XT-1-QF Type-F Automatic Transmission and Power Steering Fluid - 1 Quart
Royal Purple 01512 Synchromax High Performance Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid - 1 qt.
LuK LFW156 Flywheel
LuK 07-096 Clutch Set
Slave Cylinder
Dorman 917-551 Shifter Rebuild Kit


Questions:

1. Valve Springs - With this Comp Cam can I stick with the stock springs or do I need to upgrade to the Comp 988 Dual Valve Springs?

2. Starter - Should I replace it now? If so with what brand?

3. Anything not on the list that I should replace while I'm doing the engine swap?

4. Lifters - I had already purchased lifters for my 93, will they work on this shortblock or any chance it'll come with them?

5. Wiring - Does anyone have a wiring diagram for my truck with wire size called out? I'd like to rewire my engine section while I'm at it, but prices on battery harnesses and what not for my truck are ridiculous.


Thanks in advance for any advice.

To use a 95 short block you need 5 heads. The piston dish and combustion chamber changed in 95 so 95 pistons and 94 heads blows up, 94 pistons and 95 heads lowers compression. All else should be fine.

adsm08 said:

To use a 95 short block you need 5 heads. The piston dish and combustion chamber changed in 95 so 95 pistons and 94 heads blows up, 94 pistons and 95 heads lowers compression. All else should be fine.

Click to expand...

Thank you!!! I've ordered the 95 Heads from ProMaxx.

One more question I left out in the OP. Will my old engine be worth anything? Or to be more specific the engine block and crankshaft?

The warm start issue wouldn't be related to engine, i.e. block, pistons and heads
Putting a fresh engine in is still a good idea on a 1993
But might not solve the warm start issue

Used 1993 4.0l OHV with XXX,XXX miles might be worth something to local people, not worth shipping cost.
So local craigslist or ??

Usually people buy a used engine to rebuild while they continue to drive the old 4.0l, then they can just do the swap over a weekend

RonD said:

The warm start issue wouldn't be related to engine, i.e. block, pistons and heads
Putting a fresh engine in is still a good idea on a 1993
But might not solve the warm start issue

Used 1993 4.0l OHV with XXX,XXX miles might be worth something to local people, not worth shipping cost.
So local craigslist or ??

Usually people buy a used engine to rebuild while they continue to drive the old 4.0l, then they can just do the swap over a weekend

Click to expand...

If the problem isn't the engine then what is it?

I know the engine overheats when I drive it and I'm getting oil in my cooling system. I've within the last year 3k miles replaced the entire cooling system: thermostat, heater core, water pump, fan clutch, radiator. I just replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter a week or so ago.

First thing to do any time you have overheating on an engine without obvious coolant leak is to test for cylinder to cooling system breach, i.e. cracked head or blown head gasket.
It is a "black and white" test, so you can take it off the table and move on, or start disassembly to fix it.

Obvious sign of cylinder leak is full overflow tank, internal pressure pushes out coolant into overflow.

Glove Test is free and definitive test for cylinder leak.
Cold engine
Disable spark, unplug coil pack, you want a no start
Remove rad cap
Remove overflow hose and plug that port on rad
Coolant level can be at the top but an inch or so down is better.

Put a Latex Glove over rad cap opening and seal it with rubber band.
You can use a balloon instead or even a condom, lol.

Crank engine and watch glove
If glove starts to pulse up and down then you have a cylinder leak, each time that cylinder is on it's compression stroke glove will bounce up.

If glove just lays there then you don't

If glove is bouncing then you can remove 1 spark plug at a time and crank engine again.
When glove stops bouncing then the last spark plug pulled out was from the leaking cylinder, put spark plug back in to confirm.
While this information is not required it can be helpful after disassembly to pin point the leak, i.e. gasket or cracked head.

Oil in the coolant on a manual trans(automatics have trans cooler in rad) could only be from head gasket issue IMO, but.........
There is a problem with that if there is no coolant in the oil pan.
While engine is running there is 10 to 40psi oil pressure
Warmed up cooling system is 15psi pressure, so oil could be pushed into a coolant passage because of the higher pressure.
But when engine is shut off oil pressure is 0 psi and cooling system stays at 15psi until it cools down, so any breach should allow coolant to flow the other way.

Thanks alot Ron D. If this problem just started and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do I'd run out and do this test this evening. However, I've got a shortblock en route, so knowing which cylinder is bad is really irrelevant at this point.

I'm going to swap out the stock cam with the comp cams 410. I keep reading conflicting accounts on whether to keep the stock springs or use the comp cam 988 dual valve springs. Which do y'all recommend for a DD and a little towing and off road.

I really don't mind the cost of the spring upgrade in parts, but my local machine shop wants to charge me $200 per (brand new) head for the machine work that'll be neccessary for the dual valve springs.

Edited the OP with my parts list and a few questions.

Also is possible to make the ~93 Mustang 5.0 19lb Injectors work on my truck?

ThorM465 said:

Also is possible to make the ~93 Mustang 5.0 19lb Injectors work on my truck?

Click to expand...

I've got a FREE Fel-Pro HS 9724 PT-1 unopened Head Gasket Kit for the 93-94 4.0L OHV I'll send to the person that can tell me how to do this.

Anything?

NM. I ordered a set off ebay. We'll see if they work.

Alright I've almost got her wrapped up. Hopefully I'll have her running Monday. I'll update the OP with a more extensive parts list after I'm done.

I do need a little help right now, though. Behind the intake on the engine wire harness where the manual transmission and O2 sensor connectors are there's a little black orphan connector. What is it suppose to be connected to???

In regards to the springs. After inspecting them while taking apart the rocker arm assemblies I decided to reuse them as they looked to be in great shape and still seemed to provide more than adequate force. I've seen multiple forum where guys where asking about how to get the 3 mounts off of the shaft.
First only 2 need to come off if you're reusing the shaft.
Second I was replacing the rocker arms with melling replacements. If reusing the RAs I don't recommend this.
Third I used a small hammer and lightly tapped an old rocker that was setting against the mount until it fell off of the shaft. I used the old rocker arm to put the mounts back on in the same manner. Worked great! Just take your time.

I found some "new" springs on ebay if anybody wants them $20 shipped. They look like they've been sitting on a shelf for a while.

Anyone?

The connector in the back is for Automatic trans, unused with manual trans, usually has a plug/protector insert in it.

Could also be for Cam Position Sensor, only used in Calif. 4.0l's until '94, or '95 and up(OBD2) 4.0l's all states