Cummins 4bt engine swap in a 2002 4x4 Edge

Betty Lou · Jun 24, 2015

my wife has a 2002 ranger edge, 4x4 with a 4.0 or 4.3 V6. She wants me to put a cummins 4bt in it and jack it up to about 500 hp, while not spending any money lol. ill take all of the help I can get here.

willy · Jun 24, 2015

500 rwhp or at the crank 500 hp at the wheels is not an easy task with a 4bt on a budget pumps and injectors are expensive.

hoosier1104 · Jun 24, 2015

Wow! That text is huge!

She has a 4.0 by the way. 500 hp on a budget is going to be rough. There are people on here that have done the 4bt swap. Good luck and keep us posted.

Motor:
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/cummins-4bt-engine

2trux · Jun 24, 2015

Give her these words of wisdom. "You can't always get what you want"

According to the spec sheet the factory output of a 4bt is 105hp. Trying to get 5 times as much power out of that engine would be near impossible. Putting any engine with 500hp would also mean replacing the entire drivetrain as the factory parts aren't built to handle that kind of power.
All this means $$$$$$, a lot of time, and great fab skills.

P.S. The phrase "I heard that sombody did...." is the biggest joke of all.

Betty Lou · Jun 24, 2015

Indeed "we cant always get what we want" but she gets really close.

However I do have time on my side as she is not in a hurry for this thing yet. In fact I just found out about the 4bt because her son has a ridiculous 6bt pulling truck. She wants her little truck to be as much like his as possible. LP or NX injection is possible to achive the hp goal and really as long as I get close to it she will be happy.
Does Allison transmission make a tranny for the 4bt? I just talked to her and she said I can modify the body some to reduce weight. So woohoo on that. but like you all said a 4bt is heave all by itself, and that kind of power has to have at least some upgraded backup, so any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I was reading on here about air bag rear suspension that way if she does haul anything, and if she is just rideing aroung town it wont be such a rough ride.

stmitch · Jun 24, 2015

A 500hp 4bt is going to put out massive torque compared to anything normally used in a Ranger. Frame bracing is probably going to be required. Obviously, axles and drivetrain components will have to be upgraded. In addition to the strain from the increased power and torque, all of these components will be adding weight to the vehicle too, so that will need to be considered as well.

The easiest option, since you'll be replacing every major component of the truck, is probably to try and find a cheap donor truck that is being parted out. I'd get the engine and trans figured out, plan on an SAS for the front and upgraded rear axle. You might be able to find leaf springs that will work, but a link suspension is probably the preferred option in the back. Cubic dollars, plenty of fab skills and a chunk of time will be required.

adsm08 · Jun 24, 2015

Betty Lou said:
so any suggestions

New wife?

hoosier1104 · Jun 24, 2015

^ Now that is funny.

snoranger · Jun 24, 2015

500hp on a tight to no budget... Not going to happen.

Head studs, fire rings, and the machine work all cost money.

The p-pump engine will cost money.

A trans that will hold up to that kind of torque will cost money.

Go over to 4btswaps and see what it takes to get that kind of power.

Betty Lou · Jun 25, 2015

same old wife. but she spoils me with whatever I want so its only fair that she gets anything she askes for.

Betty Lou · Jun 25, 2015

snoranger said:
500hp on a tight to no budget... Not going to happen.

Head studs, fire rings, and the machine work all cost money.

The p-pump engine will cost money.

A trans that will hold up to that kind of torque will cost money.

Go over to 4btswaps and see what it takes to get that kind of power.

The budget is just north of 15,000. My time is dedicated until OCT or NOV. I'm not the best fabricator, I have no idea what a link suspension is. but I do own 11 bays of garage and don't have a deadline yet, and she has a spare vehicle.

chucky2 · Jun 25, 2015

I wonder though what the power to weight ratio would be for a tuned (and whatever'd) VW TDI vs. a tuned (and whatever'd) 4bt? You may in fact given the weight disparity of the total vehicle (considering what you'll have to do to the truck for a 4bt of that power level) end up with a better power to weight ratio on the VW TDI option than the 4bt. I don't know what either are capable of so I'm merely asking the question, but it'd seem like one to seriously figure out before going down such a drastic road to 4btdom.

If you are going to have to do such large changes, I wonder if you could track down a wrecked BMW or Mercedes Clean Diesel? Those had V6 turbo CD options, probably still didn't weigh what a 4bt weighs, and probably are approaching or exceeding - with a tune and/or whatever - your 500HP goal.

Plus putting one of those into a Ranger would be a first (as far as I've heard). Just something to think about...

willy · Jun 25, 2015

Leaf sas and shoehorn a 6bt in there the 4bt isnt going to be reliable at that power level

stmitch · Jun 26, 2015

With a budget like that (and your limited fab skills) why not sell her Ranger, and add it to the money you have budgeted for the project, and just buy her a Dodge with a Cummins in it? Much faster and easier than doing everything youd have to do to get the Cummins happy in a Ranger. The truck would be more reliable, and you wouldnt have to do any fab work. 15-20k should get a decent Ram, and there are a ton to choose from.

gw33gp · Jun 26, 2015

Last time I looked, a Ram is considerably different than a Ranger and a lot heavier. A Cummins in a Ranger would be so much more fun.

Cummins 4bt engine swap in a 2002 4x4 Edge

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