Will a 5.0 mount to my stock '03 Rangers 4x4 manual trans?

[Mirage775]

I was wondering if a 5.0 block will directly bolt up to my '03 Rangers 4x4 manual transmission? I've been shifting gears for years and would rather keep the 5 speed. I'd love to swap to a 5.0 and add an Explorer AWD t-case to make a cool little AWD V8 Ranger and lower it slightly? I know you can transfer all the Explorer stuff over, but there's some kind of complication with PATS and the VSS, that I don't really want to mess with, unless it's been figured out yet? I remember seeing something about having to take it to a Ford dealer to get the ECU reflashed, but I don't think my local dealer would do that? Still love the old Ranger, but it's getting harder and harder to be able to do anything to them nowadays....

Anyway, thanks for the help?

 

[sheep herder]

no

 

[Elutheros]

^ what he said

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

03 will be a harder than average swap too due to the electronics in the truck.

I think it was around 02 they really kinda threw a wrench into it.

M5ODR2 out of a 97-04 4.2L V6 F-150 is what you want. Drill the bellhousing bolts out from 12mm to 1/2", get a 90's 5.0/5.8 M5OD engine separator plate and use your trucks hydraulics. BW4406 tcase is common for late model swaps and comes mounted on the previously mentioned transmission. Then you just have to worry about getting lightning channeled to all the right places (wiring)

 

[Mirage775]

03 will be a harder than average swap too due to the electronics in the truck.

I think it was around 02 they really kinda threw a wrench into it.

M5ODR2 out of a 97-04 4.2L V6 F-150 is what you want. Drill the bellhousing bolts out from 12mm to 1/2", get a 90's 5.0/5.8 M5OD engine separator plate and use your trucks hydraulics. BW4406 tcase is common for late model swaps and comes mounted on the previously mentioned transmission. Then you just have to worry about getting lightning channeled to all the right places (wiring)

Thanks, but it's my daily driver at the moment, so I couldn't do anything major at the moment. I hate wiring...., I might just continue my search of a nice 08+ Adrenalin V8 AWD then and just keep my Ranger, since there's really no point in getting rid of it. I know it's not the same, but it'll be nice to have more room for our Pitbull to ride with us, plus a 4.6 and AWD and they look so much sharper than a normal Sport Trac.

 

[rubydist]

03 should still be decent to swap - it was 06 iirc when they started doing the canbus stuff which makes it far more difficult to swap.

 

[Mirage775]

03 should still be decent to swap - it was 06 iirc when they started doing the canbus stuff which makes it far more difficult to swap.

From what I've read, you have to take the truck to the Ford dealership after the install to get the PATS and VSS fixed, so the thing will start up afterwards? Some dealers will do it no problem and others won't. I thought a cool little AWD 5.0 Ranger would be the ultimate Syclone/Typhoon killer

 

[TonkaMan]

03 should still be decent to swap - it was 06 iirc when they started doing the canbus stuff which makes it far more difficult to swap.

Pretty sure it's actually 2004. The 2004-2006 gauge clusters on Ebay all have warnings about them needing programmed to the vehicle first or it'll royally screw things up if you just plug it in. 1995 to 2003 all have the engine wiring on a separate harness and control system from the rest of the truck. CAN was legally mandated to be used for emissions from 2008 onward.

 

[Mirage775]

Pretty sure it's actually 2004. The 2004-2006 gauge clusters on Ebay all have warnings about them needing programmed to the vehicle first or it'll royally screw things up if you just plug it in. 1995 to 2003 all have the engine wiring on a separate harness and control system from the rest of the truck. CAN was legally mandated to be used for emissions from 2008 onward.

Hmmm, that's something I'll have to look into, cause that was one of the major turnoffs to doing this swap... I wanted to make my truck a 5.0 auto, awd Syclone killer, LOL! But when I saw that you had to do all that work, then take it to Ford to, (hopefully), see if they could reflash the ECU just shot down all my plans...

 

[TonkaMan]

Hmmm, that's something I'll have to look into, cause that was one of the major turnoffs to doing this swap... I wanted to make my truck a 5.0 auto, awd Syclone killer, LOL! But when I saw that you had to do all that work, then take it to Ford to, (hopefully), see if they could reflash the ECU just shot down all my plans...

Wiring is getting to be the hardest parts of engine swaps. At least if you want everything to look and function like it wasn't hacked together. Getting things to physically fit mechanically is the easy part. I'm personally trying to design a plug and play Ecoboost swap into my 1997. I've spent the last year with the complete dealer service manuals reverse engineering parts of the truck on the bench using junkyard parts. I'm an electrical engineer, so I'm designing signal converter modules for a lot of things because otherwise it can't be done. After 12 months, I've almost got the instrument cluster functioning based on CAN bus signals for OBDII. Next I have to figure out the crate motor wiring to get it to run.

 

[Mirage775]

Wiring is getting to be the hardest parts of engine swaps. At least if you want everything to look and function like it wasn't hacked together. Getting things to physically fit mechanically is the easy part. I'm personally trying to design a plug and play Ecoboost swap into my 1997. I've spent the last year with the complete dealer service manuals reverse engineering parts of the truck on the bench using junkyard parts. I'm an electrical engineer, so I'm designing signal converter modules for a lot of things because otherwise it can't be done. After 12 months, I've almost got the instrument cluster functioning based on CAN bus signals for OBDII. Next I have to figure out the crate motor wiring to get it to run.

Well, I dislike wiring, but I can do it and I do it the correct way, with soldier and shrink wrap, but what I don't understand is, if you take all the electronics out the donor vehicle and you put those same electronics into the new vehicle, why would you need to take it to the dealer to have the ECU flashed? I'd swap everything, column, trans, awd t-case, etc.

 

[NakedDucks]

03 should still be decent to swap - it was 06 iirc when they started doing the canbus stuff which makes it far more difficult to swap.

Correct.

 

[bobbywalter]

Well, I dislike wiring, but I can do it and I do it the correct way, with soldier and shrink wrap, but what I don't understand is, if you take all the electronics out the donor vehicle and you put those same electronics into the new vehicle, why would you need to take it to the dealer to have the ECU flashed? I'd swap everything, column, trans, awd t-case, etc.

Where the hell are you getting that...that is one way.

You get it turned off. And tuning will always be ideal. Don't need a dealer for either.

 

[bobbywalter]

Wiring is getting to be the hardest parts of engine swaps. At least if you want everything to look and function like it wasn't hacked together. Getting things to physically fit mechanically is the easy part. I'm personally trying to design a plug and play Ecoboost swap into my 1997. I've spent the last year with the complete dealer service manuals reverse engineering parts of the truck on the bench using junkyard parts. I'm an electrical engineer, so I'm designing signal converter modules for a lot of things because otherwise it can't be done. After 12 months, I've almost got the instrument cluster functioning based on CAN bus signals for OBDII. Next I have to figure out the crate motor wiring to get it to run.

I am glad you are working on this still...but ecoboost swaps are out there...and shit canning pats and turnkey systems are readily available.

Do you have HP Tuners?

Do you know who hot wires are? Mars?

Problem I am seeing with the big 6 ecoboost and rangers is packaging and airflow alteration... Then tuning for airflow.

The tuning is fickle on them.

4 cylinder otoh... is pretty good..

 

[rubydist]

I would love the idea of a 2.7 EcoBoost swap, but I am not finding anything out on the interwebs about that. Can you provide some guidance bobbywalter?