1992 Ford Ranger 2.3 Engine Swap Recommendations

[Dleach92ranger]

I have a 1992 Ford Ranger 2.3 5 speed standard. I’m wanting to do a engine and transmission swap. V6 or V8. It really doesn’t matter to me I just want something stouter than the baby 4 cylinder that’s currently in it. I have no idea where to even begin, what motors and transmissions will be compatible and any extras that I need to be aware of. I would love to just purchase a donor vehicle and pull everything and swap it over. Any advice will be helpful, and what donor vehicles I can buy for the swap.

 

[RonD]

Nice looking RED Ranger

V6 would be the same work as V8 so I would go V8, Ford 302(5.0l) fit in a Ranger engine bay because its only 18" wide

You need engine and transmission for the swap, the 2.3l trans won't bolt to any other engine, bell housing is not detachable
Wiring and computer for each engine model is specific to that engine
Which is why its the same work for V6 or V8 swap

Good page to bookmark here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/

Look in Engine section for engine swap articles
Lots of info on V8 swaps

Simplest is 302 with Carb and Distributor set up and an M5OD-R2 manual trans from a 1997-2003 4.2l V6, 2WD, this 4.2l V6 has same trans bolt pattern as the 302 AND shifter is in the same place as your Rangers shifter now

If you want fuel injection then you need the new engines wiring harness and its computer, from manual trans vehicles
Auto and manual tran vehicles have different computers and harnesses, just FYI

 

[Dleach92ranger]

Update on the Ranger swap. I’ve found a 1970’s carbureted rebuilt 302 motor for a great deal so I picked that up. Now I’m needing any information I can get on compatible manual transmissions. The ranger is currently a 1992 2.8 L 5 speed manual and I want to go back with manual. Any help is appreciated!

 

[RonD]

An M5OD-R2(M5R2) transmission from a 1997 to 2008 F-150 with V6(4.2l) will have same bolt pattern as the 302
You will need to drill out the bell housing bolt holes a 1/16"(maybe 1/8")because they are Metric and 302 bolts are SAE so don't quite fit thru
Shifter will be in the same place a Rangers
These will NOT have speedometer cable hook ups, but there are solutions to this

But you can also use any 302 manual trans, from a truck the shifter will come up just under the front of dash so shifter arm will need to be bent back a bit
Trans from a car, the shifter will come up at the front of the seats so a bit far back but can be bent as well
These can have speedometer cable hook ups, pre-1990

 

[Dleach92ranger]

I found one out of an 06 F150 v6 5 speed, but he doesn’t remember was liter engine was in the truck.

 

[RonD]

As far as I know the 4.2l was the only V6 used in F150 1997 thru 2008

That is a picture of an M5R1 2WD transmission

If seller can send you a picture of the front it should match this bell housing's holes: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pcYAAOSw-p9ijGlW/s-l500.jpg

 

[Dleach92ranger]

Will this transmission work with my setup? He’s suppose to be sending a picture of the bell housing.

 

[RonD]

Yes, it will if its from a 4.2l engine, 1997 to 2008

But no speedometer hook up

 

[Dleach92ranger]

I’m needing more in detail help on what anyone else has done as far as brackets/pulleys for power steering, A/C, alternator, etc. We are putting the motor in the truck this weekend. I’m wanting to retain my power steering pump from my factory 1992 2.3 L. I also want to retain my factory alternator, and a/c compressor. Does anyone have any more in depth detail on parts and brackets used? All I have found is very vague. It’s a late 70’s model 302. Serpentine drive.

 

[bobbywalter]

Van serp setups can have the good Saginaw pump. I use those when possible....


no body lift it can be hard to package....the factory style pump for the ranger is a turd.

The explorer or sn FEAD is ideal and generally easy to find.

 

[Dleach92ranger]

So the whole setup from a 5.0 explorer will work? Pump included? I don’t know what “sn fead” means.

 

[Dleach92ranger]

What year explorers can I pull from?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

"sn FEAD"
I think sn refers to a particular mustang.

And guess at FEAD;
Front
Engine
Accessory
Drive

Acronyms suck...

 

[RonD]

Short nose, sn

Bigger vehicles had longer engine bays so the radiator was farther forward, engines needed long nose water pump so fan was closer to radiator, and so all pulleys were moved farther forward to line up with water pump pulley

Short nose starts with shorter crank/balancer pulley, and water pump, then shorter bracket mounts for accessories

 

[bobbywalter]

Yeah...sn 95 mustang and the last of the 302 t birds/cougar have a shorter drive system. But those are rare....

V8 sploder and mountaineer usually not so rare and easier to find.


Not sure about the r2 . Definitely a decent option...

The t5 from the V6 application stang are easy enough to find and a better spread depending on intentions.

There is a combo to use like the r2...make sure it's 164 f series flywheel and the common pilot..adapting a external slave is a pia but better then a concentric to me...but iirc the V6 bell actually uses the bigger flywheel unlike the V8 stang which is the 157....there was a pressure plate issue...and spline count on the disk.

I would have to look it up....been a bit.

150 flywheel and pressure plate with 3.8 disk and tob going on memory.... It's a bit of head scratching