1999 4.0

[Willied1981]

What would be the let say "easiest" motor to swap in to my truck? It is the the 2wd with automatic trans

 

[Uncle Gump]

Another 4.0L of the same year...

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

^^^ He is right, 1999-2000 4.0l OHV would be the ONLY motor that you could call "easy" to swap
But you could swap in a 1990-1998 4.0l OHV by exchanging intake and exhaust manifolds with your 1999

If you are looking for more power or better MPG then you would need to tell us

 

[Willied1981]

Welcome to TRS

^^^ He is right, 1999-2000 4.0l OHV would be the ONLY motor that you could call "easy" to swap
But you could swap in a 1990-1998 4.0l OHV by exchanging intake and exhaust manifolds with your 1999

If you are looking for more power or better MPG then you would need to tell us

Yes I am look for more power. It is getting high in milage,and she doesn't have the get up and go that she had.i have owned her since 99 and I want her to live forever

 

[RonD]

Google: Ranger Throttle cable mod

Just to see if thats why you have less power, stretched throttle cable

The Explorer V8 swap would be the "easiest" but still not easy, its just been done so many times that pretty much all of the pitfalls have been seen and overcome
So you will know what needs to be done, and the parts you will need, before you start

You buy a whole 1996-2001 Explorer V8 model(2wd would be best for you), you decide on condition, you need the engine, computer and wiring harness, plus exhaust, and numerous bits and pieces
Good article to read here: https://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Fall2009/explorer_v8_swap.shtml

1998-2000 Rangers were pretty much the same, so 2000 swap in article would apply to your 1999, just not the 4WD part

Transmission can be used as well, explorer V8s were all automatics, but 4WD trans is different than 2WD and can't be converted
You can't use any Ranger automatic with a V8

 

[Willied1981]

Thank you for your information and I know I asked for the easiest route but I have been rolling around the ideal of the 2.7 eco from a f150. I know I need a donar truck I have the time and resources to do it.i have seen a video of someone putting the 3.5 in a ranger. I just got to talk the wife into it .

 

[adsm08]

The 2.7 is an unmitigated distaster of an engine and should be avoided at all costs, up to and including the ownership of a MOPAR.

 

[Willied1981]

It's that bad ?

 

[adsm08]

It's that bad ?

To start they are under-sized and under-powered for the things it is put in, so it has reduced life expectancy.

Early versions had a plastic oil pan sealed to a metal block and front cover with silicone. This creates obvious issues with sealing in the long term, and the oil pan is non-reusable. In mid 2018 it got a real pan gasket.

Now new ones, and replacement short blocks are being fitted with a belt driven oil pump that lives inside the engine. Parts for servicing the older chain driven pumps are NLA, meaning that Ford is forcibly refitting to a far inferior design on one of the most important parts of the engine.


So yes. It's that bad.