2003 engine swap

[justin30513]

I love seeing all these difficult V-8 swaps talked about. I could not imagine even thinking about doing the "Explorer" 302 swap. Honestly, unless you just found a low mileage gem that was wrecked, you'd be looking at doing an engine and tranny rebuild. There's no way I'd go though time of a swap without doing it. A 200k 5.0 is on borrowed time. It usually been on a shelf or in a "yard" and probably hasn't been started in a decade.
Your best bang for dollar is a 4 cylinder EcoBoost turbo that utilizes the SAME block as the 2.3 Duratec naturally aspirated engine that was offered to begin with.
Realistically you know you don't need 400 HP to the wheels that most think they are magically gonna get out of a 5.0....easily and affordably. If you have to have a V-8, do a 125k to 150k LS truck version swap. The average cost is $2k for a decent pair. Rebuild the transmission for around $1k. Don't use the Chevrolet ECU. Save the money. There's a ton of of aftermarket ECU fuel management kits and harnesses for $1500. Aces Fuel Injection's system, a setup I'm hearing great things about, even comes with a highly customizable dash cluster. Plus these setups TUNABLE out of the box. You're gonna spend around $500 to turn an OEM GM ECU into a unit that's capable of tuning.
But back to 4-cylinder option. There are 1000s of the 2015ish era 4cyl EcoBoost turbo that's made by Mazda. Yep. You have a 2 manufacturers that you can shop from. The Ford Escape and Edge allow for 100s of engines that have are under or right at 100k miles for an average price of $1400.....with ECU, harness, and turbos. These have 250ish HP depending on the models and get mid 20's mpg. They are very conservatively boosted and with tuning alone get 250 WHEEL HP. These are so lighter and so much easier to install. Cheaper to rebuild too.
You can also find an NA 2.3 Duratec and rebuild it for boost. The OEM matching tranny is also basic (both the automatic and manual) and very easily and affordably rebuilt.
There's no reason to put a 300 to 400 who 302 5.0 in a Ranger unless you're going all out and dumping $10k to $15k in it. And you usually don't get AC either! .
It's easily done with the 4-cylinder option because it comes with all this from the factory as an optional engine....and not a costly swap!
You can even get a 2.3 EcoBoost new crate engine for $5k that comes in the newer Mustangs.
Honestly, if I wanted a project powerhouse, your can get a complete Mustang 2.3 swap, I mean accessories, pedal, 10 speed automatic that smokes 90% of manuals, with 350hp and 85k'ish miles for $5k to $6k.
In fact here's one out of a 2019 Ford Ranger for $5k shipped. ECU harness and drive by wire pedal.
If you think you're going to do a nice reliable V8 swap for $2k...ok. yeah maybe for a drag strip trailered beater but nothing comfortable and reliable.
I just was wanting to spend two grand and I'm not saying that's all you have, but if so I would just rebuild the 4.0 and then find a supercharger or turbo it.
You quickly see why I'm an advocate of rebuilding and turboing a NA 2.3 Duratec. That's what I'm doing to my 2003 3.0 auto. This 2.3 turbo setup uses factory everything and can pretty easily put down 250 hp to the wheels. It's lighter and a better on fuel.
I'm no expert but that's exactly why I've spent three years researching this and the options.
2019 Ranger 4cyl setup....

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Here's a Ford Edge 2.0 EcoBoost (2.0 to 2.5's all use the same block as the 98-03 NA Duratec that came in the Ranger) with 61k miles for $1500 shipped with warranty.
Made 245hp 275lb torque and 20city-29hwy mpg.
Hmmm......lol.

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[19Walt93]

Be careful doing a front wheel drive to rear wheel drive swap, I've seen cases where the block casting is different so some parts won't bolt up. A 2.3 EcoBoost from a Mustang would be a good candidate, especially if you can get a donor car.
My Ranger was a gutted out former drag truck when I got it, I had a complete 95 F150 351, a C4, and an 8 inch rear so that's what I used after I rebuilt everything. It didn't have a heater box so I got a Vintage Air system for the truck. With Duraspark and a Holley it gets 16-18 mpg. I sold my 2011 Ranger in 2019, paid off my Kioti tractor, and used the remainder toward building this Ranger, I have a mechanically new truck for $3000 out of pocket. No engine swap is a simple plug and play, there's going to be some fabrication and wiring changes.

 

[JoshT]

I believe there is a way around that by putting switches on the obd port and turning it off when going to the emissions testing station. At least here in CO, if they can't read the obd port, then they have to do the roll dyno tailpipe testing, and if it passes that with no check engine light, then they don't care about the obd port. Some other states may have different rules...

And there is a hack to be able to update the VIN in the pcm, so it reads the correct VIN out of the obd port, its just that it requires a cooperative Ford tech, which is not always attainable. There is a youtube video by FordTechMakuloco on how to update the VIN in the pcm if you are interested.

Do you happen to have a link to this video or know the title? I went to look for it and dude has a LOT of videos.

 

[Lefty]

Also just a heads up, your 4.0 has 210 hp, the 5.0 v-8 Explorer has 215 hp, it's a lot of work and money to swap for 5 hp

The Windsor 302 would be adding more weight too

 

[JoshT]

@justin30513 I'll disagree with almost all of that, but I do agree that a turbo 4 would be a better choice for the OPs truck.

On a 1998-2001 Ranger, a basic, easy, and reliable V8 swap can be done for $2k or less with the right Explorer donor. There are plenty running around out there in good shape and solid transmissions, you just have to be patient and shop around. Granted I'm not a good example, I didn't get the "right" donor, but it was still the perfect donor for me.

IMO the ops best choice would be rebuild or install a newer SOHC. By the time the were in the Mustangs most of the bugs were worked out. If it were me, I'd probably try to find a low mile mustang 4.0L to drop in. If my '99 had the SOHC I'd probably never have done the swap. If I wanted more power I'd be looking at Modbox. This is likely the route that will be taken in dad's '01 if we ever decide to pull more power out of it.

 

[rubydist]

Do you happen to have a link to this video or know the title? I went to look for it and dude has a LOT of videos.

@JoshT - I believe it is this one:

 

[JoshT]

@JoshT - I believe it is this one:

Thanks! I was just about to start searching again on the desktop. There wasn't a good way I could find to search just his channel on my cellphone.