2005 4.0L into a 1990 Ranger

[dangerranger406]

I got 2 4.0L motors for my 1990 ranger that currently has a 2.9L that is done, burning oil like a siv and knocks like a type writer, one engine came out of a 2005 Mustang, the other came out of a 2005 explorer,
i have the wiring harness for the 2005 motor, my question is whats the bare bones needed to get the swap done?
i have a drive by cable throttle body to delete the drive by wire, can i use the ECU from an older 4.0 to bypass the anti theft?

 

[Josh P]

I'd use the 90-91 4.0 ohv ecm and wire it like an ohv engine.

 

[SenorNoob]

This. ^ It'll be by far the easiest way to handle the electrical. I know the SOHC will run on the older computer. And it and the wiring with it fits right into 90 truck.

I suppose you could adapt an early SOHC computer and matching harness to the 90 body. It wouldn't be easy tho. There was never an OBD1/EEC-IV SOHC computer. Nor any OBD2/EEC-V in the 90 body style. The layout was changed completely in 93. If you choose to go this route, I suspect a 98 Explorer would be the simplest. Pretty sure they could be had without PATS and with the SOHC.

 

[dangerranger406]

Yeah that might be a possibility, we had a 05 mustang come into the dealership I work at to program keys, the PATS module is toast in it and everything is obsolete, I have an HP Tuner and can reprogram the ECU, but by the time I get harness and the license for that era Ford ECU I'm way out of my budget,

I'd like to get OBD2 support in the ranger, makes diag on issues and getting realtime feedback from systems so much easier, but yes it's ALOT of work, for now a project for further down the road as I unfortunately at this point in time don't have the time or place for something that extensive,

I guess my biggest concern was compatibility with sensors, I think the 90 harness could theoretically be wired into the sensor pigtails, if I could get a ECU for a 4.0L, since the 2.9L ECU lacks the fueling and are tables for the bigger displacement, also I think a few sensors have 3 and 4 wire where the 90 has single or double wire, and not sure the sensors themselves would cross over and the ignition system, going from a distributor on the 90s to a coil pack on the 05, a complete donor truck/explorer would be the ideal route, but tracking one down in my area has been a real challenge

 

[SenorNoob]

4.0 never had a distributor. It was always coil pack.

I know some of the early sensors can be bolted on the later engine. What would worry me the most is the crankshaft position sensor. Connector looks the same. Pretty sure they are both 36-1 wheels too.

 

[dangerranger406]

Yeah, my 2.9 doesn't have a crank position sensor (that I am aware of or been able to find) so that'd have to be custom wired in

 

[SenorNoob]

It wouldn't. It used a pickup in the distributor for that.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

This. ^ It'll be by far the easiest way to handle the electrical. I know the SOHC will run on the older computer. And it and the wiring with it fits right into 90 truck.

I suppose you could adapt an early SOHC computer and matching harness to the 90 body. It wouldn't be easy tho. There was never an OBD1/EEC-IV SOHC computer. Nor any OBD2/EEC-V in the 90 body style. The layout was changed completely in 93. If you choose to go this route, I suspect a 98 Explorer would be the simplest. Pretty sure they could be had without PATS and with the SOHC.

hey, planning this into my 91 4.0 ohv, but i have many plans for the sohc before it goes in. would i be able to tune the 91 ecu more (obviously have to reprogram if i can just use it) beyond just making the sohc run off of the ohv computer. dont have any donor vehicle yet so are there any i should look out for? you said a 98 explorer but is it possible to use a later one with the timing chain upgrade?

 

[SenorNoob]

I can't see why any 4.0 SOHC wouldn't work. Just getting the wiring/computer from as early a model as possible would make it a little easier.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

any idea of how much harder the newer ones would be? been reading around a bunch of forums and obviously some sensor swaps as well as some newer ones, but nothing much seems to be too different between years, aside from the tensioners of course. would you recommend any specific ones? i know the mustangs have a different cam for more high end torque compared to the ranger/ explorer, unfortunately sacrificing the lower end power a truck benefits from. I don't know of any other variation other than the rarer 98-01 explorers with the variable intake whatever it was.

 

[SenorNoob]

Not really. I haven't messed with much newer than my own swap. It is a 94 engine with 91 Explorer harness and 92 PCM.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

oh okay sounds good thanks. will see what i can find

 

[sgtsandman]

Just be aware of the timing chain setup on the SOHC engine. The passenger side has the chain on the back of the engine instead of the front. If you have any chain guide issues, you have to pull the engine to work on them and you need special tools to set and lock the cams and so on in place.

If you stay on top of the timing chain tensioners, meaning changing them every 70,000 miles, you pretty much eliminate any issues with the guides falling apart and will have an reliable engine. The timing system just just a Rube Goldberg nightmare if you do have to work on it.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

Just be aware of the timing chain setup on the SOHC engine. The passenger side has the chain on the back of the engine instead of the front. If you have any chain guide issues, you have to pull the engine to work on them and you need special tools to set and lock the cams and so on in place.

If you stay on top of the timing chain tensioners, meaning changing them every 70,000 miles, you pretty much eliminate any issues with the guides falling apart and will have an reliable engine. The timing system just just a Rube Goldberg nightmare if you do have to work on it.

plan was to replace the chains and tensioners once i have the motor preemptively, and then do it ever hundred k kilometers or so. bulid the motor to my dream spec anyway so i'm absolutely making sure it can handle it and so i don't have to pull it.