3.0 to 4.0 questions

[sloth69mustang]

hey guys. its been awhile since i have been on here. but i was out wheelin about a week ago and finally blew up/hydro locked my 3.0l which just gives me an excuse to move up to the 4.0l.

now i found a 97 aerostar 4.0l with 86k on it(awesome) and i found an ecu for a 97 4x4 manual. but i am having problems finding a wire harness. the real problem is does the ranger harness work on the aerostar engine? if i can find a harness for a 97 4.0l ranger would everything be ok? i just dont know if any of the sensor locations moved between the ranger and aerostar 4.0ls.

info on this would be sweet if anyone could help. of course its december and snow is coming to ohio soon and i wont have a 4x4. so i have to get busy on this :/

thanks,

bret

 

[sloth69mustang]

hope about this. what 4.0l engines can i put in my 97 and not have any problems with ecu location and other problems.

 

[straycat]

Use the search function. Lots of info there.

 

[sloth69mustang]

will a 99 4.0l work in my 97. i found one with low miles and has everything.

 

[straycat]

Yes, you need to use a lot of the 4.0 stuff. Use the search function. That's why we have it. Use Google to search the swap. So much info out there. I use it all the time.

 

[hoosier1104]

Basic necessities needed,

1. Motor
2. Wiring harness to ensure plug locations are correct for the motor
3. PCM for the motor
4. Wiring diagrams to ensure pin placement in the harness
5. Lots and lots of adult beverage if you are of age

 

[Gotta_gofast]

No you must find a 4.0L from the factory with the same exact date as your 3.0L or it will not work. Month, day, and year... if you do not, the whole truck will explode into an aww-inspiring mushroom cloud. There is a loop hole, however. There's a secret place on TRS called the tech library that will give you endless info. There's also a semi-hidden "search" button. These sources will give you the info you need, but keep in mind they will not hold your hand. You still need to have the mechanical ability to remove and install a motor, tranmission, ect...

 

[det107]

These sources will give you the info you need, but keep in mind they will not hold your hand. You still need to have the mechanical ability to remove and install a motor, tranmission, ect...

This is a very (ha-ha) good statement here. One has (ha-ha-ha) to
do homework first-

 

[sloth69mustang]

ok well for starters. the unnecessary remarks are just not needed when i am trying figure out what is compatible with my truck. i have been doing lots of homework and i have done the searches and i have got so many different answer from different people i was hoping i could get help from making a thread. i have talked to dealerships, part stores, and search all over this site and the info i am looking for i cant find on here.

you dont need to assume someone cant pull an engine or a transmission based off a couple questions trying to see what engine will work. i work for benz. i pull engines on $100,000+ cars everyday.

i know i need to get a new starter, flywheel, clutch, radiator hoses, engine mounts, and exhaust. but i was told from ford that the wire harness for a 4.0l in 97 was only made for just that year and i find that hard to believe. so i came here to talk to people that have done this swap. not to some guy just looking at a computer looking up part numbers.

so lets start over maybe you guys dont understand what i am asking.

i know the explorer harness is dif from the ranger harness. so the 4.0ls would be different i assume due to different locations or sensor and a different body harness. what i am trying to do it make my swap as factory as possible for my truck. i know they changed blocks in 95 and 97 and 2000. for the most part they are the same. i want the same setup as a 97 with a 4.0l in it. from what i have got from the last couple days of research is that the explorer and aerostar engines require a lot or switch parts over to make it fit a 4.0l for a ranger. i cant do that considering i dont have a old 4.0l to pull parts off.

i just need to know what 4.0l engine is going to fit in my 97 like it was from the factory. like i said before i found a 99 4.0l with harness and pcm is that the engine that came in 97? some people say the ohv was only made to 98. some say 2000. i went thro about 30 pages of the 4.0l thread section and couldnt find any of the same info. everyone said different stuff

 

[sloth69mustang]

clutch for a 97 4.0l is a different part number for a clutch on a 99 4.0l..... so i would assume they are different. when i go to order parts in the future i would like to order parts for a 97.

 

[adsm08]

The flywheel changed in 98. The crank on both 4.0's went from a 6-bolt to an 8-bolt pattern when the SOHC was introduced. I think they changed the dowel pins for the pressure plate at the same time, and since the plates are different and come as part of a clutch kit, the kit number changed.

The 97 harness is an odd-ball because they changed the block casting and moved some sensors around. 98 should be compatible enough to run the engine though. The big reason they 98 harness lists as a different part is because of the axle switch in 98. When they went to IRS they switched from the old-style spring actuated auto hubs to the PVH style so the 98 harness has plugs for the vacuum solenoid for the hubs.

You do realize that the 3.0 and the 4.0 do NOT share a bell housing bolt pattern, right?

Going by your statement of "Manual everything" in your sig, I assume the transmission is included in that. Since the M5OD manual transmission doesn't have a removable bell housing you will need to change the transmission as well.

 

[sloth69mustang]

i am aware of the bell housing issue. i was planning on finding a m5od-r1 hd. it will take a little searching but it will probably be worth the wait to switch over too all this new stuff. and thank you for being the only person that could answer my question. so would you say 95-98 is safe for 4.0l ranger engine to go into mine? i think 95 was the first year of that 95m block? if that matters.

 

[adsm08]

I was just throwing the trans thing out there since it hadn't been brought up explicitly yet.

If you want to be able to walk up to a parts desk and as for 97 parts, 97 is as late as you can go because of the flywheel and crankshaft changes. 96 to 98 should be good enough for the engine harness.

 

[sloth69mustang]

so really i am looking at 96 and 97 if i were to get a complete engine, harness and pcm for it to be the easiest swap/parts counter would be all "97" parts....correct? but if i were to piece it together i could use 95-97 engine, 96-98 harness, and pcm i would assume 96-98?

 

[Gotta_gofast]

You're right, I assumed the worst. There are one or two posts A DAY of guys asking if it is possible to swap to a 4.0L... most have little to no clue and get in over their head. I would definatly find a M5OD-R1HD and if I were you I'd look into the 98+ engine. You will need the newer style clutch/flywheel as previously stated but the newer rotating assemblies are factory balanced in both OHV and SOHC (they did this because the SOHCs ability to rev higher). The better rotating assembly would mean high rpm stability. While most look at that from a drag racing point, you can also feel better when towing a heavy load in a lower gear for an extended period of time.

Have you thought about swapping in the SOHC motor?