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302 swap


19Walt93

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I'd agree with most of this except the E7 heads part. E7 heads are garbage. Explorer heads and intake are where it's at for making power with cheap factory parts.

If you really want to do a V8 swap and make any power at all, I suggest finding a 302 from an Explorer. There are NUMEROUS benefits to using an Explorer 302.. Better heads, better intake, extremely compact accessory drive components... Otherwise, early 90's Thunderbird front dress components are also "low profile" but not as compact as the Explorer stuff.
Compared to the heads from the mid 70's through 86, the E7TE heads are pretty good. I'd rather have 289 heads with tiny valves than rail rocker heads with cast in thermactor passages. 96 Explorers got Gt 40 heads, later Explorers got GT 40P heads that can make exhaust manifold/headers difficult.
 


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Just because the explorer stuff fits better or is better heads and intake doesn't mean its the only thing that'll work. I'm currently stuffing a 351w from an f350 into my ranger. Nothing wrong with using what you've got.
 

Cornexav

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Just because the explorer stuff fits better or is better heads and intake doesn't mean its the only thing that'll work. I'm currently stuffing a 351w from an f350 into my ranger. Nothing wrong with using what you've got.
Haha yeah, like I said I've wanted to do a v8 swap ever since I got it but didn't know what to go with. Then one day while moving cars around I found this damned granada with a 302. I'm sure I can make it fit once all the smog bs is ripped off, and I put on smaller accessories.
 

franklin2

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Haha yeah, like I said I've wanted to do a v8 swap ever since I got it but didn't know what to go with. Then one day while moving cars around I found this damned granada with a 302. I'm sure I can make it fit once all the smog bs is ripped off, and I put on smaller accessories.
What they are saying about not fitting when you mentioned the 95 f150 stuff are the fuel injection intake and all that stuff that is original to that truck. Then the discussion went to the Explorer, which again, they said would fit better but they are assuming you want to fuel inject it.

I personally like the older carbed setups. Besides the configuration of the pistons and the heads, a 302 is basically a 302. I would use the carbed granada engine if it's already in good shape. If the 95 truck has a good driveline you can mate it to the older 302. Or if the 95 had a fuel injected 302, you can take it also and convert it to carb. If you found a explorer setup with the 302, you can also strip all the fuel injection off and convert it to carb.

Nothing wrong with fuel injection. It's all in what you prefer to mess with, and how much you like studying diagrams and messing with wires.
 

Cornexav

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Yeah I really only meant the trans and tcase from the 95 f150. I will be sticking with the carburetor, I personally like them more.
 

franklin2

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Does your 93 have a speedometer cable? The 95 setup probably does not have a speedometer cable, they went to electronic speedometer. If your 93 has a electronic speedometer, you may be able to hook that up using whatever the 95 used. If your 93 has a cable speedometer, don't know if you can retro fit a gear drive on the transfer case. Or you could simply find a older transfer case that used the speedometer cable and swap that in.
 

Cornexav

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Does your 93 have a speedometer cable? The 95 setup probably does not have a speedometer cable, they went to electronic speedometer. If your 93 has a electronic speedometer, you may be able to hook that up using whatever the 95 used. If your 93 has a cable speedometer, don't know if you can retro fit a gear drive on the transfer case. Or you could simply find a older transfer case that used the speedometer cable and swap that in.
That's another problem, yes my 93 I believe has a mechanical speed cable. He also has a 93 f150 with trans and tcase but he said the trans has problems. Might be able to talk him into selling me the 95 transmission and 93 tcase, I'd assume they would be able to match together.
 

RonD

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Transfer case has the speedometer cable hook up on 4x4s, up to about 1997, so even after electric speedometers were used
VSS(vehicle speed) sensors were used starting in the mid-late 1980's for computer and cruise, speedometer cables were slowly phased out in the mid-1990's, but the gear drive setup was still used with VSS, and there in transmissions and transfer cases until later 1990s

There was a dual cable/VSS unit that looks like this starting in the late 1980's: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/speed/vss_withgear.JPG
 

Cornexav

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Transfer case has the speedometer cable hook up on 4x4s, up to about 1997, so even after electric speedometers were used
VSS(vehicle speed) sensors were used starting in the mid-late 1980's for computer and cruise, speedometer cables were slowly phased out in the mid-1990's, but the gear drive setup was still used with VSS, and there in transmissions and transfer cases until later 1990s

There was a dual cable/VSS unit that looks like this starting in the late 1980's: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/speed/vss_withgear.JPG
So I should be able to use trans and tcase from the 95?
 

RonD

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Yes, just have a look at transfer case should see the VSS or the hole for it on the output shaft housing

The F-series used the BW1356 1987 thru 1997, so had the speedo gear setup

Or go to a F-series forum and ask what years have the speedometer cable hook up on transfer cases, in Rangers it was until 1997, 1998 and up didn't have it, but can't speak about the larger full size transfer case used in the full size trucks

So BW1356 could have had the speedo gear setup removed in any year, like the Ranger lost it in 1998 with same BW1354 used since 1990 in Rangers
 
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franklin2

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I thought the full size trucks used the speed sensor in the rear pumpkin? You had better check it out before making your choice. Even if they did use the pumpkin speed sensor, if Ron is correct, the transfer case may still have the worm gear on the output shaft, and a dummy plug covering the hole where the speedo cable is supposed to go.
 

Cornexav

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Another question, would the little dana 35 be enough for the v8 swap for now? I'd eventually want to swap it for something stronger.
 

franklin2

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I have no experience with a dana 35 ttb with a v8 behind it. That being said, my experience with other components has led me to believe most people breaking things are taking them to the limit. This would be revving the engine a dropping it in gear, being in low range and bunny hopping up a trail, basically being abusive to the vehicle. We all have done it. That's when things break.

If you do not do 4x4 burnouts after you swap the v8 in place, I don't see why it would not work.

I have a 65 mustang fastback with a mild 302 with a 4bbl and dual exhaust. The c4 transmission went bad years ago. I found a deal on a c4 from behind a 6 cyl maverick. People said the 6 cyl transmissions did not have as many clutch packs as the v8 transmissions. This is probably true. That transmission has been in there now about 30 years, and it still works fine, and I don't baby it, but I don't abuse it or tow with it either.

I have a 1989 f250 with the 7.3 diesel. When I bought it, it had 35 inch tires on it with the dana 44 ttb HD under the front, that is what came stock. If you talk to people, the dana 44 axle should crumble trying to drive 35 inch tires. It didn't. On top of that, I put a 7.5 ft snowplow on it, with the 35's. Plowed snow with it for 5 or 6 years. I did have to replace the balljoints a few years ago, but they were the factory joints I took out and that was at 120,000 miles. It never gave me a problem.
 

Bird76Mojo

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I mentioned the Explorer front accessory drive parts because they're low profile and they don't have to be used with EFI at all.. They'll make much more room available in front of the engine, which is often needed in Ranger swaps.. If one does want EFI then SN95/Thunderbird upper intakes are about as low profile as you can get for hood clearance. Engine mounts also make a difference in that area.

I'll say one thing, if I was going to switch heads on an engine, I certainly wouldn't waste time and money going to E7's.. I'd put that money away and add to it until I could afford something that actually flows some real amounts of air..
 

Cornexav

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So the ranger is in the shop right now getting looked at for the hard pull she has. They found that the radius arm bushing were complete junk. Going a bit farther it gets even worse. The frame has a bit of a gouge in it but that bracket it sits in is now an oval.
 

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