*Help* 1999 Ranger 4.0l ohv xlt supercab project *Help*

[Waygood_Haygood]

Okay guys, as the title says I'm working on a 1999 2wd 4.0l ohv Ranger (W/Bad Transmission) I stole at $300. I originally got it for the clean 4.0l ohv engine that had low miles on it to swap into my 1996 Explorer xlt 4x4 when my serpentine belt broke and overheated the 4.0l OHV engine with 240,000 miles on it, a previously blown head gasket as well as a shitty pitted intake. I don't have any clue about how much damage was done but the engine has done it's duty and will be scrapped after it's stripped of accessories and sensors.
I have searched all around for info on what I could swap (Transmission, transfer case, front suspension 4x4 wise) from my Explorer to the Ranger(Basically trying to make the Ranger 4x4 or atleast salvage whatever 4x4 elements that will swap). I was looking at the front end and suspension and they look like they are the same dimensions except the Explorer's is bulkier and looks way stronger. I have already made the decision to swap the 31 spline 8.8 rear end regardless of the 4x4 interchangeability and pretty much believe I can handle moving the shock mount on it to make it work. I have looked all over the internet to see if my recently rebuilt "96 4-speed auto transmission & transfer case would work if I swapped the ECU, GEM, harness, or whatever else would be required. I've pretty much almost abandoned hope. I want either my 4-speed auto or a 5-speed manual mazda M5OD? The 5-speed 5r55e Ranger transmission is trash in my opinion and I'd scrap both vehicles before I'd consider wasting my time and money on the purchase and installation. I'm swapping my buckets into the Ranger as well as alot of the dash pieces(specifically the dash bezel because of the 4x4 selector switch) stripping the engine of accessories, sensors (called autozone and cross referenced part numbers ✔) If anyone has any valuable information on how to make the 4-speed transmission swap happen or required modifications to swap the front end out I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Waygood_Haygood]

Btw this is my first attempt at a swap or project like this. I'm not a professional mechanic. I know what I have learned through hands on experience, auto repair manuals, google and YouTube. I just love the feeling when you made something awesome out of something broken or otherwise without purpose.

 

[19Walt93]

The 5R55E never gave us any problems, I don't recall us having to do anything more major than a valve body gasket. There's a servo bore repair out there but we never had to do one. By the way, the difference between the 5R55 and the prior 4 speed auto is all in the programming of the PCM and not in mechanical parts. They evolved from the not-too-durable A4LD which had it's roots in the Pinto C3.

 

[adsm08]

Your love affair with the 4R transmission and apparent utter hatred of the 5R trans is confusing to me, since at Walt said, they are the exact same transmission.


The frame on that Ranger is wrong for 4x4 and it won't accept a front axle. The suspension bracketry is different, the mounts for the front axle and the torsion bars used in a 4x4 are not there, and the axle shafts would go through the coil springs that are there. You almost need to take the entire front portion of the Explorer frame, or so a solid axle under the front of the Ranger to make 4x4 happen.

If that Ranger is already an auto you should be able to throw the Explorer trans in and go, I think they are the same unit.

 

[Waygood_Haygood]

It boils down to my preference of mechanical over electrical I guess. I am fully aware that both transmissions are computer controlled and are pretty much geared the same but there is alot more computer controlled nonsense to go wrong with the 5r55e. I love the simplicity and toughness of the 4.0l ohv engine and it changed my opinion on Ford all together. The Sohc engine is garbage in my opinion because there's so much that can go wrong with it. I'm sure that isn't a popular opinion amongst the Ford community but it's my opinion on it. My Explorer's 4.0 ohv has endured a blown head gasket, scorched intake, a broken idler pulley that snapped the serpentine belt and probably almost welded the internals together. Yet at 229,000 miles it's still running. I thought it was a goner for sure but today I did a thorough inspection for any signs the head gasket had failed or if the heads may have cracked. Compression is within spec on all cylinders no evidence of coolant in oil or oil in coolant and no coolant coming out of the exhaust. To my complete amazement, nothing seems to be performing outside of expectation. Maybe I just got lucky? So out of curiosity I replaced the belt and pulley and drove it around town long enough for the engine to get to normal operating temperature for a while and came home and after it cooled checked the coolant level and it was the same as when I left. I always favored Chevrolet and still stand behind the 4.3 vortec as the best V6 ever built. Once the flawed factory spider injection assembly is replaced with the improved assembly with the OE faults corrected they are immortal. One engine will go through two or three transmissions before it needs rebuilt. I am discovering though that the 4.0 ohv is going 12 rounds with the best out there. I just can't kill it. Not that I've tried but circumstances haven't been kind to my engine.

 

[Waygood_Haygood]

Anyways, an update on my Ranger project. I put my 17inch Expedition rims on the Ranger today and I think it looks amazing . After noticing the differences in the front ends today the 4x4 swap is a distant fart in the wind but most of the front end is still gonna be swapped because my Explorer front end was completely replaced last year and most of it is the same as the Ranger. I have come to the decision that a M5ODR1 will push my 4.0 and my explorer's 8.8 rear end and disk brakes are gonna follow that 5-speed manual baby! There's a guy locally that reprograms the computer for the manual to work like it's factory and his services are pretty reasonably priced. Any links to walkthroughs or guides on the 4.0l OHV manual swap would be very helpful. I'm not sure if I want to invest the immense amount of energy and time it'd take find one that actually works. M5ODR1 (they aren't very common here in N/Ga) scrap yard transmission to keep my budget low enough to be able to afford a top shelf clutch kit (recommendations and/or links are appreciated) , buy a used one online that has decent milage or just buy a rebuilt one with a warranty, because I plan on keeping this truck very long term. Come hell or high water I'll swap my Explorer's rear bumper onto the Ranger. If have to fabricate custom brackets myself, hire a machine shop to make it happen or just weld the bumper to the frame. It's like 80 lbs heavier than the Ranger bumper and the Explorer's bumper reinforcement is reinforced. The Ranger's bumper seems like poorly made mass produced china tin coated with chrome with no reinforcement or attempt to even make it seem sturdy or strong. Almost like Ford really had to drastically reduce material costs that year or they had to drop a lot of weight from somewhere. My Ranger came with a pretty good tow package installed already so maybe they figured that was enough to pull what they needed to but I'm building me a work truck and I want a 20 year performance. I ran out of daylight when I started messing with the bumpers and trying to see how I could mount it the right way. I plan on removing the Ranger's seats tomorrow to shampoo the living hell out of them for a good couple of hours and pressure wash them afterwards before they take a Lysol&febreeze bath. The truck sat in the previous owners yard for a year or two and the cloth seats smell musty. If I can't get them back right I'll just curb them While the seats are out of the truck, I'll finish removing the carpet and apply the insulation and the Automotive Vinyl flooring that'll be replacing the carpet, I'm hoping that doing so will dissipate the musty smell and almost make it smell like new. It's a work in progress though, I need a good cruise control swap guide if anyone knows a link to a good walkthrough. Thanks for the assistance. All helpful info is appreciated, Any helpful suggestions or common mistakes that you can give me a heads up on could save me valuable resources that I need. I'm on a pretty limited budget considering my undertaking. Thanks in advance.

 

[adsm08]

It boils down to my preference of mechanical over electrical I guess. I am fully aware that both transmissions are computer controlled and are pretty much geared the same but there is a lot more computer controlled nonsense to go wrong with the 5r55e.

But there isn't. Same transmission, same wires, same computer, different software, nothing different to go wrong.

Claiming there is as bunch of extra things that can go wrong with the 5R is like saying an Inspiron 15 is junk but the Inspiron 11 is great, when the only difference is the size of the screen.