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swap a 4.0 sohc with a 4.0 ohv


RBereswill

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Has anyone swapped a 4.0 sohc with a 4.0 ohv? I know some say I need to swap with a V8, but I don't have the space for a donor vehicle. And I don't care about less HP.
 


RonD

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You could do it, don't know any one who has done it

Fixing or replacing the 4.0l SOHC would be much less trouble, especially in 2004-2011 Ranger, these have the digital(HEC) dash

4.0l OHV would need a 4.0l OHV computer and its wiring harness to run it, and that's an issue with the 2004-2011 Rangers
The 2004-2011 engine computers and HEC cluster are "married" at the factory so people could no longer swap in lower mile clusters, Ford can "re-marry" them if one breaks and needs to be swapped out, not sure DIY can do it, but moot point since no 4.0l OHV computer could work with an HEC cluster

Cab wiring is also different because of the digital dash so swapping in an analog dash(2003 and earlier) would require alot of changes/rewiring

Even V8 swap runs into these same issues on the 2004-2011 Rangers

Can you do it, sure, if time and money are no object
Should you do it, no, spend the time and money on fixing or replacing the 4.0l SOHC, sell that Ranger and buy one with a 4.0l OHV

If you already have a good 4.0l OHV then sell it to fix or replace the 4.0l SOHC
 

RBereswill

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St. Louis, Mo. USA
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2004
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Ford Ranger 4x4
Transmission
Automatic
You could do it, don't know any one who has done it

Fixing or replacing the 4.0l SOHC would be much less trouble, especially in 2004-2011 Ranger, these have the digital(HEC) dash

4.0l OHV would need a 4.0l OHV computer and its wiring harness to run it, and that's an issue with the 2004-2011 Rangers
The 2004-2011 engine computers and HEC cluster are "married" at the factory so people could no longer swap in lower mile clusters, Ford can "re-marry" them if one breaks and needs to be swapped out, not sure DIY can do it, but moot point since no 4.0l OHV computer could work with an HEC cluster

Cab wiring is also different because of the digital dash so swapping in an analog dash(2003 and earlier) would require alot of changes/rewiring

Even V8 swap runs into these same issues on the 2004-2011 Rangers

Can you do it, sure, if time and money are no object
Should you do it, no, spend the time and money on fixing or replacing the 4.0l SOHC, sell that Ranger and buy one with a 4.0l OHV

If you already have a good 4.0l OHV then sell it to fix or replace the 4.0l SOHC
RonD, thank you. This is the first that I have heard about the HEC cluster. I have a 2004 with only 410000 miles. It sat for a long time before I bought it. Shortly after buying it, I started to hear a noise coming from valve covers. On the way home from work I heared a thump. I found a hloe in my valve cover. After pulling the engine I found that all the plastic parts in the front and back timeing chain cassettes broke a part in pieces After this I don't trust the 4.0 SOHC.
.
 

RonD

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The 4.0l SOHC has been as reliable, actually a bit more reliable, than the 4.0l OHV

Both have their weak spots, for the 4.0l OHV its the heads, they Crack if overheated even for a moment, weak spot between the valve seats in the casting, casting can't be fixed, so you just need to PULLOVER if temp gauge starts to go up

4.0l SOHC has the timing chain tensioners, it was never a problem with the chains or cassettes(guides), it was the springs in the tensioners, they have a newer design now but these two long chain tensioners need to be changed every 100k miles as general service, not hard to do, but NEEDS to be done

I think if you looked at the number of head changes on the 4.0l OHV and the numbers of timing chain issues with the 4.0l SOHC you would find more heads changed
I had to do my 4.0l OHV heads TWICE in the 20 years I have owned it
 
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