1988 B2 Conversion using 2000 Explorer 302

[dSINtia]

Guys,

I decided to escape the freezing cold and headed to Dallas for the week. Checking a few local connections down here and I've sourced an 85 F-150 2wd trans in good working order that I can take for free but before I lug this thing back to Chicago I wanted to check with ya'll to make sure it will serve as a decent replacement for the 2000 I pulled out of the donor.

I understand the 85 AOD is not electronically controlled and instead is controlled with the throttle valve while the AODE and 4R70W shift points are controlled through the EEC but can it be used? Would it cause more of a problem than a free trans is worth? Having to add a kick-down cable aside, could it make things easier? I'm pretty sure the 85 had both cruise and the mechanical speed sensor... Does the bell housing mate to the 2000 5.0L? Obviously my knowledge about interchangeability and model compatibility is running low...

Again, I plan to use the 2000 5.0L, a 97 ECU, a 96 wiring harness and (maybe) a 1985 AOD from a 2wd F-150 with either a new-old stock trans harness or the re-pinned 2000 harness if it would even hook up. Doubt it and I'm not sure I'd even need it being there's nothing electric about an AOD. If I did have to find a new trans harness to mate up to the 85 trans I'll tackle that as a get to it but again, I can't think of anything that requires a harness on an AOD. Would using an AOD with a 97 ECU and the 2000 engine cause issues with the way the engine would run??? I just don't know enough about programming and tuning to appreciate the dependency that exists between the trans and engine when dealing with EECs.

Any feedback is great guys. Thanks in advance...

Dave

 

[RangerSVT]

Thats an aod, a mechanically operated overdrive trans. Its too old for what you need. You need at least a 96 model from the f series truck, car or explorer...

SVT

 

[dSINtia]

Understood. The guy has a 97 F-150 trans as well but I've got to yank it out.

I figured the AOD was going to be an issue... thanks for the response SVT.

Back to the scrapyard I go...

Dave

 

[RangerSVT]

Btw, 97+ f series trucks will have the mod motor (4.6l) which you can't use, but you can use the trans out of the 4.2l V6 out of the 97+ f series...

SVT

 

[RangerSVT]

If you can't come up with one, let me know, I have a good 97 2wd trans I'll swap ya...

SVT

 

[dSINtia]

Boy you guys weren't kidding about all the gotchas associated with mixing and matching years but I'm committed now. The dang engine is getting used in this Bronco... .

I'll be done here for about a week or so and will be hitting all the salvage yards but if I don't find something that is going to work and simultaneously offers reasonable quality, I may just take you up on the offer to swap...

Thanks again...

 

[bobbywalter]

you know, after thinking about this.....


if i were doing this with a perfectly good running and shifting donor in the yard, and wanted a 2wd, i would ship the ecm to have the pats disabled and the evap along with whatever else i wanted dealt with done, and pull the chain out of the t case and just use what i had. i would modify the donor exhaust to length as necessary, fit the donor explorer fuel system and call it a day...or three.

only thing i would be looking for at a junkyard would be a driveshaft that would bolt in so i did not have to have one made....and even at that i would not look very hard or long. just cut the doner down and get on with it.




but thats me.

 

[bobbywalter]

not sure if i would use a foxpan or a road pan though....cause you will probably drive this agressively whether you plan to or not

 

[dSINtia]

Thanks BW. I have come at this thing from all the angles I can think of and I found myself bouncing back and forth between plans. I finally just had to pull the trigger and do it. Sooo... I decided to convert the B2's and donor engine to a return style using a fuel rail I got out of someone's new old stock, shift to a pre-PATS ECU and harness and swap my working, relatively low-mileage 2000 trans for a 97 trans that has the gear driven speedo sensor. I haven't yet worked as far back as the T-case but assuming I can get away with tearing the chain out of donor, I'll probably do just that and I've already planned to cut and paste the donor's drive shaft as it seemed in pretty darn good shape when I yank it out. My plan is to use the modular headers assuming I won't have luck finding a cast set - everything I've read says they'll fit. As for the cats and the rest of the exhaust, I delete the cats and install dummy plugs and have the duals built if I they'll fit. I've went ahead and ordered a dual sump oil pan... I'm not in a huge hurry so I'll be taking my time once I get the parts together. I look to start tearing down the B2 sometime in mid-January.

 

[Mac]

Dave, if you can't find those manifolds in a yard, Rock Auto has them new for abut $107 new.
Dave of the Nord

 

[dSINtia]

Once again, thanks for the tip. Rock Auto is gonna be happy with me.

 

[dSINtia]

Guys,

As I start to pull all the parts together for this swap, some from yards, some new, some from some of you, I wanted to write out my list of have and have-nots for you guys to shoot holes in it before I pull the engine out of the donor this weekend and get started in earnest. So here goes:

-2000 W302
-97 4R70W 2wd Trans
-97 ECU
-97 engine and trans harnesses
-donor throttle cable and cruise module
-94 HP PS hose
-Dual sump oil pan and pick-up tube off a 83-93 5.0L mustang
-302 motor mounts - not sure which brand but have been advised to avoid the 94 convertible mustang mounts, although I understand they work
-return type fuel rail and regulator with new injector O-rings
-intake manifold gasket
-160 degree thermostat
-valve cover gaskets
-oil filter relocation kit (summit racing good???)
-trans cooler line and fittings
-cast headers
-2-wire CPS
-94 4.0 explorer radiator

I plan to modify the heater box, remove A/C altogether, modify or have built a drive shaft, remove the cats and o2 sensors and have exhaust made for it after installation. I fully expect the harnesses to be plug and play so I have no need to worry about wiring... haha, gotcha.

Anyhow, I'm sure I forgot one or two or 50 things... Any input is appreciated - especially if I'm running down the wrong hole with what I have planned above. Thanks in advance.

Dave

 

[Mac]

Make that a 3 wire CPS to go with the '97' harness/CPU (to be included in package). Most would recommend staying away from the 160 deg thermostat.
Dave of the Nord

 

[dSINtia]

Thanks For keeping me straight Dave!

 

[RangerSVT]

Go with a 180* t-stat, 160 is too cold. I highly recommend the block plates over the mustang mounts, which are 87-93 model. You also won't need to cruise module as you won't have the harness or proper system to operate it...

SVT