1996 2.3 to 1996 3.0 swap, anyone done it??

[stackz]

I've got a 96 2.3 5-speed ranger that is an absolute turd and I dont really want to tow anything with it either due to it having a timing belt and I've had a horror story in the past with another small truck with a timing belt that couldnt take the towing strain and the belt kept popping...

anyway, my dad just got in a 1996 3.0 automatic ranger. no clue if it runs/drives yet but if it does I'm wondering how hard it would be to swap in that drivetrain into my truck??

I'm "assuming" that because both are the same year truck that it wouldnt be too hard as the dash harnesses might possibly be the same and that the 3.0 engine harness would be plug/play hopefully??

anyway, anyone done something like this??

 

[stackz]

I bought this truck for $800 and my dad is willing to give me the swap as long as I give him back my old drivetrain to sell.

dont want to put even $1 into the swap if I dont have to so I'll be swapping the auto along with the engine even though everyone I hear says the auto is a dog. hell, it cant be as bad as the 2.3 was. I had to drop that down into 3rd on the highway just to pass people....

 

[stackz]

dad cranked it yesterday and said it ran pretty good and the a/c blows cold...a/c...aahhhh sweet sweet a/c....

my truck is factory non-a/c. Looks like I may just completely pull apart both trucks and swap everything over including the under-dash harness. If I run into any problems I'll definitely document what happens.

only thing I'm upset about is he didnt get me the build date and he didnt put it in forward/reverse to see if the transmission will even do that much.

Oh and I just simply dont want to drive a 5-speed truck at the boat ramp is the main reason for not going with a stick with the 3.0...well that and I dont want to go through the pain of sourcing a 5-speed transmission, etc. swapping pedals, etc wont bother me at all since I'll have the dash out anyway adding in the a/c.

regardless of what I do, that project is at least a few months away as I've got 3 mustang projects I'm trying to get finished up and sold so I have enough room at my house to start on this.

 

[stackz]

well hell, the build date is 8/94 so its an obd-1 truck. looks like I definitely get to swap pretty much everything over lol