1998 Ford Ranger 5.0 swap

[Deadeye512xr]

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and glad to be a member. So I'm more than halfway into my V8 swap and have a few questions for some of you that have successfully completed this swap. So let me lay down the parts I have so far and my progress thus far. I have a complete 5.0 motor from a 1998 ford explorer with an M5ODR2 tranny from a 1999 ford f150 with the 4.2l and a hayden remote oil filter mount. So one of my questions is about the fuel pressure differences between my ranger returnless and my donor engine return system. Do I have to change the fuel pressure regulator on the inside of the tank and run a return line or will the dampened on the fuel rail take care of it?

 

[win]

On my '96 5.0 powered '02 Ranger, I chose to remove the in-tank FPR and add a return line from the fuel filter forward.

I cut out and reshaped the Expo return line and married it to the return at the filter. Only trick was swapping the ends on the fuel lines at the back of the filter. The Expo filter will pop into the Ranger filter bracket and you can plug on fuel lines, but, the fuel line that plugs into the supply side of the filter is actually the return. A pair of fuel line rated push in couplings made the swap easy.

 

[Deadeye512xr]

I bought this kit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-65385?seid=srese1&gclid=CMXYwNKolM0CFQyHaQodQlgK1g it has a fitting pointed toward the fuel tank and goes into the fuel filler neck i was going to put a hose off of the fitting pointed into the tank and then run the line up to the return line with some hose that i bought http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-800071-Fuel-Line/dp/B0002JMCQ4?tag=959media-20 is this a decent idea? as long as the fuel is dumping under the surface of the fuel it should be ok I would think. Correct me if this is a bogus plan.

 

[JAMMAN]

It returns the fuel I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work but win's method is way cheaper and easier if you have the line from the donor and is in fact the route I am going to take with mine based on the success of his build.

 

[Junglejoe]

Or if I read correctly(win correct me if I'm wrong) get a 99 expo fuel rail.. That's what I thought I needed to do on my 98 ranger with the 96 expo motor..

 

[Deadeye512xr]

Unfortunately I chose to not buy a donor vehicle and source the parts myself from my local pull a part salvage place which is a 20 mile drive... I wish I had just bought a rolled explorer to start with but too little too late since I already bought the kit I will probably just use it and if it causes problems I can try Wins route which I think is better as well but I bought all the stuff already for my setup... my next problem involves the PCM since i am doing this as a 4x4 manual setup and im going to pull a 4406 out of an f150 when i get the chance what do I have to do about PATS and the automatic trans functions? can i bring the PCM to the dealership to have it re-tuned if all possible for a manual setup without the PATS system (my truck doesn't have PATS) or does it have to be installed in the truck and hooked up to the engine harness to do this? I do have a PCM from a 1997 ford explorer but that was a returnless fuel system and I wanted to keep from having to change out the fuel rail because I read that the 1998 and 1997 ford explorers had different sensors etc. and they aren't fully compatible. Thoughts?

 

[Junglejoe]

. Will have to have the computer turn off the autotrans functions.. I don't know to much about 4x4 swap info as far as what gets signals from what sensors.

 

[win]

Don't think a Ford dealer will touch a re-tune to delete the transmission out of the PCM. But, there was a post a couple months back from a guy found a mail order solution. Sent his PCM out and $200 later, was returned ready to go manual.

I've read about guys that have successfully swapped in a rerurnless fuel rail and matching high pressure injectors from a '99 - '01 onto a '96 - '98 5.0.

Only thing I know that gets lost is the vacuum controlled changes in fuel pressure the earlier PCM.

What I don't know is how the pulse width on the earlier PCM flows fuel with the higher pressure injectors.

In theory, the higher pressure fuel should atomize better with benefits all 'round.

 

[Deadeye512xr]

Ok, so the PCM situation will have to be a bit of a wild goose chase then I would like to keep the PCM that came with the engine I bought so I guess either way I look at it I will have to make some calls or look around on the web for that resource... Does the PCM control fuel pressure or is it just a constant pressure and the fuel is slowed down at the injectors by the PCM or does the dampener take care of this? Sorry if my questions are noobish but up until now I have only worked on my motorcycles and my 1984 ranger I had which all three of my bikes and my 84 ranger are all carbureted...

 

[win]

PCM has no clue or control over fuel pressure. All it knows is what the O2 sensors tell it about how much unburnt fuel is in the exhaust.

The FPR manages fuel pressure. The in-tank ones run at 4.0 to 4.5 bar, the external fuel rail ones at 2.0 to 2.5 bar.

But,, the external ones have a vacuum port on them that drops fuel pressure down another 10 psi or so at idle and during off throttle deceleration.

 

[Deadeye512xr]

Ok so I just need an in tank pressure regulator from a 1998 expo. I was looking into re-tuning my PCM but I just find programmers and such that Im guessing plug into the OBD-2 port under the dash. Do you know if these are worth my time/money to fix the auto trans and PATS functions out? I've seen a few after doing a google search for anywhere between $300- $500 are any of them any good to the best of your knowledge or am I better off asking around on the forum for someone who has sent their PCM in for a re-tune?

 

[Deadeye512xr]

On my '96 5.0 powered '02 Ranger, I chose to remove the in-tank FPR and add a return line from the fuel filter forward.

I cut out and reshaped the Expo return line and married it to the return at the filter. Only trick was swapping the ends on the fuel lines at the back of the filter. The Expo filter will pop into the Ranger filter bracket and you can plug on fuel lines, but, the fuel line that plugs into the supply side of the filter is actually the return. A pair of fuel line rated push in couplings made the swap easy.

Got any pictures of this by chance? After dropping the tank and seeing what you are talking about I think this is the route I need to go.