2.9 to 4.0

[josh_lulu]

I am wondering how hard it is to swap out the 2.9 out of my 86 ford ranger 4x4 and drop in a 91-92 ford explorer 4.0. Do i need the power dist. curcuits? I have everything else. I want to keep my dash and headlights assembly. Please help me out. Do you have to cut any wires? Thank you Josh

 

[crawlin91]

there are several articles in the tech library about this swap. check there first

 

[AllanD]

The 4.0 engine will physically bolt in where a 2.9 has been with very few differences.

you WILL need the "power distribution" wiring because the ignition system
is integrated with it and is impractical to seperate.

If anyone wiht an '85-88 EFI ranger actually understood the physical manifestation
of the early Ranger power distribution system you'd have no problem with removing it in favor of the later system.

I'm talking about the actual path of current flow and the path the wires follow
to get it there, and the EXTRA (corrosion prone) connections in that path make you wonder what the original engineers were thinking... it's kinda "Rube Goldberg"

With the later power distribution what you see is what you get.

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