2005 Ranger 4.0 swap coming up

[jonKH]

Hey all, new here and looking forward to learning from you all!
I just picked up a 2005 ranger 4x4 auto with a blown 4.0L engine. While I am waiting for it to be shipped to me, I am doing some research on what engines will work. Sounds like all SOHC long blocks (ranger, explorer & mustang) are the same and will work. I just need to strip it down to the block and heads and use all the peripherals from the truck. The only difference seems to be the balance shaft in some of the engines - 4x4's, and the better timing chain components in the 04 and up engines.
Shoot me your thoughts on what I may be missing.

 

[straycat]

Some Rangers have the OHV 4.0. It was produced until 2000. In 98 the SOHC motor came out. So any 98 and up SOHC motor will be a pefect fit for your truck. I would stay away for the OHV motors just to be on the safe style for a replacment so you won't have any complications.....just in case. Your SOHC produces more horses then the OHV So stay with the SOHC.

The difference between a SOHC 4.0L and OHV 4.0L is that in a SOHC engine there is a camshaft sitting on the top of each cylinder head with the valves running directly off the camshaft. No push rods, no rocker arms, and no lifters. The SOHC engine uses a 'jackshaft' in place of a camshaft to drive a timing chain to each cylinder head. Three timing chains are used, one from the crank to the jackshaft, one in the front of the engine to drive the cam for the left bank, and one on the back of the engine to drive the cam for the right bank.

Om my Ranger the OHV engine has the cam mounted above the crank. The cam and crank are joined in time by a timing chain. Lifters ride on the cam and push rods that extend to rocker arms in the heads which push the valves.

 

[jonKH]

What's your opinion on the balance shaft issue. Should I worry about it or not?

 

[straycat]

Since it is a 4x4 I would stick to a motor with the balance shaft. It seems to me that everyone I know who has done a 4.0 motor replacement went with the same motor...2wd swapped with a 2wd motor and 4x4 swapped out to a
motor from a 4x4. It might make a difference but not 100% sure it does due to the balance shaft. I see nice used motors on Ebay a lot and the salvage yard can give you some advice on it before you purchase a motor. I would try that and see what comes up. You want to be just able to pull out the motor and put in the new one without any hassles. Can the motor in the truck be rebuilt? Might want to keep it and do so if it will be cheaper. Do you know what is wrong with the motor? Really damaged? Piston stuck or crank gone out?

 

[jonKH]

I am waiting to get the truck so I can pull it apart and see what happened. The guy I bought it from thinks a valve or part of it broke off and trashed the cylinder. His opinion was that it was not rebuildable.

 

[straycat]

You don't know until you look at it of course. But....it might be an easy fix...motor don't gotta come out...my favorite fix!!! lol

 

[killj0y]

Rofl I read blown 4.0 as in super charger....I was like stfu! Keep that one dude!

 

[jonKH]

Update

Got the truck. It ran real rough and smoked out the neighborhood. Glad no one called the fire dept. Oil was leaking out of the exhaust. I am worried about the catalytic converters being ruined by all the oil. Anyway almost ready to pull the motor out. Lots of rust on the bolts since the truck came from NH.
Decided to go with an 2011 engine and it got here today. Only has 7700 miles on it - just broken in. I will pull the motor tomorrow night and compare them to see what all I need to switch over. Hopefully no surprises. Anyone know if I need to switch the injectors? I see the fuel rail is set up different so that will need to be changed. I would like to use the new injectors but don't know if they are compatible with my computer.

 

[jonKH]

Irritating multiple random misfire codes

OK, truck is up and running and runs great except in one situation. Cruising at highway speeds and coasting down an incline it starts throwing PO300 random misfire codes. It also throws different cylinder misfire codes but they are different each time. So at highway speeds when you don't have a load on the engine it throws these codes.
Here's some info on the truck. I used all the sensors off the old truck except the EGR. Sparkplugs, fuel filter, air filter are new. Have run 44K injector cleaner through the truck.
I don't know if this is an issue, but the exhaust system was full of oil from the old engine blowing. It took quite a while to burn it out - smoked out the neighborhood and dripped a lot of oil on my driveway. Now now smoke, no CO2 or cat codes throwing and the truck passed the emissions test fine.
ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?
BTW WAS AN EASY SWAP - Long block is the same. Switched sensors, crank pully, thermostat housing.

 

[Destroyer000]

i assume you have new plugs? if so id do some new plug wires and try chaning out the coil pack.