302 into a 2000 Ford Ranger 2 wheel drive

[Bob Hatcher]

I have a 2000 Ranger currently with a 3.0 and a blown head gasket and/or a cracked head - I would like to swap it out to a 302, which I can get for 400.00 - the seller also has a C-6 to mate up to it but I am not certain that the C-6 would fit in the Ranger's tunnel - can I put an old school 302 carb engine into a computer controlled 2000 without a nightmare of problems? I see where 302 with matching automatic transmission swaps have been done before but what do you do with all of the computer wiring? Thanks much, Bob

 

[JoshT]

Anything can be done, but you'll have to figure out a bunch for a carbed swap.

Your easiest swap into a 2000 Ranger is going to be from a 1999-2001 Ford Explorer. You can almost directly take the stuff out of the Explorer and bolt into the Ranger.

Explorer has a lot of advantages if you can live with the electronics. It's a complete package that is made to fit in the chassis, but if yours is a 2wd coil spring trucks, you will need adapter plates for mounting. The Explorer has the tightest accessory package of any 5.0L. it's got all of the right connections for your power steering rack, transmission coolers, etc. The cooling system will be a direct bolt in. The transmission fits the tunnel well and works with your factory shifter linkage, and arguably better than the C6. Maybe not as strong, but that isn't really necessary for a 302 in this platform. The electrical is almost a direct bolt in connection to the Ranger. The fuel system will bolt right up.

Just my 2 cent. If you want to 5.0 swap your 2000, find a 1999-2001 Explorer for a donor. It'll make life a lot easier.

Edit: I just saw in another thread that it's your grandson's truck. With that in mind I'd even more recommend the Explorer donor for the swap. You can probably get one for 500-1000 and have a lot more usable parts from it in addition to the easier swap.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

A C6 would require alot of bashing out of the tunnel or a body lift

Not to mention a C6 takes alot of power off the top just to turn it, and is massive overkill with what im assuming is a stock or lightly modded 302 in a light 2wd ranger.

 

[Bob Hatcher]

A C6 would require alot of bashing out of the tunnel or a body lift

Not to mention a C6 takes alot of power off the top just to turn it, and is massive overkill with what im assuming is a stock or lightly modded 302 in a light 2wd ranger.

I believe I will just try to locate either a C4 or find some Ranger pedals and convert to a T5 instead of the C6 - I found a seller that has the 302 and the C6 for sale as a package but he will split it up and just sell me the 302

 

[Bob Hatcher]

Anything can be done, but you'll have to figure out a bunch for a carbed swap.

Your easiest swap into a 2000 Ranger is going to be from a 1999-2001 Ford Explorer. You can almost directly take the stuff out of the Explorer and bolt into the Ranger.

Explorer has a lot of advantages if you can live with the electronics. It's a complete package that is made to fit in the chassis, but if yours is a 2wd coil spring trucks, you will need adapter plates for mounting. The Explorer has the tightest accessory package of any 5.0L. it's got all of the right connections for your power steering rack, transmission coolers, etc. The cooling system will be a direct bolt in. The transmission fits the tunnel well and works with your factory shifter linkage, and arguably better than the C6. Maybe not as strong, but that isn't really necessary for a 302 in this platform. The electrical is almost a direct bolt in connection to the Ranger. The fuel system will bolt right up.

Just my 2 cent. If you want to 5.0 swap your 2000, find a 1999-2001 Explorer for a donor. It'll make life a lot easier.

Edit: I just saw in another thread that it's your grandson's truck. With that in mind I'd even more recommend the Explorer donor for the swap. You can probably get one for 500-1000 and have a lot more usable parts from it in addition to the easier swap.

Well, it turned out that my grandson bought a different truck and "Poppa" inherited the 3.0 Ranger with blown head gaskets LOL! I was looking for a complete 5.0 Explorer but have had no luck so far -the truck is a Central Florida vehicle with -0- rust issues so it is a keeper for sure

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, it turned out that my grandson bought a different truck and "Poppa" inherited the 3.0 Ranger with blown head gaskets LOL! I was looking for a complete 5.0 Explorer but have had no luck so far -the truck is a Central Florida vehicle with -0- rust issues so it is a keeper for sure

Honestly...as much shit as i give the 3.0 (because....its vastly inferior to the 2.9 ), its not a bad engine...just gutless.

Swap it for a 302, or replace the headgaskets and run the piss out of it. Cant lose either way.

The C4 is a doable option....the AOD is another decent option if you wanna keep O/D.

Most guys who use 302's with manuals run a M5OD from a 97-03 F150 with a 4.2L. It HAS to be a 4.2l though, the 4.6 runs a different bellhousing and the 5.4 never came with a manual in 150's.

 

[Bob Hatcher]

I finally got the 3.0 out of the chassis yesterday in sweltering heat - I have a double hump oil pan & pickup coming tomorrow for the 302 and was wondering if a 1 piece rubber oil pan gasket is better that the 2 piece cork with the rubber end pieces?

 

[JoshT]

Bob, I'm pretty sure that double hump pans are for the beam style suspension swaps. I think you're going to want an Explorer oil pan for the SLA suspensions. I think that the engine crossmember and power steering rack are going to want to live where the front hump is. That's one of parts that makes the Explorer a much better candidate for this swap than picking up some random 302.

You can buy a new Explorer oil pan, the problem is that I haven't found any place that sell an oil pickup tube for those pans. You'll have to find used on ebay or scrounge salvage yards for Explorers, I'd recommend ebay because it's not easy to pull an explorer oil pan in the salvage yard.

I have no long term experience with the 302 oil pans, but in general I like the one piece rubber better.

 

[fixizin]

Well, it turned out that my grandson bought a different truck and "Poppa" inherited the 3.0 Ranger with blown head gaskets LOL! I was looking for a complete 5.0 Explorer but have had no luck so far -the truck is a Central Florida vehicle with -0- rust issues so it is a keeper for sure

South FL checking in. Even if you're not close to saltwater, before you declare it rust-free, open the doors and peel back the body-mounted weatherstripping, esp. along the roofline. Also the gasket for the 3rd brake light is leak-prone over time, and rust can get pretty far along, hidden by the headliner, though sometimes there's a "warning stain" on the rear part of the headliner.

PS: gleaned from your other thread that head gasket failed due to overheating... could happen at any "age", but curious how many miles on it when it blew...?

 

[fixizin]

Also that decklid looks like it's holding up well... I'm assuming fiberglass? Does it have brand markings on it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Honestly, I’d stay on the hunt for an Explorer drivetrain. You have an almost ideal candidate for it. Greatly simplifies what you need to do that way since it’s mostly plug and play. The automatic behind the 302 in the Explorers was the 4R70 which is a descendant of the AOD/AODE family, so a fairly stout transmission. It does have a tendency to sloppy shifts like most Ford automatics, but a shift kit should resolve that nicely. The 302 takes up most of the engine bay, but the Explorer version was built more compact so it fits just right. Plus you get GT40p heads. Being a 2wd, you may be able to find a header that works on it, us 4x4/AWD guys are stuck with the Ford headers (obsolete), Torque Monster headers (you might have to wait a year or more with poor communication to get a set), or the OBX Chinese knock-offs (they don’t fit super well usually). Or the stock manifolds which are restrictive. Everything else hits something or dumps the exhaust directly into the front driveshaft for 4x4.

 

[Lugosun]

Anything can be done, but you'll have to figure out a bunch for a carbed swap.

Your easiest swap into a 2000 Ranger is going to be from a 1999-2001 Ford Explorer. You can almost directly take the stuff out of the Explorer and bolt into the Ranger.

Explorer has a lot of advantages if you can live with the electronics. It's a complete package that is made to fit in the chassis, but if yours is a 2wd coil spring trucks, you will need adapter plates for mounting. The Explorer has the tightest accessory package of any 5.0L. it's got all of the right connections for your power steering rack, transmission coolers, etc. The cooling system will be a direct bolt in. The transmission fits the tunnel well and works with your factory shifter linkage, and arguably better than the C6. Maybe not as strong, but that isn't really necessary for a 302 in this platform. The electrical is almost a direct bolt in connection to the Ranger. The fuel system will bolt right up.

Just my 2 cent. If you want to 5.0 swap your 2000, find a 1999-2001 Explorer for a donor. It'll make life a lot easier.

Edit: I just saw in another thread that it's your grandson's truck. With that in mind I'd even more recommend the Explorer donor for the swap. You can probably get one for 500-1000 and have a lot more usable parts from it in addition to the easier swap.

Do you have more info on motor mounts/adapter plates for 2wd coil spring setup? It’s so hard to find. I just bought a donor 2001 explorer to swap into my 2000 ranger. Haven’t dived into it yet but doing all the research now. Only thing I can’t get clear is the motor mount part. Do I order them from ricks rangers, use explorer mounts with adapter plates that I fab, or use 4.0 ranger mounts

 

[JoshT]

Check the tech library, there should be information on the in there. As for where to get, of I were buying a set, is probably go through Rick's Rangers for them.

 

[Lugosun]

Check the tech library, there should be information on the in there. As for where to get, of I were buying a set, is probably go through Rick's Rangers for them.

Alright thank you man