350 in a ranger

[Teddyzee]

True to a point, I neglected to say this depends on if he has a 4.0 or not.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

A Ranger transmission of any type does not bolt to a small block Ford V8.

Roided Ranger, as was once pointed out to me, this is a V8 conversion forum, not necessarily just Ford based. Sooo, although I would not do it, putting a Chevy engine in seems to be an okay pursuit.

02 Ranger, if I were considering a Chevy swap, I would go directly to an LS based engine. 5.7, 6.0... They are easily carbureted these days, and sure make great power per dollar.
Of course, I would stay EFI, but it's not my build, is it!?

 

[kryptonitecb]

A Ranger transmission of any type does not bolt to a small block Ford

Look in the tech library and find where you are right and I am wrong.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[Snoranger]

Look in the tech library and find where you are right and I am wrong.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

There is NO Ranger trans that will just bolt up to a small block. Any one would require an adapter or different bellhousing. Most Ranger transmissions cant even handle the engine they were bolted to, why would anyone want to bolt one to a more powerful motor?

 

[baddad457]

Look in the tech library and find where you are right and I am wrong.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

Teddy's right and you are wrong. Face up to it. There's no need to look in the tech library, there are no Ranger transmissions that bolt up directly to ANY V8. If you found that there were in the tech library, please point it out so that it can be corrected.

 

[Teddyzee]

Baddad, you read him wrong

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A Ranger transmission of any type does not bolt to a small block Ford V8.

Look in the tech library and find where you are right and I am wrong.

You are both kind of right and wrong at the same time.

You can put a C4 bellhousing and torque converter on a C5 and it will bolt to a SBF, it won't like it very long though unless you build it to V8 specs inside however.

So stock no, there isn't a RBV tranny that will bolt up but one can be made to. It wasn't available in the OP's truck so IMO it would be kind of stupid to track one down, scalp a bellhousing off of a C4 and rebuild it to take a V8 for the sake of having an RBV transmission (and no overdrive to boot) There is nothing that came in an '02 that a 5.0 or any other V8 will bolt to... with good reason. If there is a link it needs to be posted so it can be corrected.

I am going to guess this is where some of the confusion stemmed from:

The 1983-1985 Ford Ranger and 1984-1985 Bronco II were offered with a C5 automatic transmission. If you have one, or can find one, consider yourself lucky. You can swap a V8 bellhousing and torque converter from a C4 on and bolt a small block V8 to it. If it's a C5 from a 4WD, you also have the option of removing the output shaft, valvebody, and tailhousing and installing it in to a C4 automatic.

Second paragraph under "Transmissions"

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/V8Conversions.html

bobbywalter is big into the LS swaps, if I were to take one on I would bug him.

 

[kryptonitecb]

I went digging and my confusion stemmed from the f-150 m50d-r2 being able to mate to a 302. Not a m50d-r1 like I had thought. Unless I again ran across incorrect info.

Regardless if you could or not it wouldn't hold to a drag truck. I would still suggest an s-10 if you want an ls1, kits are plentiful for that swap. And if done right a 4.8 will fit in a ranger and push just as much if not more power with less modding. I like chevy and until this ranger I never wanted a ford, however chevy is using very dated pushrod tech while ford moved up to OHC. Ls1's are amazing motors that are pushing the limits of pushrod technology.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

They do use later technology than Fords pushrod V8's though.

The OHC engines really push the limits of the engine bay of a RBV. They are kinda tight but doable in a post '98 and really struggle to not look like bugger fab in anything earlier.

In a stripped down race truck it probably wouldn't be as big of an issue though.

If the fit worth a darn I would have a 5.4 in my truck without a second thought...

 

[02 ranger]

For the front suspension, I'd start with a 2wd not a 4x4.

You can fit about a 13" wide tire between the frame and body on a Ranger. You just need to get rid of the springs (ladder bars/ coil overs would be my suggestion.) and cut the inner wheel wells on the bed.

Min of a 6 point roll bar for your safety, Id go with a 10/12 pnt to stiffen the chassis. Box part of the rear frame, all the way back to the rear most suspension mounting point (anything behind that is just along for the ride).

In case youre wondering, I worked in a chassis shop for a few years. I've built quite a few chassis'. Ralph's truck being one of them. We built everything from the firewall back.

what about axles? im not familier with the 8.8. mine currently has 4.10s open... in need of a rebuild.

 

[baddad457]

I fail to see how the LS motors are anything new. Unless you're just talking about the block casting techniques. The cross bolted mains ? Ford did that 40 years ago. Ditto for the LS head's intake ports. There's really nothing new in them, just old tech with modern EFI adapted to em.

 

[baddad457]

what about axles? im not familier with the 8.8. mine currently has 4.10s open... in need of a rebuild.

For what you're looking to do, you'd be far better off buying a beater 2wd Ranger or S10 and starting from there. Keep your 4wd as a driver.

 

[Snoranger]

what about axles? im not familier with the 8.8. mine currently has 4.10s open... in need of a rebuild.

If it were mine:
9"
Spool
Strange, Moser, or Currie 35 spline axles
Nodular center w/ Daytona pinion support

I dont like to break things.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I fail to see how the LS motors are anything new. Unless you're just talking about the block casting techniques. The cross bolted mains ? Ford did that 40 years ago. Ditto for the LS head's intake ports. There's really nothing new in them, just old tech with modern EFI adapted to em.

What were the original origins of the intake ports?

The biggest thorn in the SBF's side is they are all 10+ years old, 351W's are older yet with little to no performance aspirations.

You can go get a 350hp LS1 for your starting point or a bulkier 250hp 351W, that is a big difference.

 

[02 ranger]

dang guys take a breath i am just here to get yalls opinion on something i MIGHT do.. thats right i dont even know if i will do it or not. I love small block chevy engines and i love my ranger but dont like the drive train and i love speed. This is going to be my future project truck so who knows what ill do to it but for now im still thinking small block, 450+ hp less than 3500 pounds and hopefully an 11 second truck. my friends and i are really throwing up some ideas and i just like to be here as a source for a second opinion because SOME people are very knowledgeable about these wonderful little trucks. i appreciate all of yalls opinions and cant wait to here what else you guys think.
thanks, Abel

 

[baddad457]

What were the original origins of the intake ports?

The biggest thorn in the SBF's side is they are all 10+ years old, 351W's are older yet with little to no performance aspirations.

You can go get a 350hp LS1 for your starting point or a bulkier 250hp 351W, that is a big difference.

Those tall. skinney intake ports ? Highriser 427. The cross bolted mains......again, Ford 427. The whole motor is based on Ford pushrod V8's.