351w swap 1988 ranger

[Bruce2]

I have a 1988 Ford Ranger 2 wheel drive in which I had a fuel injected 302 in it and now trying to stuff a 351w in it with an AOD transmission . I have a set of hedman headers 89500 that where on the 302 but they will not clear the steering shaft or frame rail on driver side . I have searched here for what headers to use but no sure answer I found .. so i'am asking for suggestions on what headers to use... Thanks in advance..

 

[RangerFabWorks]

https://youtu.be/4nT0RFvYxsw

This is my truck when I was putting a 351w in.

 

[Bruce2]

They say the will not clear the AOD transmission since its a 164 tooth flywheel bell housing...Thanks...

 

[RangerFabWorks]

M5OD uses a 164 flywheel and with a little massaging on the header it fits my truck.

 

[Bruce2]

Ok thanks..I messaged Hedman headers and they had no recommendations for a header..lol

 

[RangerFabWorks]

It's the passenger side where the starter goes that will touch with the large bell housing. Some massaging with a hammer fixes this. Driver side fits absolutely perfect.

Other headers that might fit are the headman 89500s

 

[Bruce2]

I have a set of the 89500 hedman headers and it's a no go on the 351w...but they did work well with the 302......the drivers side header is the problem with the 89500..very tight up against steering shaft and the collector is up against the frame rail with the bottom actually almost inside the frame.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

There are some pics of 88400's on 351W RBV's in this thread:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172855

It is tight weaving a block mounted dipstick thru them and the PS about requires a bodylift. BUT if your 89500 PS fits you could mix and match (can you get just the DS?)

 

[Bruce2]

I bought a cheap set of the tri y's off of ebay...stainless steel ones for 93 bucks, I would rather hack on a cheap set then a 200 dollar set...lol...thanks for the input guy's...

 

[Bruce2]

Got the motor in and installed headers...had to notch the frame on passenger side and need to do some rework on the header where the collector flange is as it is up against the pan rail of the AOD transmission....drivers side went right in but have a major issue with the steering shaft....need to move the one header pipe in about an inch so it clears the shaft..

 

[RangerFabWorks]

What engine mounts are you using?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Watch where the starter will go if you don't have the starter in too.

I tried tri-y's on my 302 and it was really really tight there with the 164t bellhousing.

 

[Bruce2]

What engine mounts are you using?

Im using the stock 2.9 engine mounts and made adapter plates, which is the same plates that we used when we had a 302 EFI in there..

We have the tri y headers mounted...had to notch frame on passenger side and the driver side we are going to have to do some major mod's to the steering shaft to clear the headers....also since we have an AOD in it the header flanges are up against the pan rail of transmission, but we think a little heat and tweak and we will be good to go.. Had to pull heater A/C box completely out due to hardly any room at the fire wall since we have elderbrock aluminum valve covers on it, we had already modified the air box to fit the 302 in there...Trying to find an A/C delete heater box now...

 

[Bruce2]

Here is how we dealt with the steering shaft issue...

 

[RangerFabWorks]

What parts did you use for the steering shaft?