4.0 L reinstall

[grh777]

I,m planning to repair my engine or buy another one for my 92 Ranger. Mine needs a crank kit and oil pump. It was taken out the hard way and I want to reinstall it the easiest way possible. I have read on this forum to lower the rear of the transmission to get access to the top 4 bolts. Is this the easiest way and do I need to remove all the lines and cables in order to do this? Any help will be appreciated.

 

[kevinsranger]

I,m planning to repair my engine or buy another one for my 92 Ranger. Mine needs a crank kit and oil pump. It was taken out the hard way and I want to reinstall it the easiest way possible. I have read on this forum to lower the rear of the transmission to get access to the top 4 bolts. Is this the easiest way and do I need to remove all the lines and cables in order to do this? Any help will be appreciated.

you can unbolt one side of the cab and jack it up, or try getting the bolts thru the access plate under your carpet on the trans tunnel.

if your gonna lower the trans, support it, take off the trans cooler lines because they are metal and not very flexible back by the trans, then take off the trans mount, and lower the trans to get the access, problem with that is if you are working on the ground, the jack will take up all your space to work under the car

 

[grh777]

4.0 L install

Thanks for the reply. The top four bolts were removed from the top. The bolts that were the problem were the two below the very top two. I removed all other bolts myself in less than an hour. I had major surgery so two friends took about 2 hours to get these other two bolts out and remove the engine. We were considering taking the transmission loose and just sliding it forward to meet the engine and reinstalling these bolts from the top. Do you think this will work? It looks like a lot of things are attached to the cab. Thanks again.

 

[kevinsranger]

Thanks for the reply. The top four bolts were removed from the top. The bolts that were the problem were the two below the very top two. I removed all other bolts myself in less than an hour. I had major surgery so two friends took about 2 hours to get these other two bolts out and remove the engine. We were considering taking the transmission loose and just sliding it forward to meet the engine and reinstalling these bolts from the top. Do you think this will work? It looks like a lot of things are attached to the cab. Thanks again.

i went thru my fender well's for those bolts, but i have a 3" body lift, so i'm not positive you would have clearance without that to get in there.


i dont think that your idea will work, but i could be wrong, its probably harder to try to reach down between the firewall and manifold to get those bolts in.

as far as the trans, you have the speedo cable, two harnesses, that unplug from the trans, the shifter cable on the drivers side, and the dipstick, thats about all thats attached to the trans

 

[grh777]

Yes I can see that I can get to the passenger side bolt thru the wheel well but the second one down from the top on the drivers side is the only one I see problems with. A friend got it out without dropping the transmission. I think I might can get it in the same way. I have considered even taking the drivers side head off. This will give plenty of room to work but, that means buying more gaskets. Thanks for the replies. I get it in somehow or leave it off ( not really).

 

[Big Jim M]

HA!

Yes I can see that I can get to the passenger side bolt thru the wheel well but the second one down from the top on the drivers side is the only one I see problems with. A friend got it out without dropping the transmission. I think I might can get it in the same way. I have considered even taking the drivers side head off. This will give plenty of room to work but, that means buying more gaskets. Thanks for the replies. I get it in somehow or leave it off ( not really).

I have several different wrenches in my box that I have BENT in my vise just to tighten/loosen those bolts on different vehicles. After I bend them to fit the particular project they are of little use in the future. But I still have them.
Big JIm

 

[sholzy]

...
I have considered even taking the drivers side head off. This will give plenty of room to work but, that means buying more gaskets.
...

And new head bolts. They are not reusable.

 

[grh777]

When I took the very top two bolts off, I removed the upper intake and I did think about bending my wrench at the time. I may do that to tighten the top four bolts. And, I knew about the head bolts but forgot to mention them. Thanks for the replies.