4.0 ranger donor or 4.0 explorer?

[951dangerranger]

Hello! I have a 1994 2.3L 5 speed standard cab short bed. It is on its last limb due to 344k miles and I am planning a swap soon. I am trying to decide on what I am going to do. I want to go with a 4.0L, but with some research I have learned that rangers came with OHV and Explorers had SOHC. I want to go with the SOHC because it puts out more power, but I wanted to know what all I have to do for either swap. I plan on using the wiring harness, engine, and transmission out of the donor vehicle. If I go with the explorer will everything fit in nicely? Will I need to convert anything such as fuel lines? Will my ranger pedals work with the throttle cable and the clutch? Please help me out with this information. Thank you!

 

[SenorNoob]

The sohc was available in rangers too. It was just later than when it came out in the explorer. Everything with the sohc should be obd2 so be prepared for lots of wires. Might be easier in your case. IDK if the Ranger was already OBD2 in 94 or not. I wanna say not.

 

[951dangerranger]

The sohc was available in rangers too. It was just later than when it came out in the explorer. Everything with the sohc should be obd2 so be prepared for lots of wires. Might be easier in your case. IDK if the Ranger was already OBD2 in 94 or not. I wanna say not.

Thanks man! Yeah i want to keep it between 95-99. My ranger is OBD1. Should be fine right?

 

[SenorNoob]

Being OBD1 in your truck, you might look into swapping the dash along with the wiring. Seems to me that would be easier.

Basically remove every part that has a wire going to it and swap with your donor.

BTW, get a donor. It'll be far cheaper (and simpler) in the long run than trying to get all of your parts one at a time.

 

[adsm08]

The Ranger firewall went through some big changes in 1995. You can't just bolt a 95+ dash into your truck.

A 90 to 94 Ranger is your optimum donor in terms of plug and play compatibility, but that means a pushrod engine in the donor.

On the other hand, I have seen a few places on here where guys have plugged the SOHC engines into OHV harnesses and computers and they ran without too much trouble.

 

[SenorNoob]

On the other hand, I have seen a few places on here where guys have plugged the SOHC engines into OHV harnesses and computers and they ran without too much trouble.

That should become more an more common as older OHV engines dry up in the salvage yards. There was a time when I considered it. Then I got a diagram of the timing chain setup in the SOHC.

 

[Lariat]

That should become more an more common as older OHV engines dry up in the salvage yards. There was a time when I considered it. Then I got a diagram of the timing chain setup in the SOHC.

what, you not a fan of pulling the motor to do timing chains?

 

[Hitchner2009]

I personally would go with the OHV 4.0 over the SOHC. You may have more power with the SOHC, but the headaches of wiring and converting to a SOHC are far more painful than with the 4.0. Plus the SOHC motor has those horrible timing chain problems on quiet a few. ADSM would be able to tell you exactly what years, but i know for awhile the timing chains were horrible on them. I would much rather replace Rocker Arms and Pushrods on an OHV than timing chains. Just my 2 cents.