4.0L OHV or SOHC?

[ronclark]

I am thinking of getting a back up motor. i found a guy that will sell me OHV or SOHC for $250 thy have around 100k both i can hear run.
I am loving my OHV. any advantage or disadvantage getting a SOHC?

 

[BRONCMAN]

I believe the SOHC & OHV motors are 2 totally different engines & the SOHC would be much more difficult to make work in our 1st gen trucks. I was also debating the SOHC motor, but I believe much more is involved in swapping the SOHC in. Hopefully others will chime in on what all it would take to work since it would be an awesome motor with a 47hp advantage over the OHV motor.

 

[ronclark]

there was a guy on here i read that had a SOHC running on a OHV ECU and wiring harness.
if i remember right it was a matter of swapping the electronics over.

 

[rangerkid98]

more horsepower and torque then the OHV but its not that huge of a difference in my opinion

 

[RacinNdrummin]

The SOHC is comparable to a 5.0 in my opinion, the numbers arent exactly the same, but Im a 5.0 guy, and Im very impressed with the SOHC. The OHV 4.0 is no slouch, but it doesnt have quite the balls as the SOHC, plain and simple. If you can get ahold of a later model SOHC with the improved chain guides, and you dont mind doing some minor wire splicing and heater box mods, than its worth the swap. If your just Looking for a simple swap, without any mods, and You dont mind giving up the extra power, than go for the OHV. I still believe the SOHC is an easier swap than a stock style 5.0 is...

 

[ronclark]

Which one gets the better mileage?

 

[BlueChariot]

I believe the SOHC & OHV motors are 2 totally different engines & the SOHC would be much more difficult to make work in our 1st gen trucks. I was also debating the SOHC motor, but I believe much more is involved in swapping the SOHC in. Hopefully others will chime in on what all it would take to work since it would be an awesome motor with a 47hp advantage over the OHV motor.

The engines are identical aside from minor revisions and the fact that one is OHV and the other is SOHC.

Call me crazy but I prefer the OHV 4.0.

Which one gets the better mileage?

It will change depending on gearing and all that jazz but for basic numbers go to fueleconomy.gov and use the "find a car" feature to see the specs of the vehicle's fuel economy.

Also I'd like to point out the tride and true fact of HOW you drive being a bit more important than WHAT you drive.

 

[ronclark]

i know i am loving all the low end toque, and that when it has a problem i am trying to track down

 

[RacinNdrummin]

The engines are identical aside from minor revisions and the fact that one is OHV and the other is SOHC.

Call me crazy but I prefer the OHV 4.0.



It will change depending on gearing and all that jazz but for basic numbers go to fueleconomy.gov and use the "find a car" feature to see the specs of the vehicle's fuel economy.

Also I'd like to point out the tride and true fact of HOW you drive being a bit more important than WHAT you drive.

The SOHC has MUCH better heads, 10:1 compression, and better cam profiles. There is a reason it makes more HP and Torque.... You can prefer the OHV, Ive had both, and I prefer the SOHC...

As far as mileage goes, with 30's, I was getting over 20mpg on average, with the EEC-IV computer. Now I have 34" swampers (on the same 3.73's), and I average about 18-19mpgs. But I do agree, if I had my foot in it all the time, id probably get a lot worse mileage.

 

[BlueChariot]

The SOHC has MUCH better heads, 10:1 compression, and better cam profiles. There is a reason it makes more HP and Torque.... You can prefer the OHV, Ive had both, and I prefer the SOHC...

I knew the reason it makes more power, I cited a basic example to the other poster as to why they are not completely different engines, one is just a revised version of the other.

 

[sfwjesse]

Someone should do a write up on this swap. Ive always wanted to do it but the wiring part of it scares me. Its not as simple as just dropping the new motor and ECU in right?

 

[Alon]

What year is the SOHC? My 01 has a bad timing chain rattle at 2500 ish rpm that ford says is "normal"

 

[ronclark]

i forgot to ask, all i know both are explorer motors

 

[BRONCMAN]

I was under the assumption that the SOHC is a totally different block, but I guess I was wrong. It looks like I got a lot of reading to do thanks to Racin&Drummin's sig link . If its not that difficult I would love to go that route with my Ranger. Especially considering the fact that my stock 2.9 has 140HP, an OHV 4.0 has 160HP (yes I know, a hell of a lot more torque though.), & the SOHC has 207HP.

 

[RacinNdrummin]

The block is different. The back has timing chain provisions, and there is no lifter bores. The engines are totally different aside from the rotating assembly...

Even my 06 engine has timing chain noise, but only at idle...Its just something you have to put up with on these engines... As long as the chain doesnt skip or fall off, I dont really care.

Literally all I had to do aside from wiring, was to cut the heater box to fit (If you have a body lift, it makes things easier) and have a custom power steering hose made ($30). The rest was junkyard parts (fuel rail, injectors, y-pipe, engine harness, etc) I used the 2.9 motor mounts, they bolt on, everything else bolts into place. Tranny bolts up, fan is in the right spot, and thats pretty much it. My IAC rubs the hood, and thats really the only clearance issue.

I wish more people would attempt the swap, its well worth it in my opinion.