4.0L sohc swap

[Mightyfordranger]

All I'm really after is something more reasonable power wise for it. It's the original 2.9l it's tired wore out ya know. It hates turning 31s and I'm eventually gonna turn 35s at some point. A good 200-300 hp would be just fine 250hp 300ft/lbs. And just dead reliable hold 70mph down the highway ya know.

 

[adsm08]

What chew mean? Like the heater box/air box. Or the actual intake box factory to the 2.9?

Also I do have 2 other engine options. Which is 302, and 1.9L alh tdi. Both of which I have reasons for and against.

Both would need rebuilt/refreshed.

Heater box. The SOHC engine will have a valve cover halfway out into the hole the heat comes through, and about 1.5 inches from the firewall.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Heater box. The SOHC engine will have a valve cover halfway out into the hole the heat comes through, and about 1.5 inches from the firewall.

Dang! Thats wider than a 302 isn't it

 

[adsm08]

Dang! Thats wider than a 302 isn't it

Yes.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Yes.

Whose idea was this engine!? Geez timing jackshafts, opposing timing chain sets, ridiculous overall dimensions. That's quite weird.

 

[adsm08]

Whose idea was this engine!? Geez timing jackshafts, opposing timing chain sets, ridiculous overall dimensions. That's quite weird.

Germany.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Germany.

Of course cause why wouldn't it be

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

if your looking for power a new ford 3.7 is the way to go. you can even mate a th400 or 4l80e on the back of it for a super strong manually controlled (automatic) transmission. BUT thats a ton of fabrication and wiring
other wise for the cost you can not beat a 4.0 sohc. put new timing chains in it before you drop it in and a high volume oil pump and youll be fine for a lot longer than a damn carb on anything lol. the sohc drops in(aside from having to patch up a small area of a plastic heater box) and will use all the stock wiring from a obd1 or II truck . my stock sohc, through a c4 and on 35" tires made more wheel HP than a stock 5.0 explorer so

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Hhmm I'm don't know shit about wiring the thing in. I can't read wiring diagrams very well. But I can do the needed whackin and patchin to make it fit.

Is there a thread I can read about running them obd1 or if you have a build thread for yours?

 

[Mightyfordranger]

Both trucks are 5spd 4x4. So I'd imagen the driveshaft lengths wouldn't change or nothin

 

[sgtsandman]

The 4.0 SOHC takes up the whole engine bay for sure. The only way to work on some parts of the engine is either through the wheel wells or pull the engine.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

The 4.0 SOHC takes up the whole engine bay for sure. The only way to work on some parts of the engine is either through the wheel wells or pull the engine.

This isn't exactly great news bro lol

 

[sgtsandman]

This isn't exactly great news bro lol

No but it is what it is. In truth, most, if not all the Ranger engines have their down sides. The jury is still out on the 2.3 Ecoboost. I don't recall a lot of complaints about the 2.3 Duratech but that’s step back from where want to go unless you throw a turbo on it.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

No but it is what it is. In truth, most, if not all the Ranger engines have their down sides. The jury is still out on the 2.3 Ecoboost. I don't recall a lot of complaints about the 2.3 Duratech but that’s step back from where want to go unless you throw a turbo on it.

That's an unfortunate fact, for sure.

 

[sgtsandman]

That's an unfortunate fact, for sure.

Just figure out what the weak points are for your chosen powerplant and take steps to mitigate them. Often times, preventative maintenance takes a big chunk out of the problems. For the SOHC, the special one for it that I’ve found so far is to change the timing chain tensioners at 70,000 miles before they go bad. That and be OCD on the regular PM.