5.0 swap, 00 Ranger and 97 Explorer

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Hey.




















Put a 2.9 in it.







I had to.

The 2.9 is for my 88, lol. They are getting hard to come by anyway

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

One of these days, I too, will have a 5.0 AWD Ranger.
































one of these days.

I’m trying hard to make someday today for me, lol

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

They are getting hard to come by anyway

I blame @AllanD.



@AllanD FIGHT ME OLD MAN!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So between work, weather, lack of help and money being the way it usually is, this has been taking way longer than planned. Of course I also ran into a number of unexpected issues. Almost all of the prep is done though just a few things to finish up and still waiting on a couple parts. Hopefully within the next week or so it will be going back together though.

Brake lines are all replaced, fuel line is being converted to -6AN from the filter to the rail, evap line has been replaced with aluminum (steel was rotted out), and a few other issues have been addressed.

 

[Jamjr4887]

So I got the correct ABS box for swapping axles without wiring (hopefully)

Got an electric Power Steering pump, we’ll see how this all works out.

As per @PetroleumJunkie412, I picked up an E-fan out of a Mercedes

Managed to get my hands on a returnless fuel rail, but only 5 injectors. Either have to come up with three more or buy a whole set?

Torque Monster headers are on the way...

It took me 5 months to get my torque monster headers. But well worth it. Heads up tho. Bolt the motor mount on BEFORE you drop it in. Otherwise you won't be able to get to the nuts.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I guess I’m overdue for an update....

Little has been done to the Ranger lately. Torque Monster headers are here and I finally took a good look at the factory manifolds and I see why they are considered highly restrictive. I will see about getting pictures at some point.

My 97 donor is so rust free and would need a lot of modifications so I went looking for a 99-01 donor. Found what was supposed to be a 99 only to get there and find it was a 98, but it had a lot of what I was looking for and the guy knocked another Hundred off his price so I took it anyway and stripped it. Now I have a pile of parts in front of the Ranger. I also got some parts the 97 needed so I feel it’s a bit of a win. Still have to do some modifications though. I thought I could just plumb in a fuel return and modify my pump but I’m being told it’s not that easy?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

In case anyone is wondering about the restrictions and differences between stock manifolds and headers....

 

[sgtsandman]

Talk about some convoluted tubing work on those headers!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Stock manifolds are ridiculously restrictive, I got the passenger side pulled off and it’s even worse looking at that side. Headers should make a huge improvement.

Got the front axle tore out yesterday and got the one rotted upper A-arm bracket cut off and replacement welded in.

Going to service the front axle before it goes back in, new seals and new oil. Might as well right?

Not sure about the electric power steering pump, there’s just really not much of any room to spare in the engine bay... I’ll give it one more shot once I get the motor set in.

Waiting on some parts for the motor, was offered to trade what parts are required to convert it to a 99-01.

 

[Craig0320]

One of these days, I too, will have a 5.0 AWD Ranger.

one of these days.

I'm about to sell mine

 

[540milotalon]

How is your project going? I missed this one when you first posted.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

How is your project going? I missed this one when you first posted.

Ridiculously slow, lol. Ran into so many snags and problems. Some were related to the swap and some were not. Didn’t really help that I changed plans partway through. I was given a 97 to use originally, but then I found it was not going to be all that easy of a swap, so then I waffled on how to deal with it while I worked on other things like getting everything tore out of my Ranger and getting it prepped plus fixing all of the issues that were uncovered in the process (frame rot, bad upper control arm mount, rotted EVAP line, rotted fuel line connector, etc).

Tracked down what was supposed to be a 99 Explorer with everything I needed and drove almost to Cincinnati (a good 3+ hour trip) to find it was a 98. Took it anyway because the guy then made me a deal that I couldn’t refuse. Had someone offer to trade me the parts needed to convert it to a 99-01 for the parts off the motor that I would be removing but it took awhile for that to happen. Just got them Wednesday night and got the correct header bolts and new water pump bolts Friday. So now I should finally have almost everything. I say almost because I’m sure that there will be something else needed before it’s done. But I have a massive pile of new and used parts at this point.

It does’t help that nobody who said they would come help has actually shown up, so I’m doing this all by myself in a gravel driveway plus working 40+ hours and trying to keep something on the road to get me to and from work. Only my F-150 and now my 92 are currently driveable and the F-150 is suffering from a myriad of issues, plus it’s a stick and I have left hip problems from an auto accident years ago. Choptop is down with yet another blown up motor, 2wd Ranger needs a front clip among other things, 88 is still roughly halfway through a resto-mod and dump truck needs heads.

I’m almost done with all the prep to the Ranger to put the drivetrain back in. Need to prep the motor now that I have the parts, then it can start going back together. Swapping both axles with the Explorer ones, 3.73ls. Once I get it all back together I have to take it up to my buddy’s place where my big welder is and finish frame patches and stuff, then it can get exhaust and go back on the road, at which point it will nearly be a new truck, lol

 

[540milotalon]

You probably are moving faster than I did. I first got the idea because I knew where a ‘96 Ranger long bed (2 wheel A/T factory a/c) with a bum engine was and I was dismantling a ‘95 F150 (5.0, A/T, 2 wheel) to rebuild the body on my ‘96 Powerstroke.

I found a ‘99 Explorer same specs, 5.0 , 2 wheel.
I made a bunch of stuff, including a frame to mount electric fans, rewired the fuse box because of varmint damage (previous owner) and found everyone bending exhaust pipe gets $800. plus around here now for “custom” work.

The 1996 Ranger does not have PATS and the Explorer did, I could not get it to start using the wiring diagrams on line to use the PATS PCM. I bought a 1996 PCM from a parts store and now the tranny will not shift up into D/OD and I just now discover that the ‘98-‘04 use a different EPC solenoid because the PCM detects the frequency different. I may not be able to use the transmission in its present state or the PCM, which the easiest to swap.

That’s puts me back to needing a reflash on the PCM and I could not find anyone that could remove PATS. They can program performance outputs.
I like the my little truck, but an S-10 with a 350 would have been easier and less expensive.

And wouldn’t be stuck in second gear.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Sounds like you would have been a lot better off with an older Explorer for your swap. I had thought that I could use a 98 Explorer and just modify the fuel system but one guy I know is telling me it’s not that easy and I should convert to 99-01, so now I have a box of parts, lol.

@PetroleumJunkie412 has experience with the Microsquirt system and from the sounds of it I might want to look into the idea of replacing my pcm with that. Perhaps something like that could resolve your problems too

 

[540milotalon]

I had never heard of it before and I wish I had. The time alone I have wasted. I purchased the ‘99 knowing it would not be the best 5.0 Explorer to go with but it was available. It was front end damage totaled but would start and run, $500. including a new radiator (that will NOTfit a 2 wheel drive Ranger) and extra set of 16” aluminum wheels and sitting on 15” all with center caps.

When I went to have exhaust installed the mechanic had a ‘96 5.0 sitting there he got for $200 without a title. He didn’t want to sell it. I think the ‘97 and newer have the better heads? I don’t remember.

We basically built a ‘99 fuel system onto the ‘96 Ranger, but the PATS was real problem, I hope I will solve that Monday. But even if I find a programmer I am out another week or several.

I was asked on Friday if I would consider doing a ‘88 carburetor version. I declined.