90 ford ranger auto to stick?

[90FR]

I just got a killer deal on a 1990 ford ranger pickup 4x4 for 1000's bucks and it the cleanest ranger I've seen to date... but the only thing is that its an auto! Ive heard that they are not that big of a swap but what am I really looking at getting my self into... My best friends who both have rangers said I could use their brothers bronco 2 for anything I wanted and Its a stick and still runs and drives.... If I have the doner car beside me how big of a deal is it? thanks

 

[MrE_Powers]

Replacing an A4LD Automatic with a 2.8 Manual Transmission:

A transmission that came off a 2.8L will work on a 2.9L. The 2.9L flywheel and starter will bolt up and work perfectly. The 2.8L clutch disc and pressure plate bolt perfectly to the 2.9L flywheel. This means that the 2.8L, 2.9L, and 4.0L all use the same clutch internals.

The only downside to swapping in an early Mitsubishi for an A4LD is that you need the tranny cross member that bolts INSIDE the frame. On the Mitsubishi's there is no t-case adapter as it is built into the tranny. This causes the tranny cross member to be moved 2.5" toward the motor and you need to lengthen the rear driveshaft and shorten the front one.

Your automatic transmission truck has a shifter plate on the transmission hump under the carpet. Use the manual shifter and floor plate from the donor vehicle.

You also need to bypass wire the NSS (Neutral Safety Switch) and wire up the reverse lights.
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i would imagine all associated clutch hydrolic parts and pedal, and fly wheel. i dunno about computer

 

[straycat]

I just got a killer deal on a 1990 ford ranger pickup 4x4 for 1000's bucks and it the cleanest ranger I've seen to date... but the only thing is that its an auto! Ive heard that they are not that big of a swap but what am I really looking at getting my self into... My best friends who both have rangers said I could use their brothers bronco 2 for anything I wanted and Its a stick and still runs and drives.... If I have the doner car beside me how big of a deal is it? thanks
View attachment 6166

Leave it like it is and drive it and leave it alone...good price for a running truck that does not need a thing.

 

[mp3deviant721]

It shouldn't be too bad if you have a complete donor. PCM, trans. wiring harness, transmission, clutch/brake pedal assembly. I'd recommend getting new hydraulic parts though, clutch master and slave, and lines. As well as a new clutch and flywheel, throwout bearing, you know where I'm going with this. But if both have 2.9's, this would be a good time to upgrade to 4.0 clutch parts too. Those will work with the 2.9 motor, it's just essentially a better gripping upgrade.

 

[country0001]

It took me and a couple buddies three days to do the swap. The dash has to come apart to get the clutch pedal out.

What engine do you have?

If its a 2.9, you might wanna consider switching to a 4.0 clutch anyways.

If its a 4.0, you might burn up the smaller clutch quicker

 

[adsm08]

It took me and a couple buddies three days to do the swap. The dash has to come apart to get the clutch pedal out.

I was able to swap out pedal arms on mine with the dash in place. This was after already having it out and seeing what was in there. For someone who doesn't know exactly what they were doing, it would probably be darn near impossible.

What engine do you have?

If its a 2.9, you should really switch to a 4.0 clutch anyways since you have to buy all the parts except the starter already.

If its a 4.0, you will toast the smaller clutch quicker than a marshmallow in a cutting torch.

Fixed that last part for you.

 

[wrecking-crew]

I was able to swap out pedal arms on mine with the dash in place. This was after already having it out and seeing what was in there. For someone who doesn't know exactly what they were doing, it would probably be darn near impossible.

I don't know how me and my friend pulled it off. Took us 2 days. I think the only thing that helped was pulling it off the other truck ourselves.



As for the wiring harness, you can keep the Auto one. Still works, just extra plugs. Switch out the pcm, trans, flex plate for flywheel and clutch and the pedal assembly. There should be a grommet over the hole where the Clutch master cylinder should go. Pull that out and bolt it in. You may or may not need to mess with the driveshaft. I know that a BroncoII you do not.

 

[adsm08]

You may or may not need to mess with the driveshaft. I know that a BroncoII you do not.

By 90 all the transmissions in service in the RBVs were the same length. Drive shaft will be ok as long as you stay with 2wd/4x4, what ever you have now.

 

[90FR]

So you guys are thinking that it could be pretty easy? I'd hate to tear into this thing when this truck is in mint condition and hate screw everything up! and I don't want a hack job... would it look clean?

 

[fyre82]

I did this last spring,
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111270

Not that big of a deal, you don't have to take the dash apart to get the pedals out, Check it out.

It is just a good idea to have the same year donor to be sure everything you meed to swap, you have.

 

[Will]

Leave it like it is and drive it and leave it alone...good price for a running truck that does not need a thing.

Totally agree. Don't convict and sentence it until you give it a chance to show its ass.

I've done it and you need a donor vehicle to make it work. You need to switch the dash so you don't have the auto shift quadrant staring at you, you need to switch the steering column so you don't have the nub of the auto shifter staring at you, you need to switch the computer or you'll have a check-engine light staring at you. And, since you need a donor, you are going to trash one, and potentially 2 trucks that are getting less common every day.

 

[90FR]

Well I plan on lifting it and I know these rangers auto's are a weak point and if I already have a doner, i thought why not..... To the people who've done this, did it throw a code on your trucks for the check engine light?

 

[Will]

I already said it throws a code. The computer expects to see the 3-4 and converter solenoids and they aren't there.

 

[90FR]

So you'd have to change out the computer or is there away around this.... My buddy offered me their bronco ll for free that is still running and driving that is a stick.... Its Beat to S*&^ but its just sitting there so I thought maybe why not

 

[wrecking-crew]

You don't have to. I was told the idle will be lower than if you had a manual computer though. But it is recommended. It is easy to do also.