93 Splash in SC, V8-Swap version

[85_Ranger4x4]

Tape measures don't always work well for swapping stuff either, sometimes the angle of the dangle varies just enough to work when a tape measure says it won't.

Dang it, Ford!!!!!
So, rumor is that to fit my 4406 t-case under the Ranger, I will need to clock (rotate) it a few degrees because it won't fit between the frame rails. A while back, i saw a clocking ring on the internet. But it was expensive. Over $200 if I recall. I figured I should be able to design one and make it or have it made for a lot less. So, i took some quick measurements, designed a ring and added 2 extra sets of bolt holes at 10 degree intervals. I thought I could have a template 3d printed that I could then use to mate the t-case to the transmission tailhousing and figure out how far to clock the t-case so it would clear the frame rail.

Well, it turns out that the bolt holes are not evenly spaced around the housing. I made my template with a nice neat even 6-hole bolt pattern. And only one hole matches up.

Back to the drawing board.

View attachment 143714

My 3d printed template. 3 nice 6-hole patterns at 10degree intervals.
View attachment 143715

Here are the actual bolt spacing distances around the circle. You can see that most of the measurements are close to the same. I'd like to hurt someone.
View attachment 143716

Well you see that pattern is very old... the offset is probably at least partially influcanced by the locating dowel and the notch for the shift rail on old t-cases like the NP-205.

This is a spacer I had cut out to hang a NP-205 on the back of a 2004 M5ODR2 that previously had a BW4406 on it:

 

[Curious Hound]

Tape measures don't always work well for swapping stuff either, sometimes the angle of the dangle varies just enough to work when a tape measure says it won't.

I definitely understand that. This whole exercise centers around measuring irregularly shaped objects in irregularly shaped spaces with little to no accurate reference positions, and not knowing exactly how other irregularly shaped objects are going to fit in their portion of the irregularly shaped space.

I don't have a flat level surface to park on. The frame isn't straight and uniform. I don't know exactly where/how the engine will sit... it's all precision guesswork.

 

[Curious Hound]

Replacement water pump just arrived. That one I had from FlowKooler looked great. They talk a great game. And, based on my knowledge of pumps, I could easily see that it would be more efficient and flow more water... IF it fit. But, after 4.5 weeks and at least 4 attempts to contact FlowKooler, I have still not received a response. So, in summary, their pump doesn't fit and their customer service is non-existent. I really have nothing good to say about the company.

Summit Racing, on the other hand, is awesome. I reached out to them on Wednesday. Filled out the return request form on their site. At the end, it asked if I wanted an exchange and what part number I wanted in exchange. I found a regular pump on their site and when I clicked on its description, a popup asked me something about price matching with another site. So, in another window, I looked up the same pump on RockAuto. Behold, it was considerably cheaper. So, I opened a chat window and explained what was going on. The tech in my chat adjusted the price, completed my return process and initiated the shipping process for the replacement pump. I checked my email and saw my RMA# with the prepaid label to print for the pump I was returning, and another email acknowledging my refund of the difference once they receive the returned pump. The whole process took way less than 30 minutes. That was all on Wednesday and the new pump just got delivered.

That's why Summit Racing gets my business.

 

[Curious Hound]

I sure do hope I get this thing back to operational status some day.