97 v8 swap

[Out of my mind CJ5]

I'm having trouble finding some information on a v8 swap for my ranger. It seems like a fairly simple swap but it seems that everyone uses a v6 ranger to do the swap and not the 4cyl. Mine is a 97 4 cyl 5 speed, realistically what is an expected price for performing the swap aside from buying the engine and transmission and is there anything that makes it harder to swap a v8 into a 4 cyl truck?

 

[RangerSVT]

The trucks are identical. Pull the motor and trans out, and guess what, you have an empty engine bay that use to house a 4.0L (use your imagination)...If you want any details, check out my build thread, mine is a 96 (identical to yours)....
SVT

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

Thanks for the quick response, i just didn't know if the frame had extra bracing or something weird like that on the others. How much did your swap cost you and how hard was the wiring to do?

 

[JohnnyUhlar]

how do i get to your build thread RangerSVT? im interested in doing the same and i drive exactly what Ouy Of my Mind CJ5 does. 97 4cyl ranger. i wanted to do a 4.0 motor though rather than a 5.0

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

Why does everyone want a v8 from an explorer, its easier to find one in an f-150 and they are cheaper often. Is it because of the ecu that you need with it will not work from the f-150?

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

In his signature click on the gold words build thread, its a clicky

 

[bobbywalter]

I'm having trouble finding some information on a v8 swap for my ranger. It seems like a fairly simple swap but it seems that everyone uses a v6 ranger to do the swap and not the 4cyl. Mine is a 97 4 cyl 5 speed, realistically what is an expected price for performing the swap aside from buying the engine and transmission and is there anything that makes it harder to swap a v8 into a 4 cyl truck?

which v8? last time i swapped a v8 into my ranger.....there wasnt much in the line of directions for it..

Why does everyone want a v8 from an explorer, its easier to find one in an f-150 and they are cheaper often. Is it because of the ecu that you need with it will not work from the f-150?

150 eh?

i suggest you broaden your choices and maybe find one from a late gm truck, rather then look for a drop in pushrod ford....5.3-6.0-6.2 flavor.

easy to get with lower miles for a swap job without rebuilding an engine.

and they make serious power compared to a stock 150 engine. a hemi from a ram would be serious fun as well.

 

[RangerSVT]

A lot of people use the explorer V8 motors for 95+ ranger swaps because of the electrical wiring. The wiring is 99% plug and play...
SVT

 

[Lucifer sam]

150 eh?
i suggest you broaden your choices and maybe find one from a late gm truck, rather then look for a drop in pushrod ford....5.3-6.0-6.2 flavor.
easy to get with lower miles for a swap job without rebuilding an engine.
and they make serious power compared to a stock 150 engine. a hemi from a ram would be serious fun as well.

Right, And with "serious power" comes serious fabrication. That engine simply isnt made for a ford platform,
Do you know anything about windsor motors? they can take quite a bit of abuse.
Fabricating motor mounts, trans cross member, possibly modifying the oil pan, adapting a ford gauge cluster to Gm sending units, and other misc crap.
And thats easyier than rebuilding a motor? that might not even need it?

Would you believe this is a stock long block 351w with 225,000 miles?

Ill stick with my pushrod ford.....

 

[bobbywalter]

i assume its a 97 2wd....

in this case, a v8 explorer setup is nearly a bolt in swap, and is ideal as 300 hp is real easy to attain with minimal costs with a healthy engine...but finding a healthy explorer engine is often a challenge in its own right. newest models are 10 years old.

with some objective intellectual honesty, i dont see the win with a 89 crown vic powertrain over a 2010 6.0 silverado

Right, And with "serious power" comes serious fabrication. That engine simply isnt made for a ford platform,
Do you know anything about windsor motors? they can take quite a bit of abuse.
Fabricating motor mounts, trans cross member, possibly modifying the oil pan, adapting a ford gauge cluster to Gm sending units, and other misc crap.
And thats easyier than rebuilding a motor? that might not even need it?

Would you believe this is a stock long block 351w with 225,000 miles?

Ill stick with my pushrod ford.....

Right, And with "serious power" comes serious fabrication. That engine simply isnt made for a ford platform,

and the early ranger platforms are simply not made for that engine.

there is no way i would select a pullout f150 302 over a late ls type pullout truck engine or hemi... best value exceedingly favors the gm platform for packaging and all around performance.

i can do 5.0 swaps with my eyes closed, so there's distinct bias for me on that , but the l/s type platform turned out easier then i thought it would initially after looking at some projects.

Do you know anything about windsor motors?

yes, i certainly do.

Fabricating motor mounts, trans cross member, possibly modifying the oil pan, adapting a ford gauge cluster to Gm sending units, and other misc crap.
And thats easyier than rebuilding a motor? that might not even need it?

i have to do all of that with a 302 swap....

the fullsize senders dont always work with the ranger cluster either depending on year model etc.........you want to use your ranger cluster etc, fit those units to whatever engine you are using....


maybe where you live its raining 350 hp low mile 302 f150 truck engines...

and there certainly are quite a few low mile sbf pushrod fords out there to be had. careful planning and shopping usually earns its own rewards.

where i am at it costs more to get 350 hp out of a 91 225k mile 302 then i can buy a 80 k mile 6.0 powertrain complete.

Would you believe this is a stock long block 351w with 225,000 miles?

Ill stick with my pushrod ford.....

starting with a 351 lightening is one thing, starting with a 3.0 v6 is another.

i certainly believe a 351 will run 250-400k....maybe not with two turbos, but it will take it for a bit.

a stock out of regular truck 351 with two turbos is a hand grenade that wont reliably make the na power i will with a pull out 6.0 with cost effective bolt ons.....not even close dollar for dollar.


theres windsor stuff on my bench, likely always will be as well.

i am not a ford hater, but i am objective. seems most guys that will venture this path are cost conscience. if they have a late model and need to worry about emmissions the ls type engine is the way easy solution.

 

[Lucifer sam]

Im not about to get into an Ls vs windsor debate, I know Ls motors respond to mods better NA, I mean just look at the Intake runner volume stock for stock. Thats why my truck has had a vortech on it since 94. (turbos came 2 years ago)


I probably went about it the wrong way the first time, but what im getting at, is that not everyone has a welder laying around the garage or has a buddy that does fabrication, which greatly reduces cost.

While it may be raining junkyard 302s around here, curious how cheap all the 2010 6.0 silverado pullouts are around you.

 

[89Ranger5.0]

Stick with a Ford driveline it's easier and lots of info.

Granted vortecs can make big HP on stock bottom ends far beyond any Windsor based but the Fab involved is unreal

But if u wanna buy a 5.3 and 4l80e let me know as I have one right now ;-)

My .02

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

Thanks for all the replies, I am mostly looking to keep the swap as simple as possible and as close to $1000 as i can including driveshaft and new rear end for the truck. I have a welder and a friend that has been building hot rods for many years that will help me if i ever need it. I think i might go with a carb'd 302 though due to the fact that the v8 will be mostly for show and i want the rough idle and have heard fi engines don't respond very well to idle quality like that

 

[bobbywalter]

Thanks for all the replies, I am mostly looking to keep the swap as simple as possible and as close to $1000 as i can including driveshaft and new rear end for the truck. I have a welder and a friend that has been building hot rods for many years that will help me if i ever need it. I think i might go with a carb'd 302 though due to the fact that the v8 will be mostly for show and i want the rough idle and have heard fi engines don't respond very well to idle quality like that

then 302 it is...and explorer setup in the essence of mounts and fead would be ideal. run an aod or c trans or some sort of t5/m5 and things will be as simple as possible.

generally i can do that for a grand provided i got a good running sbf and trans for 2-600 bux. it will look like a 1000 dolar swap, but thats what it is.


considering i have all the shit in the garage to do it already it could happen under 200 bux and about 10-20 hours for what you want to do.

 

[bobbywalter]

as to the unreal fab.....


that is unreal.

i have installed 350 and 302 with no welding in 2wd applications....i can install a leaf sprung dana 60 kp axle with no welding and all stock parts on a ttb chassis as well.

a shit ton of drilling and cutoff wheel work...but its not some fab guru situation.



as to the powertrain situation...

the alum 5.3 i can get complete from 1800-2800 bux....one particular setup from a 2011 application with 14k miles 3300 bux.

theres a 6.2 from a hummer for 4300 complete, it was 53 plus k miles

a 6.0 for 3600 ish complete...with 90 k miles....that is all from a source i have in lincoln park michigan.


i have had a few people approach me to do this, no one has dropped off a truck or cash yet.




now. ls better then a windsor?

i guess that depends on how you look at it.

i am confident i can build a solid 400 na hp efi 351 that will out live any of the ls type engines.....as in actual duration of life in say a work truck. given the same oil types and change intervals. that would cost me @ 4500 minimum tuned.



so my suggestions are not cause i hate fords, its just easier to use a later model powertrain all in all for max value.

emmissions
power
economy.....

winnie win win