Biggest mistake you made on your 5.0 swap

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't believe with proper hardware this will happen. It certainly hasn't happened with mine.

There is a stud that is welded on the bottom of the mount. You put a flat washer and a nut on the bottom side, I used grade 8. That is all there is to it.

Hardware isn't an issue.

I am going to guess you lucked out when cut your slots.

 

[Mudhound]

forgot to put the damn oilpump pick up BACK on after re-freshing the bottom end of the engine.

 

[projectnitemare]

biggest mistake....not putting a 2.9 back in after I hydrolocked it. It's all been down hill after that. For real mistake, using a manual behind the 396W. Had a clutch explode and in general a manual is too hard on everthing with big power.

 

[pro94]

Not Spend 12,000 dollars putting a v8 in a ranger.

 

[leseman1]

Wish I would have started with an explorer motor. They have the best stock heads, shortest belt set up, good efi set up, better firing order and roller lifters. All the things I have been upgrading to since I put the 70's 302 in my B2. Would have been alot cheaper to have just started with a newer block, I had to rebuild it all anyways. Live and learn i guess.

 

[leseman1]

And not finding a lighter t case that fits. The 205 is just to heavy to put in and out to many times.

 

[bobbywalter]

Wish I would have started with an explorer motor. They have the best stock heads, shortest belt set up, good efi set up, better firing order and roller lifters. All the things I have been upgrading to since I put the 70's 302 in my B2. Would have been alot cheaper to have just started with a newer block, I had to rebuild it all anyways. Live and learn i guess.

thats where i separate from the heard....


its just cheaper and easier to start with a 6.0 takeout.


of course some guys like spending 5-10 grand on v8 swaps doing it themselves.....

 

[getoffroad]

here is my list....

Spending money on some books about the swap...they don't help and waste of money.

motor mount location-unclear just wear to make your slots for the mustang convertible mounts...my engine seemed real close to radiator and now has settled against the lower cross member...where was that tidbit of information on the forums and tech write ups....

cutting too much off of my aluminum radiator top plate before mounting it....don't cut any of it....

Buying the transdapt oil relocation kit from jegs/summit. Get a billet aluminum one....or it will LEAK at the fittings...and have hoses made best money I spent and stopped the oil leaks from the clamp on oil lines. Especially on new engines.

spending the money to rebuild my C5 to a C4- I just put in an AOD and its great for highway driving and my low gears. C4 is great for wheeling and racing but its hard to get any mpg out of it. I have a sweet c4 fresh and ready for you to put in your rig. Hit me up its for sale.

Not spending money on a trans cooler to work with the limited space. I had the one in the radiator but wanted another one for the hot days of July and August....No where to mount the traditional style coolers. I of course installed air conditioning in my bronco II so the A/C condenser took up all my up front real estate...but I have awesome a/c cool breeze....sucks to own a jeep in the summer doesn't it...lol. (ok all you haters...I also have a 13 JK wrangler...well my wife does)

NOT INSTALLING A 2 INCH BODY LIFT FIRST This should be on top of the list. This makes everything easier...even though it is the biggest pain in the A-- to put on.

After all of that...Its the most awesome thing to drive !!!!! It is like having a mustang GT 5.0 that goes off road ! I have spent way too much money but I have a great 1984 bronco II that will cruise down the highway and get 20 mpg. Plus I can blow the doors off those high school kids laughing at the old guy next to them at the light. (and most jeeps too...lol)

 

[Elutheros]

Thanks for the list---really helpful stuff in there...just finished my body lift and it is a pain even when it only comes down to 2 bolts that wanted to cross thread in the bed clips.

 

[dangerranger83]

If I could afford larger tires, I would do a 2 inch body lift so as to not look goofier. Other way, subtract suspension lift and so a body to make it look the same.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[zero233]

letting someone else put the motor in my truck, installing parts on it, and not watching them do it. took two months to get it back, and when we did it had nothing but oil leaks around the oil pan from loose screw, and a few broken bolts in the block....

btw hi everyone!

 

[RangerSVT]

Taking 5 years to research mine, way overthought it, and not doing it sooner....

SVT

 

[Fant]

Haha. A place for my mistakes. Lets starts with goin from an efi motor to carbed motor. U better get the distributor with 1 1/2 inch shaft. I went hei and hadd just 1 in shaft at first. 2.3 miles later the rod went through the block. There went a grand for 100 dollar mistake. Now i run 96 f150 engine. All parts off an f150. When i cut my slots for my mounts my oil pan hit. So i moved up 1 in and it cleared. Problem was when i slid motor back and installed tranny it hit again. The way the oil pan is shaped. I shoulda moved up another 1/2 -1 in. On drivers side. But il be shimming mine since i have bolts legnth to allow it. I used stock tranny crossmember frm 85 ranger and notched where needed to slide my tranny mount in for my r2. I just used big washers and tightened it and motor mounts down. Big nono. Needs something to hold in place cuz when u come down hard on front end even a ditch at idle speeds. The motor and trans can slide forward taken your radiator out. Ur water pump pulley hits electric fan and the shaft digs a hole in it. So cut a plate that fits inside the crossmember on bottom side and drill holes that are exactly right for bolts. It will keep everything from sliding.

 

[Elutheros]

Fant--that last tidbit on the xmbr holes/plate is good information--thanks! Will save me a lot of pain later.

 

[Fant]

Well u have to have tranny jacked up as far as it will go hitting floorboard. Then work ur crossmember in under frame. The slots i cut were big cuz i dnt own a torch. But ul have just enough room to slide ur tranny mount between tranny and crossmember. Come from back of tranny side when installing the mount. Then put bolts in to mount tranny mount to tranny itself. I used the stock 85 ranger mount that pick tranny up high. But my tcase is inside my frame with this crossmember. Only sits down a very little. But the plate i cut was 7 in long by 2 1/2 wide i think. Im not where i can measure. Just make sure its a nice snug fit up inside the crossmember. Put whiteout all on the bottom of bolts then put plate up where u want it to sit. The whiteout will mark where bolts are. Get a drill bit that is slightly larger than those bolts. Center punch where white out is and drill. Then go put plate on. It should be tight fit. Install plate with flat washer and nuts. Then ur tranny will not slide in notches in crossmember cuz the plate will hold bolts in tranny bracket through ur plate and ur plate is touching bith sides of the inside of the crossmember.