Bronco II 4.0L OHV Swap Question

[mrsolo2000]

If you are aware of a thread that goes over this, please point me in the right direction. Here's my situation. I have a 1990 Bronco II 4x4 automatic that I am currently in the process of swapping in a 4.0L OHV from a 1996 Explorer. I do not have the PCM harness for the 4.0L, just the PCM. Here's my question.....am I able to 1) use the ECM in the 1990 bronco and control the 4.0L engine (as long as I put a distributor in it) or 2) get an ECM from a 1990 or 1991 Ranger or Explorer (4.0L version) and plug it into the Bronco's ECM harness and be good to go for the swap?

I have the Ford electronic and vacuum troubleshooting manual which documents the ECM pinout for the 1990 and I have another manual on the way for a 1991 Explorer/Ranger. It "looks" like everything is lined up for a simple swap of the engine and ECM that is mapped for a 4.0L OHV engine. Once I get the manual for the 1991 Explorer, I will be able to map the pinouts but I wanted to see if my theory of using a 4.0L OHV from a 1996 Explorer, a 1991 Explorer/Ranger ECM, and the Bronco's ECM harness is doable.

Thoughts?

 

[bobbywalter]

no distributor for a 4.0.


you will want a 96 harness for the eec5 side



or get the older induction and system from a earlier unit. spark knock may be an issue with the fast burn heads doing that...and there are some limited tuning options to deal with it.

all in all. best is to use a complete 96 system...all of it ...the maf and intake tubing complete.

 

[mrsolo2000]

no distributor for a 4.0.


you will want a 96 harness for the eec5 side



or get the older induction and system from a earlier unit. spark knock may be an issue with the fast burn heads doing that...and there are some limited tuning options to deal with it.

all in all. best is to use a complete 96 system...all of it ...the maf and intake tubing complete.

How about using an ECM from a 1990 Ranger with a 4.0L OHV engine? Is the 1996 block/head casting not backwards compatible with early 90s ECMs?

 

[bobbywalter]

may require tuning.


i have used the early bank fire system on a later engines. ended up moving the crank sensor a bit and it was ok.... some just worked others just spark knocked like a mofo under load. went to a different maf on one....just went to the eec5 on others... the explorers were in constant updating which is why i strongly suggest not mixing and matching.

try it and see where it lands .

 

[mrsolo2000]

Is there any reason why I cannot put the distributor from the 2.9L into the 4.0L engine and use the TFI/Distributor ignition system of the 2.9L engine? The cam from the 4.0L seems to have a distributor gear. Using the Ford electrical manual, I found the ECU harnesses between a 1990 2.9L Bronco II and a 1990 4.0L Ranger to be almost identical in pinouts and color codes with some minor variation between the TFI/Distributor and EDIS ignition systems. I get that the 2.9L ECU is mapped for that sized engine and fuel trim may be off or timing may need to be adjusted but is this "simple" swap of EDIS for the TFI/Distributor system possible? I don't have any of the harnesses for the 4.0L and I think I am missing some components of the EDIS system from the 4.0L 1996 Explorer donor car. Am I missing something?

 

[SenorNoob]

Distributor doesn't clear the 4.0 intake and 2.9 intake doesn't fit the 4.0.

Morana sells the stuff to make it happen. IF you wanna go that route. I like having junkyard parts available myself.