Dropping a pre-95' 3.0 longblock in a 99' Ranger?

[Old Dude]

Need a little help guys. I have a fresh longblock of the older block design with a hole for a distributor. Can I use this engine in my 1999 Ranger by blocking the distributor port ? or Can I buy a distributor and hook it up that way? What about the other electronics ? Thanks, Old Dude

 

[stmitch]

I don't think you could block off the hole for the distributor. I haven't looked at a 3.0 with a distributor, but I'd guess that Ford just replaced the distributor with the camsyncro in the newer trucks. Trying to use a distributor would be pretty difficult too. You'd have to be a wiring guru, and the ECU may need to be tuned to accept the distributor instead of an ignition coil.

You can drop in something like a newer Taurus motor with only minor mods. They're easier to find than ranger 3.0's, and can be bought for $300-$500 at my local salvage yards. That's what I'd reccommend anyway.