Explorer 302 into 1st gen tips and questions

[corson]

Just wanted to share my experience getting this motor and trans in. A lot of the info I found on the internet doesn’t align with my experience here so thought id share and save someone money.

my steel explorer 5.0 oil pan cleared the crossmember. Using ricksrangerz motor plates and stock 2.9 mounts.

No issues clearing the trans, 4r70w off the explorer, i did hammer the pinch weld on the cab in.

The heater box is a big pita and needs to be clearanced with a heat gun. Same with the (Idle air control?) box on the top of the firewall

I cut the middle of the core support out to put the motor and trans in together, just gonna weld it back on. Basically no room for a rad, going to pick up an electric fan

Looking for a couple tips too. I picked up a PATS deleted computer, has anyone had any luck just splicing the 2 harnesses together to connect fuel and ignition signals to the connectors coming out the driver side firewall? Im assuming I just need to connect fuel pump, ignition on, and starter signals. I do have dual tanks btw, assuming its still just one fuel pump signal from the ecm and the tank is controlled from inside-the-cab wiring but if not please let me know.

What are people doing for fuel lines? The 98 explorer motor is both female and the feed is 3/8 return 5/16. Ranger is male 5/16 feed and feme 5/16 return, having trouble finding ford fitting adapters. Was hoping to just get 6AN adapters and use unions

Also any suggestions for inexpensive radiator solutions would be nice, I have a 5.0 explorer rad that i’d like to use but it might just be too big.

Thanks

 

[JoshT]

If it's an 85+ you can use up to a 97 Ranger 4.0l radiator (edited for year correction), I think 83-84 mounted different. There were a few row counts, get the most you can. (Probably 2, maybe 3.) Alternatively a few companies sell big aluminum conversion radiators for the swap. I think champion is one. If you look around you can find them with a shroud and e-fans IIRC.

You may run into an issue with dual tanks. Depending on explorer year, you'll have to have a fuel return. Can't return fuel to a full tank so it needs to switch with the supply valve. If you have a non return explorer (99-01), you won't have to worry about that, but the intank pumps won't supply enough fuel pressure. Even with the return style system they might not supply enough, some dual tanks had lift pump in the tank and high pressure pump on the rail.

Believe there has been a thread or two covering the swap on dual tanks. Might have to dig for them.

There will be some wiring work needed, can't recall the details now. I'd modified a '98 Explorer EFI to standalone years ago to used in a first gen, but never finished and tested it. There are a few resources out there online. Probably a few YouTube videos. When I was doing it back then there was a guy in the classic broncos forum that had kind of set up a guide for it, the swaps were real popular in those at the time.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

83-84 Radiators are different from 85-94 which are different from 95-11 Rangers which are different than 95-01 Explorers

Explorer radiator could probably be made to fit, guestimating with just a shroud I thought I may be able to fit one with a bodylift, the are tall.

I have a low pro flex fan on the water pump and dual pushers off a Mercedes. HD 91-94 radiator fits with A/C.

 

[bobbywalter]

dont weld it together yet, just get a summit radiator and use that.


unlike the cast pan, the steel pan can work ok with a 2wd.

even with fullsize engine accessory drive with a double hump you can easily fit a mechanical fan, this is all in how one chooses to mount the engine.

using the method you chose, you live within that parameter. and for the majority it works fine.

getting the 17 tall x 24 or 25 radiator can be difficault sometimes, iirc there is a vette application that works well. i have used jeeps too, but that is in 4x4 applications with at least a 1 in body lift.

either way customize the core support to work with it and open it up as much as possible. this makes servicing and cooling a breeze not to mention more airflow.


as to the wiring, it is easily integrated in the way you want to work and the preferred method. the point of shitcanning pats is specifically the ease of making the eec system "stand alone" and reliable.

list out the things you want to work as oem in the gen 1.

this is really simple.

all you do is hook those sensors up or use that type with the engine on the gauge side....hvac is hvac. the crank run power goes to the diode and hook the fuel power up to its relay.


it is that easy.

 

[JoshT]

83-84 Radiators are different from 85-94 which are different from 95-11 Rangers which are different than 95-01 Explorers

I though that the raditor change was in 98 with the body change. The front clip and core support was the same for 93-97. Changed in 98, and that core support was used through 2011.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I though that the raditor change was in 98 with the body change. The front clip and core support was the same for 93-97. Changed in 98, and that core support was used through 2011.

For some reason they changed the radiator before... Ford gotta Ford.

 

[bobbywalter]

the explorers got a few percent increase in open area for the pending v8 swap and cooling package. the latch support was seperate iirc. the airflow package was a bit different overall.

but mounting for that affected era in regards to radiator was the same for the most part..

with a few aftermarket units i seen no difference at all back in the early teens in opening. it was not the same as the oem one being replaced anyway in that case.

i like to have space, so moving the radiator forward is the go-to.