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.

 

[corson]

I’m not too worried about the actual fuel, both the ranger and explorer are return systems afaik, its a 98 motor and 88 truck. Worst case I’ll decomission a tank and run an explorer fuel pump, was just wondering if its going to be annoying electrical wise to keep them.

The thing with the fuel I’m just lost on is the fittings to adapt them together, all the fittings im finding are weird metric or decimal sizes and way bigger than I measured, and I thought ford fittings were standard.

And yeah I foresee wiring a late model to be booty but keeping the original trans, i figure it won’t be too much.

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.

I’d like gauges to work, from what I can gather temp and voltage is ez, I have an idiot light for oil pressure so that probably wont work. No idea how to do the tach because I assume it runs off 6 ignition pulses. I wouldn’t mind just getting the 3 panel gauge set that mounts under the dash for oil pressure, but I believe the ECU wants that signal to run and i don’t know if theres another provision for an oil sender in a 5.0 block.

As for pats, I bought a deleted computer with the same catch code on ebay. Basically my plan for wiring is use the explorer harness with explorer relays and splice the wires off the ranger harness connectors to their appropriate places and use the ranger connectors into the firewall. That way my idea is really the only signals going between the dash and motor is crank, run, and fuel pump (and gauges)

I kind of just want to put a flat radiator style trans cooler in front of the radiator, so I’ll try and look for a manual 2nd gen 4.0 rad.

Yes this is a 2wd, I’m swapping a dana 60 under it though. Idk if many people have done that on this forum but if theres something I should be aware of clearance wise, let me know. Trying to run the steering box in the stock location, and I assume you can simply reclock the 90 degree oil filter that comes on the explorer motor to clear it?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You won't want less than a 2row HD Explorer radiator.

There are worse things a radiator can do than take up too much room...

Later third gens are taller but still thin like other Ranger radiators, they may cool better than a 83-94 Ranger radiator. I have mulled one of those (but in an aftermarket two row flavor)

 

[corson]

You won't want less than a 2row HD Explorer radiator.

There are worse things a radiator can do than take up too much room...

Later third gens are taller but still thin like other Ranger radiators, they may cool better than a 83-94 Ranger radiator. I have mulled one of those (but in an aftermarket two row flavor)

Makes sense, it is a v8 and hitting trails is a lot of slow speed high power driving especially turning tons and big tires, so probably want the biggest rad and trans cooler that I can get haha.

On another note, any suggestions for suspension lift kits? I’m planning on running the stock 57s in back and reusing the coil buckets with ~4” lift springs, so a kit for a stock ranger should work fine. Just can’t find any info on front spring rates or rear shackles that give more than 2”

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Makes sense, it is a v8 and hitting trails is a lot of slow speed high power driving especially turning tons and big tires, so probably want the biggest rad and trans cooler that I can get haha.

On another note, any suggestions for suspension lift kits? I’m planning on running the stock 57s in back and reusing the coil buckets with ~4” lift springs, so a kit for a stock ranger should work fine. Just can’t find any info on front spring rates or rear shackles that give more than 2”

Trails, tons, big tires... Ranger radiator may be marginal then. I know @bobbywalter likes to go rogue and just open the radiator opening out the sides to fit the biggest radiator he can, I would lean towards something like that for this kind of a build.

Duff or Skyjacker for the lift.

 

[Shran]

I have the old Duff V8 swap radiator, now AKA the "Northern" radiator. I think it's the bare minimum you need for a V8, especially a crawler. Opening up the core support to fit a bigger one is an excellent idea if you can or want to. More airflow and more water capacity is essential... I am having to stop and let it cool off while wheeling on really hot days. It gets uncomfortably hot on the highway too. Cool days/around town it's fine.

What I don't like about my setup is that I had to delete the hood latch to fit a pusher fan in front of the radiator and there's just barely enough room for an electric puller fan in the engine bay. Your Explorer front dress on the engine should help a lot with that problem... I am using 89 Crown Victoria parts and they are far from ideal.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have the old Duff V8 swap radiator, now AKA the "Northern" radiator. I think it's the bare minimum you need for a V8, especially a crawler. Opening up the core support to fit a bigger one is an excellent idea if you can or want to. More airflow and more water capacity is essential... I am having to stop and let it cool off while wheeling on really hot days. It gets uncomfortably hot on the highway too. Cool days/around town it's fine.

What I don't like about my setup is that I had to delete the hood latch to fit a pusher fan in front of the radiator and there's just barely enough room for an electric puller fan in the engine bay. Your Explorer front dress on the engine should help a lot with that problem... I am using 89 Crown Victoria parts and they are far from ideal.

With my first gen Explorer two row the Explorer fan clutch just barley rubbed on the radiator as it spun. It spun free but would be self clearancing under many situations.

 

[bobbywalter]

I’m not too worried about the actual fuel, both the ranger and explorer are return systems afaik, its a 98 motor and 88 truck. Worst case I’ll decomission a tank and run an explorer fuel pump, was just wondering if its going to be annoying electrical wise to keep them.

The thing with the fuel I’m just lost on is the fittings to adapt them together, all the fittings im finding are weird metric or decimal sizes and way bigger than I measured, and I thought ford fittings were standard.

And yeah I foresee wiring a late model to be booty but keeping the original trans, i figure it won’t be too much.

I’d like gauges to work, from what I can gather temp and voltage is ez, I have an idiot light for oil pressure so that probably wont work. No idea how to do the tach because I assume it runs off 6 ignition pulses. I wouldn’t mind just getting the 3 panel gauge set that mounts under the dash for oil pressure, but I believe the ECU wants that signal to run and i don’t know if theres another provision for an oil sender in a 5.0 block.

As for pats, I bought a deleted computer with the same catch code on ebay. Basically my plan for wiring is use the explorer harness with explorer relays and splice the wires off the ranger harness connectors to their appropriate places and use the ranger connectors into the firewall. That way my idea is really the only signals going between the dash and motor is crank, run, and fuel pump (and gauges)

I kind of just want to put a flat radiator style trans cooler in front of the radiator, so I’ll try and look for a manual 2nd gen 4.0 rad.

Yes this is a 2wd, I’m swapping a dana 60 under it though. Idk if many people have done that on this forum but if theres something I should be aware of clearance wise, let me know. Trying to run the steering box in the stock location, and I assume you can simply reclock the 90 degree oil filter that comes on the explorer motor to clear it?

fuel fittings should be easy to get. i generally go right to evil energy these days for one stop shopping for lines and AN fittings and summit/fragola for the oem fuel ends. then run a fass fuel pressure regulator and a generic 340 lph pump. though you can easily use the oem pump setup even if it is returnless with some minor mods to bypass the oem regulator and run the fass. pop in a bulkhead for the return and get it on.


all of the old oem truck sensors will work with explorer engine....even the idiot light. non issue.

you can get an adjustable rotary resistor to dial in the tach closer, i had a deal like that a few times but there are things from dakota...or were at one point available to get the oem to work diy. back in the day a rotary pot from radioshack was a 2 dollar deal.

i assume you are using the coilpak which is better for most situations.


you are close on the wiring. it is really stupid easy when you single it out.


an old school 70s king pin 60 is perfect fot the rbv. especially when keeping the oem steering box configuration...

the newer dana 60 units have a wider set pumpkin with much different steering scenarios to stay low...but 2005 up are cake to link when staying coil sprung. obviously the ideal for coils.

jeffs bronco graveyard and toms bronco parts have decent springs and arms/trac bars and stuff.

ruffstuff as well. james duff of course.

these are literally the easiest small truck rigs to work with and have very workable chassis if not rotten.