First 5.0 swap

[MeanGene86]

Hello, MeanGene86 here and as the title states. I am doing my very first Ranger 5.0l swap. Now I know there is a lot of swaps and folks on here who have done them, but we all know a guy just has to have a log of it for himself.

So I have a 1999 Ford Ranger 4.0l V6 4x4 and the full donor of one 2000 EB limited AWD 5.0l. From what I have been told and read it is the simplest late model swap you can do. Knowing this and that it is a swap I understand there is always something that is going to come up.

I plan on converting the 5.0 to headers and am looking into Torque Monster and looking for other options but have yet to find any real winners. Also I plan on keeping my truck 4x4 and not full time all wheel drive. So to that end I am looking into advanced adapters products and again I cannot find any other real options to keep my transfer case from my ranger.

So any advice ideas or any other constructive input is much appreciated.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

IMO you will spend more $$ trying to keep your Ranger t-case rather than just replacing it.

Pretty much any fullsize t-case will bolt to your trans, BW4406 is common in newer F-150's and I hear people liking them to use them in newer trucks.

I am putting a NP205 in mine out of a '79 truck, going onto a 2004 F-150 trans. The 205 is nice in that it has about the same footprint as the stock case but it makes up for it in weight. If you have electric 4wd and want to keep it... the 205 ain't gonna work though. Bunches of newer F-150's out there though with it.

 

[fastpakr]

Definitely don't keep the transfer case. You can use a manually shifted case from the F150, or (I think) you can use the electronically shifted part time (2H/4H/4L) case with some wiring changes on your current 4wd shift switch. The 4Auto case in some F150's is a different animal and I don't think it can be adapted to the switch you have.

Check out the writeups in the 'How To Tech' area. Lots of people have done the swap on the '98+ trucks. I've been rebuilding the 5.0 from my '99 Explorer donor over the last couple of months and am hoping to hoist it into my Ranger either Friday or Saturday. Glad to help as I can.

Your only header options are the Torque Monsters or the OBX knock offs. By most accounts the OBX version is complete junk and you can spend many hours modifying them to fit with mixed results.

 

[MeanGene86]

The headers are my biggest problem as of right now. Obx is looking preety iffy and the TMH are spendy but should be direct fit no problem. The transfer case I can hold out on as the AWD should work tell i get the right case and other parts to complete the change over.

My biggest worry as of now is the over priced headers and what to do about the egr (not needed in my county). I am trying to find a used pair of TM headers threw a few contacts and hopefully they will turn up some. I have a feeling this is going to be harder to find then a Unicorn horn.

 

[fastpakr]

You don't need headers to do the swap. The factory Explorer exhaust will work just fine. Why not start setting aside money to change over to them down the road and go ahead and get the engine swap complete now?

Agreed on the transfer case. No reason you can't use the AWD unit. I'm not sure if you need to leave your hubs locked in full time though? It's going to make the transfer case clutch engage full time if the front shaft isn't spinning.

 

[MeanGene86]

You don't need headers to do the swap. The factory Explorer exhaust will work just fine. Why not start setting aside money to change over to them down the road and go ahead and get the engine swap complete now?

Agreed on the transfer case. No reason you can't use the AWD unit. I'm not sure if you need to leave your hubs locked in full time though? It's going to make the transfer case clutch engage full time if the front shaft isn't spinning.

So life happend and the all time consuming work monster got me. How ever here is the update. Got Obx/maxamizer headers, let my friend pick out cam, springs and rocker arms as he builds engines for a living. No idea what they got but it isn't bad.
We have ported the heads and had to buy a new crankshaft. So we also upgraded all the engine's internal components and or replaced them. We will tune the engine once we get it in and running.

As for the transmission i had the stock Aode rebuilt by some nice guys down in Phoenix, Az and they also put together my t case swap to keep the original (BW1350?).

Now i am wondering if i should change my gears as the stock gears are 4.10s.