Its starting to look good for me.

[86rangerxlt]

Now that I'm finally working im looking at going down to the junkyard and picking up a carb'd 302 and a t5 transmission to dump into my ranger within the next couple weeks. Of course soon as i get them home they'll be torn down and rebuilt.

any tips you guys can give me to make this swap go easy would be much appreciated.

also my truck is an 86 xlt 4x4 and the engine is the 2.9. would me front and rear differential need to be swapped out? go sas in the front and a 9 in the rear?

thanks guys!

 

[baddad457]

You're better off getting a late 80's to mid 90's EFI roller 5.0 then puttting a carb intake and distributor on it.

 

[dangerranger83]

87-94 engine have the fordge internals in them along with the rollers.

I plan on getting my 302 out of an 85 f150, its carbed and what not and it does run. I dont truly see a point in needing high HP in a ranger (at least mine) but do plan on putting a cam in her.

 

[86rangerxlt]

of course im going forged internals. main reason for going carb is because I really dont wanna deal with the harness and ecu. im keeping the ecu from the 2.9 and keeping the harness from it as well. so that way every 2 years when i have to do ca smog i can swap my motor easily. planned on going forged internals along with the rollers. and yeah i was thinking about sticking a cam in her. anyone got a few cam suggestions?

 

[86rangerxlt]

im either gonna run the route of illegal engine swap and go carb. or im gonna find a donor f150 thats 87 to 95 and go the legal engine swap route thru the ca bar program and get it certified so i can pass smog.. personally i like carbs cause i've been playing with em since i was a toddler. even though i learned all the fuel injection and computer stuff in school. i just find computerless carb'd applications easier for me. i guess cause its what i've been working on all these years.

 

[dangerranger83]

Do you want to be able to drive her when you want or not?

 

[86rangerxlt]

meaning?

 

[baddad457]

Just FYI: All 302/5.0 connecting rods are forgings. The only forged pistons in these motors were in the Mustang HO motor from 85 to about 91. All the cranks were cast nodular iron. You do NOT need "all forged internals" in 99% of applications. Very few of Fords Hi-po motors had forged pistons or forged cranks. In fact, cast Ford cranks are/were better than Chevy's forged cranks. Don't buy into the "all forged internal" crap, it's highly overrated.

 

[dangerranger83]

If your going to do it though, may as well get the best stuff from the factory though that comes in an engine such as these and still end up paying the same for the engine.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

meaning?

If your truck won't pass smog how are you going to drive it?

And my $.02 for making the swap easier is to get a bodylift. Leaps and bounds easier.

 

[baddad457]

If your going to do it though, may as well get the best stuff from the factory though that comes in an engine such as these and still end up paying the same for the engine.

Any 85-91 HO motor you run across will more than likely need a rebuild after 20 years. So there's no point in looking for just that one application. The pistons were the only parts that were different from these years (86-2001) Everything else was the same. Blocks, cranks, rods, heads etc.........all the same stuff with very few variations. Just for example, take a 91 5.0 from a pickup and a Mustang. Both have all the same parts except for the pistons, cam and upper and lower intake. EVERYTHING else in these motors is the same. And among these and the rest, there were three heads used: E6SE, E7TE and the GT40'a on the Cobra. The first head is pretty much useless for performance (unless you're into rock crawling) The second needs work on the exhaust side, was used in all Mustang HO and pickups and vans from 87-97

 

[86rangerxlt]

If your truck won't pass smog how are you going to drive it?

And my $.02 for making the swap easier is to get a bodylift. Leaps and bounds easier.

my truck will pass smog fine right now. im looking at putting my time in and rebuilding the motor and have it attached to the trans and running on a custom stand i have. soon as i get it home from passing smog ill start dropping the motor in. then every two years ill swap back to the 2.9 i was planning on going the body lift route. i had read that in a different thread.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

my truck will pass smog fine right now. im looking at putting my time in and rebuilding the motor and have it attached to the trans and running on a custom stand i have. soon as i get it home from passing smog ill start dropping the motor in. then every two years ill swap back to the 2.9 i was planning on going the body lift route. i had read that in a different thread.

And that is easier than using most of the wiring that is already there and never having to touch the engine again?

Check into it, people even run their 5.0 off of their 2.9 computer.

 

[86rangerxlt]

if i never had to touch the engine again i wouldnt be happy. i enjoy turning a wrench and i enjoy pulling motors. i love the day my vehicles break cause that means one thing... i get to work. sometimes i break them on purpose.

 

[86rangerxlt]

how in the world could you run a 5.0 off a 2.9 computer. that just doesnt sound possible to me. i thought you had to have the right harness and ecm and tcm and all that stuff too.