The motor mounts in the stock location are not level. The driver side mount is about 1.25" lower than the passenger side...
Today's updates...
After talking with Josh, he decided a new engine cage will be fabricated when he gets the truck back, so I relocated the tubes just enough to fit the alternator and the AC compressor, then rewelded the tubes til they can be replaced...
A little hard to see, but this one is showing all accessories mounted and the belt is installed. I wonder where the winch went? Oh wait, I know! LOL...
Next up is plumbing the power steering, I was able to reuse the stock 94 4.0L pressure line, I took and basically straightened out all the bends at the gearbox end to make it reach. The return line already had a section of rubber line added to it, so I just trimmed it to fit....
Onto fitting the core support. I wanted to make the core support removable for the next engine swap, or any maintenance or any other reason. It's not entirely how I wanted to do it, but it will be strong enough. If Josh doesn't like it, there is enough material left so that it can be welded for a factory replacement type repair. Basically, the top and sides are butted against the firewall side, and the lower side and bottom are overlapped. The sides have a reinforcement panel that runs past the firewall to the doorjam. These reinforcement panels were left intact, and the inner finderwells were the panels that were cut and matched up...
Here is a front shot...
If you noticed on the driver side, not all the holes in the support panel and inner fender panel line up. This is cause the core support is not bolted down to the core support frame mounts. They don't line up, and they are shaped differently. I can either cut and move the frame mounts outwards about an inch each side to line up with the core support and use a set of 94 core support mounts, which need to be replaced, one is missing and the other is froze, or I can go back to the boneyard, get a pair of 01+ frame mounts and get the rubbers while I'm there...
Next up is test fitting the radiator and AC condensor. I'm using the explorer 5.0 rad and condensor, and with the rad and condensor bolted in place, using the stock clutch fan, there is about an inch between the rad and the fan blades. This gives me a little room to move the motor forward about a half inch. The motor is sitting a little high, and the fan shroud will either need to be modified or lift tabs made to attach it to the rad. The motor can only be lowered about 3/4" before the passenger exhaust manifold flange contacts the frame...
The rad is tall, even with the custom bumper it still hangs down low, got to talk to Josh, might be swapping this out for a 4.0L rad...
The rad inlet is close to the engine cage, so in its present location connecting the upper hose is not happening. You can also see the AC line from the condensor to the evaporator is connected...
The AC line from the compressor to the condensor, yep, it will have a functioning AC...
The battery box and driver side engine cage. Looks like the battery will fit in the stock location. Even though the engine cage will need to be relocated, there is plenty of room...
The stock air inlet tube in place, the lower is not installed, but the mounts are there and there is plenty of room...
With the air filter cover in place, you can see there is plenty of room for the engine cage to be relocated. The driver side has more room than the passenger side, pictured here...
Here is a side shot of how high the motor sits in the frame...
But with the hood on...
The IAC valve, which sits on top of the throttle body, and the highest part on the motor, still clears the hood by about an inch...
The hood hinges I think were bent and needed to be replaced, the ones Josh sent don't line up, or they are both from one side. One more thing I need to discuss with Josh...
Not pictured, but I also have the wiring harness routed in place and everything is hooked up at the firewall at the AC blower, AC low and high pressure switch, cruise control module, and throttle cable at the throttle body. The horns are not hooked up since there is no horns there, but the plug is there, I don't have the headlights, corner lights or marker lights, but all the wiring is in place. I will be reusing the 3.0 alternator harness as it is the correct length to reach both the alternator and the AC compressor clutch. Since this will reach, I don't have to worry about repinning the oval 12 pin plug that contains the starter circuit, AC high pressure switch and AC clutch. I will have to redo the starter wire as its on the driver side on the 3.0, the passenger side on the 5.0. This is where I stopped for today, since its after 9pm...
SVT
