Really going to do it....few more qustions.

[jarfly]

Okey I'm bout set of doing this, I knew from the get go when I pulled my heap of a 97 in I wanted a v8 but instide I just put a wimpy 3.0 back down in it. Needed to say it sucks I hate it, and it makes me want to cry ever time I start it knowing how much work I put in to puttin that 3.0 in it..

Sooo. Heres my plan. A 302/351 from something(have't got my engine yet)
4spd trans. carbed so no wireing driveing me crazy like my 3.0 has been.


Im on a pretty tight buget and trying to make ever thing on this. Reson for useing the 4spd, Im gettin it free and for the cost of the 2x2 to make my cross members and cutting my d shafts it's in....

Been reading the swap tech on here, pretty well was set on the mustang motor mounts, now im thinking just makeing the plate ones. What is the cons in doing this? and how far do I put the hole for the mounts? it has the spects for the block side but what about the frame side?

allso what type of filter relocater am I looking for? Trying to find the cheapest possible.

 

[RangerSVT]

I would think twice about doing a carb setup in a 97. Your going to have more wiring issues going carb than swapping in the correct EFI motor. Check out my ranger build thread, the first post has detailed info for the swap. You might be surprised just how easy a V8 swap is for 95-97 rangers using the right donor (96-97 V8 explorer). I would go the plate route. It's way easier than the mustang mount method. You simply use a 4.0 rubber mount mounted in the stock location on the crossmember with the locator pin removed, and then drill a few holes in a plate, then bolt them together...

SVT

 

[jarfly]

will the stock 3.0 mounts work? I have a set of 4.0s but I would have to pull the 4.0 out of the truck to get them.


And why would it be harder to do a carbed set up? I know the explorers are plug and play. BUT, the doner Im trying to get is a bronco with a carb. This is a very very low buget bulid. I'm trying to cut cost any way I can with out going totle hack. And I know how to tune a carb, not so much on efi.


What is involved with putting a carb on this? Could I just use the stock alt wireing, and cut all the stuff I dont need for the efi? Pretty well set it up like a dirt track car?

 

[jarfly]

For a V-8 swap using a carburetor, I recommend using an early to mid 1970's Duraspark II ignition. Try to find a V-8 from this era with the distributor and ignition still intact. It has a wiring harness that goes from the module on the wheel well to the distributor, and the original power harness from the Ranger should plug right into it.

From the tech, The v8 i'm looking at is from the late 70s earley 80s. Sounds like it should be a simple plug and play...And yes i'm old school carbs are way better kinda guy.lol Really they aint, just simple even this back woods redneck understands them......Btw I hate wireing with ever bit in me biggest reson I want a carb....

 

[RangerSVT]

Getting a carb and duraspark is where the easy ends. Getting the vehicle wired up to run, especially the speedo (its electronic starting 95) fuel pump you will have to jump the relay. If you got cruise, that's another wiring issue if you want it working. With the explorer motor swap, you literly have no wiring issues, you unplug two plugs for the electrical and that's it. It literally will be more work to wire up the duraspark than it would be to swap in an ex motor...
And the 3.0 rubber mounts are different than the 4.0. 4.0 mounts are needed and are easier than the mustang mounts. Going the 4.0 mount way also allows you to adjust the engine front to back much easier...

SVT

 

[dangerranger83]

If you want real easy igition setup
you can get an hei dizzy. Some say they ugly but am I really going for look or their opinion...no. One write to the coil and it's running.

I would go with a 302 due to with a 351, your going to run into exhaust manifold issues. You erik have to get custom ones made to run inside the frame rails.

Sent from my SGH-T499 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jarfly]

Looks like im goin hei. This is pretty well a offroad truck onley, onley time its on the road is for some local shows.

 

[dangerranger83]

I like the duraspark setup but had it fail on me once in the winter time and only had the setup on my truck for 6 months or so. But I have been good for over 1.5 years now since then but I want to eleminate alot of wiring under my hood and keep stuff just a little simpler.

If its an off road truck only then theres no need to worry about the speedo working or alot of other things either.

This is the dizzy I got off ebay and what I am going to use....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-289-302-5-0-5-0L-HEI-DISTRIBUTOR-6502-BLUE-CAP-/370607634961?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5649efba11&vxp=mtr

That seller also sells a combo setup with accel wires too for $20 more. I may end up buying the wires here real soon but not sure yet.

 

[jarfly]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-289-30...Parts_Accessories&hash=item564b3e64dd&vxp=mtr

This is the one im ordering, and wires with it, Iv had good luck out of the accels on our dirt track chevys.

 

[jarfly]

Does any one have a wireing diagram on setting this up? I assume I need a 1 wire alt for this?

 

[dangerranger83]

It comes with full instructions. It will need at least a 10 gauge write hooked to an ignition on/hot sorce, the starter side of the soleniod.

I'm going to order wires from them too, should have got the both together but didn't :kickbutt: but for the price of accel wires, you can't go wrong.

I know a guy that says he has run that same dizzy from the same ebay seller for two years and says he has had no problems with it.

Sent from my SGH-T499 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Teddyzee]

On your 1997, the alternator charge system is independent of the engine ECU. The wiring my be wrapped with the engine harness, but is not connected to anything. So, you can carefully separate it without touching the charge circuit.
Same thing with you speedometer. The signal comes from the VSS in the trans, through a trans harness to the main engine harness, to the main 42pin connector to the truck body. Does not interact with the engine ECU at all, (as far as the speedometer function is concerned. Signal DOES get sent to the ecu) so it can be carefully left in place.
Same thing with the cruise control. Completely independent of the engine ECU.

Same thing with all your dash gauges.

These are examples of why you cannot just rip all the wiring out when swapping to a carb. If you carefully separate the wiring and circuits, you can have everything function normally. Almost like doing an EFI swap...

Fuel pump circuits can likely be triggered with a switch, so you'll need to address that, too.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

IMO if you want to go carbed it would be easier to find an older "stupider" truck, swap the parts you want to keep between trucks, sell the '97 and then swap engines.

It would be easier to convert a truck like mine to EFI than to convert a truck like yours to carburation. In all reality EFI is better offroad anyway, if my truck was set up for it from the start I would have went with it from the get-go.

 

[jarfly]

on selling my 97, id sell my nads first. lol
So any more in put on the hei dizzy on my 97?

 

[adsm08]

I know how to tune a carb, not so much on efi.

You do understand that the whole point of EFI is that is tunes itself.

Also, I'm not really sure there is a "cheap" way to do a V8 swap.