Swaps/FI/Upgrades- best value

[b3million]

During your research you should have noticed guys doing all kinds of different work arounds and things to try to tune the Ford system. It is just not friendly as far as tuning for non-stock add-ons.

There are a bunch of throttle body add-on fuel injection products.

You have the Sniper, the Killshot, the Fitech, Bandit, Fast, ACES, who knows what I missed.

Most of what i saw was guys running stock 5.0’s, and one guy with a sniper. Now that you bring it up the total void of tuned 5.0’s with a stock fuel/air system is very noticeable

 

[b3million]

ok. on the LS side. it depends on what you want. in regards to off-roading if you may want a doubler or run a 205 for front digs then go with a fullsize transmission....and older 241...this is easy to use 6 hole standard.

if you run the fab bot or gen plate style to use the 4l60 bell with the aisin AR-5, you want to use the old school s10 233c with u joint yokes....

you just pull the shift controller off and it's easy to make linkage to convert it to manual shift.

but journey off road (the minivan guys) has a nice kit.

the colorado t case has the output on the dumb side of the truck, so you would have to use a 226 from a blazer or trailblazer....that don't have u joint yokes....don't do that.

150 bux buys a stand alone harness for the 5.3. they are all over eBay from 80 to 200 dollars....brand new chinesium.

regardless
the truck setup is easy to use. if you can't use that ..then the ford will be even harder.


more importantly...

these LS processers are more robust than the eec 4 and 5 setups as well.

the only reason to use a Holley for a 300 whp swap is if it is getting boost to be a 450 whp swap.


or you really like cake. get the Holley .....i have hp tuners and the Holley and will be getting moates again and another ms3 to use with what is on tap over the next season.

I do love the Holley Terminator X, but for sub 400 hp it is not worth it because the stock ecm works WAAAAY better for mpg.


just use the truck engine accessory drive, or the 150 dollar ict kit that puts the truck alternator on drivers bottom and truck pump drivers top....leave ac compressor in truck spot, hose kits and crimpers 300 bux. or two repair kits for 40 bux to hook your lines to the ls lines



on the ford front, all is not lost.

well....moates is back. but those old processers are time bombs now.

still....they are ok in cost but not better than the Holley.

even with the full 1/4 horse by the time you are dialed in it will be close to or possibly exceed the Holley....the ACES while not as good will be way cheaper. and more importantly...NEW.


so ...say....93 ish s10 t case, fab bot style to ls setup for AR-5...and a 5.3 with PCM and wiring.

where I live. 1900 dollars has it doing burnouts in whatever carcass I am working on....this includes brand new clutch pressure plate and tob..and extended lines and adapters.



the driveshafts in my trucks I made.....so it's not including driveshaft costs if you can't do that.

and that is pull up to the junkyard and they toss it in my truck prices.

u pull is under 1200.

and I can do that today.

ford....

I can do it today too....but it's not gonna be close in power.

finding an ecm and good harness...and setup for 300 whp wont be just a cam swap

Those chinesium harnesses usually have the wrong computer, injector, or transmission plugs. Or some combination of the three. They aren’t always the best option.
Saw a guy online talking how the PS lines from our trucks screw straight into a 5.3 pump. Though if i could get one cheap enough i’d love a 6.0.

I could probably do my own driveshafts. I can weld and I have access to a small machine shop. Balancing them is what i’m scared of. Otherwise i’d just get chevy shafts and chop the ends off and put them on mine, assuming the diameter is the same. The PO of my truck put a new rear drive shaft in it, and it’s huge. Dunno if it’s stock but it’s a good inch and a half wider than the last vehicle i drove, and it had more power and torque than this truck. Also forgot to mention you have to modify the steering column to get around the LS manifolds

Splicing the AC lines sounds like a good option. That only leaves functionality- getting the A/C and dash working. I’d like a good speedometer and working senders for my dash so i can read oil/ temps/revs. Most LS swaps tend to leave that out, I think. I know that’s an electrical problem but wiring is that one thing nobody wants to touch. I also have no idea if the senders on a GM motor will return data in a way the ford can comprehend. That and I don’t think the OBD2 port would like that too much. No idea what that’s gonna look like. The 302 swap still has that beat as far as i know

 

[b3million]

During your research you should have noticed guys doing all kinds of different work arounds and things to try to tune the Ford system. It is just not friendly as far as tuning for non-stock add-ons.

There are a bunch of throttle body add-on fuel injection products.

You have the Sniper, the Killshot, the Fitech, Bandit, Fast, ACES, who knows what I missed.

Of all of those, which ones are you familiar with, and which ones of those do you like? Holley is painfully expensive and bobby put his .02 in on the ACES. Holley is also unfortunately the only option i know anything about.

 

[bobbywalter]

you simply use the ford senders and wiring to use that gauging.

if you have a hec system then going to like a 96 dash can be an option.

generally I use a combination of methods for gauging.

when you get to module controllers and bus control systems then gateways and emulators come in.

don't suspect that with this. what year is the truck again? trucks get complicated about 01 and after 04 I got away from them....all of the Ford's.

 

[b3million]

you simply use the ford senders and wiring to use that gauging.

if you have a hec system then going to like a 96 dash can be an option.

generally I use a combination of methods for gauging.

when you get to module controllers and bus control systems then gateways and emulators come in.

don't suspect that with this. what year is the truck again? trucks get complicated about 01 and after 04 I got away from them....all of the Ford's.

02, sadly. 3.0 v6. gateways and emulators are definitely out of my current knowledge base.
Admittedly, one of the reasons i originally wanted an om diesel/ 4bt was so i wouldn't have to screw with wiring.
what's an HEC system?

 

[bobbywalter]

2002 is normal ish.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

2002 is normal ish.

IIRC 03 is when they really get spicy

 

[b3million]

IIRC 03 is when they really get spicy

So i got lucky then hahahaha. The computer turning the engine off when the MAF doesn’t read has already been frustrating to me so i’m glad it isn’t worse.

I’m gonna call some yards today and see if the pricing they posted is accurate. If it is, I can probably get the motor within the month. Trans/drivetrain/etc. will come after i get into the block and see what I’m working with.

 

[b3million]

2002 is normal ish.

Do you balance your own driveshafts?
Also, what’s hec

 

[bobbywalter]

no.

hybrid electronic cluster.

 

[b3million]

no.

hybrid electronic cluster.

fast google search indicates 02’s didn’t have HEC clusters. So that’s just sender splicing.

I think that covers everything. Assuming i can use the same fuel pump. Otherwise that sorts motor, trans, wiring, 4x4, and drive shaft. Cooling is a no brainer. AC and PS are also handled. At that point i think the speedometer is the only problem though regardless of which swap i choose i can use the “measure it at the rear axle” method to get around it. So i think that really is everything.
I’m gonna put some numbers together and make my decision then. Thanks for the info.

 

[b3million]

After tossing everything into an excel spreadsheet, I've decided I'm going to go with a 6.0 LS. It fits past the 4x4 components, a manual truck transmission will bind up to it, I can get a VERY GOOD transfer case for it that will fit in my frame rails (np231, manual 233 so no need to make linkage), and it makes more power and is more efficient than a 5.0 in stock form. It's a tune and a cam away from 450 crank hp, and it is actually, for my truck in particular (assuming I pull the parts myself, which I will be doing) cheaper by almost a thousand. Plus, since my cluster isn't HEC, adapting wiring shouldn't be difficult. I've done more research into the wiring issue and it really seems feasible to wire the truck myself. Accessory brackets can be found for cheap in some places, and I've found instructions online to make them myself. The only thing I need to wait on at this point is my lift, so I can measure the drive shaft correctly when it comes time to cut.
Thanks y'all for the information. Swap thread coming soon!(ish)

 

[Shran]

6.0 in a Ranger is going to be a blast. Please do keep us posted!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

After tossing everything into an excel spreadsheet, I've decided I'm going to go with a 6.0 LS. It fits past the 4x4 components, a manual truck transmission will bind up to it, I can get a VERY GOOD transfer case for it that will fit in my frame rails (np231, manual 233 so no need to make linkage), and it makes more power and is more efficient than a 5.0 in stock form. It's a tune and a cam away from 450 crank hp, and it is actually, for my truck in particular (assuming I pull the parts myself, which I will be doing) cheaper by almost a thousand. Plus, since my cluster isn't HEC, adapting wiring shouldn't be difficult. I've done more research into the wiring issue and it really seems feasible to wire the truck myself. Accessory brackets can be found for cheap in some places, and I've found instructions online to make them myself. The only thing I need to wait on at this point is my lift, so I can measure the drive shaft correctly when it comes time to cut.
Thanks y'all for the information. Swap thread coming soon!(ish)

If you want some inspiration slip over to youtube at catch "Matt's Offroad Recovery"

The Morrvair (custom built 4wd Corvair wagon) has a tuned 5.3. Note what that thing can do with just a high mile pullout 5.3. Also please be inspired by the exhaust, it sounds awesome under a load.

The heavy wrecker has kind of stolen its thunder lately, if you go back when it was dragging diesels with livestock trailers out of sand dunes it was downright musical.

 

[Shran]

Forgot to mention in my previous post, read up on LS engines that lose oil pressure before you buy an engine. I don't know exactly what years are affected - somewhere around 2013 for sure - and I don't know if it's only 5.3's or all of them. My father in law has a 5.3 of that year that started throwing a check engine light for a bad oil pressure sending unit and they found that it actually had low oil pressure. In his case there was a simple O ring that was causing it to bleed off but I guess it can also be wiped out cam bearings. The shop he took it to said there were a few years around his that had big issues with that and they saw a lot of them.