ok so i was thinking i want a v8 in my ranger...mostly for the sound and rumble of a v8 =)...i have 2 spare 351 windsors out my dads 69 mustang so i already have that but i was thinking it would be easier to install a 302 or 289 than a 351.

my truck is just a little more than a year old so i wouldnt do this for a little while but i was just wondering how difficult this would be... i know a 302 crate is not thatt expensive and a 289 is a little cheeper and runs around 300 hp

i deff want a crate motor because i want it to be a brand new engine and i love the sound of a crate with a nice mild cam.

now besides the cost of the motor...do i need to beef up my front suspension to hold up any of these engines?

and what else will need to be done?

thanks

 

Alot of people put a 5.0 in there truck. Honestly, I wouldnt do it in your truck. A 2007 is way to new with to many nice features you would lose if you go an old explorer PCM (assuming you go that route). Eventually youll have to go to emissions which you wouldnt pass as its an OBD2 scan.

If you really want a 302 in a ranger I would go 95 or older or I would just get an explorer with a V8 in it. Alot of V8 swaps have been done, but honestly, its not going to be super amazing power unless you pump up the motor.

Just buy a supercharger or throw some money into the engine and youll be happy hopefully.

Ok edit : I just found online that 01 explorers had a 5.0... If you got an 01 Explorer PCM for the 5.0, and trans, motor, wiring harness, all the odds and ends and fabricated some stuff it would probably work out ok. The Explorer 5.0 was only 215hp, your motor weighs less, and makes 207HP. So if you get a crate, you probably want something worth all the effort. A straight over explorer swap wouldnt be worth the extra 8hp/30tq.

 

There's been some threads lately on the different Ranger sites about '04+ V8 swaps. From what I've read, all of the wiring changed in the Rangers in '04 and doesn't match up with the 5.0 Explorer wiring. Search around and you'll see what others are running into with the newer Rangers.


Edit: Here's one from this site: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=61761

 

You can always sell me one of those 351's for my 67stang

 

The wiring changed ever more in 07. It's possible its just going to be a real pain in the *** to get it wired up.

 

yea i started lookin around and thinkin about it and its not really worth it...i think il just save the money lift up in the air make it look good and buy a old ford and drop the crate in there and go tear it up in the mud


midnightrider- my dad is lookin to sell the motor so if you are interested i will keep you posted

 

well if i was t drop the v8 i would only go with a brand new crate and i would spend the money to get the comp retuned and get new gauges...i mean i know its poss because ford is offering to drop those boss crates in the new 4.0 mustangs.

the thing is amazing too

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jsKvrfyULhU

 

Get a Explorer Express supercharger and some other performance upgrades. It won't be as fast as a tuned 302 or 351 but it will still be able to smoke those tires damn good.

 

haha yea that sounds good...but i mean the whole reason behind the v8 swap was for that loud v8 rumble not so much the power. It just seems like a better idea to buy an old ford for 3000 bucks and turn it to a loud beat up mud truck. and use my ranger for around town good lookin truck

 

Thanks for the Info dudes. I greatly appreciate it. Right now I'm waiting till it's paid for to do the actual V8 swap myself. This was a concern about using the wiring from an 04 Explorer in my 04 Ranger. I am putting a 302 block stroked to 347 C.I.D. in mine. Wiring doesn't scare me or anything (considering what I do for a living at Utility Trailer) but didn't want it to take longer than normal either. I thought about getting a Painless wiring kit and going from there. here's where I'm getting the engine from: www.dssracing.com . Thanks again for the info dudes.

 

What size motor do you have in your Ranger now?

 

The wiring from a 04 Explorer is worthless in a 04 Ranger, the wiring from a 01 is closer but still way far off.

 

All FX4s have the 4.0 SOHC

 

Thanks man. They've had so many different models of the ranger it's kinda hard to keep up with them. I guess the painless wiring kit would be a good choice then won't it? It seems like I always encounter a problem right off the bat. Damn it man. Thanks 04blackedge. I have photos if you wish to view my truck before anything else is done to it if you wish to see it. You'll have to email me though because I only know how to post one as an avatar.

 

what i would do if it was my truck and my swap...

well not my truck yours. lol

since its an 04, trade it in on a 02-03, 03 perferibly because they are the newest that will work the best.

buy an entire explorer.
buy a 351W from an early 1990s F150.

Take all the wiring and management from the explorer use it with the 351.

Use the Tcase from the F150 and the trans from the explorer.

User the Explorer PCM, with a custom tune.

SAS the truck so you have room for the long tube headers and clearance for the Tcase.

My point being the 351 is why do a 302, everyone does that. a 351 would be killer.

PM me and I'll help you with uploading pics to the site.

 

I wish but have to use the same year as my truck due to a stupid cap on size and an unfair law. email me personally at knightmare1015@comcast.net for all of the pictures of my truck.

 

In that case just sell your truck and buy a older one.

 

I think I'll go to a local Junk yard and see what they have. I'm not willing to sell my truck even though I want to modify it. It's my very first NEW Truck. I'm in my 30's and have never had a New truck till about 4 years ago. I've always have owned used vehicles.

 

Do the 302. The 351W is alot more involved with custom oil pan, custom headers, custom crank damper/pulley/crank trigger assembly, custom oil pump drive, custom A/C cross over line, and a handful of other mods to make it work in a 1998+ swap with explorer electronics. I have been farting around on mine for too damn long and wish I would have just left it a 302 - but stroked!

 

That was the orginal plan. A 302 stroked to 347 C.I.D with twin turbos. here's a pic of the stock engine of my truck:





I hope it will fit without alot of cutting/chopping. It's a 3.slow if you're wondering.

 

5.0L V8 from explorer will bolt in with no clearance issues. I had one in my truck for 48K miles. Added a 1.5L Kenne Bell supercharger about 20K into that. Loved the truck, just wanted ore HP, so that is when I started the 351W / 2.6L Autorotor / water intercooler engine swap. Not much has been done in the last 1-1.5years...

 

I think your ideas are dreams at this point. Have you thought about how much money is going to be involved in all that engine work your talking about? Then finding someway to get a 04 Explorer PCM and all the computer stuff to match up is close to impossible. I'm pretty sure they stopped putting the 302s in the Explorers after 01-02 anyway.

 

2001 was the last year for the 5.0L U150 Explorer. The U152 explorer was introduced in 2002, sharing nothing with the older 95-01 explorer. That was also the first year of the 4.6L Explorer.

Now, I assume you are not speaking to me on the "dreams" - I am actually nearly done, but I do somewhat wish it was a dream or rather nightmare...

 

Oh I'm not I'm talking to knightmare. Yeah the 04 computer wouldn't match up to the old 302s at all.

 

Some peoples dreams become realities though.

I mean, my dream is to find two beat up old Fords. One a first gen Ranger two wheel drive. The other a 1970's Ford F series with a good 460 in it. Swap in the monster into the mouse, and have myself a super custom Rat Rod Ranger.

Then again, that is just a dream though.