My vehicle....

2003 Ford Ranger 3.0 2wd Automatic 212k (40k on rebuilt engine 30k on rebuilt trans)



I'm wanting to swap in an EcoBoost 4cyl to my Ranger. I've owned it since 2005 and I'm not parting with it... 😂. It's going through it's 20th anniversary rebuild as it was selected and sponsored by JBL Harmon Kardon to be one of their demo vehicles. Car Audio is what I do...I live and breathe it! So its time to update under the hood. The 3.0 is dated and very underpowered. Not to mention has horrible fuel mileage.

Since the Rangers do come with the 2.3 Duratec as an option, an EcoBoost is my first swap choice.

Since it's RWD, I know a complete Mustang 2.3 swap is the go to. I know I have a lot of options engine wise....

2.0 - 2.3 -2.5 EcoBoost engines or the....

Fusion 2.5 Duratec and add my own kit.

I'm on a budget, so acquiring one of these for $400 is attractive. I'm not drag racing so 225ish at the wheels is all I'd need and is attainable with the 2.5 and my own turbo kit... and tuning of course!

The questions I have is transmissions.

I'm assuming that the 2.3 Duratec's 4 speed automatic will bolt to ANY of the EcoBoost blocks since I'm going off of being told that they all share the same block.

Is this true?

If so, I would just locate an auto tranny and rebuild it to hold up to that power.

This would save me a lot of time and pain.

Oh the reason I want an auto?

I've had 5 spine surgeries since 2016 and now have 11 bolts/screws and two, 10 inch rods.

A clutch makes me nauseous.

😆

So please, any help is appreciated! I need to get this done. This project is 100% sponsored other than the swap. I'm classified as disabled and have a limited fixed income. So I need the best options from the best experts here!

I'm being humble and I'm listening but please don't say sell it and get a V8 or something new.

I can't afford the payment.

I look forward to getting the correct facts here!

Thanks in advance!

 

Not any Ecoboost but the 4cyl Duratecs/Ecoboosts are Mazda L engines so share the same bell housing pattern, with or without turbos

4R or 5R 44Es are rated at 440ft/lb torque, thats what the 44 is for
You could use the 55E with the 2.3l bell housing, its rated at 550ft/lb

 

I'm sorry when I said "any" as I forgot about the V6.
So does the 4R/5R represent 4/5 gears and R for reverse?
So either one of these transmissions (with bellhousing) will work work with a 2.5 Duratec?
Now when it comes to the wiring harness, would I just look for one from a 2.3 Duratec Ranger?
Would a fusion 2.5 be a plug and play drop in for a 2.3 Duratec Ranger?
RonD, Thank you so much!

 

You need ecoboost harness and computer

4R and 5R are both 4 speeds internally, extra shift was added with computer software
4R has 1st, 2nd, 3rd, OD
5R has 1st, 1st+OD on, 3rd, 4th, OD

So software in computer turns on OD when RPMs get high enough in 1st, for a faux "2nd" gear, combo ratio, works great, invented by off-roaders when the 2nd gen A4LDs came out in 1988, it had a 3-4shift solenoid, so they could activate this solenoid in 1st, or 2nd, to get in between ratios, very clever these Americans, lol


Computer you use must have 4R or 5R software, so vehicle that you get the engine out of must have had a 4R or 5R automatic, not sure if any ecoboosts fit that
Or go with manual trans ecoboost computer and standalone 5R55E controller

 

Sorry I'm a little confused. I looked up the transmissions and it looks like they're in older vehicles no earlier than 2001. Did I just look on the wrong pages? I was just trying to look up what vehicles the transmissions came in so I could start looking for one.

 

Yes, that's the 4R versions

5R were used in later years

 

Thank you so much for putting up with me! 😆
This is what I've put together over the last few days and what may work the best for me....
Find a 2.3l DURATEC with the matching (or any 5R44/55E) automatic transmission. This way I'll be basically starting my truck back to a 2.3l factory option. If possible, just the 2.3l head and top end of the engine.
Then find a Fusion 2.5 engine and swap out the bottom ends.
Mainly because I'm guessing there's a lot of things that don't match up to the Ranger's stock 2.3 harness since it's 5-6 years newer and FWD.
This would give me a "stroked" version of the factory setup plus a lower mileage bottom end. The Ranger engines are old now and the ones that are showing up have mileage .... not to mention expensive because it's a "truck engine.
I ran into the same thing when my stock 3.0 went down. Replacement engines were $1500 with 150k+ miles on them. Then I found out the Taurus used the same shortblock and were only $500 for a complete engine with around 75k on them. I found one for $450 with 8500 miles.... just had to give them the heads back.... DEAL! I did all the FWD-RWD things and I've put 40k on it currently.
Should this process work with the stock 2.3 setup?
Do I need to swap out the Fusion 2.5's top end?
Once I get this done, I'll actually have a setup with more HP and about the same tq as the 3.0.... plus way better mpg.
Then, turbo time... maybe a supercharger though.
Please, tell me where I'm wrong and messed up....
😂

 

Yes, the 2.3l Duratecs used the 5R44E model, and it will bolt to 2.3l ecoboost or 2.5l Duratec

Good read here on using 2.5l block with 2.3l head: https://www.ranger-forums.com/dohc-2...-block-167700/

 

Yes...it was a very good read. Thank you!
Looks like the Ranger's transmissions are fetching a crazy price just like their engines. I'm seeing an average price of $1650 with 125k plus miles on them.
What other vehicles had the 2.3/5R55E combo so I might cross reference one with another vehicle?
I might just go ahead and bite the bullet and get a reman since I was eventually gonna go through what ever I found.

 

And you can't get one from another engine and swap out the bellhousing?
I found this 4R on eBay with no bellhousing on it and just wanted to be sure.

 

2.3l/2.5l Duratecs were used in FWD cars, Rangers were the only RWD so only ones to use the 5R44E

You already have a 5R44E in the 3.0l Ranger
So yes, if you can find a 2.3l Duratec 5R bell housing, it should be possible to swap it on to the 3.0l 5R44E

 

Oh I thought even though they were the same transmissions, that they couldn't be swapped out!
So just find a 2.3 bellhousing?
This is awesome. I thought I was going to have to find everything new including a drive shaft. Plus, the transmission has been rebuilt and has been doing very well. I had it rebuilt with all Ford parts too.
RonD.... Thanks so much!

 

Yes, a 5R44E 2.3l Duratec bell housing

Try here: https://www.car-part.com/

2003
Ford Ranger
Transmission Bellhousing only
USA
Sort by distance
YOUR Zopcode
Search

New window will open
select 2.3l, AT
Search

2002-2011 2.3l will work