my dads swapping the engine out of the ranger we found a used 3.0 non flex fuel engine for 450 at a local junk yard. Now will we need a new computer or will we be fine just to swap it as is

 

my guess would be it should be aight ... i wonder if the computer is the whole reason they can run e85 ....

 

It's more than just a computer. E85 requires higher flow injectors and different gas lines to name a few. The truck would probably run, but there might be an issue with the injectors not being able to keep up with the computers demands.

Rwenzing should be able to elaborate on this topic.

 

Use the injectors off the old motor if there is a problem but I doubt there will be. The only other difference is in the truck's fuel lines. The flex fuel truck have all metal lines.

 

There is also a E85 sensor in the fuel line.

 

IIRC On the older 3.0L Flex Fuels there was a sensor, but it was all computer controlled after 2000.

 

If you have injector issues, just put in the 4.0 injectors. That is all the 3.0 FFV are , but shhh, it's a secret. lol

 

I believe All FFV's have E85 sensors.......

 

A few months after I bought my truck, I got a CEL for the "Flex Fuel Sensor", at 40k miles. I did some research at that time and I was told Ford had done away with that sensor after 2000 due to the problems like I had; deeming it all controlled within the PCM.

 

I received this from Ford, looks like all Flex Fuel Rangers have E85 sensors:

 

You said "E85 Sensor" originally, and I recall saying they did not use them after the MY2000. So did Ford also "tell" you about this Oxygenated sensor..?

 

Yup, Vaporized Sensor, and Oxygenated Sensor are both E85 sensors!

 

What I am getting means that the computer calibrates the E85 content using the O2 sensors, or "Oxygenated Sensors".

Read how chevy does it, and i'm sure ford has followed suit for the 2001+ FFV Ranger:

"Ethanol has less energy per kilogram than gasoline and produces more oxygen in the cylinders as it burns, which means vehicles would have to be recalibrated to operate on E85."

"These vehicles used a fuel sensor in the fuel line that signalled the computer how much ethanol was present in the fuel; the computer would add or subtract the amount of additional fuel required. Now, the Impala flex fuel system can perform this analysis without using any additional sensors.

GM has developed a Virtual Flex Fuel Sensor (V-FFS) software program that calculates the ethanol content in the fuel, instead of using a sensor to measure it. When the fuel level in the tank increases as the vehicle is refueled, the computer recalculates the percentage of ethanol in the fuel and automatically changes the air/fuel ratio. To do this, the computer temporarily stops the operation of other emission systems and monitors the oxygen sensors to determine ethanol content."

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/060322.htm

 

Yeah, OK. Go ahead and ask for an "Oxygenated E85 Sensor" the next time you need new O2 sensors, see how many odd looks you get.

 

Yet ANOTHER! Direct from FORD!

http://media.ford.com/NEWSROOM/featu...?release=23061

 

WRONG, Oxygenated sensor and O2 sensors are 2 different things!

Nothing was mentioned about being PCM controlled like you mentioned!

 

READ the links buddy. :)

 

I have to say I was wrong, because I can't find any other sensors
other than the O2 sensors on a 2001 FFV ranger on a ford parts website!