Any Help With Ranger 5.0 Swap Using A T5 Trans?
 

I've done carb'd Ranger swaps back in 90 and 93 (when we still called them 302s) on an 83 Ranger 4x2 using a C4 and an 84 Bronco II 4x4 using a copied Advance Adapters plate to mate the F150 bellhousing on the Tokyo Kogyo? 4 speed.

This Ranger swap is on a 2000 4x2 standard cab. I've already got a wrecked, but complete, running 99 Mountaineer 5.0L with AWD, although I want to run with a T5 trans. My concern is with the quality of shift with a hydraulic clutch. As we all know, the Ranger's aren't too good in that department. I don't know what kind of slave I should use with it and if the master needs to be changed out as well.

Something I hadn't considered originally, but after a little reading, I see that the PCM may give me fits going from auto to manual as well. Any help here would be appreciated greatly too.

I'm looking to start the project in a month or two, once I get some other stuff done, but the sooner I know what I need and need to do, the better.

Thanks guys.

Some great stuff from RPS:

Ranger Power Sports Forum

Every time I click on the "Ranger Power Sports Forum" link, I get the login screen and it won't accept my password. I'm even already logged in. Must be some bugs on the site.

For running a T5 with your 302 the easiest way I know of to run it hydraulically is that you can take the bellhousing from a manual 4.0 mustang, the newer ones, and use that between a world class T5 and the 302s block. Its supposed to be a direct swap in. There were certain years I believe in the late 80s that the thunderbirds had a hydraulic bellhousing that was supposed to work. I have seen a couple of modified stock bellhousing where a small adapter plate was mounted and a hydraulic piston was used to depress the stock clutch fork. If I remember correct that was a pretty expensive way to go, at just under 200 for that cylinder. On my truck (T5 with 302) I went with an adjustable clutch cable just like the fox body mustangs did. It took some fab work on the pedal assembly and cutting a hole through the firewall but it works real well know. The biggest issue I had was getting the proper amount of arm travel and not melting the cable on the headers because there is very little room between my frame rails to run the clutch cable.

Two Questions:

1) You mentioned 4.0 Mustang. I assume you mean 4.6 (V8)?

2) I've seen guys saying that the T5 shifter position is too far back. Any issues with that in your opinion?

or you can use the M50dr2 from an f150 and has a hydrolic clutch and bolts to the 5.0...we have discussed this a lot in my swap thread and others. goodluck!

curious on this too

He's correct, V8/GT's used clutch cables until 04'.

Depending on your seat position/height some people love it, others who don't can do an S10 T-5 tailshaft housing swap which moves the shifter to very closely the OEM manual shifter position, but requires some modification and mill work I believe to make the speedo work.

He nailed it. 4.0 V6 has the right bellhousing, and an S10 tailhousing will move it much farther forward. Personally in my extended cab I love the shifter farther back. With bucket seats its very comfortable. I just used a straight shifter arm over a bent arm like the rangers usually have.

Aren't we talking about a Cologne 4.0 in the Mustang, very similar to the 4.0 Ranger SOHC? FWIW, I have a 5.0 and a Ranger 4.0 here in my garage and the bellhousing-to-engine patterns are very different.

I do know that the 4.2 F-series/Econoline V6's have the same pattern as a 5.0/5.8. I think that the the 3.8 Mustang V-6's are also the same.

Never heard of a 4.0 V6 in a Mustang. Want to fill me in?

You're correct on the 3.8 pattern being the same as the 5.0. I have a 3.8 bell sitting beside the house, but it's again a cable operated clutch, so same problem.

Is the M50dr2 a 4x2 trans?

The clutch was simple. A piece of angle iron with holes drilled in it mounts the slave cylinder. I used a slave from Advance p/n 37493 it cost $15. I bought some -3an braided line off ebay for $12. And I bought -3an to 1/8npt adapters (2 in a pack) for $20 they can be found in summit or jegs. There is an adapter from summit to fit an line to the Ford clutch master. I also bought a new clutch master off ebay for $35. Make sure its a 7/8" bore. The older rangers/explorers used them. I believe the pre 95 ones. Then I used some threaded rod with two jam nuts. I adjusted when I put it together and put 600 trouble free miles on it. It works great and feels like a cable clutch.


http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...slavecyl-1.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...tranger159.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...tranger157.jpg

Slave: Clutch Slave Cylinder by Perfection - Part 37493 - Advance Auto Parts

Adapter line to the master: Russell Performance 640281 - Russell Clutch Adapter Fittings - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Adapter for the line to the slave: Russell Performance 642791 - Russell AN to NPT Adapter Fittings - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Braided line (something like this, I believe mine is 18" long) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Wilwo...Q5fAccessories

The base engine in the 2005~2010 Mustang is a 4.0L V6.



It was offered in both 4x4 and 4x2 versions for many years. The 96 and earlier puts the shifter stub up near or under the edge of the dash in a Ranger. The version that I'd want for a 5.0 Ranger was available on the 97~2003 4.2L F150 and on the 2004 4.2L F150 Classic. The shifter in these later R2's is almost exactly in the stock Ranger position.

The M5ODR2 is more of a truck transmission w/wider ratios compared to a performance transmission like a Mustang T-5. The R2 will bolt directly to a 5.0 block and uses the same internal hydraulic slave cylinder as a Ranger (for better or worse). The only mod necessary to mount the 4.2 trans to the 5.0 is to drill out the holes in the bell housing slightly because the 4.2 uses 10mm bolts but 5.0 uses 7/16-14. Flywheel would be 164T 5.0 truck with matching 11" clutch and it takes a manual starter as found on a 96 F150/250.

For the shifter, I reused the factory ranger shifter handle. I shortened it and made a bracket so it mounts to the T5 stub coming out of the trans. I have the split bench seat in mine and the shifter is very comfortable where it is.

I imagine the neccessity of the larger flywheel as stated above is why this swap is not as common? I've seen many 5.0 swaps done but always with the smaller 157 tooth flywheel/bellhousing. Seems the T5 gets real popular maybe partially because of all the performance clutch's offered in the Mustang world, and that its a great fit with the tri-y headers.

Thanks for the info. I'm at work, so I can't view any of the pics at this point, but I'll check them out tomorrow. I really want to stick with the T5 because of the availability (especially for me) and cheap to rebuild factor.

The flywheel is matched to the clutch, bell housing, starter and is probably larger due to the truck application- heavy vehicle, trailer tow, more flywheel effect. If you're looking to build a stoplight racer, the T-5/157 would probably be the better choice. The R2 will not shift as quickly and has virtually no aftermarket support except for a Hurst shifter conversion. The 4x4 R2 would likely be better for someone with a 4x4 5.0 swap because it bolts up to full size transfer cases. My biggest gripe is that it uses the same unreliable, PITA to replace, slave cylinder as the Ranger.

What firewall adapter is that????

If you're asking about the -3AN to clutch master, the adapter is Russell Performance 640281.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rus-640281/overview/

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...tranger159.jpg

Can anyone tell me what firewall adapter (black ring mounting the clutch master) that is?????

It is probably part of the clutch master itself. Some manufactures use a cast-in plastic flange, others may have a separate metal ring. I believe this applies to 1994 and earlier
Ranger/Explorer. (The later masters have a rubber sealing ring there and actually mount inside to the pedal bracket instead of to the firewall.) You can look at pictures of several different masters and years at RockAuto .

I'm running the same setup on mine 3/4 bore master from
Auto zone braided line down to 3/4 external slave cylinder put 150 miles on mine so far without a problem