So I have a manual now and I'm trying to decide if it's worth the work for a 5.0.. Everything I read says you can put a manual in with a 5.0 but I'm wondering what I need exactly for a t case I can use a explorer but the tranny I heard a t5 but does that line up with the shifter whole ? And since I have a manual now if I wanted to go to a auto how hard would it be ?

 

t5 works or you can get the M50D-R2 which cam in the late 80's early 90's f-150s they bolt up to the 5.0 and the shifter comes out at pretty much the same spot as the rangers only minor tweaking needed since the R2 is just the big brother of the M5OD-R1 which is the stock ranger tranny. Also you could go to auto but its a ton of work and wiring not to deter you but i went auto to manual and i have a lot of the wiring left in the dash such as the O/D wiring and the main shifter linkage is still in there which your truck will not have so you'd probably be looking at swapping the column from an auto truck to make it all work correctly and even then it'll be hours with a wiring schematic. I think you'd be easier sticking to the manual. Also the biggest knuckle busting PIA part is swapping the pedal assemblies in my 03 that took longer than dropping the trans cause the bolt are a nightmare to get to! Just a word of caution from a recent trans swap guy lol

 

Find an m5od out of a 97-03 F150 with a 4.2 v6. It uses the 5.0 bell housing pattern and fits right into our shifter location/cross member.

 

Dang it i always forget about the 4.2l lol thats an even better idea as kanuck15 suggested.

 

Its better you, the rest of the world, and ford forget about the 4.2. Its a pile of garbage. The only useful part is the trans for us ranger guys.