As the title states I am getting ready for this. Ideally between now and october. Ideally I want to buy a full explorer or mountaineer for this. I am somewhat split between going automatic or 5 speed. A friend of mine did it with a 5 speed and its fun but it shifts like a truck. I kinda want a snappier shifting easier to drive setup. Which means I will be doing a 5 speed back to auto swap. My truck was auto from the factory.

I have a few questions about the whole deal, I am mechanically inclined so the swap wont be bad but wiring is my weakness. So any of the wiring changes I have no idea about.

Also whats the story on driveshafts, Will the ranger ones work if I use the explorer trans and the awd t case?

The third issue is the fuel system, my ranger is a 98 and runs at 65psi returnless. So I need to either find a 99 and up 5.0 explorer or swap the fuel rails to returnless style? is this correct info

Thanks in advance for any help

 

Well just for informations sake ive solved most of my own issues

The wiring harness is plug and play minus one plug and a battery harness missmatching, The rear driveshaft will work and I need to run the expo front. Doesnt matter as ive 1354M swapped so my front shaft wont work. The fuel system is simple. I just swap to a returnless fuel rail system.

I go friday to pick up a rebuilt 4r70w and on the way found a guy parting out a 5.0 expo so I will stop in there and grab what I can. He isnt sellng the motor so I will grab the t case, front shaft, radiator, hopefully get the harnesses as well, and the computer. Pretty much everything shy of the motor. I am going to buy the mounts and power steering line new.

 

I am just going to turn this into my swap thread.

Got my motor the other day out of a 98 mountaineer. I know the fuel rails are wrong but pre PATS computer and it was the right price. I did lug a battery up to the mountie and start it before I bought it. Also ran the codes on my computer. Nothing important came up (the cats were cut out so those all came up).

After some simple green and a pressure washing I ended up with this



Also in that grab I got the radiator and shroud. Instead of dropping the front diff I spent a few bucks and bought a new drivers motor mount and the high pressure power steering hose, Seemed worth 35 bucks to buy new. I do still need the throttle cable. Tonight I am going to pick up a 4r70w for a steal. Once I get that its just me finding a 4406 t case, shortening a spare drive shaft, getting an automatic column/shifter cable, and with any luck finding a y pipe setup. Should be an easy swap as ive had the motor and trans out of my ranger before so no bolts should fight me. With any luck at all maybe this weekend

 

Wow, things are moving mich faster then I thought they were man! Like I said let me know if you want another set of hands to help you..

 

Hey glad to see ya on here. I kinda fell into the transmission and I cant pass it up. BTW I went to harrys u pull it the last sunday. You should take a ride down there. Lots of good parts

 

Yeah I thought I had an account, just wasn't positive lol.. but that's good you found the trans, I take it you're going w the auto then?

But damn I figured it would be worth it, I just don't know if I wanna drive all the way there..

 

Auto is the way to go. Its all designed to work together. plus the 4r70w is a good trans. Being used in the a mustang there are lots of upgrades for it

Its worth the drive. I may be going back soon. I still need a transfer case, 99 and up fuel rails, as well as a transmission wiring harness (noveys has the wiring harness and t case so may just get them there)

 

Got most of the parts I needed today. Got my t case, my steering column and brake pedal, got my fuel rails, and a non painted upper intake plenum. There was a fellow on here who polished his all pretty and I wanna take a stab at it.

I should have got my throttle cable and shift cable while I was there, I wanted to buy new till I saw their prices. So sometime this week I am gonna go get those two cables as well as a neutral safety switch. The harness I got calls for an 8 pin switch and I got an 11 pin switch. I should just get a newer transmission harness

 

Ok little update, Got the last few junk yard bits the other day and now I am ready to do this minus plug wires and exhaust stuff. I tried to find used and even thought about custom but I bit the bullet and bought new stuff. So I will have new cats on here and make a custom exhaust after that. Depending on the UPS guy this could be done this weekend

 

How did I miss this thread a couple of weeks ago?

That engine is CLEAN.

Hoping for lots of progress soon.

GET TO WORK!!! lol.

 

Thanks, Exhaust parts should be here monday at the latest. I just did my plugs, wires, and exhaust manifold gaskets. Every bolt that would ever give me a fit while its in the truck has been taken out and anti seize put on.

Long story short I am ready to swap this weekend!

 

enough said

 

Damn. That was fast.

 

Nice job man, guess I cant help you out haha If you have any difficulties give me a call or text. Think you beat my time in the swap? haha

 

lol that picture is deceiving, there is no trans or anything hooked up. plus I still have to make my custom wiring harness and run a return fuel line.

 

Why are u making a custom harness?

 

The explorer harness needed will not work in place of the ranger harness. So I've had to kinda cut them both apart and take what I need from either one

 

Wow that was quick. Even though you are a good ways from being done, that is a TON of progress.

 

Thank you, I try not to play around. Tomorrow after school I am going to pick up the trans mount and get the trans mounted before work. Once thats in I can mount the starter and finish up the wiring harness. Once thats done I can start it.................well try to start it. My luck it wont start lol

 

There shouldnt be anything custom about it tho. Your not mixing engine harnesses. Just use the expo engine and battery harness. You will have to rewire where the expo battery harness plugs into the ranger bay harness and the 2 thick wires that come from the fuse panel to the battery harness. I just reused the wires coming from the panel to the battery harness

 

Im using a 97 explorer setup. its different trust me. If one would have worked in place of the other I would have done it but it doesnt

 

Im sorry but that makes no sense please elaborate. From what i understand your using a 97 expo harness on a 98 ranger which would require slight rewiring of the 97 expo harness. But what do u mean one wont work in place of the other?

 

Talk to my91ranger on this but if you were to get a divorced transfer case you could run a t5. He had one when it was 2wd but had to switch to a truck trans since he couldn't find the transfer case he wanted.

 

The 97 explorer motor/battery harness, The explorer battery harness isnt designed for the twin post power distribution box. The ranger has a drivers side mounted starter where as the explorer 5.0 is passenger side. Really its just mixing and matching what wires I need to use. I think Im making it sound alot more difficult than it is. Its really just my 3.0 power supply stuff with the 5.0 starter stuff worked into it

 

Your making it harder than it is. Get the whole expo battery harness. Cut the 2 wires off the ranger battery harness that run to the posts on the power distribution box and splice those in place of the ones on the expo harness. I have pictures ill upload