Extended cab, A/T, 4x4, 4.0L.

This truck has two issues. First the front drivers side freeze plug rusted through and ran water down and across the head gasket for an unknown period of time. So I did a gasket job on it only to find out that there were cracks between all of the valves which appear to be spraying coolant into combustion chambers while the truck is cold. So Now it is steaming out the pipe periodically. there was also damage tot he front piston presumably from that water getting into the cylinder.

The truck is in pretty nice condition otherwise, So I'm looking to consolidate information here on all engines that will work in this truck and still be able to power the 4x4 differential. I do have a general idea of which engines will work, but I want to make sure I have all the information out there before I start shopping.

One question in particular I have is will the 4 cylinder engines work? Will they still power the 4x4?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide!

 

There is no 4wd trans that is out there you would need to rebuild a 2wd trans and swap in the 4wd tail section. Last thing I would want is a 4cyl 4wd, talk about a gutless wonder.

98-00 4.0 ohv's will work with little trouble. Any vin X engine will work you will just need to swap the intake as the 98-00 trucks are return-less fuel systems.

If fuel economy is your concern with this sell the truck and buy a car you cant have cake and eat it to with a truck. Well, unless you spend 5k on a 4bt swap.

 

gas mileage isn't a huge deal. Just looking at all the possibilities. Thanks a lot for the insight.

That is the eighth digit of the vehicle, or 8th digit of the engine, or does it matter?

 

8th digit of the vin is X just to help you sort though parts.

For instance

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...d=335931423787

 

Gotcha, thanks for the help!

 

I've got a 4.0 from a 98 I'm parting that has 99,000 miles if you're interested

 

If you have the funds and time I would pull the heads and check for cracks in the center cylinder between the valves.

It will cost you a set of gaskets and new head bolts, but worth the investment to know they are not cracked and the intake gaskets have been replaced. As those can leak giving poor idle and divisibility issues.

 

I actually did wind up putting a gasket kit on it and that side of the engine was all gold colored, and there were in fact cracks between all the valves on that side. Needless to say it still ran like crap periodically on that side. It would run fine for a period of time then it would start choking out and steam would puff out the exhaust.

Now that it's finally dead I'm looking for an engine for it. I found a 1997 Explorer engine with 123k for $450.

Before I purchase this I would just like to make certain it is going to work with no surprises come installation time. This newer engine is a 4.0L OHV VIN X. If I understand correctly this 97 engine will require the 99 manifold we already have to accommodate the return-less fuel system of the 99 Ranger? Everything else is plug and play?

Thanks!

P.S. The sticker on the door jam of our Ranger designates 11/99 as the model year.

 

You are correct, The manifold you have from the junk engine will need to be swapped to the new engine.
I'd hope you planned on going through the new engine, Maybe not as much as taking the heads off, but since you'll already have the manifold off....

 

Thanks for the reply, Anything in particular you would recommend paying attention to? Aside from cracks between the valves of course :P

 

Lower intake gasket. make sure that you run a small bead of RTV with the gasket, because they are prone to fail.
you'll have to take the Valve covers off to get the manifold on, so you'll be ok there.

 

Can anyone explain what exactly is different about the two lower intake manifolds regarding return/return-less systems?

I have the two engines side by side and they look exactly the same. The only visible difference is the newer fuel rail doesn't have the return-line hole tapped out.

Why can't I just put the fuel rail from the 99 junk engine onto the 97 engine?

 

The return truck has 2 fuel lines and the return-less has one.

The 97 runs a lower fuel pressure with the regulator on the rail, the pump needs the flow to stay cool. Run the 99 rail and you will burn out fuel pumps.

 

What I'm trying to figure out is exactly what is different about the lower intake manifold itself that effects the return or return-less fuel systems.

The two manifolds look exactly the same there is nothing at all that appears to be different.

How can the Lower intake manifold have any effect on flow through the fuel rail? The injectors just spray a mist down into the manifold port.

I must be missing something here. I need to use the 99 Fuel rail anyway right? The only other option would be to cap the return port on the old rail.

So If I'm using the 99 rail on the 97 engine and the rail bolts up to the manifold perfectly; I'm not understanding why the lower intake manifold can't be used.

Sorry...not trying to be rude, and I'm not saying your wrong. I just want to understand why exactly the lower intake manifold can't be used.

 

Is there wider air/fuel passages inside the 99 lower intake manifold that isn't visible from the top looking down and in?

 

sorry, thinking as i go here....lol

Even if this was the case, I don't see how this could restrict the flow of gas between the rail and the pump.

 

I have the engine in and mostly together. Two issues have come up.

First the cam shaft position sensor is different. The 97 explorer had a 3 pin connector, the 99 ranger a 2 pin connector. I tried to swap caps but the 99 ranger cap would not mesh correctly with the 97 explorer synchronizer. The only difference between the two synchronizers is that the 99 Ranger was a little longer. The oil pump drive shaft is a little longer on the 99 Ranger. So I placed the 99 Ranger sybchronizer in the block and it felt like it fit perfectly.

I later realized that I'll now have to time it correctly....but anyway...Does anyone see anything wrong with doing this? I can't imagine how else this could be done, unless the oil pump drive-shaft is removable and I can place the 97 oil pump drive-shaft on the 99 synchronizer.

Second is that the oil pressure sensors have different plugs, I was inclined to just modify the engine harness to fit on the 97 Explorer oil pressure sensor.

For anyone who might come across this project in the future:

1.) Manifolds are a little different. exhaust studs are slightly more narrow/wider between the two. The explorer also had much longer bottom manifold to head bolts. Do your manifold work before the engine is in!

2.) The Explorer did not have the wire in the engine harness going to the automatic transmission so the 99 harness was used. Maybe the Explorer harness came out of a standard?

3.) Camshaft position sensor is different.

4.) Oil pressure sensor is different.

5.) It is said you have to change the lower intake manifold for this engine swap. I couldn't find any difference at all between the two manifolds so I decided to try it out with the 97 Explorer lower intake manifold - 99 Ranger from the fuel rail up. If this does not work out for some reason the lower intake is an easy swap for this vehicle.

 

In order to time the engine you need to set the engine to TDC then install a timing tool on the synco install it, then you need to have the position senor wiring connector facing the same way it was originally.


I can get you the procedure when your ready for it. The tool listed is for a 99 I need to verify if its the same for 96-97,

 

Thanks Blhde!

so, you don't see any issue with having the 99 sync inside the 97 engine even though the oil pump drive-shaft was a little longer? It did appear to sit right down inside nice and easy, no forcing required at all.

Where people have done this swap before I can't imagine any other way of doing it - else I would likely have read about it already i should think.

p.s.
I was looking at this kit from autozone:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=979921_0_0

 

I was able to find one reference of a guy doing a similar engine swap and dropping the 2 wire explorer sync into the 3 wire explorer engine.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/10...99-ranger.html

Still looking for confirmation if anyone can....otherwise I'll just give it a shot.

Blhde, from what I understand the procedure goes like this:

1.)Engine TDC Compression stroke
2.)Place sync in tool and slide into the block being sure the plug will face perpendicularly as close as possible to the rear of the vehicle.
3.)Remove tool
4.)install sensor and plug it in.

That sound about right? I didn't make any marks before I removed it....I know...shame on me lol

 

The swap is all done, and everything seems to be working great a week later. No CEL's or anything.

I just thought I'd make this last note here regarding my previous post for anyone referencing this thread in the future:

1.) I will just reiterate how important it is to do your exhaust manifold work BEFORE the new engine is in. I thought the Explorer manifolds would work, so I wound up with a bit of a nightmare extracting broken studs and re-tapping new holes with the engine in.

2.)The original Ranger harness worked fine.

3.) I installed the Ranger Cam position sensor and synchronizer in the explorer engine and it works perfectly. This does Require the tool which I rented from Autozone.

4.) I spliced the plug for the oil pressure sensor from the explorer harness onto the ranger harness. The original explorer oil pressure sensor was left in the engine.

5.) I have not yet noticed any negative effects by leaving the Explorer lower intake manifold
in the engine and installing all Ranger parts from the lower intake manifold up.

Thanks again for the help everyone!