just bought a nice ranger body(91 ext cab) the 4.0 is shot and the tranny is missing. my question is: i have another ranger with a good running 2.3 and manual trans,but the body is shot. could i swap the 2.3 in where the 4.0 came out? i need to know if it will bolt right in or if the frame/motor mount area was completely different between the 2. i know i would have to swap out the pedals,wiring,trans,computer,etc. my concern is the main bolting in of the 2.3. thanks for any help folks!
btw.new to the site,i'm a stang guy,buy this site is pretty cool!

 

go with another 4.0L you will hate the 2.3L i know i own both...

 

i know,but another 4.0 plus trans costs$$$ that i don't have right now. plus it's just a knock around truck(home-work-garbage dump). the frame on the 2.3 truck is bent and the body is shot,so i thought i would swap out the drivetrain and scrap the rest. i just need to know if the 2.3 will bolt in. i'm sure someone out there has went from 2.3-4.0 if so then maybe they'll chime in and explain any differences.
if i had the $$ IT WOULD BE 5.0!!!! LOL

 

I know someone who's going fro 2.3 to 4.0 right now, but it's a 4.0L SOHC, not OHV. he never said anything to me about having to make new motor mounts. Hopefully he'll chime in.

 

I'm 95% sure as long as you have all the donor parts everything just bolts in.

 

The 2.3 brackets and mounts should swap with the 4.0 mounts...but I haven't touched a 91 so don't hold me to it. I'm putting an 01 SOHC into my 97 2.3 right now so all I can really speak for is that year of truck. If it's anything like my swap, your time will mostly be spent with electrical issues...most everthing else should bolt in.

Good luck!

 

The OHV and SOHC mounts are the same so if the 01 mounts won't work on my frame I'm just going to go buy some OHV mounts for a 97. Easy.

 

Did you complete the 4.0 to 2.3........I'm doing a 1986 2.3 and it's not a plug and play!