So I have a 2001 ranger with the 4.0 sohc 4x4 and I saw a 2000 302 explorer come up on marketplace, I'm thinking of things that I'm going to run into if I were to swap it into my truck and my biggest concern is the transfer case, will the 302 mate with my existing transfer case or how do I get around that hiccup? I need 4 wheel drive in the winter time

 

Welcome to the forum

Rangers use the BW1354 transfer case it won't bolt to any V8 transmission, and V8 torque would wear it out fairly fast in any case
You will need a BW1356, electric shift if that's the system you have, same controls and shift motor can be used on it
BW4406 as well
Is the Explorer 4WD?
If so its most likely AWD so no 4low

All V8 explorers were automatics
If its not a 4WD then you also need the 4WD transmission, can not bolt any transfer case to 2WD trans, and no conversion is possible
The 4R70W transmission was used with 5.0l V8s from 1993 thru 2001 in F-150sintil 1995 and then in explores 1996-2011, in 2WD and 4WD versions

If you want a manual trans then you need a 1997-2003 M5OD-R2(M5R2) from a 4.2l V6 4x4 F-150
The 4.2l V6 used same bolt pattern as 5.0l, and shifter is in the same place as Rangers

 

Ahh I didn't know the explorers were 4x4, he says it's an AWD, so I'd just attempt to slam the AWD in, how difficult do you think mounting all the engine transmission and transfer case?

 

Must have the front drive shaft installed or PARK will NOT HOLD vehicle on a hill, very important, one of the bugs with AWD setups

Read here: https://www.therangerstation.com/Mag...7_ranger.shtml

And here: https://www.therangerstation.com/Mag..._v8_swap.shtml

 

On a side note this motor is probably gonna need work, so while I have it apart I'm thinking some speed parts, do you know what their running in these motors? Are they stroking em, boring em, putting cams in em? What's working for everyone, I want some mpg as this'll most likely be a daily driver so if I'm camming it I won't go to extreme