Heart of a Stang, Body of a Ranger
 

Howdy folks! I have a 2005 Mazda B3000 Sport Auto and i was thinking, just thinking for now, about an engine swap. I thought about V8s and what not but what about the 3.7L V6 from the new mustang. Get decent power with pretty good MPG as well. Id like to get some opinions! Lemme know

it would be cool but you'll be in for a hell of a project lol good luck

Might be the first B3700 at least, pictures please if you do it.

Sounds far too expensive to be worthwhile but go for it if that's what you want to do!

Is this just fun or are you planning to tow with it? I'm on another forum where a guy is taking 66 F100 and repowering it with an ecoboost drivetrain from a newer f150 using frame and all. That said, he has time to play with it, fairly good at fabbing and figuring out brackets and sheet metal work. I'd do a lot of measuring, and remember one thing. You're in California the land of endless smog laws. You may want to research how that will play out before you even pick up the tape measure.

You should do it. Money be damned.

The 3.5L and 3.7L V6 Cyclone engines pose some tough challenges for use in a Ranger.

The bellhousing bolt pattern is different between the FWD and RWD applications, and neither one is the same as any other bolt pattern ever used by Ford. They will not bolt-up to any Ranger transmissions. For RWD they bolt to the Getrag MT82 6-speed manual and the Ford 6R80 6-speed automatic only.

The FWD and RWD blocks are completely different castings. FWD blocks do not have side mount motor mounting bosses.

These engines use variable valve timing, so to get the power expected, you need to use the proper PCM for each engine. However, all the PCMs for these engines, since 2007, use a CAN communications link that connects them to 2 to 6 other modules in the car. If these linked modules are not present, the engine will not run. This makes it extremely difficult to use a "Complete drivetrain pull-out" from say a 2011 Mustang and stuff it into your Ranger and make it run correctly.

Ford Racing will be selling crate engines for the 3.5L Ecoboost and the 3.7L NA engines. And they are working on "Control Paks" to facilitate electrical connections. Expect these to hit the market late in 2013 or early 2014. But they are expensive bit and targeted for Manual trans applications only.

I wish someone would come up with a "KIT" to solve all the problems and allow us to put a junkyard F150 3.5L Ecoboost & 6R80 into a Ranger! 365HP and 400Ft-lbs would make a nice happy Ranger!

i've been looking into it and it does look pretty pricey... i'd love to do it but unless some cash falls from the sky and/or i win some cash, it looks a little out of my league. Its definitely on my list of shit to do though.

Some new information;
Quicktime is reportedly working on a bellhousing that would mate the 3.7L Cyclone to just about any manual trans.
Also found out that the Mustang and F150 engines have bolt patterns on the sides of the block that make it pretty easy to use existing ranger V6 mounts and fab a simple adapter plate.
By the end of 2013 the aftermarket will be selling a small module that solves the CAN bus issue noted above.
I have been searching some web recyclers and you can buy a low-mile 3.7L for $3500 or less, saw one for $2850 at 33K miles.

Actually I was looking at a totaled mustangs and there are toasted mustangs with cyclones going for a grand or two...

How wide the engine compartment of a Ranger?

The F150 3.5L Ecoboost engine is 28-1/2" wide across the turbos, the widest point. The width across the heads is 22". 365HP 420ft-lbs and 90% of peak torque from 1700rpm thru 5600rpm.

The Mustang's 3.7L V6 is 22" wide across the heads, and that is the widest point. 305HP @6500rpm and 280ft-lbs @4250rpm.

Anyone looking to do such a swap should purchase a complete (wrecked but driveable) donor vehicle. You will need a lot of parts to make the swap function correctly and this is the cheapest way to get them all.

I purchased a low-mile roll-over 2011 F150 Ecoboost that drives for under $10K. I am working now to get the engine to start, run, and perform correctly using the factory PCM but without any of the "vehicle" inteconnections; just 6 wires; Power, ground, run, start, and 2 wires for the High Speed CAN bus that get connected to a FCBSM (Ford Can Bus Simulator Module, a new product being developed and available soon.)

I have been watching my local CoPart sales and wrecked 2011-2014 low mile Mustang V6 units that run are selling for $4500-7000 depending on condition and mileage.

I am not sure what vehicle I will put the F150's Ecoboost engine and trans into first. Likely a FOX Mustang or a Ranger. I am pretty sure it will fit into a 1979-2014 Mustang, but not sure about a Ranger. Can anyone tell me about the engine compartment room of a 1986-up Ranger?

Thanks,

I have seen photos of a Cobra 4.6L DOHC engine mounted into a 1998 Ranger, so if that 30" wide engine fits, I suspect that the 28-1/2" wide Ecoboost will as well.

Bump

I just read on another forum that the motor fits and is currently being fabbed up in a 96 ranger. I really like this idea as smog laws around here are strict as well they require same year or newer swaps so expo motor is out for my 03. So to beat the smog and generate decent mileage and power without to much frame and body mods this seems like a pretty good alternative to me the idiots around here have already put a nice selection of the 3.7 mustangs into the local yards for my picking pleasure who knows i might try this.

[QUOTE=pearlkid9988;2060674]I just read on another forum that the motor fits and is currently being fabbed up in a 96 ranger.

I would like to know where you saw posting about someone putting 3.5L Ecoboost into a 1996 Ranger, would love to compare notes with them!

Thanks,
Walt

Yeah i picked it up in a random google search let me see if i can retrieve it from history for you.