New to the forum and trying to get some help. I purchased a 2002 Ranger regular cab short bed for my son for his first vehicle. This is a project truck for him to learn from. It has the inline 4 cylinder in it, previous owner ran it out of oil and hurt it bad. I have a 2000 mountaineer (parts vehicle) with a 4.0 OHC in good running condition. We are thinking of swapping bodies and putting the Ranger body on the mountaineer frame. Anybody done this or is it possible? We measured the frames and they are the same. Trying to get some direction on what is the best way to get him to get him driving. Fyi, paid $300 for the Ranger and $400 for the mountaineer so I have a pretty good deal to work with. Rebuild, swap or what?

 

Welcome to the forum

No, haven't read about explore/mountaineer frames being the same as Rangers, rear frame should be different for sure, front may be same if both are 2WD or both 4WD
The regular cab ranger and 4 door mountaineer both have 111.6" wheel base
The frames are made as two separate parts, front and rear, so they can be separated and then re-welded if they don't match in the rear

You CAN do anything

Article here that may shed some light on what to expect: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...e-swap-112459/

Rangers used the same frames from 1983 to 2011 based on wheel base, i.e. regular cab, extended cab or long bed
The body and rad support mounts did change over the years

Can't say on the explorer/mountaineer changes

 

Both are 2wd, thanks for the link. I don't think we would have to go through that much work but we are going to give it a try. We definitely need the father son time together. Starting the tear down in 2 weeks. Goal is to have it finished for his 18th birthday in February.

 

Well it's taking us awhile with the weather and funds but we have gotten everything out of the Ranger. The Mountaineer became a bigger donor vehicle than expected. We pulled the engine, transmission, driveshaft, exhaust. During the installing in the ranger discovered if someone is going to do this get a donor vehicle. We have had to use basically everything in the engine bay include the steering, cruise control and throttle cable. There are more differences than expected, biggest was when we had to relocate motor mounts and lower the engine brackets to clear the hood (no brackets available/discontinued). After all the changes it's all in and connected and ready to start. We have run into a wall at this point, like I said in the beginning we started with a 2003 xl ranger with a 2.3l and a 2000 mountaineer 4.0sohc. Ranger is a base model the donor is nicer power features and chip key. We have everything connected, I have a scan tool connected and can see everything powered but have no crank signal going to the starter. Is it possible that there is a communication issue between the body controller and powertrain controller?

 

The "crank signal" is not electronic, just electrical

When key is turned to START, the ignition switch sends 12volts thru Fuse 24 in Ranger cab fuse box
From fuse 24 the 12v goes to automatic transmissions DTR sensor(on transmission)
If DTR is in Park or Neutral the 12v goes out to the Starter Rely in engine bay fuse box, it closes and sends 12v to starter motor(solenoid/relay)

Ignition switch----------------fuse 24-------------------DTR---------------------starter relay-----------------------PATS-----------ground

The transponder key(chip key), is part of the PATS(passive anti-theft system)
If PATS sees correct key code it will ground the starter relay, so the 12v from ignition switch can close the relay, if there is no Ground then relay won't close

In a 2003 Ranger PATS is all in the computer
In a 2000 Mountaineer PATS is a 2 part system, the PATS module above Glove Box and the computer

If PATS is not working then there would also be no fuel pump or fuel injectors

 

Well it is doing exactly what you are describing, I believe it is the PATS. The starter relay isn't getting the ground, if I give ground it cranks also the fuel pump and injectors are cut out. So my problem becomes this, the Ranger was running somewhat before we removed the motor (PATS was working). The Mountaineer was running without issues, so how what would I need to do to make these 2 get along so the engine will start.in the Ranger?

 

You will need the PATS module from the Mountaineer, its "married" to the 2000 4.0l SOHC computer
Also the Mountaineer transponder keys as they are whats in the memory of PATS module

The Transceiver is the antenna that is around the ignition key slot, its not specific to the system, just a powered antenna

For now you can pull out the transceiver from the Mountaineer and its wiring harness that runs to the PATS module
Put a Mountaineer key inside it and tape it there, so it will "read" that key for start up
And you can use current Ranger keys to start since that transceiver is disconnected

The PATS system reads the key when its powered up with key on
if key number read from the transceiver matches a key number in memory then PATS module sends an "OK to Start": message to computer
If there is no match(or no key number) then THEFT light on dash would start to flash rapidly, and no start


I don't have wiring diagram for 2000 Mountaineer PATS
But wiring will be the same for 2000 Ranger, but probably not all wire colors

The 2 power wires and 1 ground are required
The 4 transceiver wires are required
The 2 wires to/from the computer are required
The 1 wire to Starting system(ground for relay) is required

The instrument cluster wire is not required but nice to have since it will FLASH the THEFT light on the cluster if there is a problem with PATS
In 2003 Ranger cluster this wire is on pin 6 of C220A, dark blue/light green stripe wire

Unfortunately there is no work around for PATS, its actually a very good anti-theft system

 

I did as you said, I moved over the PATS module, antenna and the ignition switch. I prefer to make it as original as possible so I installed as it should. be. I disconnected the battery waited powered the truck up. The theft light stays on solid all the time now, when I turn the key on the light goes off. My module doesn't have the starting/charging wire (PNK/ORG pin #1), so what do I do for that wire? At this time the theft light stays on solid and no starter/fuel pump and injection. I have to leave the battery disconnected to keep from killing.

 

First think I would do is unplug the PATS module to see if its Grounding the Theft light, Theft light has 12v all the time the PATS module is the ground
If light goes off then its not a shorted wire to cluster

Solid Theft Light on all the time could be that the PATS module is not seeing 12v back from the transceiver(wand around the key slot)

The PATS module sends 12v to the transceiver and will get 12v back on its "ground" wire, thats the power for the "powered antenna", transceiver also has 2 other wires that are the "antenna" that sends the key number back to PATS module

So are you using the transceiver from the Mountaineer or the Ranger?
They are all the same, not matched to PATS, but wiring connector might be different if you are using the 2003 transceiver

There is a data link between the PATS module and PCM, but.............when key is off I would expect and fault code that would keep the Theft Light on

Some of the earlier models of PATS did not have starter interrupt, these had starter relay grounded full time so no wire from PATS
Your 2003 would need to to have starter relay grounded full time as well if that's the case
I don't have a 2000 Mountaineer wiring diagram so just a guess, but you can ground the starter relay in the fuse box regardless to get engine to crank, the starter interrupt was easily defeated by thieves using a jumper wire at the starter motor, lol

OK, looked at Public Library website found these diagrams

I don't see a starter interrupt, the starter relay in engine fuse box need to be grounded full time, thats in the starting system diagram for 2000 Mountaineer

In the Theft Light PDF look at what it says about Theft light staying on, and the RAP module(thats the keyless entry module), but I see no connection between PATS and RAP

 

Well it gets more complicated, I have a scanner connected and can talk to PATS, checked the transceiver for the key. PATS is seeing everything but now I have lost power to the stater relay after installing PATS. Double checking everything. PCM is now giving me P1260 Engine Prohibited by PATS. Don't know how to reset it with a non running truck?
PATS module in cab is working, sees the correct key, power and ground everything. At a huge loss and needing major guidance.

 

P1260 Theft Detected Vehicle Immobilized

Is from you most likely try to start engine a few times and it didn't work

This code should clear itself after 60-90 minutes

 

First of all a big thanks to Ron D for all your help. We finished the truck and is running and looking good.. While do the shake down tests noticed no speedo, no warnings on the dash. Read through some posts and tested the VSS and wiring, when I unplugged the VSS the ABS light comes on (wiring is good to it) it is also a good sensor. I checked the gry/blk wire to the from the cluster to the GEM and have good cont., when testing for a pulse from the VSS to the cluster I didn't get one at the cluster. Now at a loss where the signal is lost.

 

I got the PM but missed this post, lol

Anyway the problem is the years of the parts
2000 Rangers used the rear axle ABS sensor for speed, its signal went to the 2000 GEM Module and it converted ABS signal to 8,000ppm Ford speed signal for speedo, computer and cruise

In 2001, and up, Ford changed the Ranger to use an OSS sensor on transmission, it sends the 20,000ppm signal to computer and computer does the conversion to 8,000ppm and sends it out to the speedo and cruise

You 2002 GEM can't convert speed signals, it doesn't have the capacity to do it
And the 2000 computer needs a speed signal it can't convert one

The easiest solution is probably a 3rd party speed converter, like this one: https://www.dakotadigital.com/index....od/prd1192.htm
Look at the install manual

You can use a GPS speedometer APP for now

The speed converter will just need 4 wires
12v and ground

1 wire from the rear axle sensor, you will need to OHM each wire to ground to find out which wire is "+" and which is "-", yes it is an AC signal but only the "+" half of sine wave is used, the one wire that is NOT a ground runs to converter INPUT
I think its the red/pink wire thats "+"

Then the 8,000ppm(AC) OUT on converter wire runs to the Grey/black wire on speedo(pin 1) and computer(pin 58), also cruise module grey/black wire pin 3

 

Thanks for the info, the 3rd party unit makes sense and looks fairly simple to install and setup. Have one more question, we pulled out the 2.4l w/auto and put in a 4.0 sohc w/ auto transmission. Problem I discovered this morning before heading out was the gear ratio for the 2.4l is low(not sure exact ratio), I need to put in a ratio for the 4.0. What is the factory ratio, turning 3200 rpms at 70 now?

 

Most likely had a 4.10 ratio, you can check the drivers door label, read here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...le_codes.shtml
There will be a 2 digit code under AXLE

4.10 ratio would be 3,200RPM at 70mph in 4th gear not OD, so are you sure OD wasn't OFF

5R55E used these gear ratios, 1st: 2.47, 2nd: 1.87, 3rd: 1.47, 4th: 1.00, 5th: 0.75

In OD(.75) at 70mph with a 4.10 rear axle you would be at 2,500rpms which would be normal

Try this site and plug in your numbers: https://spicerparts.com/calculators/...rpm-calculator

I just guessed at 29" tire diameter for my numbers above

The 4.0l engine came with 4.10 and 3.73 ratios, so did the 2.3l(there is no 2.4l, just FYI), most Rangers had one or the other

 

I know the OD works, when driving it I turned it on and off and watched the rpm's change just from a push of the button. Door tag messed up, will have to get info from tag on the diff. Figured it had 4.10 in it, will start shopping for gears.

What we started with.

To we finished with.

 

If you BLOCK the front wheels!!!!
Put trans in Neutral
Then jack up the back wheels
You can put a mark on drive shaft, and a mark on the inside of a tire
Then turn the drive shaft and count the turns it takes for tire to rotate 1 full turn
Just short of 4 turns will be a 3.73, just at, or over, 4 turns will be a 4.10

4 and a half turns would be a 4.56 and a very very unusual axle ratio for Ranger


But even with a 4.56 the rpms and 70mph don't add up for OD(0.75 ratio)

 

Thanks for your help, problem is in the transmission. Even though you can see OD turn on and off there is other issues internally apparently. I'll be doing a transmission swap very soon. Truck has 4.10 gears. At some point I will have to pull the engine back out, the timing chains don't like the continuous high rpms and now are making the rattle sound. Close friend has a 02 or 03 sport trac that he just wrecked and said I could have it for parts. So there is my swap items, I know the vehicle has low miles.

 

Once you can hear a rattle the damages is done, broken timing chain guide
There was a flaw in the 2 long chain tensioners, the spring inside lost tension, this effected the 1997-2003 model years
The chains and guides were fine, but when tensioner did hold chain tight on startup it would bang on a guide, and over time that would break it
The new redesigned Motorcraft tensioners solved that problem, but...................I would change these 2 tensioners every 100k miles, just as general service

So I don't think you should use the tensioners from the 2002/3 engine, get new
And the guides.................well I would look at the cost of new to see if it makes sense to use "used" parts for those

If you are swapping the whole engine then put in new tensioners, for sure

 

Read my mind. Hoping I can change out without going through the whole timing and special tool nightmare. Will see.