my mom has this 98 windstar she is soon going to replace. the whole car is falling apart exc. the engine. would a 3.8 from a fwd windstar fit and mount up in a ranger?? i have just been thinking of giving this a go.

 

http://therangerstation.com/tech_lib...onversion.html
have a read

 

sweet!

 

You are going to have a lot more problems doing it from a Windstar then if you were to do it from a mustang as used in the TRS write up. the engine in a FWD car is in the car side ways, compared to your truck. None of the mounts will line up, and I'm pretty sure getting a transmission to line up to the engine for it to be RWD isnt gunna be easy or cheap. Personally I think it would be better to just find a 4.0L to swap in from a truck thats got a similar year as yours.

 

That's a pretty powerful engine! My mom had one (same year) and it was a peice of crap, but it could spin tires like nobody's business!

 

yes, the front wheel drive will be your biggest problem becuase liek he said, the trans shoudl come out the side of the engine towards the fender, not straight back...

 

My mother has on also, same engine, powerful and still runs great, all we have had to do to it is replace two vacuum lines and regular maintanance stuff

 

ok so its sounding like it would be easier just to do a 5.0 swap or something from a rwd car

 

the 3.8L would be nice... its a torquey lil engine and gets 31mpg on the highway!

 

the windstar that was my first vehicle and is now my brothers has that engine and it was so much fun to drive.

 

you need a motor outta a RWD vehicle, unless you are gonna spend lots of $$$ just for something unique, but it WONT be easy

 

Yeah you are better off spending the extra cash and getting a 302. Good luck either way.