help!

chris12491 · 01-03-2011, 01:32 PM

i need some tips on swapping my explorer motors. i have 2 1994 exp. one is wrecked with a good motor. the other motor is shot. i would like to swap the motors but dont really know where to start. can anyone help?

chris12491 · 01-03-2011, 01:35 PM

i have all of the lift stuff, the wheels, the 35" tires, i just have to get the motors swapped in order to get this project moving along. ive never done a motor swap before.

*wood1* · 01-03-2011, 01:53 PM

Hey Chris, do some searches and a lot of reading, getting yourself a Chilton's manual is a good idea... I started out back in the day by getting a few friends together to help out. You must have at least one pal that is capable and willing to work for beer and pizza?

chris12491 · 01-03-2011, 02:32 PM

okay. i have a haynes manual. ive got someone thats willing to help out for free but our schedules never work out. ive done some searches but didnt come up with too much. i could probably remove the motor my self, its just the part of hooking everything back up thats the problem.

*wood1* · 01-03-2011, 05:25 PM

digital camera and lots of pictures as you remove and disconnect stuff.

*Pollarican* · 01-03-2011, 05:54 PM

Chris - It sounds like a crazy in depth endeavor but its really pretty simple. Since both motors are 1994, they are running the same electronics, including sensors, harnesses, and computers (provided they both run auto or both manual transmissions), everything will be plug and play. The connectors that Ford uses are keyed in such a way that only the proper wires coming from each sensor to the harness will fit together, you physically can't mess up connecting most of the sensor wires. As wood1 said above, grab a digital camera and take some pictures of the wiring - you can always fall back on these if you find yourself scratching your head. Personally, I always like to get a roll of painters tape or different colored cable ties, and mark each connector as I take them apart so I know, when its time for re-assembly, what belongs where in terms of wiring.

Following the chiltons or haynes should make the job a lot less complicated than it seems. Off the top of my head, pulling the engine consists of:

1) Unbolt Starter/Transmission bellhousing Bolts
-If Auto, you have to unbolt the Torque converter. You can do this by running a crazy length extension from the front of the vehicle into the starter hole and removing each of the 4 nuts 1 by one, turning the engine crank as you go.
2) Drain All Fluids
3) Disconnect air intake tubes
4) Pull the serp belt
5) Disconnect the AC from the engine bracket
6) Pull the Alternator
7) Remove Power Steering pump/ Connections
8) Unbolt the engine mounts
9) Disconnect all wiring connections that are made to the body harness
10) Remove any vaccum lines, taking a picture of them before you do so will be a huge help
11) Secure a chain or strap to the intake
12) Lift motor and pull towards front of vehicle

You can leave the main engine harness, ignition coil, waterpump/fan, idler pully, intake, and even throttle body attached and still pull the motor.

Hope this helped,

Jeff

chris12491 · 01-03-2011, 10:17 PM

thank you guys sooo much. this is a big help. ill be workin on it tomorrow and the next. thanks alot guys.

keithisg · 01-03-2011, 10:29 PM

Really interested to see how this goes, keep updated!

chris12491 · 01-04-2011, 03:51 PM

would it be easier for me to do the body lift first so i have some more room to work with?

*92exp4x4* · 01-08-2011, 02:42 PM

Might as well, I don't like body lifts personally, but they do give you lots of room to work!

You could even jack the body up and roll the chassis out from under it. You are going to have to disconnect nearly everything to do the body lift anyway, so why not if you got the room?

This would make an engine swap cake.

01-03-2011, 01:32 PM	#1
chris12491 Wannabe Elite Explorer corbin city new jersey 94' xlt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	help! i need some tips on swapping my explorer motors. i have 2 1994 exp. one is wrecked with a good motor. the other motor is shot. i would like to swap the motors but dont really know where to start. can anyone help?

01-03-2011, 01:53 PM	#3
wood1 Elite Explorer North of Ottawa '93 XLT, Cayman Green RIP Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,042 Vehicle Specs	Hey Chris, do some searches and a lot of reading, getting yourself a Chilton's manual is a good idea... I started out back in the day by getting a few friends together to help out. You must have at least one pal that is capable and willing to work for beer and pizza? __________________ Ribs. I had ribs for lunch, that's why I'm doing this. List of useful TTB Threads

01-03-2011, 05:25 PM	#5
wood1 Elite Explorer North of Ottawa '93 XLT, Cayman Green RIP Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,042 Vehicle Specs	digital camera and lots of pictures as you remove and disconnect stuff. __________________ Ribs. I had ribs for lunch, that's why I'm doing this. List of useful TTB Threads

01-03-2011, 05:54 PM	#6
Pollarican Elite Explorer Wall Township, New Jersey 1991 EB 4dr Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 353 Vehicle Specs	Chris - It sounds like a crazy in depth endeavor but its really pretty simple. Since both motors are 1994, they are running the same electronics, including sensors, harnesses, and computers (provided they both run auto or both manual transmissions), everything will be plug and play. The connectors that Ford uses are keyed in such a way that only the proper wires coming from each sensor to the harness will fit together, you physically can't mess up connecting most of the sensor wires. As wood1 said above, grab a digital camera and take some pictures of the wiring - you can always fall back on these if you find yourself scratching your head. Personally, I always like to get a roll of painters tape or different colored cable ties, and mark each connector as I take them apart so I know, when its time for re-assembly, what belongs where in terms of wiring. Following the chiltons or haynes should make the job a lot less complicated than it seems. Off the top of my head, pulling the engine consists of: 1) Unbolt Starter/Transmission bellhousing Bolts -If Auto, you have to unbolt the Torque converter. You can do this by running a crazy length extension from the front of the vehicle into the starter hole and removing each of the 4 nuts 1 by one, turning the engine crank as you go. 2) Drain All Fluids 3) Disconnect air intake tubes 4) Pull the serp belt 5) Disconnect the AC from the engine bracket 6) Pull the Alternator 7) Remove Power Steering pump/ Connections 8) Unbolt the engine mounts 9) Disconnect all wiring connections that are made to the body harness 10) Remove any vaccum lines, taking a picture of them before you do so will be a huge help 11) Secure a chain or strap to the intake 12) Lift motor and pull towards front of vehicle You can leave the main engine harness, ignition coil, waterpump/fan, idler pully, intake, and even throttle body attached and still pull the motor. Hope this helped, Jeff __________________ 1991 EB - Rolled at 55 MPH...Still drove perfect 1993 EB - The Phase II version of the Rolled 1991 Build in Progress: Cammed 4.0, M5OD-R1HD Swap, 5.5" Skyjacker lift Stage II, F250 Towers, FA600, 3 inch body lift, 35 Inch BFG TA KM2, LimitedSlip Disc 8.8 w/ 4.56's, 4.56 Front w/ E-clip Elim, Circlip Spicer 760s, K&N In, Flowmaster Out, Moog Everything, etc.

01-03-2011, 10:29 PM	#8
keithisg Wannabe Elite Explorer Elizabeth City, North Carolina 1994 Ranger reg cab 4.0 Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 109 Vehicle Specs	Really interested to see how this goes, keep updated! __________________ My 94 X XLT.- RIP Ranger Project - Mild Trails/DD

01-03-2011, 01:35 PM	#2
chris12491 Wannabe Elite Explorer corbin city new jersey 94' xlt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	i have all of the lift stuff, the wheels, the 35" tires, i just have to get the motors swapped in order to get this project moving along. ive never done a motor swap before.

01-03-2011, 02:32 PM	#4
chris12491 Wannabe Elite Explorer corbin city new jersey 94' xlt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	okay. i have a haynes manual. ive got someone thats willing to help out for free but our schedules never work out. ive done some searches but didnt come up with too much. i could probably remove the motor my self, its just the part of hooking everything back up thats the problem.

01-03-2011, 10:17 PM	#7
chris12491 Wannabe Elite Explorer corbin city new jersey 94' xlt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	thank you guys sooo much. this is a big help. ill be workin on it tomorrow and the next. thanks alot guys.

01-04-2011, 03:51 PM	#9
chris12491 Wannabe Elite Explorer corbin city new jersey 94' xlt Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 16 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	would it be easier for me to do the body lift first so i have some more room to work with?

01-08-2011, 02:42 PM	#10
92exp4x4 Elite Explorer Covington, Kentucky 92 XL 2-door and others Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 910 Vehicle Specs	Might as well, I don't like body lifts personally, but they do give you lots of room to work! You could even jack the body up and roll the chassis out from under it. You are going to have to disconnect nearly everything to do the body lift anyway, so why not if you got the room? This would make an engine swap cake. __________________ My stable: 2 doors - '91 Eddie Bauer; '92 XL 5 speed; '92 Sport 2WD 5 speed 4 doors - '91 XLT; '93 XLT; '94 XLT, 6" lift, 33's; '94 Eddie Bauer 5 speed; '94 Limited Others - '22 Model T, '48 8N tractor, '62 Fairlane 500, '93 F-Superduty 460, '97 F250 Powerstroke, '04 F550 service truck (company owned)