'97 5-Speed Swap into '90 Auto?

[Tshark299]

We have a '90 2.3L Auto Ranger and have been talking about wanting to swap in a 5-speed if we can find a cheap donor. Just spotted a '97 2.3L 5-speed with a blown engine on the Craigslist for a few hundred bucks. Wondering if the transmission would directly swap to the engine and if the pedal units are interchangeable.

Almost impossible to find 2nd gen Rangers here in the northeast anymore so wondering if we can make due with a 3rd gen donor. Any information would be appreciated!

 

[IAmTodd]

Absolutely. You will need to get the proper wiring harness for the year or create your own for the trans. There's a thread floating around on how to do the swap.

 

[Tshark299]

Absolutely. You will need to get the proper wiring harness for the year or create your own for the trans. There's a thread floating around on how to do the swap.

Ok cool good to know. I didn't notice a thread about a 3rd-gen 5-speed into a 2nd-gen automatic Ranger so I'll have to look again.

About the wiring harness; are you referring to the fact that the current auto is electronically controlled and the PCM might not be happy that a manual is there instead? All my transmission experience is with manuals so I'm a little fuzzy on what's required to remove an automatic.

 

[IAmTodd]

Your auto in the '94 is mostly mechanical. The only two aspects that are controlled by the computer are torque converter lockup and overdrive. I'm currently running with an auto ECU without any adverse effects or lights. You need the proper harness to activate the reverse lights.

The article will be for swapping it into a first gen Explorer. Our generations don't match up.

 

[Tshark299]

Your auto in the '94 is mostly mechanical. The only two aspects that are controlled by the computer are torque converter lockup and overdrive. I'm currently running with an auto ECU without any adverse effects or lights. You need the proper harness to activate the reverse lights.

The article will be for swapping it into a first gen Explorer. Our generations don't match up.

Ok I think I did read that thread a while back in the Explorer forum. A little rewiring doesn't scare me after swapping a fuel-injected engine into my carb'd Jeep a couple years ago.

Now I'm just wondering how close the pedal assembly will be from a 3rd-gen Ranger with later dash into a 2nd-gen Ranger with earlier dash. Our 2nd-gen Ranger has the same style dash as my 1st-gen Explorer but looking underneath you can see a lot of little differences between the two.

 

[snoranger]

Now I'm just wondering how close the pedal assembly will be from a 3rd-gen Ranger with later dash into a 2nd-gen Ranger with earlier dash.

It wont work. You need the pedals from an 83-94 Ranger, a 91-94 Explorer, or any year BII. They changed the firewall when they changed to the new 3rd gen dash in the 95+ Ranger.

 

[Tshark299]

It wont work. You need the pedals from an 83-94 Ranger, a 91-94 Explorer, or any year BII. They changed the firewall when they changed to the new 3rd gen dash in the 95+ Ranger.

Good to know!

I could have sworn the pedal assembly (and many other parts) under my '93 Explorer looked very different than in the '90 Ranger but it's been a while. Still good to know about the firewall change when searching in the future.

Unfortunately this means it probably makes more sense to hold out for a less common 2nd-gen Ranger donor after all. Would rather be able to get everything necessary from one vehicle if we're going though the trouble of buying the whole thing.

 

[snoranger]

Good to know!

I could have sworn the pedal assembly (and many other parts) under my '93 Explorer looked very different than in the '90 Ranger but it's been a while. Still good to know about the firewall change when searching in the future.

Unfortunately this means it probably makes more sense to hold out for a less common 2nd-gen Ranger donor after all. Would rather be able to get everything necessary from one vehicle if we're going though the trouble of buying the whole thing.

The assembly may look different on the Ex, but it bolts up and functions exactly the same.

I wouldnt wait if I could get a good deal... the pedal assembly is a cheap and easy to find part. I got my genII Explorer pedal assembly for under $30 (including shipping) from a vendor on here.

 

[IAmTodd]

I think you can get away with pulling the pedals and swapping them into your bracket. Mine came from the same year but I think the pedals themselves are identical year to year.

In the pic below you can see how I pulled mine.

 

[Tshark299]

The assembly may look different on the Ex, but it bolts up and functions exactly the same.

I wouldnt wait if I could get a good deal... the pedal assembly is a cheap and easy to find part. I got my genII Explorer pedal assembly for under $30 (including shipping) from a vendor on here.

Ok good to know; we'll see what happens.

 

[snoranger]

I think you can get away with pulling the pedals and swapping them into your bracket. Mine came from the same year but I think the pedals themselves are identical year to year.

In the pic below you can see how I pulled mine.

That will only work with pedals from the years and models I listed above.... The newer pedals wont fit the older bracket.