Matt's '92/'99 4X4 V8/4R70W swap!

Vehicle: 1992 forest green Ford Explorer 4X4

(<Frikin Sweet)

Drivetrain: '99 GT-40P 5.0(4.9)L 302----4R70W Automatic

Well i got my engine so i guess its time to start a project thread! The timeline on this is pretty loose. but as soon as possible cause the ole 4.0 is making wierd noises.

EDIT: DO NOT be STUPID like me! Don't get a 2wd drivetrain to go into a 4wd vehicle! The transmission output shaft length is different and will require a full trans teardown to retrofit. Luckily one of the other awesome members of the forum has the parts I need to convert. But you may not be so lucky. I doubt most junkyards would sell you Just the shaft and housing. Would rather you buy the whole transmission.

Plans:
Full teardown and rebuild
Keeping the gt-40's
New gaskets,pistons,cam,bearings,lifters, the works.
Maybe new crank
maybe strokin it
build for future forced induction
Transfer case: Hhhhhhmmmmmmm... maybe bw1354(dont wanna) or 4406 if i can fit it between the frame rails
plans will definitely evolve as we go along

here the pics

cant wait to get this thing runnin!

 

[CDW6212R]

Do shop for a whole rear, the discs are worth it to get.

 

[seth247]

Well yesterday I positioned and drilled holes for the new motor mounts. Which involved many dropings in and pullings out of the engine. MANY.

It's difficult to insert the engine with the headers attached but it's possible.

HVAC box will deffinitely need notching. Though, not from the valve covers. The stock expo covers clear well. It's the headers that it's in the way of.

I think maybe with the L&L mounts like jamie used and using the stock VC's you could position this engine with out an HVAC notch. Also using the stock v6 mounts and fabbing a new plate for them would give more room. That is what I beleive is the most versatile way to do it.

The polyuerathane foxbody engine mounts are not ideal for this application. Due to there design, they require the engine to sit fairly high in the bay. Also one of the mounts has the bolt to-frame mounting bolt in the extreme top corner. Which made placement more difficult.

The stock four-oh y pipe will need modification to fit these headers. Due to the fact that the pass side header exits at a much different angle than the drivers side.

Other than that I cannot think if any other problems yet. There are no steering clearance issues with these headers.

 

[Spdrcer34]

Why are you trying to re-use the 4.0L Y-pipe?

Did you not get the immediate pipes from the 5.0L?

I am going to modify the OEM immediate down pipes so they will bolt-up to the Headers.

Ryan

 

[seth247]

I decide to use the stock pipes. Just for the hell of it.

Got the firewall seam flattened and yanked the y pipe so I can modify it out of the vehicle. I'm Workin on finishing the HVAC notch right now. Went a but overboard but oh well.

 

[techieman33]

I decide to use the stock pipes. Just for the hell of it.

Got the firewall seam flattened and yanked the y pipe so I can modify it out of the vehicle. I'm Workin on finishing the HVAC notch right now. Went a but overboard but oh well.

Is the v6 pipe the same size as the v8? Personally I would use the opportunity to put in a larger pipe while you had easy access to it.

 

[seth247]

the y pipes are roughly the same size and the v6 one is free and not as bungled.

 

[Spdrcer34]

The BIG difference between the V6 and the V8 pipes are their length, before the 'Y'.

The 5.0L has 2 independant pipes, with a Cat in each pipe, bolting seperately to another set of cats THEN they merge with a Dual-in/Single-out Muffler.

The 4.0L has a traditional Y-pipe. The drivers side pipe comes down and over to meet the passenger pipe, and has a welded joint before it goes through 2 Cats inline.

Ryan

 

[jakebrake]

Using the 5.0 independent pipes gives you true duals, better flow and great sound thats what im going with.

 

[CDW6212R]

Use the OEM cat pipes only for ease of installation, if you can't get to a muffler shop with it. If you can get to a muffler shop, definitely buy universal cats and have larger cat pipes made. Anyone can make better flowing pipes than the stock junk. The stock pipes will all be 2.25" at the most, there are tighter pinched points along those pipes, say at the joints. I'd go with at least 2.5" pipes, and I'll let you know if 3" pipes can fit.

 

[seth247]

got the havc box sealed up with rtv.

Ordered some heat shield mat to replace the crappy fiber glass stuff that was on it.

 

[seth247]

the foxbody engine mounts wont work for this application without major modifications. here are the pics.

And here are the problems;

 

[seth247]

The Passenger side header exits directly into the firewall from about 2 inches away.

the metal part of the low pressure steering return hose is 3/4s of an inch away from the oil flange.

and im not even sure the hood will clear the front of the intake with the engine as high as it is. even without the 1" spacer.

i still have 1 1/2-2 inches of clearance for my oil pan to go down so i have ordered the LandL engine mounts that jamie used.

Should have gone with them from the start.

and now I've lost time and money.

 

[jakebrake]

Did you do a body lift? That would help the exhaust alot and is there room if you bend the ps hose out of the way?

 

[WickedWindsor]

The Passenger side header exits directly into the firewall from about 2 inches away.

the metal part of the low pressure steering return hose is 3/4s of an inch away from the oil flange.

and im not even sure the hood will clear the front of the intake with the engine as high as it is. even without the 1" spacer.

i still have 1 1/2-2 inches of clearance for my oil pan to go down so i have ordered the LandL engine mounts that jamie used.

Should have gone with them from the start but people were telling me that the vibration would tear stuff up. And I didn't feel like arguing.

and now I've lost time and money. remember folks, if you know your right, ignore what all the idiots around you say and just do it your way.

The power steering hose can be bent out of the way. Just use your hands and gently bend. Don't try to do a bend all in one spot or it'll kink. Do a series of small bends along the line until it's out of the way.
For me, the 1/4" plate method with stock 4.0 mounts worked great for engine mounts. This way I was able to locate the engine where it would fit both forward/back and left/right. Looks as if you have room to go to the drivers side somewhat as well. You may need to in order to get the passenger header to tuck beside the frame to get it in a nice spot. You'll want to put your oil filter adapter on before final install. Looking good.

 

[410Fortune]

oil filter adapter will fit no problem you have a mile of room

Take a look at the stock 4.0L power steering hose, irt may work better... that goes in LAST

Can you smash/cut your firewall to clear the header?

The L&L mounts dont give me any vibrations, my 5.0L idles like stock.. I can hardly tell its friggin running compared to my cammed 96 truck


When you get the L7L mounts you can weld them up to help with strength, I have not broken one of mine yet, but I have a spare set I plan to modify then replace the ones that are in there.

1.5" under your oil pan = not even close!1 I have 3/8" MAX at a coupld spots

Who needs a body lift?

Thank goodness for TM headers!! Do not get discouraged, the trial fitting is time consuming, but it means your getting closer!!

Hoses and lines can be built..sheetmetal can be bent

 

[seth247]

yep I could modify Both the hose and the firewall(though that would require alot of pounding I don't want to do.) but I can't modify the hood myself and my rough estimates put the upper intake about 1/2 above were the TOP of the hood would be. A body lift could fix all these problems.

But I will try the l&l products in hopes of finding off the shelf fit-er-in-there parts to Make the swap without a body lift. Which I dislike(no offense to guys with BLs)

I knew you didn't have any problems with your mounts jamie(other than it putting the engine very low.) but then I thought of the mustang ones and figured I'd give it a try.

Oh well didn't work. L&l Is in upper mid Texas so in a perfect world I could get them by Saturday so I could work on it this weekend.

But knowing my luck and the inexplicable
interest Murphy('s law) has takin in my project. I Probably won't get them till Monday.

But no matter. The project moves on and we are getting closer.

 

[seth247]

hhmm. Ups tracking has the delivery estimated for tomorrow.

So I might get lucky.

Jamie do you mean re-enforce the existing welds or what?

 

[seth247]

ok mounts are here so hopefully this weekend I can get those positioned, dig into the wiring, install my shifter and get some stuff wrapped up.

 

[seth247]

well I got a look at the L&L mounts and they are very sturdy and well made.

And as it turns out...Not solid.

The black upper parts of the mounts have bonded rubber isolators to cut down on vibration and harmonics within the frame.

Which I was Hoping for.

I haven't trial fitted them yet but as long as they work out I'd say go with these if your gonna do this swap.

 

[seth247]

Thats discouraging because I was counting on that work myself. I guess if it dosent I also am swapping axles so I might as well just run it there.

As far as I know the first and second gens use the same style sensor on the rear axle. So if all else fails we can use a second gen ABS module just for the speed signal to the computer. And tie it into the existing RABS sensor.

Also jake THANK YOU for the wiring list you sent me.

It has been enourmously helpful and I think with it and my diagrams I can knock this out tha box.