2.9L fuel lines to a 4.0?

[Sscolax]

I have an 85 BII that I'm planning to swap a 4.0 into from a 91 Explorer. I also have an 86 BII that will be donating its fuel tank, lines, pump, and filter. I was just out looking at the fuel lines on the 86 and 91 trying to formulate a plan as to how I'll connect the 86 lines to the engine. Has anyone here done this? What's the trick?

 

[410Fortune]

the trick is to make a new line from the filter to the engine.

There is also a 91-96 ranger 2.3L fuel line that works perfectly. It has the 90 degree elbow coming out of the fuel filter and the correct fitting fort he 4.0L line, I believe t came from the 91-96 model but I am not sure as the Ranger I found mine is was trashed and stripped

Now what I do typically is collect a bunch of the metal fittings from the junk yard, then make a new line for the high pressure hose on the truck. the nylon line is boiled HOT then then pressed over the factory fitting, must get over all 3 flares to be leak free.

 

[Sscolax]

Thanks for that info! It will be a little while before I get to that phase of the project, but that was the trickiest looking part of the swap that I could immediately identify. I've heard that the wiring can be a hassle, but I'm sure I can handle that if I pay attention and don't rush it.

 

[n0xdw]

Good luck on that project. I am in the midst of a similar swap but the engine is from a different year. I can tell you the 86 fuel lines hook up differently at the engine, but the later 2.9 is simlar to the 4.0. But i noticed tonight the brake combo valve is about where the fuel filter would normally be on one with fuel injection. So I have to decide whether to mount the fuel filter further back on the frame rail or move the brake combo valve and lines. I had picked up the metal lines that fit between the fuel filter and the hoses from the 4.0 and curl from inside the frame and around the steering shaft. Spent this evening pulling the original computer harness out and identifying wires under the hood.

 

[Sscolax]

A friend of mine is about to strip a 2.9L-equipped 89 Ranger and he said maybe the fuel lines from that would help. I'll have to get them and do a comparison. He believes that they would connect to the 4.0 fuel rail so that may be a good start.

 

[410Fortune]

You are putting the $wbs 4.0L stuff into a BII? Why not swap the fuel system too then, you can mount the metal manifold from an Explorer on the BII frame rail, it takes the fuel lines right past the ABS junk.
I personally like the BII brake line setup and fuel setup better then trying to mess with all that, just install the engine and trans, wiring, power dist, and computer. Keeo the stock instrumentation, cruise control, pedals, fual system, etc...
I have seen it done both ways and its up to you but it sounds like alot more work!

 

[n0xdw]

You are putting the $wbs 4.0L stuff into a BII? work!

I am cornfuzed. What is $wbs? My system does not have any kind of ABS on it now, just a combo valve. I looked at a 1990 today and it was quite a bit different brake plumbing. The short metal lines between the filter and the engine work just fine on it because the brake lines are set up differently. I like the plumbing on the 85 better, but it does mean i would need to move the filter further back on the frame rail, perhaps closer to the tank and fab the lines from scratch. You have had a lot of experience in that department.

 

[Sscolax]

Yeah, what he said: What is $wbs?

I'm not planning to do any brake swapping. I want to keep it simple and only use the engine, wiring, power distribution system, and computer from the Explorer. I'd consider using the fuel lines back to the tank but they've been cut.

This swap has turned into a rebuild-then-swap. The rebuild has kept me very busy and put me way behind schedule...and way into the red as well!

 

[Joe93]

posting for updates. will be doin the swap in my 87 soon. i'll let ya know what i come up with. i think 410 was trying to say 4wheel abs ? I think.

 

[Sscolax]

I figured I'd post an update. I have the 4.0 all ready for installation. The BII has a ways to go before it's ready. The 2.8 is out, but I still need to set up the computer/wiring and fuel lines/pump. I hope I can get it done before 2007 arrives!

 

[90ranajo]

There is also a 91-96 ranger 2.3L fuel line that works perfectly. It has the 90 degree elbow coming out of the fuel filter and the correct fitting fort he 4.0L line, I believe t came from the 91-96 model but I am not sure as the Ranger I found mine is was trashed and stripped

The 2.3L fuel line from a '90 also works. When I did my 4.0 swap all I changed was the engine, computer, and harness. I'm still using the stock 2.3L fuel system.

 

[Sscolax]

And I suppose a 2.3L fuel line from an 89 would work as well. Murphy would say this because I parted out an 89 Ranger a few years back...and I didn't keep the fuel lines.

 

[90ranajo]

I'm not sure about a '89, I know a '90 does plus its the first year they offered the 4.0L in the Ranger.

 

[Sscolax]

Another update: I spent yesterday removing the entire front axle/suspension, then put it back in, for 3 reasons:
1. The passenger side 4.0 motor mount is all but impossible (at least with my tools) to torque down with the axle beams installed
2. The steering box had been leaking for a long time and everything was filthy and now it's all clean. I'm also replacing the steering box with the one from my old 89 Ranger, which never leaked.
3. In case I decide to install a lift in the future (good possibility) I figured now's the time to replace the bracket rivets with bolts, seeing as how the lack of an engine made the job a bit simpler.

I was comparing the fuel and brake lines between the 85 and 86 BII's and as n0xdw mentioned, I'll either have to relocate the brake proportioning valve or the fuel filter. Might end up using the brake lines from the 86 to minimize the need for fabricating, but I haven't decided yet.

 

[jeepshop]

2.8 to 2.9

We ran into that ourselves when we did our 2.9 swap. By the way we did it on a Friday night, all day staurday, then drove it to southern CO to wheel it. Don't ever do this unless you really hate yourself! I just gently moved and rebent the brake lines rearward to have room for the 2.9 filter. As a note, the in-tank fuel pumps are very prone to failure, then the frame pump fails. I used a low pres. (15 psi) Carter rotary pump mounted on the frame crossmember ahead of the tank, it supplies a better volume of fuel and is easily serviced.

 

[410Fortune]

well if your 85 engine was carbed you will also have to convert to EFI pumps, my BII with a 4.0L and now with the V8 still uses the dual pump factory style system, I have OEM pumps in the tank and on the frame rail.
My BII has 290K miles on it and I anm on my 2nd in tank low pressure pump and my thrid high pressure pump

 

[Sscolax]

I finally got around to finishing this fuel line project yesterday, so I figured I'd give a report on how I did mine.

I used a sender from an 86 BII, but mounted a 94 Explorer high-pressure pump on it. Fuel passes into the original 85 plastic fuel line (I noticed it's made from the same nylon tubing, so it should be able to handle the pressure). The other end of the line is connected to the filter, mounted on the frame rail just behind the t-case. Next comes a piece of 86 BII plastic line, cut to the proper length and with a large garter-spring disconnect from an 89 2.3L Ranger installed at the end. This connects to the braided line on the engine.

Now for the return line. First comes the small garter-spring disconnect from the 89 Ranger, connected to a piece of 86 BII plastic line. This goes to a point just behind the brake proportioning valve (still in its original 1985 location) and connects to a piece of metal line from a 91 Explorer. After a couple of feet a piece of standard fuel hose connects it to a piece of original metal line from the 85. Finally, the last piece of 86 BII plastic line carries the excess fuel back to the tank.

So my fuel system has parts from 85, 86, 89, 91, and 94 vehicles, much like the Johnny Cash Cadillac. The cool thing is that I already had all the parts to begin with. But the best thing is that there were no leaks when I pressure tested the completed setup!

Thanks to you guys for your info and suggestions.