How to: 2001 ranger rwd gets a 5.0

[410Fortune]

We have in the shop a very nice clean lower mile 2001 ranger xlt
This truck is coil spring ifs, therefore it is rwd.

It was originally a 3.0l and 5 speed manual
The 3.0 has a side window modification installed

I just happen to have a 2000 explorer 5.0 drivetrain with a rwd 4r70w, 152k miles when pulled, I drove the donor before I crushed it

This will be our first coil spring rwd 5.0 ranger build

Follow along!
Truck has nice 2” lift with bilstein struts and 33” tires. Has sat outside for 3 months, yesterday we pushed it into the shop. 2 hours later she’s empty of drivetrain

My Stepson and I are doing this truck together
His truck
My drivetrain
Halvsies

 

[410Fortune]

Will be one clean ranger when we are done it will be for sale
I generally flip 4-5 trucks a year a does my stepson
We upcycle parts and save trucks, put them back on the road
Along the way hot rods are created


Today we will prep the drivetrain down to the shortblock
Then we will hang the block in the engine bay and see what’s needed for engine mount modifications and oil pan clearance

 

[Josh P]

That truck NEEDS a 5.0!

 

[410Fortune]

You asked!

We have some teenage help this am
410customs crash course

2001 explorer xls rwd
5.0 153k mi when pulled
Had misfire cyl 8 code (usually injector)

Looks fantastic no sludge
Only broke one stud so far
Has been sitting in the shop under cover 5 years? I’ve pulled many small parts off this poor sucker over the years. Rob Peter to pay Paul
Eddies truck got some bolts off this thing lol

 

[vroomzoomboom]

That truck NEEDS a 5.0!

you typed 363 wrong.

 

[Josh P]

you typed 363 wrong.

If we're going big bore block then I typed 454 wrong. There's room under the bed for twin turbos to help beat grandma through the crosswalk.

 

[RangerX]

Curious what a side window modification means?

 

[410Fortune]

Connecting rod went through the side of the oil pan
See Last pic of 3 oh

 

[Josh P]

Connecting rod went through the side of the oil pan
See Last pic of 3 oh

Crankcase ventilation.

 

[410Fortune]

Starting to install 302

Research shows a few different ways to drop a 302 on some Engine mounts in one of these trucks. You can buy aftermarket plates designed to bolt to the 302 and sit on the 3.0 mounts… but it seems they still need some mods to fit properly??

The 3.0 coil spring trucks have a weird spacer under the drivers side engine mount. To remove it the drivers spring and shock must come out…
I ordered some 4.0 rwd engine mounts and I have some 5.0 engine mounts here. Once the spacer is gone I can sort this out

The oil pan and the rest of the engine have plenty of clearance

 

[allmyEXes]

LoL ub. Saturday morning when we were on my thread talking about the '98 to '01+5.0 coil spring Ranger swap, I didn't know that you were posting on your cs Ranger 5.0 thread here. I didn't see this until around 10 p.m. central time. My middle stepson got married yesterday.
I see that your second picture has a pretty good view of the crossmember. So basically since the 3.0 is so compact, that FoMoCo bolted in the left side spacer bracket? They must have done it very early after the frame was together. That means a VIN was assigned to it then the 3.0 bracket would go on. Hence the reason to have to remove the spring to get to the spacer bolts? I think your right about having to remove both front springs. All the extra work would mean, use new rubber mounts. Do you think it might be a good idea to get on the drill press with the new mounts and drill through them to install a carriage "safety bolt" through the mount in case it ever tries to come apart? I've seen a few bolts through old mounts to save them when a replacement wasn't possible.
So, it's looking like the crossmember, and oil pan have clearance? Is the 2wd Ranger crossmember the same as 95-01 Explorers?
I may have a bit of a clearance issue because the engine and transmission will be sliding .85 inch forward to get off of the firewall a bit during the part of my build where the '54 cab goes onto the Ranger floor/chassis.
I have found one guy that did the 98 up 2wd cs Ranger 5.0 swap that documented his complete swap, actually a whole truck build but he didn't give much attention to the actual swap, not many pictures and didn't use the Explorer 5.0 engine brackets and frame motor mounts. But it is a good read.
5.0 swap in a '98 2wd coil spring Ranger

 

[410Fortune]

There are a couple of completed swaps out there yes, one guy completely restored the whole truck before dropping his new blueprinted 5.0 in…. Lots of info on the truck build not much on the conversion. He used aftermarket engine plates that are designed for the rwd 3.0 truck… and still had to modify them.

The engine cradle of the coil spring rangers is different
However it does look like the oil pan is the correct shape to clear everything

I’m planning to run 5.0 motor mounts bolted on just like factory, no safety bolt. I have never broken a factory mount. I believe I will only have to drill a hole or two to make the 5.0 mounts work..

Once the 5.0 is bolted in the conversion gets pretty simple because it’s well a 98-05 ranger is a natural fit wiring and plumbing wise for the explorer 302

Ordered a ton of parts to refresh our 302
This should be a fun truck!

 

[allmyEXes]

Earlier researching Ranger engine options, I saw that the last year was 2008 for the 3.0. Also, the 2wd coil spring Ranger continued through 2011.
So that means that all two wheel drive Rangers from the 1998 to 2011 where coil spring? In the last couple of years, I saw a listing for a heavy-duty coil spring.

 

[410Fortune]

Not true no

I don’t think the sohc ever came in a coil
Spring ranger

I have a 06 ranger sohc rwd on torsion bars
These Can easily be converted to 4wd

Again in no ranger expert I’m still learning
For 20 years I dabbled in rangers and focused on explorers. I let my stepsons have the ranger side of the business because I had elevators

 

[allmyEXes]

Oh, ok. The rockAuto data shows coil springs available for the '09-'11 years. That could be 4 cylinder only.
RockAuto info for 2009 4.0 Rangers
I have seen parts from other engine types carry over into another even though that may not be correct.
So, can I say that the last year of the 2WD Ranger with a 3.8 was 2008?
Keep up the good work. I'll limit my comments as you post your documentation of the project.

 

[410Fortune]

Rwd coil spring ranger never came with sohc 4.0
It did come with 4 banger and 3.0 v6 engines in both manual and auto

The 4.0 rwd trucks are torsion bar and can be converted to 4wd by bolting everything in

98-11 ranger all this way

Okay soy stepsons shop is too hot to work in this part of summer
My shop stays cool! So he decided to tackle this beast
We are 5.0 mockup stages

He removed the drivers side suspension and finally coil spring, this gives access to the nut on back side of the 3.0 Mount and stand off

3.0 stock engine mount on drivers side has this “standoff”

With the 3.0 mount out of the way, had to drill one hole and the new 4.0 / 5.0 mount drops right in

eBay drivers side 5.0 into ranger mount okate
May just work on drivers
The pass is like 1.5” away

5.0 was dropped in a few times trying different side plate options. I think the 302 is almost in the core t spot, centered, etc
Once I get it measured correctly it looks like we will need to cut a custom plate for pass side only… we are using 2001 ranger 4.0 mounts because I can always easily modify them to be 5.0
Mounts

 

[Josh P]

A lot of room for a 351W.

 

[Turdle]

A lot of room for a 351W.

Idunno, looks like passenger valve cover will barely go on as it is with HVAC box there,remember it has to go up and over, from top

 

[Josh P]

Idunno, looks like passenger valve cover will barely go on as it is with HVAC box there,remember it has to go up and over, from top

Luxury vs necessity. It would take some creativity and skill, but I'm sure 410 could do it

 

[410Fortune]

I wish I had a foam 302 and 351 mock up block…. those things are so sick
But $$$$

Ever since ford shoehorned the 302 into the gen ii sploder I’ve never had an issue making one fit a ranger