410 fortune - 5.0L EFI 4R70W drivertrain conversion

[RockRanger]

Jamie,

I sent you an email on a proposal. We (Tech Performance & Engineering) would like to send you a set of Torque Monster Headers for your engine swap.

We've had a few calls on this swap (5.0 V8 Explorer/Mountaineer engine into a Ranger/BrancoII) and would like to have someone let us know if our headers are a viable alternative. In the Explorer/Mountaineer the headers are a direct replacement for the present manifolds you have on the motor. But, we don't have the data on the engine swap.

Let us know if you have the GT40-P heads, we will include the spark plug heat shields (set of 8) in polished stainless steel.

Email me at; "rcpasq@yahoo.com". Thank you.

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers
P.O. Box 22088
San Diego, CA 92192

Way to step up to the plate What would it take to get a shop tour sometime. I live in san diego and would like to see what it takes to build headers.

 

[410Fortune]

OKay some progress....

5.0L PCM harness is mapped out. there are 36 total wires to integrate into the 4.0L power distribution and truck harness

the OBD-II wiring is not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Ford seems to have always kept the 5.0L wiring a pretty much stand alone harness that can easily be integrated into existing systems.....but I should keep my mouth shut until I turn the key. Luckily my 97 PCM does not have the PATS security system, wiring, or module..

I will retain all 4 02 sensors and the EGR for now.....my truck does not require them emissions wise.....Removing the two catalyst monitor 02's will require some computer tuning I am sure, if its possible.
I know the EGR circuit can be removed without a computer re-flash.

the interesting part about this harness is I have ALOT of wires to extend in order to tailor the underhood layout for my BII........this means mass amounts of solder time and lots of heat shrink tubing......Also I have this bad habit of making everything factory so all extensions must be the same color wire if I can help it.....usually this means junk yard "donor" harness...

All wiring for headlights and alarm (bascially all wiring along radiator supoprt) was in prety bad shape, not touched since 88. The guys who installed my alarm also did some interesting wiring, I gotta hand it to them the alarm has worked perfect for like 5 years but geezus give me a break! Just because its not your truck doenst mean its okay to add 4 crimp connections withing like 3" of wiring in 6 spots...

Anyways it has all been soldered and sealed now, re-routed, and tied back in to place. I also integrated my cooling fan wiring, ARB compressor wiring, and driving light wiring into the stock harness (cleaner)

Also firewall repair and paint is complete. drivers side fender liner is painted. Fender skirts have been removed, not sure they will ever go back in. Especially with those headers on the way, I will make some sort of protection for the door cavities and also the front grill, but the space between frame and engine shall be open for ease of access to spark plugs, wiring, and well to help with underhood heat.

Updates and pictures Soon........

Witht he previous wiring harness conversions I have done i always built maps and kept hand written diagrams.
This time around I am using Excel and the scanner....
Hopefully I will be able to help those who come after me

MUAHHAHAHAAHAHA Its almost alive! (okay well sorda)

I am also looking at likely dropping the trans and engine in for the final time as a single unit.......

 

[410Fortune]

New pictures:

fender liners removed both sides, will be modified.
Headers will be here tomorrow.
Rust repair (bondo this side) and paint drivers side firewall:

Drivers side inner fender, and refurbished wiring:

Drivers side frame stripped and painted:

Pass side lower firewall rust repair and paint: (fiberglass this side)

Finally overall from top, 5.0L bolted in place waiting transmission and wiring:

 

[JGAMBLE]

man, you're gonna have one hella summer.

 

[kpgli84]

I am very interested in this swap. Subscibing to the thread

 

[DB_1]

So where's the chrome valve covers and billet pulleys?

 

[Rhett]

Hey, you need to paint your battery tray there.

Lookin good there. Your drivetrain should be so RELIABLE. That's why I would do the swap--just to get rid of the A4LD more than anything. And of course with that, the extra V8 ponies would be a nice bonus. Towing should be no problem with that setup, as opposed to the A4LD...

Are you going to run Motorcraft plugs?

Are you going to re-locate the batt, (maybe you did that mod already with your 4.0?) so that you can run a 5.0 intake that goes to behind the passenger side headlight?

 

[410Fortune]

Good questions, and good eye.
I had the battery re-located previously for the 4.0L but was never happy with the strength of my custom battery tray, so it has been removed.
I plan to re-furbish the stock battery tray (all thats left now of the body work) and use that location, this will allow me to re-mount my power distribution box where it goes (near starter solenoid) and then run the 5.0L intake right to where the stock 2.9L airbox was. I already have a 4" dia cold air feed that comes directly from the radiator support behind the grill, with the ceramic coated headers I am hoping the underhood temps wont be what they were with the 4.0L and non coated headers...

Once its up and running then we'll worry about tricking out the 5.0L
yes I plan to run Motocraft plugs, new thermostat, and intake gaskets, and thats all the 5.0L gets for now.....shes only got 50K miles on it, last time it ran was late 2003....

headers tracking number says they arrive today.
Last night I tore into the 4.0L wiring harness, almost ready to start grafting them together. Pictures of that and the headere install tomorrow hopefully

 

[azexplorer4by]

sounds like yoour moving along with this, Now we'll all keep our fingers X'ed that the wiring all works out for ya. ...hehe Anyways all looks good so far.

 

[410Fortune]

Wiring is what I do, so far its working out just fine. This will be a totally custom harness however, moslt because I want to make it fit the truck better.....

Lots of extending.
I have been making complete charts in Excel, even drawing the plugs in Autocad.
This weekend much progress will be made weather permitting.....

 

[JoshC]

So when it comes time for my 302 conversion i can call on you for a wiring harness? lol

 

[bates]

Awesome thread! But now when somebody gets told to forget the 4.0L and just swap in a 5.0L, whos gonna stand up and say thats not the only solution? You've been converted!

And talk about lucky! Ceramic coated and everything!

 

[410Fortune]

The Torque Monster headers arrived yesterday.
Top quality craftsmanship and design.
I am impressed.

The packaging and thought that went into producing this product is amazing.
Robert called to make sure I got everything okay.
The install kit includes a well thought out video and he includes a new Napa gold oil filter to complete the installation. Thats just a hint at the quality of this product so far..

I am pulling the 5.0L for the final time this weekend, installing headers and routing wiring, then bolting it back in Sunday.
Need: Radiator, Advanced Adapters AOD-E to BW1354 kit (5") and a BM floor shifter.
also a few parts from the Junk yard
And she'll be running........

Then exhaust and DONE

For the exhaust I will run a Y pipe, single cat, single I/O 3" muffler and 3" pipe straight out the back, that is if I can fool the 4 02 sensors into a single cat system...

I have found the OBD-II wiring has two total wires that I will not use:
1 is for the air suspension speed input to the 5.0L PCM (tachometer feed likely)
2 is for a low fuel light in a 97 Explorer message center (note to self, possibe to add 97 message center to 88 BII)

The OBD-II harness also has several wires that run to the fuel tank pump sending unit, fuel tank pressure, fuel level, and fuel pump voltage.
My BII sending unit may have these wires, if it does its a simple splice in, but if it does not them the fuel system will be converted to the 97 Explorer in tank pump (delete BII dual pump system and run new lines

These are the only complications when wiring in a OBD-II 5.0L harness into a OHV 4.0L truck.....but I cannot say for sure as my truck is actually:

88 Bronco II truck body power, instrument, and fuel systems to 93 power distribution, inertia switch, diagnostic port, to 97 OBD-II Stand alone engine, exhaust and transmission control harness

I will have to custom wire:
OD button interior
under dash style Diagnostics port
Inertia switch
Canister purge solenoid
oil level to oil light
fuel system wiring
speed sensor

Then either cut a hole in the firewall or extend approx 90 wires to relocate the PCM.
Possible under hood water tight PCM mount?
Right now looks like extend wires is my best option.

Sorry so long winded, so far so good.........

 

[410Fortune]

I still think the 4.0L makes plenty of torque, I towed a 19 boat with mine with 0 problems ever, sometimes in second gear but plenty of grunt.

Problem is the auto's tooo light duty.
If I could live w/o overdrive a C4 to 4.0L would be the way to go.
Plus then you can always mate a EFI 5.0L to that C4...

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Jamie, Here's how I'd deal with the O2s:

The bank 1 and bank 2 primary O2s need to be in the downpipes, about 15" after the collector.

For the secondar O2 cat monitors, I would get "O2 sensor simulators" from ebay or the web. They tap into 12v (the O2 heater wires work fine) and generate the signal that the PCM is looking for. These sensors don't effect engine operation at all, they are just used to monitor the catalyst efficiancy. Normally, they will show and absence of oxygen, but if the cat fails and is no longer working, the cat monitor O2s will cycle in phase with the primary sensors.

I haven't had experiance with them, but the concept behind them is sound.

 

[410Fortune]

Yeah I know of the 02 cheaters, and I know they are a bad idea when used as the primary 02's. I have heard them used as you describe, and that will likely be the key to my exhaust, but if they could just be removed from the PCM programming that would be even better

Thanks for the tips! With these headers I could probably run the Explorer Y pipes into dual cat setup and then take my exuast from there, If I wasnt into 4x4ing I would look into true duals! But for torque and less pipe under the truck I would like a single cat and pipe....

 

[section525]

Do you know which B&M you're using? I am thinking about doing the same thing.

 

[410Fortune]

If you must know I was thinking about one of these:

http://www.rjays.com/Lokar/Lokar-Shifters.htm
I really like the Lokar, but...


I think Art Carr gets my vote if they offer a AODE adapter for their AOD floor shifter.

There are a few AOD shifters on the market, all of them SHOULD be able to adapt to the 4R70W

There is B&M, possibly Lokar and a few others, including full on drage racing shifters, a little much for a DD....

Also there is this to consider instead of the AA 1354 adapter:

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/36.asp

Ford AOD to Dana 20
This adapter kit consists of a new aluminum housing, main shaft, spud shaft, bearing retainer, seal and gaskets. The overall setup will be about 1 1/2"s longer than stock. Driveshaft and crossmember modifications are necessary. T-shift Dana 20 will be the easiest to use with only minor modifications. We are told that the J-shift can be used with "a little ingenuity". We offer the early 80-87 and the later 88 and newer adapters.

They also have some awesome C4 transmission packages..


For the Dana 20 I would need to take some measurements and confirm the AOD tail is the same as the AODE

 

[XplorerKid]

Hey 410, i was also looking at one of the Lokar shifters but after talking to my boss, he says they suck..... Cant remember the reasons, but i know he said he will never run them again, on all the hot rods we build, we run Genie Shifters, might be worth it to look to see if they have something that work, they have that same style shifter as the Lokar....

 

[410Fortune]

Hey thanks for the Input, last night I was thinking about this and remembered hearing that lokar shifters suck...

I spoke with Art Carr this morning, for $199 plus $56 for the base I can get a AOD-E shifter from them...this is the route I will take, I have heard nothing but great things about their stuff....