5.0 swap questions.

[410Fortune]

hmmmm so the 331 kit has the some bore as the 347? How come I have been told so many times 331 with a stock block is ok, 347 = taking chances?

looks like a 327 would be a good way to go possible, plus 327 just sounds kick ass "whatchya got in that thing?"

"327" hahaha they would look at me like WTF???

 

[MoabB2]

The problem here is this, the Explorer 5.0L is the closest thing you will find to a V8 made to fit in your Ranger, it is also the best 5.0L Ford ever built (late model GT-40 roller engine) so its a toss up.

Is it the best 5.0 built for this swap? Or is it just the best 5.0 ever built?

I know you have the DIS ignition, GT-40P heads, and OBD-II, but what else makes it better than the Mustang 5.0l?

 

[410Fortune]

it also has roller lifters
but other then that you nailed it.
Last pushrod 5.0L Ford built = the best they built

 

[MoabB2]

Can you make more power with the OBD-II than you can with the OBD-I?

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Don't quote me but with OBD II you should have more tunability than with OBD I.

 

[410Fortune]

both can be tuned well but OBD-II is FAR superior simply because the computer has about 50x's the amount of power curves to choose from.

OBD-II in this situation also gives you DIS ignition and a computer controlled trans

I would say for every big fan of tuning OBD-II there is probably an expert carb guy making the same power.....just not as efficiently

 

[BryanB]

hmmmm so the 331 kit has the some bore as the 347? How come I have been told so many times 331 with a stock block is ok, 347 = taking chances?

Any stock block 5.0 is perfectly safe with 0.030 overbore no matter the stroke. The difference between 306/331/347 is stroke. Pin height to accomodate the longer rod is different too. 331 and 347 locate the pin in the oil control ring area where as the 302 is below. But to me, there is no point in building a SBF stoker. The performance to dollar ratio doesn't pay off until you spend big $$
I built a very stout 331 but I wouldn't do it again. If you are going to invest in a stroker, you are automatically handicapped by the stock block. They won't take much more than 450-500hp I dyno'd mine at 442 hp and 438 ft lbs torque and had about $7k invested. If you are going to spend that kind of dough, you might as well start with a decent block...NOT stock. Find an A4/sportsman or Dart block for about 2k. It makes no sense to me to invest in a stroker to use stock parts like intake, exhaust block etc..So either do it right or don't do it at all.

 

[410Fortune]

thanks thats great advice and its obvious
I would likely buy a complete long block instead of building one, but I am considering both just because I want to build my own engine (but have seen the nightmares it can create)

 

[Brans Freestyle]

since you have a 98+ 4x4 ranger a v8 swap is pretty easy, any explorer v8 will drop right in with explorer motor mounts, and the computer is pretty much plug and play.

if you want it to be easy grab a rolled explorer and you will have everything right there to put into the ranger.