$800 for a 97 awd v8?

[HawaiiFiveOh]

Hey guys, a guy at work just asked if I would be interested in his explorer for 800 bucks. Like the title says, its a 97 with the 5.0 and AWD. I have just started doing some research do to the v8 swap into my 92 and this kinda fell into my lap. My questions are,

is this a smart buy?
what other parts would I need to make this work in my truck?
Has anybody made a first gen awd?

Like I said, I literally just started looking into this swap so I haven't made my way through all the previous swap threads. Just looking for some straight forward answers if possible. thanks

 

[Spdrcer34]

I swapped a `97 5.0L into my `92.

The `97 was originally a AWD. I sold the AWD Transmission & Transfercase, and bought a 2WD Transmission.

I don't think anyone has ever made a 1st Gen AWD. But a FAR SUPERIOR option is the 4406 swap from an Expedition.

Swap the Engine and transmission into the `92, and then install the 4406 transfer case.

YES it is a good buy.

You will need to address the cooling system. I opted to go with the factory radiator, installed IN the radiator support, then I upgraded it to an aftermarket unit.

I have L&L motor mounts, I recently broke them...and I have NOT been able to get through to them to get them replaced. So until they get this resolved I can not recommend them...

Ryan

 

[corkey]

i would look at the 97 for a driver , and just keep the older one for wheeling,,

 

[celly]

i would look at the 97 for a driver , and just keep the older one for wheeling,,

That's what I thought too.

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

i would look at the 97 for a driver , and just keep the older one for wheeling,,

I thought this would come up. To be honest, wheeling isn't something that is easy to do living in Baltimore. I would love to get into wheeling and have a decent offroad truck for it, but I can only assume that its an easy 1.5/2 hr drive before I get to anything that you could call wheeling suitable. Not too mention I see the rides some of you guys have and the money tied up in them, It would be hard for me to split up my "toy fund" between my busa and a wheeling truck.
But I did think about driving the 97 and selling my 92, I just like the old girl too much for that.

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

I swapped a `97 5.0L into my `92.

The `97 was originally a AWD. I sold the AWD Transmission & Transfercase, and bought a 2WD Transmission.

I don't think anyone has ever made a 1st Gen AWD. But a FAR SUPERIOR option is the 4406 swap from an Expedition.

Swap the Engine and transmission into the `92, and then install the 4406 transfer case.

YES it is a good buy.

You will need to address the cooling system. I opted to go with the factory radiator, installed IN the radiator support, then I upgraded it to an aftermarket unit.

I have L&L motor mounts, I recently broke them...and I have NOT been able to get through to them to get them replaced. So until they get this resolved I can not recommend them...

Ryan

I assume the 4406 is superior for guys that are wheeling, what about trucks that stay on the pavement would the AWD work fine if its possible to make work?
So your saying the trans in the AWD will work with the 4406?
Has no one done the AWD because it can't be done?
As far as the motor mounts, the stock ones in the 97 won't work?

 

[Spdrcer34]

Yes, the 4R70W AWD transmission has the correct tailshaft/adapter to bolt the 4406 up to it.

There is definite mechanical difference between the TTB D35 (1992) and the IFS D35 (1997) that allows the `97 to be AWD, but would keep the `92 from being a reliable candidate for conversion to AWD. Maybe I'm wrong. It's happened before.

Maybe it is something as simple as installing the heavy (heavier?) duty Jeep Hubs on the D35, and driving with them locked when you want AWD.....and un-locking them when 2WD is the order of the day....who knows?

As for the Motor Mounts....some people have used Fox Body 5.0L mounts in there Ranger/Explorer and gotten them to work....I tried. I ended up buying the L&L mounts. But thr frames are very different in the motor x-member area that makes it very difficult to use the `97 mounts in the `92 frame.

Ryan

 

[rhauf]

I thought this would come up. To be honest, wheeling isn't something that is easy to do living in Baltimore. I would love to get into wheeling and have a decent offroad truck for it, but I can only assume that its an easy 1.5/2 hr drive before I get to anything that you could call wheeling suitable. Not too mention I see the rides some of you guys have and the money tied up in them, It would be hard for me to split up my "toy fund" between my busa and a wheeling truck.
But I did think about driving the 97 and selling my 92, I just like the old girl too much for that.

i'm with the drive the '97 and sell/wheel the '92 crowd. it just makes more sense, unless perhaps the 92 has a warn out engine/trans, and the 97 is rusted to hell/thrashed in some other way.

the swap won't be an easy one... keep that in mind. most of these type of swaps that people start, dont get finished. so they just end up with 2 disassembled piles of trash, instead of 2 perfectly good trucks.. i hate to see this happen so i usually discourage labor (and skill and money) intensive swaps like this.

if you want to get into wheelin, i don't think 1.5 to 2 hours drive sounds that bad... hell where i live the two nearest places are 2.5 and 3 hours away, and the next closest place is 4 or 5 hours away. but that doesn't stop me from building 4x4's... take my '93 for instance (still a work in progress, i have to finish the exo-cage among other details)

just think, you're '92 could be that and you could keep the 97 as a daily!

 

[Spdrcer34]

If you have the space, the skills, time and the money...I say go for it.....even if you only have 3 of the 4......

I had all 4...so it was a no brainer to put my `97 drivetrain into my `92.

Ryan

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

i will go ahead and say that the 92 is getting worn out. i have a rear main leak and i think my oil pump is starting to go. i get some valvetrain noise at a constant throttle but will go away if get the truck to downshift. if i have to pull the motor i might as well make to put a v8 in there. i was a 5.0 mustang guy before i bought an explorer.
now to find out about the rear in the 97, i would assume its an 8.8 and i think it has discs. are they being swapped over?

 

[Spdrcer34]

The 97 rear end into a 92 is a straight swap over, everything will line up, and work perfectly.

Some people have had issues with the parking brake linkage along the drivers side frame....a single custom length cable is the best option.

Ryan

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

sweet. so it seems for 800 bucks i get a motor, tranny, 8.8 rear, the various engine accessories i may need, not to mention various potential patch panels i may need. i think that sounds good to me. that leaves the transfer case, motor mounts and some other bits and pieces that i'm sure ill need, that i have to purchase.

 

[Spdrcer34]

When I did my "1997 Explorer Drivetrain into my 1992" swap, I sold all the parts that I did not use, and the drivetrain swap was better than free! It wasn't until I bought the TMH's that I spent any money out of pocket.

A working 1st Gen transmission is very desireable!...I have gotten as much as $350 for them on craigslist within 24 hours of posting it! Same with the 4404 AWD transfer case from the `97. I got $200 for my old 8.8" from the `92...you get the idea..

Ryan

 

[yellowford]

There was a guy here in KC that used the awd tcase from a v8 and left in his ranger. I think he unlocked the hubs until he wanted it, don't know how much that would wear out front axle components faster though.

 

[smcgee1979]

sounds interesting. just finished my swap today. wasn't that easy in the driveway, and mine was pulling a 5.0 and putting another in. im in Baltimore. i may be able to offer a hand at some point.

 

[HawaiiFiveOh]

well guys, it's starting to look like I may have two explorers on the road to toy around with. After going to look at the gen2 last weekend I am leaning towards putting some time and money into it to get it back on the road, things like a little body work and a new transfercase. And when that happens I am gonna drop it and work on making it my "4 door mustang." Something I am tossing around already is converting it to a 2wd five speed. I feel its to nice to chop up and destroy. So eventually I hope to have a somewhat nasty little street suv to go along with with my mildly lifted first gen. I do want to thank everybody for the help and guidance given so far.

 

[Spdrcer34]

Look up Nick26....he used a F-150 Transmission (his was for a 4WD, but you can just as easily use a 2WD tranny), and in certain years, the shifter comes right through where the factory shifter would have come through on a V6/Manual

I have thought about a M/T swap, but I would need a TKO transmission.......and they are EXPENSIVE!!! LOL

Ryan