Brett's 4.0L SOHC Swap

Okay, the time has come to start this swap. While everyone was off goofing around in Moab over the weekend, I pulled my old 4.0L and 5spd from my sport.

Here are the details:

The patient - 1994 Explorer Sport 4.0L ohv 5spd manual 151K miles
The donor - 2004 Ranger 4.0L sohc 5spd manual 7K miles


My plan is to use as much of the original 94 electronics as possible. Yes, I could wire in the 04 electronics and computer, but I just don't want to. I'm trying to keep this swap simple so it "could" be done in a weekend.

Other details to sort out are:
Oil pan
AC
Front Dress
Fuel Line
Vaccum lines
Electrical

Pictures will follow shortly as I take them.

If anyone has done this before and can share their expience, please post in this thread. I believe that this has been done before, but as far as I know, there is not much documentation for a 1st gen 4x4 chassis. I know some ranger guys have done this with some 2wd trucks. There is very limited knowledge about this swap in the early trucks. Sure anyone can swap in 5.0L's with all the adaptors available. Let's hear about the experiences with 4.0L SOHC swap.


I would like to keep this thread on track with useful information relating to the swap. PLEASE do not post dumb comments like "where are the pictures" or "wow, this is cool". Please keep those to yourself.

Thanks,
Brett

Time spent pulling drivetrain and cleaning up = 8hrs. Total time = 8hrs.

 

[410Fortune]

I personally would not be putting a bellhousing from another auto on my auto because Ford had enough issues with front pump seals leaking, once you start swapping bellhousings you are asking for it, just IMO
7 bolts is still overkill and I am **** too
I am also not convinced you wont be able to use all 8

 

[r37ribution]

Was not aware of the seal leak. I don't know 100% one way or the other either.

Maybe I'll not worry about it and see how it goes. I'm going to be renting out a bay when I do the swap. They provide tools which is really more of what I want since I know I don't have everything I'll need. So I was just hoping to be prepared for anything and get it done in a long day so I didn't have to rent any longer than I have to.

 

[410Fortune]

seriously you plan to get this done in one day?
I would plan 2-3 weeks, you will run into issues

 

[strech67]

I am rather new to this site, but I have a '96 OHV and have been stuck over going to the SOHC or the 5.0. After reading this I am really leaning to the SOHC. Thanks guys!

 

[Mud Bug 94]

5.0-carburated... you can build um up cheeeper

 

[410Fortune]

carbuerators are not for everyone, especially when EFI is not that difficult. Carb's are not emissions legal in our trucks in many states.

Just stuff to consider, the SOHC conversion is becoming quite popular....

 

[Mud Bug 94]

good point...but a carbed 302 you can get anywhere for very cheap..(100 dollar doner car).

 

[newstylecustoms]

I know this is an old thread but are there any pics of what had to be cut on the HVAC box for clearance? I would love to do this swap but I don't want to lose my A/C.

Thanks

 

[410Fortune]

Brett retained his AC but the notch in the heater box is LARGE

The AC works still but fro what I understand the airflow is not as great as it once was.
I notched my heater box for my V8 quite a bit to clear the valve cover and headers, in fact I had to do it twice, the notch I made is quite large, but Brett's is even bigger....the SOHC is a TIGHTER fit then the 5.0L

Pics of the notch I performed are in my conversion thread, in my sig

 

[newstylecustoms]

Brett retained his AC but the notch in the heater box is LARGE

The AC works still but fro what I understand the airflow is not as great as it once was.
I notched my heater box for my V8 quite a bit to clear the valve cover and headers, in fact I had to do it twice, the notch I made is quite large, but Brett's is even bigger....the SOHC is a TIGHTER fit then the 5.0L

Pics of the notch I performed are in my conversion thread, in my sig

Thanks for the reply, I have notched the standard heater box before but not one for A/C. I will check out your thread.

 

[Brett]

Brett retained his AC but the notch in the heater box is LARGE

The AC works still but fro what I understand the airflow is not as great as it once was.
I notched my heater box for my V8 quite a bit to clear the valve cover and headers, in fact I had to do it twice, the notch I made is quite large, but Brett's is even bigger....the SOHC is a TIGHTER fit then the 5.0L

Pics of the notch I performed are in my conversion thread, in my sig

There is really nothing left of the ac box. The valve cover is actually still in contact with the ac box. I took away all the plastic and just left the edge of the box.

I don't have my ac line hooked up and I really don't expect much out of the AC when I hook it back up. I'm actually going to remount my compressor to get it up and away from the steering box.

Brett

 

[newstylecustoms]

Thats not what I wanted to hear! HAHA! Since I can't live without A/C I guess I won't go for the SOHC swap.

There is really nothing left of the ac box. The valve cover is actually still in contact with the ac box. I took away all the plastic and just left the edge of the box.

I don't have my ac line hooked up and I really don't expect much out of the AC when I hook it back up. I'm actually going to remount my compressor to get it up and away from the steering box.

Brett

 

[Trckmagik]

Brett,

Any pics yet?

 

[Brett]

Brett,

Any pics yet?

Not yet. Been under a car cover for a few months while I do body work. I'm actually going to pull the motor back out at some point and fix some things I did not like on the conversion. One of them being the AC box and clearance. My oil pan gasket is also leaking, so I'll need to replace that as well.

Brett

 

[GPRACING]

I know this is an old thread but I was wondering,How is the rev limit on the older eec 4 computer compared to the eec 5 sohc computer.I have both explorers and the ohv motors are petered out by 5k but my sohc motor is a screamer!Im thinking of doing this swap on my old truck.Thanks in advance,Tripp

 

[CDW6212R]

The SOHC makes power over 5000rpm, the OHV will not, no matter what PCM you use. The OHV 4.0 makes more low end power, better for around town driving, and off roading.

You can tune the OBDII much better than the old EECIV, so make the change if it's for best power and efficiency.

 

[GPRACING]

what I was trying to say is the OHV has a 5K rev limiter and I know the SOHC will turn harder than that.If he is using the OHV computer with the SOHC motor how is he getting around it?

 

[CDW6212R]

Ah, well the two engines are very similar. It is an older thread, but the differences I've read are just a couple of sensors. The SOHC is really just an improved OHV engine, the shortblocks are almost interchangeable.

That is a good question about the rpm limits if an older PCM was used.

 

[XxxMonoxideChild]

what I was trying to say is the OHV has a 5K rev limiter

mine is 5500. but every other X ive seen has been just 5000.

this is my truck.

 

[r37ribution]

My ODBII OHVs rev limit i believe is 5k. If you want more Rs out of your OHV get a bigger cam from CompCam. You will just need to program your OBDII for a higher rev limiter. Its all programmable with the '96+.