This engine wouldn't be THAT hard to mount in a RWD configuration, though you would have to make a new intake manifold. Getting an adapter plate would be really easy. I don't really see a reason why you would want to change it to a rwd configuration, you could just mount the engine and transaxle transversely the same way it is done in the escape and adapt it to the exploder parts.... Wouldn't be as hard as you might think. A second gen would be easier to do it in though.... (I am not saying any of this is easy, anyone who wants to argue with me, please read my entire post before you respond)
The hybrid uses a 4 cylinder, duratec 23 and later the duratec 25 4 cylinder, and you wouldn't be able to use the motor with the hybrid system since you would never be able to replicate all the controls unless you are an electrical engineer, PLUS you would never fit the hybrid system without making a LOT of custom parts, and I am not just talking brackets here. Curb weight of a hybrid escape is around 3700 lbs, IDK what adam45356 was thinking.... Ford hasn't made a 2500 lb car since the early 90s.... a 91 explorer with the hybrid system in it would probably weigh a little more than 4200 lbs empty, so the hybrid system could probably move the truck, since it scoots the escape along pretty good, but I think the aero would be a problem, so top speed would probably be REALLY limited....
The duratec 35 engine itself has MORE than enough horsepower and torque. Even the 3.0 v6 duratec has more horsepower and torque than the 4.0 in a 1st or second gen. A 2.5 v6 duratec (what was put in the ford contour and mercury cougar) has slightly more horsepower and torque than a 4.0 ohv. If you could get any duratec bolted in, it would be an upgrade for a 1st gen. FWIW, a 3.0 duratec would be easier to start with, since it is available in a RWD configuration in the Lincoln LS, and the DAMB makes a little more power, so bonus, PLUS, it doesn't use VCT. You would have to stay away from the jaguar's 3.0 duratec of course, since that uses VCT. Stay far FAR away from the duratec 37 (TI-VCT), and you wouldn't be able to afford an ecoboost duratec 35, so I am not even gonna bother warning you about why you would never make that work.
The problem comes with the fact that the duratec 35 uses VCT, which from my knowledge, I can't think of any stand-alones that can control VCT. The DAMB also makes tuning a little different... If you went with the duratec 30 out of the earlier escapes, you could use a megasquirt and the escape wiring harness to control it. Then you would just need to fab up mounts to mount the engine in a RWD configuration AND make an adapter plate to go to the transmission of your choice.
For the money that you would have into this, you would be better off just going with a diesel engine.
If you are just considering cost savings by using less gas, I'll do a little math for you.
If you increase fuel efficiency by 10 mpg on a truck that gets 20 mpg stock, and the swap costs you $6000 to do, then it will take 10 years just to pay for the swap in fuel savings, since you would save roughly $600 a year. You would not complete a duratec 30 swap for anything less than $6K (a duratec 35, assuming you could make a good controller for the VCT would cost a bunch more). A diesel swap would cost roughly the same, but the benefit of going diesel if you want to stick it to OPEC is the efficiency of biodiesel. BUT, don't think that will pay for itself any faster. Let's say you get all the free WVO you need. Now, paying for electricity to run your biodiesel refining, methanol, and the other stuff you need to refine biodiesel, and lets just say for the sake of argument you have the equipment already, biodiesel would cost you roughly $0.50 a gallon if your electricity was as cheap as mine (not many places as cheap as here). Even under the incredibly unrealistic conditions I have named, it would still take you 5 years to pay for the engine swap.
DAMB = Direct acting mechanical buckets
VCT = Variable Cam Timing
TI-VCT = twin independent variable cam timing
