Engine Swap Ideas (Fun Thread)

[fiftyfordfloored]

Well, it's that time again. Winter... Grrrrrrr, and I'm super alergic to cold weather. Time to plan for an engine swap, inside, nice and warm .

I love my exploder, but the 4.0L OHV leaves much to be desired. I saved my Ex from the scrap heap, now I want to make her something special. I like fast trucks, and the 155 hp hurts, so I'm going to plan on doing an engine swap in the spring.

Usage will include: Illegal street racing, daily driver, mild occasional off-roading, 0-60 pulls and a few 1/4 Mile runs.

The question is, what power plant I need to start researching/collecting parts for. I know a lot about the 302 and 351 swaps, so no fear, no stupid questions will be asked about that! Heres the thing... It needs to be cheaply done. I've researched building up a nice 352 CID stroker out of a 302 (4.060 x 3.400), but those parts will cost a mild fortune. I'm looking to keep this swap within the $1500-1999.95 range in total (which means mostly stock engine), and I have about 4 U-Pull style yards near me so I can get an engine for around 100 bucks and other parts cheaply, motor mounts I can cobble or find them cheap, etc etc. I'm mechanically inclined, and have dropped in a few engines, and my dad is a retired mechanic (auto-electric specialist) so wiring isn't a hugely ugly issue. I would also like to retain the stock trans rolleyes: I know, I know, it's a POS but it fits nicely and would like to keep it if at all possible, an adapter and trans eats into the budget right-quickly). I definitely need to keep it straight up FoMoCo. "I don't want nothin' that wasn't offered stock in a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury!"

For reference, it's the '92 4x4 XLT in my sig. Truck has no EGR, my state emissions laws require a swap of 1992 or newer engine. Cats required, emissions are NOT like California and I have a Mechanic friend do all my inspections (he will over look certain things with in reason).

So, I've been toying with the idea of the 302, 3.8 SC, 3.2 SHO V6 or even the SHO V8... I want it to be fairly unique! I don't really care about retaining the A/C because I never ever use it, thou it would be nice to retain in case I did need it.

The 302 is the least unique (lots of people have them), thou most power potential. Sounds awesome, but also the most expensive. Stock, rated at 215 HP.

The 3.8 SC engine... I know it would require the AOD trans swap like the 302, otherwise I have no idea. Never seen any mention of it done. Stock, rated at 230 HP and 330 TQ ('94-'95).

The 3.2L SHO V6, I know will bolt right up the the A4LD with the ranger 3.0L bell housing. I also believe the 3.0L ranger mounts will fit it nicely, but if not, I can probably fab them. This is the cheapest swap I think, but the wiring will be ridiculous with that tube-snake of a harness. Stock, 220 HP and 215 TQ.

The 3.4L SHO V8 is the least I know about swapping (aside from it has the Duratec 2.5L bolt pattern), but it's one heck of a nice sounding engine. It also has 235 HP stock, TQ rating is around that same number.


I'm well aware that all of these swaps take time. So, what do you all think; any fun ideas or suggestions? I'm open to any and all ideas...

BTW, I was kidding on the street racing, I'm 21 but I'm not retarded, that was for a laugh.


NOTE: Any swap I end up doing will be accompanied by lots of pics and probably a write up because, everyone likes that .

 

[bikeboarder]

to make a heavy car go fast you need TQ and lots of it. if i were you i would go with the stroked 302. that will most likely give you the most TQ and give you the ability to lay rubber. i dont think any of your other options will do that. but that V6 sho shounds like something for a 2X4 ranger... i dont think it would be good for an explorer though. i have ridden in SHOs and they have no balls @ low RPM. Then again if you want to have some crazy top end go with the SHO V6. i have seen one rev 7000RPM that with 4.10 or 4.56gears would beat any ricer you cound come across but not so good for mud and hills.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

True, TQ is a definite good thing for heavy cars/trucks. With the SHO V6, peak TQ is made at about 4800 RPMs, about the redline of the 4.0L. Peak power is at 6000 RPMs I think. My guess is that a higher stall TQ converter would be a good idea in that case too. Lousy for off-roading where the low end is needed, but it would sound like an exotic car at high rpms and go pretty good on the street.

I'd need a new 8000 RPM tach with that thing too.

 

[techieman33]

DO NOT keep the A4LD, it will die a quick death if you try to put that much power through it.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Yeah, I figured it would, but if I do go the SHO V6 route, it bolts up. I think they do the swap to Rangers using the A4LD, so it will probably hold if I get one out of a '94 in a JY, rebuild and update it to withstand it. Or have a local trans shop build me a "bullet proof" one. I know a guy near me that is supposed to be excellent. As bad as the A4LD is, I think the ATX in the SHO might be even weaker and it holds for... a while. I know they complain a lot over at SHOForum as they blow transmissions constantly. At some point, I think Ford forgot how to engineer a decent transmission, as every trans since the AOD has been in some way inadequate . At any rate, I don't drive a heck of a lot per year, and if I get an A4LD to last behind a high performance engine for 100K, thats good enough for me. Another thing to research if I go that route.

 

[IAmTodd]

I could see the 3.0 Yamaha being very winded in an Explorer and having to constantly rev to 5k. I just don't see that being benificial.

 

[Spdrcer34]

For any application that would take the A4LD, I would build a 'FrankenTranny'..and not worry about it!

You made no mention of the 2.3L Turbo...

That would make a lot of torque...I even thought of doing the swap when I had a Merkur XR4ti (AWESOME little car!)

Ryan

 

[1997XLTRollover]

SHO 3.2L engine with a high stall lockup converter, once you get the money throw on a turbo or s/c and make 350-400 hp outta that thing and thall fix your tq problem

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

For any application that would take the A4LD, I would build a 'FrankenTranny'..and not worry about it!

You made no mention of the 2.3L Turbo...

That would make a lot of torque...I even thought of doing the swap when I had a Merkur XR4ti (AWESOME little car!)

Ryan

I never thought of using the 2.3L Turbo actually. That puts out, what, about 190 hp and 240 TQ... If those specs are correct, it puts out about the power (little less) then a 4.0L SOHC. Awesome for a little car, and the SVO mustang, but I'm not sure how that would work out in an Ex. Definitely more room to work in the engine bay, cheap, some power gained, pretty unique, and probably reliable. Downside, it's a 4 cylinder with a 4 cylinder sound, it weighs 450 lbs (that seems a lot for a 4 cyl), so theres no weight reduction, and I have no idea if you can squeeze anymore power out of it cheaply. If you can build them, that may be a candidate, but a four in a truck seems kinda silly unless it's a diesel. Cool idea thou, I'll investigate that further .

 

[Jack Flash]

JMHO...no substitute for cubic inches. I would go with a 351W and a C-6 tranny. the 351W will fit in the same confines as the 302, just get the computer for a 351W with a stick and get a C-6 and forget about gas mileage

haven't tried it yet, but I have all these engine/tranny combos sitting & waiting for me to decide to "work".

..jjf

 

[1997XLTRollover]

JMHO...no substitute for cubic inches. I would go with a 351W and a C-6 tranny. the 351W will fit in the same confines as the 302, just get the computer for a 351W with a stick and get a C-6 and forget about gas mileage

haven't tried it yet, but I have all these engine/tranny combos sitting & waiting for me to decide to "work".

..jjf

problem with that and even me sayign to s/c the sho engine, is hes lookign for a cheaper way to get some power and have a unique truck.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

JMHO...no substitute for cubic inches. I would go with a 351W and a C-6 tranny. the 351W will fit in the same confines as the 302, just get the computer for a 351W with a stick and get a C-6 and forget about gas mileage

haven't tried it yet, but I have all these engine/tranny combos sitting & waiting for me to decide to "work".

..jjf

Yeah, that idea definitely has the most style and power potential (and the cool factor when you light it up and it sounds like a cammed out muscle car). There are however problems with the size of the 351w, and the fact that I do need to retain overdrive for any semblance of fuel economy rules out the C6 (and find a nice AOD). Everything has to be fabbed for the 351, and I don't have the skill/equipment to build headers. As far as the V8 goes, I would probably have to stick with a 302 (and a stock on at that) so that I could actually afford things like clearance headers, transmission, adapters, mounts, etc for it. 302's and 351's are also not the most available things in the junkyards I go to, so i would have to get one out of a truck. Then again for cubic inches sake I could go completely insane and smash/crash/drop 460 Lima in there...

problem with that and even me sayign to s/c the sho engine, is hes lookign for a cheaper way to get some power and have a unique truck.

Cheap is definitely a plus. Quality is another thing I'm shooting for. Anything I do I want to make look like it belongs there, and the harness "Plug & Play" with cannon plugs so I can neatly remove and re-install with ease (planning to blow up a lot of transmissions .

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Yeah, that idea definitely has the most style and power potential (and the cool factor when you light it up and it sounds like a cammed out muscle car). There are however problems with the size of the 351w, and the fact that I do need to retain overdrive for any semblance of fuel economy rules out the C6 (and find a nice AOD). Everything has to be fabbed for the 351, and I don't have the skill/equipment to build headers. As far as the V8 goes, I would probably have to stick with a 302 (and a stock on at that) so that I could actually afford things like clearance headers, transmission, adapters, mounts, etc for it. 302's and 351's are also not the most available things in the junkyards I go to, so i would have to get one out of a truck. Then again for cubic inches sake I could go completely insane and smash/crash/drop 460 Lima in there...



Cheap is definitely a plus. Quality is another thing I'm shooting for. Anything I do I want to make look like it belongs there, and the harness "Plug & Play" with cannon plugs so I can neatly remove and re-install with ease (planning to blow up a lot of transmissions .

well that awesome sho intake certainly wont look like it belongs in an explorer, but youll have the cool factor

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

well that awesome sho intake certainly wont look like it belongs in an explorer, but youll have the cool factor

Sure it would. After all, the SHO engine was never originally meant for the Taurus. The SHO was every Taurus owners' favorite mistake-child that Ford whipped up last minute. Doesn't have it's name exclusively all over it, the car took the engine's name. If you flipped the intake 180 Degrees to face forward, it would look pretty stock. Could probably hook up the stock explorer intake tube as well to the TB.

 

[bikeboarder]

the Axod is the same tranny as the 3.0 in the non SHO that is why they go through trannys.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

the Axod is the same tranny as the 3.0 in the non SHO that is why they go through trannys.

I'm pretty sure the SHO ATX is beefed up from the standard Taurus AXOD. I've read that you can interchange minor parts from one to the other, but for the whole, the standard Taurus trans will blow up very shortly behind the 3.2L SHO (what I've read on SHOForum) :scratch:.

 

[fiftyfordfloored]

Well, I'm not all too thrilled about the idea of swapping the SHO V6 in my truck anymore. Seems like any money saved (compared to the 302 swap) would be eaten up buy the custom computer/programming and tube-snake harness. A real pain in the neck, granted for a decent HP gain, but it seems almost in vain after the weight gain and torque loss. I have no idea what the SOHC weighs, but it can't be as much as the SHO's 465 lbs (darn boat-anchor). I did however find Brett's article on the 4.0L SOHC swap, and that sparked my interest...

My buddy's '97 Exploder 4x4 had a SOHC in it, and boy did it rip (for a stock SUV)! Physically, the thing will pretty much direct bolt to everything I have already, which is my goal. K.I.S.S.

I'm keeping the ECC-IV, and in his article so did he; it apparently worked well, but does anyone know how well the stock OHV computer handles future mods on the SOHC? Will it auto adjust for the same things it did before, or will it bug out? Would swapping to a '93-94 computer help at all?

I know Brett made his own harness for the '04 engine, but can you directly connect the stock harness to a '98-99 SOHC (an engine that isn't as new with all the newfangled emissions garbage on it), or do you still need to build a complete harness for it?

Apologies in advance for asking a whole bunch of questions, but I can't seem to find the info I'm looking for through the search function.

 

[spitfiresk822]

swapping for a 5.0

Hey, I got a 1998 xlt, with the 4.0 v6 ohv, and it's not giving the power I want. I'm interested in swapping the 6 for the 5.0 that comes stock in the the v8 explorers. I was wondering where I could find a used engine from an explorer, and if it even has to be from an explorer. Also, does anybody know the biggest engine I could get in there? I got a Gibson catback on it now, and I can keep that with an engine swap right? Thanks a lot

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Hey, I got a 1998 xlt, with the 4.0 v6 ohv, and it's not giving the power I want. I'm interested in swapping the 6 for the 5.0 that comes stock in the the v8 explorers. I was wondering where I could find a used engine from an explorer, and if it even has to be from an explorer. Also, does anybody know the biggest engine I could get in there? I got a Gibson catback on it now, and I can keep that with an engine swap right? Thanks a lot

youd prolly get better responses starting your own thread; but you don't HAVE to use an explorer 5.0L although i reccomend it as they have decent top ends to start with. Whereas say a mustang 5.0L, the heads and intake are worth more money as scrap metal.

 

[CDW6212R]

The 4.0 SOHC engine/trans would likely be the cheapest route with very good power and reliability. They all have potential, but that requires more money for all of them.

I'd do a 351W with OBDII and 4R70W, but that is way over your budget.

If you were extremely lucky, you might find a European 2.9 DOHC V6 Ford engine, those heads with some fabricating bolt right onto the 4.0 that you have now. That would be unique. Good luck,