engine swap in the spring. figuring out what route to go

[MountainMonkey]

the engine in my explorer is on its last leg with 280xxxkm's. so this spring im going to be scrapping the original motor and having it replaced with something else. the problem is after countless hours of research i cant decide which route to go with the swap. im liking the idea of a brand new 4.0 crate engine with a custum turbo setup. i also think doing a 5.0 swap would be great too because of the imeadiate power boost and all the aftermarket support. anyways i wont be doing the work myself and money isnt a huge problem so any input would be nice. im kind of leaning towrds just having a 4.0 built up but i dunno

 

[cloaked_chaos]

If you are replacing your engine anyway and you want to get more power, do a v8 swap.

 

[MountainMonkey]

a v8 would be nice. but after some research and phone calls i found out for a new 5.0 engine for a mustang is anywhere from 4500 to 10,000$, and a new 4.0 is anywhere from 2500$ to about 5. this is all depending on how complete the engine is. money isnt a huge problem but if i get the engine from a parts store near where i live i can get a brand new complete 4.0 installed for less then 3/4 of what just a new 5.0 will cost me.

im sure if i go junkyard style i could get a v8 for the same price but if i go through the trouble to have a new engine put in it might as well be new right? not to mention i called a few shops today and none of them where to excited with the though of swapping in a non oem engine.

 

[jd4242]

if they have never done a v8 swap then i wouldnt even trust them.there is also more to a v8 swap than just putting a v8 in there like custom headers,radiator,ac box and not to mention all the clearance issues.this isnt a big deal for someone thats doing it there self or a shop that knows what they are doing BUT for a shop that does the labor will add up REAL quick!!!if money isnt a problem than buy a stroker kit,422 cam and 98tm heads and port the crap out of them,then you be set for a turbo or whatever down the road and it will have plenty of power NA.o and do a 5speed swap.all that can be done by just about any shop.
http://www.moranav6racing.com/category.html?CategoryID=32

 

[MountainMonkey]

would a 4.0 sohc from a newer explorer be an easier swap to do then a 5.0?

 

[jd4242]

Yep

 

[jd4242]

Also remember with any swap your need new trans and transfer case,so add that in the price.talking about ALOT of money for someone to do all that and new stuff.

 

[MountainMonkey]

Also remember with any swap your need new trans and transfer case,so add that in the price.talking about ALOT of money for someone to do all that and new stuff.

ya im quikly realizing how expensive it can be using new and even used parts. but i figure this was the first 4x4 i ever baught so i want to keep it till the day i die... or untill its so beyond repair there isnt any usable parts. anyways i was hoping to stay under 10g but 15ish i would still be ok with.

as for using a newer sohc, would it be an easier swap because the engine is smaller or because of the 4.0 would require less new parts?

i called the local pik-a-part wrecker and they have a 2008 fj cruiser that was rammed pretty good from behind. the engine has 6x xxxkm's and its a 4.0 v6 with a trd super charger. for the complete engine/tranny/fai they want 2500 with a 6month parts wont **** out guarantee. seams like a good deal to me but can anyone think of any reason it wouldnt work with an x?

 

[tweakedlogic]

for that money you could swap in a diesel and have about 200 ft of torque. Plus you'll get much better fuel economy. I'd love to do it, but don't have the cheddar. Lot's of different options. I'm keeping my ear to the ground for 1.8L TDI.

 

[wood1]

MMMMmmmmmmm

4bt swap............

Very sexy.

 

[jd4242]

^^^^^^ Hell yea totally agree 4bt would be great!!

 

[joecrna]

Putting a Toyota drive train in the Explorer would be a nightmare. Doable but tough and expensive. A 302 with a Ford Racing stand alone computer would be the easiest. Don't let anyone do it that doesn't have swap experience or that has any concerns. Swaps in computer controlled vehicles or using computer controlled engines isn't for the faint of heart. Bring time, persistance and money (in that order).

 

[tweakedlogic]

Toyota? TDI is VW. A few companies make all kinds of adapters so you don't have to change the whole drive train. maybe the tanny, but not necessarily. But, if you did want a Toy drive line, you simply bolt your body on the extended cab frame. Easiest chassis ever. I've seen guys bolt all kinds of bodies on those frames.

4BT= Durable, cheap and plentiful. but loud, smelly, heavy as all hell, and not as efficient as modern engines. A friend has one in his Willys

 

[snoranger]

as for using a newer sohc, would it be an easier swap because the engine is smaller or because of the 4.0 would require less new parts?

It wouldnt really be all that much easier or cheaper.

-There is WAY less info on this swap, then the 5.0l. (uncharted territory cost money)
-You would need to cut more of the heater box with the SOHC then the 5.0l.
-There is no "direct fit" harness for the SOHC into a 1st gen, full OBDII swap or custom harness required.
-custom exhaust needed for either swap.
-new trans needed for either swap. (unless your running a OBDI computer and your old trans, I did it this way.)


Honestly, if I were to do it again (I'd swap a Cummins 4bt in, oh wait, I am. ), I should have done a 5.0l swap, not an EEC-IV SOHC. I dont trust the SOHC and its timing chain set-up, no matter what Band-aids Ford put on over the years.

Either way, you said that your paying someone to do the work.... Dont trust an engine conversion to any old shop. Its not a simple in and out swap. Take it to some place that KNOWS what they are doing! Unless you want a money pit, that no one will work on.

 

[snoranger]

4BT= Durable, cheap and plentiful. but loud, smelly, heavy as all hell, and not as efficient as modern engines. A friend has one in his Willys

Yeah, arent they great?!?!?

 

[wood1]

I would love to have Cummins emblems stuck to the front fenders of the Exploder... I think that someday it will happen...

 

[wood1]

It wouldnt really be all that much easier or cheaper.

-There is WAY less info on this swap, then the 5.0l. (uncharted territory cost money)
-You would need to cut more of the heater box with the SOHC then the 5.0l.
-There is no "direct fit" harness for the SOHC into a 1st gen, full OBDII swap or custom harness required.
-custom exhaust needed for either swap.
-new trans needed for either swap. (unless your running a OBDI computer and your old trans, I did it this way.)


Honestly, if I were to do it again (I'd swap a Cummins 4bt in, oh wait, I am. ), I should have done a 5.0l swap, not an EEC-IV SOHC. I dont trust the SOHC and its timing chain set-up, no matter what Band-aids Ford put on over the years.

Either way, you said that your paying someone to do the work.... Dont trust an engine conversion to any old shop. Its not a simple in and out swap. Take it to some place that KNOWS what they are doing! Unless you want a money pit, that no one will work on.

Been meaning to talk to you about that... When you getting back to it??!!?

 

[MountainMonkey]

ya so i think what it will all come down to in the end will be finding a shop that will take on the project(harder then i expected) and then getting them to give me options on what engine they would be willing to swap. and if i cant find a place that will do it i can have ford swap in a brand new 4.0/transmission with morana racing stroker kit and come in under budget with more power and basicly a brand new machine. 4bt would be nice though. are they stock in any vehicles? i could salvage one and have it rebuilt.

 

[snoranger]

ya so i think what it will all come down to in the end will be finding a shop that will take on the project(harder then i expected) and then getting them to give me options on what engine they would be willing to swap. and if i cant find a place that will do it i can have ford swap in a brand new 4.0/transmission with morana racing stroker kit and come in under budget with more power and basicly a brand new machine. 4bt would be nice though. are they stock in any vehicles? i could salvage one and have it rebuilt.

Find a shop with a reputable history of engine swaps. As around at local race tracks, car shows, etc. Ask 100 people, you'll get at least 75+ different opinions. Visit the shops that are recommended. Ask to see current or previous projects. How do they look? is it a motor thrown in there and a harness dropped on top or does it look like it came from the factory that way?

Dont worry too much if the shop is a mess, my shop looks like a bomb went off in it, but We do top notch work.

Been meaning to talk to you about that... When you getting back to it??!!?

My wife has her new car, old car is sold. I ordered some more parts over the weekend, work is set to begin again soon.

 

[wood1]

Cool...