Engine swap? Or drivetrain swap?

[Country Fresh 91]

Hey guys or gals I’m new to the forum but I have visited a few times to get some quick fixes and decided to go ahead and join finally. I have a 1994 Explorer xlt 4.0 v6 automatic rwd I was wondering if I could swap the 4.0 for 3.5 ecoboost and have it line up with my trans or would I have to swap the whole drivetrain out because I love this Explorer it’s been with me for about 9yrs and has never let down but it has 260,000 miles and when the motor goes I plan to swap the motor probably with the raptor ecoboost and make it a good little sleeper I don’t know if it’s possible or not and most of know alot more about explorers than I do

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’m sure it wouldn’t line up, and if it did you wouldn’t want to anyway. The A4LDs don’t really like the abuse of the factory 4.0, the ecoboost would twist it apart in short order.

Probably looking at a very considerable amount of work to fit a modern ecoboost motor in a first gen.

 

[Country Fresh 91]

First off thanks for replying and I know it wont be easy and I plan to buy a totaled f150 and use everything I would need for it including the computer and instrument cluster but do you think the rear end would hold up because if I had to replace the rear end I might as well make it awd and widen it a little what do you think?

 

[boominXplorer]

It all will work. It just depends on your fabtication skills, depth of pockets and tool availability.

The 8.8 is plenty strong. Your major concerns will be engine bay fitment.

 

[Mbrooks420]

What’s the rest axle have to do with AWD?

 

[Country Fresh 91]

I was just saying that if I had to replace the rear I might as well make it awd because I’m sure the f150 rear is wider then the Explorer and I think it would be pretty darn cool to have it awd with more power I’m just trying to get some more insight before the day come that I take this build on to be better prepared

 

[roscoe 0202]

I think the 2.7 ecoboost would fit better it is a 60 degree engine you could probably sell 3.5 and have money left over
roscoe

 

[Country Fresh 91]

I just looked up the 2.7 I think your right and it doesn’t lose much hp or torque either it will nearly double the output of the 4.0 and thank you for your suggestion

 

[jmdirk]

Sounds like it could be an interesting project. Going the donor vehicle route will be much simpler, but don't under estimate the amount of work. Modern F150s are electrically complicated and the ECU talks to EVERYTHING. If you don't have emissions testing in your area, it may be easier to get a standalone ECU. I recall ford at one time had 3.5L crate engines available including an ECU add-on, but I believe those have been discontinued.

With a donor vehicle I'm pretty sure one could get it running and everything, but you'll probably always have some error codes in the ECU, though they may not be ones that matter too much.

 

[Country Fresh 91]

Well I live in the outskirts of Houston Texas and next year it will be considered a classic so it will become a safety inspection only and there are alot of swapped vehicles around where I live I was originally going to do a raptor Explorer build but wrecked raptors are more than I’d rather spend on a donor car so I decided to down grade a little I know it’s not going to be easy it may take me five or six years to complete because I’m gonna build it as my hobby I’ve built other cars but this will be my toughest yet

 

[Dubious_Downfall]

Keep us posted. I love these trucks, but the fuel consumption is murder. If I can get a more efficient engine in that bay with some modding, I want to know.