Engine Swap!

[Paul Gagnon]

Well, "Project Can of Worms" is underway. The installation of the new Hyperdrive has begun.

Out: 4.0L and A4LD
In: Supercharged 3.8L and 4R70W

Right now it is in the tear down phase of the project. Also I have decided to swap out my transfer case at the same time to a B-W 13-56. This will give me a stronger transfer case and a better Low Range ratio.

I will update you as things progress.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 02-06-2000).]

 

[Paul Gagnon]

I have not rebuilt the engine or transmission. They came out of a beautiful 1994 T-Bird SuperCoupe that had 43,000km (26,000 miles)on it. The car was extremely well kept and was in immaculate condition before it met its untimely end by being tagged very hard in the right rear and then written off.

I am documenting everything and will offer the write-up to Rick once it is complete.

The 3.8L V6 is a very wide engine. The supercharged version is even wider. A 5.0L V8 would be a much easier swap as it is narrower and a much more common swap to do so aftermarket support is there. That being said, I don't see why a 3.8 couldn't be swapped in. It has the small block bellhousing so the choice of transmissions is much better. It came in Mustangs and Capris from 1984 until present so there are lots of them available for cheap and, an older engine can be upgraded with newer heads and cam etc.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[2mrchio]

I, for one, am looking forward to your results. I say so because after hearing about how lackluster the A4LD performs, added to the fact that my 4.0L has an oil leak that can't be fixed inexpensively, I keep in the back of my head that if something happens to either, I plan on replacing both. My '93 has over 150K miles. Keep in mind that I do not walk around pessimistically waiting for either the engine or trans to fail. I just would hate to chase bad money after good if something decides to fail. Oddly enough I was also considering the 3.8L as a suitable replacement. BTW, did you also rebuild the engine and trans yourself? For that matter, do you plan on documenting your experience either here or on your web site? I guess I just answered my own question, considering the detail you gave regarding your "drum brake to disc brake rear axle" upgrade on your web site. Best of luck.

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Brian
'93 XLT 4x4


[This message has been edited by 2mrchio (edited 02-09-2000).]

 

[2mrchio]

Thank you for the info about being able to use a 5.0L. I'll tuck that info away for a rainy day...

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Brian
'93 XLT 4x4

 

[rpenner54]

I think Paul wants to swap the 3.8 in just because the Supercharger is allready there and the motor is probably well built allready. Plus there is that bragging right with swapping in something that isn't the norm.



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Ryan Penner
1992 Explorer Sport

 

[Paul]

Paul -

Just a thought - - post a few photos and captions as you go to give us an idea of your progress. Better for us to follow your efforts and less writing for you after its finished and you want to get it out on the trails...

Good Luck

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[Paul Gagnon]

Cameron,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with my 4.0L, it is a great running engine and is actually very strong for a stock 4.0L. My A4LD is completely done up (except for the manual control of the lock up) and works perfectly. My 13-54 is a little sloppy though.

I don't want to build up a 4.0L and it will probably be due for a rebuild soon. I would have pulled it out anyway and swapped in a V8 if I had not got ahold of the 3.8L first. I have not done anything at all to the 4.0L because I knew it would eventually come out.

No I did not get the 3.8L for free. Nobody is that lucky. The reason I am going to the Supercharged 3.8 is because no one has done it before. It would be much easier to put in a V8 but I have done it already (on a friends Bronco II) so there is no challenge. Dead Link Removed Also at the same time I am upgrading to a better transmission and a better transfer case.

Most of the mods I need to do can be accomplished with factory parts. That is why I love Fords so much. In my experiance, they have the best interchangability in the auto industry. About the only things that will be completely custom are the radiator and air box.

Oh yeah, the only labour I am spending is my own time so that cost doesn't even enter into it.


Paul,

I have had a few delays so far, being paged to go to work while I was trying to work on the truck and now this snow storm, I have not gotten very far. Dead Link Removed As of Sunday, I had the hood removed. And as of today, I have the hood removed. Dead Link Removed I can take a picture of the hood if you want. Dead Link Removed

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 02-10-2000).]

 

[Paul]

As long as you have the hood off, why don't you clean up that rust???

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[Gofast]

Pau;, can't wait to see the final product. I just started checking into engine swaps. I was thinking about a nice Fuel Injected Mustang Motor. They have lots of parts out to tweak them etc. Let me know how you like the new T-Fer case. I have a feeling that I will need to upgrade there as well.

Happy Trails

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Rob Robertson
"It's an Explorer Thing, you wouldn't understand"

 

[ex91]

what T-case are you going to use???

 

[Kial]

Hi there Paul,
I would like to complement you on your explorer, a very nice car. I was wondering if you would tell me a few things about it.
Lift....Tires.....How do you acheive your articulation in both front and rear......and what have you done (besides this engine swap thing) to spruce up your originl engine?

Thanks paul

Kial

 

[Cameron]

Paul,

Is your truck a 4X4?

Also, sense your going through the Herculean task of pulling your engine and replacing it with one that will obviously need modifications to fit, why don’t you just build up the 4.0 that’s in there? I know that with the proper parts and tuning, you can get an enormous amount of horse power out of the 4.0. Then, you wouldn't have to worry about how it fits. Of course, your point could be that you got the 3.8 for free so all your spending is labor. But still, your talking a lot of labor. Anyway, you should try to take plenty of pictures as you progress. I'm sure many of us would like to watch your progress.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck. And I'm sorry to here about your knuckles. Dead Link Removed (I thought I would get that one in early)


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Rock'n 97 Sport 4X4

 

[Paul Gagnon]

Umm... guys I put all that info in other posts. Anyway....

ex91, I am using a B-W 13-56 transfer case

Kial, the only thing I have done to hop up my 4.0L is change the spark plugs and put in a clean air filter.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[Paul Gagnon]

GRRRRRRRRRR! Ford Motor Company why do you do this to me?!

I just found something that makes no sense. The rad support is spot welded. Dead Link Removed Why it is done that way, god only knows. It is not structural. I can understand on a uni-body vehicle but why you would weld the rad support on a body on frame vehicle is beyond me. Dead Link Removed Now I have to go buy a cut off wheel and a spot weld cutter.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[Clayton Burris]

Paul, I was just wondering what you were planning to do with that 4.0 L. If it is a SOHC I might actually be able to take it off your hands. E-mail me at

charriol_kiley@hotmail.com

by the way what kind of gas mileage do you get with it. The best I have ever gotten is 16 mpg. horrible to me cause it us usually about 11 mpg. So I'm a lead foot!

 

[Paul Gagnon]

It is an OHV engine. I am going to use the engine, transmission, transfer case and my spare 8.8" rearend for another project. I am not sure what yet what is will be but I was leaning towards a Samurai or maybe a Lada Niva.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[Paul Gagnon]

Wooo Hoooo!!! Dead Link Removed The 4.0L is finally out. Dead Link Removed After many delays and a few minor problems, Barry and I have finally got the engine out. An added bonus is an extra 4" of lift in the front. Dead Link Removed

Looking at the 4.0L from the rear really shows how small of an engine it actually is and how tiny the A4LD is. Also with the two engines sitting side by side you can immediately tell how wide the 3.8L is.

We almost had barbequed Barry when he backed into the propane heater. Dead Link Removed He got burnt on his leg, and has one more hole in his "good" jeans. Dead Link Removed

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 02-22-2000).]

 

[BarryM]

I'm surprised how easy that popped out. Kind of reminds me of working on computer parts, but the tools are bigger and more expensive. Of course, disassembly is always easier than reassembly. Will be interesting to see what kind of pain it will be to get everything lined up and bolted back in.

Pain? That reminds me - you need a wide angle lens for your camera there. Dead Link Removed

[This message has been edited by BarryM (edited 02-22-2000).]

 

[Rick Reynolds]

Hey Paul,

Two words,,,,,,,,,,,Good Luck!!!!

Just kidding, I admire your alternative thinking. I actually know someone who put a S/C motor in a Ranger. I don't know all the gorey details, but I do know that one of the snags he hit required notching the frame rails!!! It was a 2x with no body lift so if you have the same problem maybe you will have some room to lift the motor!

One small suggestion, I would upgrade the head gaskets while the motor is out if you ever intend to up the boost! I know several guys that have done all the bolt on goodies on their S/C's and everybody thats run a bigger (actually its smaller) pulley has had head gasket trouble.

P.S. I got a spot weld cutter you can borrow if you want to come to Cincinnati to get it! I would just use a Drill if I were you ;-)



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Rick Reynolds

91' Navajo - Stock.....not for long
67' Mustang - 25 psi Procharger, etc......
95' Integra - Hey, It's the wife's and I married into it. ;-)

 

[Paul Gagnon]

I will not be modifying the engine this year. Maybe next year.

I don't know about having to notch the frame. It looks to me like it is plenty wide enough to fit in there. I may have to make custom motor mounts but I am not at that stage yet. First I have a lot of loose details to take care of under the hood, like re-routing the brakelines and stuff. I don't see a problem with making it fit the frame, it is the clearance with the evaporator that I am concerned with.

I removed the rad support with a sawzall! I am going to drill out the spot welds and use those holes to bolt the new rad support back in. That way I can remove it easliy next time I need to pull the engine.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I don't have a body lift. I don't like them.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
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[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 02-23-2000).]