Is this enine swap feasable

[Dan Whitaker]

There is a guy on a Cougar forum I'm on as well wanting to know if he can put a 3.8 from an 89-97 Cougar into an 87 Ranger 2wd.

I'm trying to get him to join here but I don't know if he is goingt to or not.

Everyones consenses is it is not worth the time & effort.

If anyone has done this I will let this guy know and tell him to join!

 

[boominXplorer]

I am sure its feasable. Its motor mounts, tranny crossmember, custom driveshaft and wirering. 94 and earlier motor would be the easiest since there is no obd 2 crap to mess with. What is the reasoning for the swap? Is he doing the SC swap or just a plain jane 3.8? If its a plain jane 3.8 then why not a 4.0?

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

^^i agree with boomin....why go with a 3.8 a 4.0 swap is much simpilar..

 

[RockRanger]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/3_8_Conversion.html

 

[Dan Whitaker]

He has a 9000 mile N/A 3.8 out of a Cougar with all the wiring & computer that he wants to put in the Ranger as it has no engine in it.

I'll post the Ranger Station link in the Cougar Forum so he at least knows what is involved.

Thank You Guys.

 

[410Fortune]

Yes it can and has been done, I have talked to the owner of a SC 3.8L Ranger a couple times over the years, it took him a long time to work the bugs out, which is typical with a custom conversion especially when supercharged.
The 3.8L is a HUGE SOB, his opinion was I should have just gone 5.0L, same amount of work and $$$ and time. In fact I believe eventually he did.

Yes it can be done, but will require alot of custom work, time and $$$, extra because its not a common conversion at all.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Yes it can be done, but will require alot of custom work, time and $$$, extra because its not a common conversion at all.

That is what we were trying to tell him as well but he is dead set on wanting to do it.

I have a N/A in my 92 Cougar & it does not have much power. I can buy or build a 347 stroker for cheaper than building up the 3.8.

The 3.8 likes eating head gaskets which is another reason we are trying to convince him to forgo it.

 

[410Fortune]

The only good news is it will be a bit easier to go 5.0L later down the road.
Without the SC version of the 3.8L I just could not justify this conversion, even then the V8 seems like a better deal in the end after you spent all this $$$ and time.

OR 4.0L SOHC or OHV.

But hey some people like to learn the hard way, heck I spent WAY too much on my truck looking back, fistr all that dang $$$ and time trying to squeeze power from the 2.9L, then the 4.0L then the tranmissions I went through, etc...but thats how I learned....