Josh P's new 1994 Aerostar.

[Josh P]

Did you get a chance to start working on it?

Not yet, my roommate and I are helping his son replace a timing chain on a Dodge Durango. No space in the driveway and they bought all the replacement parts on eBay (slow shipping)so it will be after the 1st of the year when I start this project.

 

[BrooklynBay]

How is your project coming along?

 

[Icuff4cash]

I towed the van from Vegas to where I work in phoenix. I drove the van from the office to my house, the temp gauge never got hot but the radiator ran out of water on the trip across town. Oil got hot enough to lose pressure which is what got my attention. Motor and transfer case need attention, trans is fine but I'm not a fan of the A4LD so it will get swapped when I pull the motor.

Josh how did the radiator run out of water,I drove that thing and it had no water leaks. I ran royal purple in that motor it didn’t save it. I feel like crap because I drove the thing,and the only thing I had problems with was in 100+ weather it would run hot but never blew out water. I don’t want you to feel I sold you a junker and stuck you. I freezing my ass in jersey at fort dix base.
I’m sorry if you had problems.

 

[Josh P]

Josh how did the radiator run out of water,I drove that thing and it had no water leaks. I ran royal purple in that motor it didn’t save it. I feel like crap because I drove the thing,and the only thing I had problems with was in 100+ weather it would run hot but never blew out water. I don’t want you to feel I sold you a junker and stuck you. I freezing my ass in jersey at fort dix base.
I’m sorry if you had problems.

The van will get a heart transplant once I finish the motor swap on my merkur xr4ti. The motor in the van either blew a head gasket, cracked a head or both. Water shoots out of the front center of the engine, it hydrolocks when you shut the motor off, water runs out the exhaust at a steady stream. It got hot enough getting it off the road I lost oil pressure. Don't feel bad, I would have paid $500 for the van with no motor. I will update the progress on the van when I start this project. I am working on getting a new crate motor from a coworker for the aerobomber.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did you start working on it yet? How was the engine swap on the XR4TI?

 

[Josh P]

Nothing on the van yet, the xr4ti has an empty engine bay. I've been cleaning the car up. It will get poly bushings, a Detroit truetrac and stiffer springs. I paid for a set of adapter plates to convert the rear to disc brakes but have not seen it arrive yet. Usually this time of year work is slow for me but I've been working long hours and not much time to play with my cars. I'm thinking with all this overtime I should get a new crate engine for the van....

 

[BrooklynBay]

How is this project coming along? Did everything come in the mail?

 

[Josh P]

I was going to install a 4.0 motor I bought from a member of this forum. It was claimed to be a new, not rebuilt. I got a sohc motor off craigslist for parts and those pistons are 30 thousandth too small for the ohv block. The xr4ti project is slowly coming along too. I will start a build thread for it.

 

[Josh P]

Started on this project. Got an empty engine bay to work with. I need to go shopping at the junk yard. The front axle is junk, both fenders and front bumper need to be replaced. I have a 302 I'm going to install. I will get a 4r75e trans and a np242 transfercase. Front and rear axles will be changed to an 8.8.

 

[zenish]

id like to do that too.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could put any type of drivetrain into it if there's a way to make it fit. It looks like you have professional equipment. Is the lift made by Bendpak?

 

[Josh P]

You could put any type of drivetrain into it if there's a way to make it fit. It looks like you have professional equipment. Is the lift made by Bendpak?

Not sure of the brand of lift. Work is slow right now so I jumped on the opportunity to remove the engine the easy way. There will be a lot of cutting, and fabrication. I found a non vacuum disconnect 8.8 IFS from an 03 F150 for $150, I hope to get my hands on it within a few days. Anyone recommend a good place to get the outer axle shafts made?

 

[Josh P]

The junk yard sold the axle, but was able to get one from another yard in Tucson sent to phoenix. I will have my hands on it tomorrow. I ordered a master rebuild kit and the truetrac. I need to find front springs, a manual steering rack, and replace bushings.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Amazon has front coil springs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C59UXQ/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

 

[Josh P]

Amazon has front coil springs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C59UXQ/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

The 850 spring is incorrectly listed for the awd van. The 8606 fits but 469 lbs/in is not very firm for what I want to do.

 

[BrooklynBay]

What's the difference between the 850 & 8606 springs? Is it variable with one side being tapered to be installed in one direction only?

 

[Josh P]

What's the difference between the 850 & 8606 springs? Is it variable with one side being tapered to be installed in one direction only?

The awd spring free height is over 13 inches, install height around 10 inches and coil diameter is just under 3.5 inches, the installed height of the 850 spring is too short on the awd van. I'm going to try the 6082 spring, it is a full size 70s blazer spring. $60 a pair. If they don't fit as is, I will heat them up and reshape the ends.

Part # coil dia. wire dia. rate/in load install height free height
CC850 4.07 0.75 605 1825 8.75 11.65
6082 3.68 0.75 722 2406 10 13.18
8606 3.5 0.656 462 1900 11 15.13
stock 3.4375 0.735 660 ???? 10.? 13.25
The 8606 is not an exact fit, looking at pictures of other people that have installed that spring, it is too tall and soft. It will restore ride height but the wire is not as thick as the factory spring. Not much info out there on the awd spring, most of what I found is in threads started by robert (Icuff4cash). I will document everything I find to help the next person.

 

[Josh P]

I bought the front 8.8 axle. I also purchased a master rebuild kit and the truetrac for the axle. The axle is 3.55 ratio, non vacuum disconnect with 102k miles on the clock. I'm going to install the truetrac this weekend, change the seals and bearings. I got the transfercase input shaft from northwest fab for the np242 to ford transmission. I'm looking for a cheap np242 hd.

 

[zenish]

do you think the f150 front axle is going to work without major modifications?it seems it would be too wide too unless you will be running wide offroad tires.

 

[Josh P]

do you think the f150 front axle is going to work without major modifications?it seems it would be too wide too unless you will be running wide offroad tires.

Only modifications needed to fit the F150 8.8 in the aerostar is mounting tabs to the subframe and custom outer axle shafts.