more uncommon engine swap options

[Josh P]

how many xr4ti are still going on the roads in the usa?
There are a few drivetrain swaps I have always wanted to do:

2.3T into a gen I ranger 2wd
BMW I6 into a 76 2002 with AWD
VW Corrado G60 or VR6 into a 90's gti

We shall see if any of those happen as I get older.
1976 Bmw 2002tii was my first car, man that was a wicked ride!
As a kid I was in love with watercooled VW's and GTI...the corrado was a wicked machine I'd take either one
Then I found my way into a 88 Bronco II and went offroading....never owned another car.

Not very many, I got a 1986 xr4ti from a towing company for wiring their voip phone system. I also have a scorpio, not fast off the line but a blast to drive at 130+.

 

[ryboj]

Not very many, I got a 1986 xr4ti from a towing company for wiring their voip phone system. I also have a scorpio, not fast off the line but a blast to drive at 130+.

Yeah, haven't seen an XR or even an SVO Stang, let alone a TurboCoupe TB in some years now, and I pay attention to what's around me, auto guy like you all!

Always was fascinated as a kid with the old SVOs walking in the neighborhood in the mid and late 80's, as one neighbor had an 84 or 85 Blk SVO and another one a bit further down the road had an 86 I believe white SVO his Dad passed down to him after he died. Why I even remember these things, I don't know, but I did find this out after riding my bike by his house one day and asking as he was outside tending to his yard. I was a young'n then!

One girl in highschool had a 85 I believe TurboTB, stick too IIRC as crazy as that was, and drove in it once....and it was fun, very stock, but still cool and interesting. Again, off topic.....sorry, but good car memories. So hard to find cherry SVO or XR's just cruising around, never see em'!

 

[Josh P]

Parts are harder to find than the cars. Places like bat and rapido are drying up.

 

[92exp4x4]

I just purchased a 2011 Mercedes GLK with a naturally aspirated 3.5 V6 with 272 HP. The vehicle is all wheel drive and weighs about 200 lbs less than a first gen explorer. I would be lying if i hadn't thought about that power train making it into an explorer eventually. The GLK can be had fairly cheaply as a wrecked donor. However the engineering to make it all work would be significant. The transfer case is passenger drop, but I'd probably graft it into a 2WD for simplicity. The engine as a package is actually very compact and would fit nicely in the Explorer.

I've read too, that the 13-15 Benz had a power boost to 302 HP from the 3.5 engine. Its equipped with a 7 speed automatic. That would certainly get an X down the road and wouldn't be all that out of place as the 4.0 is a German engine anyway!

 

[Eric Tang]

I’m giving serious thought to a 2.7 TT with 6R80 from a late model F150 into my 95 Explorer. BIG power in a small package. I have one in my 15 EdgeSport , 315hp and 350 ft lbs. it is no slouch. In an F150 they are 400ft lbs or better without a tune. That would be awesome in an Explorer.

 

[410Fortune]

let the idea's flow!!
I have a 98 Range outside, RWD, SCSB, torsion sprung, we bought it to make it fast
I'm thinking Ecoboost 2.3T now thanks to this thread and all my research.....there are LOTS of Ecoboost 2.3 drivetrains out there = cheap and lots of parts.

 

[Josh P]

Are forged pistons available for the 2.5? Unless you want to rev to infinity, the slightly longer stroke would help with a heavier vehicle.

 

[1sicbronconut]

Lots of parts out there for 2.3's and 2.5's, circle track and road course guys use Ford four cylinders a lot. Home

 

[JustinGibson]

Are forged pistons available for the 2.5? Unless you want to rev to infinity, the slightly longer stroke would help with a heavier vehicle.

I'm not sure but it would be far from cost effective. There are people that have swapped a 2.5 crank and rods into a 2.3t, the crank will swap over with bearing spacers but you have to run custom pistons and the gains are not great. The 2.3t has forged pistons from the factory and the amount of head work needed to match a NA 2.3/2.5 to a 2.3t which isn't even great to begin with plus all the turbo accessories would be a waste of money to start with a 2.5.

 

[ryboj]

Old thread guys, and figured easier on leveraging this one this since a lot of knowledgeable folks were on in it and in same realm.

Does anyone know If the width (and frame for that matter) is essentially the same for the newer gen 2, i.e 95-01 vs that of my 92, when it comes to the front part of the frame, firewall to the front bumper? In a high level way in explaining such, my local fab guy said he would cutoff the front off the new explorer frame, and brace up and weld into place (graphing) the existing front end of my '92., so as to retain all of the geometry\mounting of the existing TTB LT Coilover\Double Steering setup. Rear should be a no brainer on susp\axle swap.

Of course, would retain the 1/2 drivetrain minus rear axle (since my current one is good to go) from the V8, which is the whole point, along with getting a newer body, newer paint, newer interior, controls, etc.

Does anyone know if they're similar in width and if this has ever been done before?

I have no interest in a SAS or LT A-arm setup, I really love TTB based trucks for the purposes I use them, as a proper drivetrain swap really is not in my budget, nor will it be, but buying a gen 2 AWD Dora\Mount 5.0, and then mounting all of goods over is thousands and thousands less than a perfect turn key drivetrain swap, since I'm not doing the labor.

Just picking your guys brains since you likely have awareness of the frames of the gen 2 vs that of the gen1's.

Thanks all!

 

[Josh P]

Old thread guys, and figured easier on leveraging this one this since a lot of knowledgeable folks were on in it and in same realm.

Does anyone know If the width (and frame for that matter) is essentially the same for the newer gen 2, i.e 95-01 vs that of my 92, when it comes to the front part of the frame, firewall to the front bumper? In a high level way in explaining such, my local fab guy said he would cutoff the front off the new explorer frame, and brace up and weld into place (graphing) the existing front end of my '92., so as to retain all of the geometry\mounting of the existing TTB LT Coilover\Double Steering setup. Rear should be a no brainer on susp\axle swap.

Of course, would retain the 1/2 drivetrain minus rear axle (since my current one is good to go) from the V8, which is the whole point, along with getting a newer body, newer paint, newer interior, controls, etc.

Does anyone know if they're similar in width and if this has ever been done before?

I have no interest in a SAS or LT A-arm setup, I really love TTB based trucks for the purposes I use them, as a proper drivetrain swap really is not in my budget, nor will it be, but buying a gen 2 AWD Dora\Mount 5.0, and then mounting all of goods over is thousands and thousands less than a perfect turn key drivetrain swap, since I'm not doing the labor.

Just picking your guys brains since you likely have awareness of the frames of the gen 2 vs that of the gen1's.

Thanks all!

It's been done, they are close but not exactly the same. Opens the door for engine swaps that wouldn't normally fit a 2nd gen.

 

[ryboj]

It's been done, they are close but not exactly the same. Opens the door for engine swaps that wouldn't normally fit a 2nd gen.

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?!”

 

[Josh P]

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?!”

It has been done, and can be done. Slip a 351W in.

 

[ryboj]

It has been done, and can be done. Slip a 351W in.

Well that certainly builds confidence! 351w could be a much longer term goal, . Hey, I’m just glad a gen2 front frame section is super close.

Other than steering box and steering shaft accommodations to work in conjunction with my double steering stuff, any other caveats to consider, like ABS junk since I won’t have the gen2 susp and brakes? Utilizing factory gen2 ecu. I know I’ll have to sort out tuning for gears and tire sizes….

I’m sure maybe some driveshaft lengthening or shortening…. My front is factory but my rear shaft is fully worked over for max droop.

 

[Josh P]

Well that certainly builds confidence! 351w could be a much longer term goal, . Hey, I’m just glad a gen2 front frame section is super close.

Other than steering box and steering shaft accommodations to work in conjunction with my double steering stuff, any other caveats to consider, like ABS junk since I won’t have the gen2 susp and brakes?

I’m sure maybe some driveshaft lengthening or shortening…. My front is factory but my rear shaft is fully worked over for max droop.

I'm trying to find the post where the guy talked about what it took to do it. I do remember him saying one frame was slightly narrower than the other so he was able to get creative in a way to slip them together and weld it. Probably wouldn't be hard to keep the ABS, upgrade the brakes to the dual piston calipers that the 2nd gen has. The 95-97 ranger has what you need for the conversion. As far as drive shafts, you put it together and see where everything lands.

 

[ryboj]

Thanks JoshP for all the insights so far, When you said this, “The 95-97 ranger has what you need for the conversion.”, what were you referring to, so I understood correctly?

 

[Josh P]

Thanks JoshP for all the insights so far, When you said this, “The 95-97 ranger has what you need for the conversion.”, what were you referring to, so I understood correctly?

The dual piston caliper brakes, way better than the old slide pin design the 1st gen had

 

[410Fortune]

Okay hold up
If you want to keep your ttb and steering gear box why on earth would you install a gen ii frame from the firewall forward? When you can just stick the new engine into your currentl frame? The gen ii frame has no notch for the suspension beams to travel and its rack and pinion. This is like working backwards

My 1988 bronco ii has a 302 in it and the truck is obd2 computer. My bronco believes 100% it is a 97.5 mercury mountaineer. I still have ac and cruise control. I also have the 95-97 ranger dual piston calipers.
No frame cutting needed

 

[Josh P]

Okay hold up
If you want to keep your ttb and steering gear box why on earth would you install a gen ii frame from the firewall forward? When you can just stick the new engine into your currentl frame? The gen ii frame has no notch for the suspension beams to travel and its rack and pinion. This is like working backwards

My 1988 bronco ii has a 302 in it and the truck is obd2 computer. My bronco believes 100% it is a 97.5 mercury mountaineer. I still have ac and cruise control. I also have the 95-97 ranger dual piston calipers.
No frame cutting needed

Okay hold up
If you want to keep your ttb and steering gear box why on earth would you install a gen ii frame from the firewall forward? When you can just stick the new engine into your currentl frame? The gen ii frame has no notch for the suspension beams to travel and its rack and pinion. This is like working backwards

My 1988 bronco ii has a 302 in it and the truck is obd2 computer. My bronco believes 100% it is a 97.5 mercury mountaineer. I still have ac and cruise control. I also have the 95-97 ranger dual piston calipers.
No frame cutting needed

He wants a newer body with the gen 1 axle, not the other way

 

[ryboj]

Hi 410, thanks for throwing the experience in here.

Nope, no gen 2 front section of frame used. It would be gone from the equation.

We were discussing taking the “front end” frame section of my gen1 and graphing it into a gen 2 frame with the 5.0 already in there from the factory (again, we’re thinking they’re really close match here in alignment\width between gens).

From what I can gather, along with the confidence of the fabricator (who’s done much more complicated and involved things), he’s thinking it will be easier (meaning less labor overall by a sizable margin) to do the above vs swapping in the entire V8 setup or the alike in my gen1.

The idea is there’s a few extra gains here on my end vs just a drivetrain swap into my older gen1.

Obviously, getting the better and more powerful drivetrain, but I’m also getting newer interior, better condition paint (mine is not so good anymore), and newer systems in general, all the while, maintaining what I love most, the LT TTB and Steering setup.

That help clarify here? (Essentially, what Josh P said