Pre- build advice

[whynotthinkwhyno]

Ok, so I blew up the engine in my 92. It's a freak though, maybe because it's a cargo van- it still has a flat tappet cam 3.0 with a MAP instead of a MAF.

We load this workhorse down with ladders and some material- approximately 600 lbs of dead weight on it all the time. I've given some serious thought to getting custom springs made for the rear to help keep the ride height up, but that's another story.

I have a 96 roller cam 3.0 I can rebuild to install in this van. I'd really like to add some more ummph to it, but I'm having trouble finding someone who can reprogram OBD1 computers to use different injectors. Crazy, but nobody seems to want to mess with the old stuff.

Another thought is to find a 4L engine, wiring harness, ECU, and transmission to replace the 3L parts. From what I understand, the 4L is a different bell housing. I'd really rather do this because the 4L is more common in Explorers- and I really need the torque.

If I end up stuck with the 3L, I have some questions.
1) will Ranger shorty headers work in an Aerostar? I don't have a friend with a 3L Ranger that I can look at.
2) I've found a cam .444 L w/ 1.6 rockers, 260/220 dur- but nobody I can get to reprogram the ECU for larger fuel injectors that I will definitely need to make it work- can anyone help? I have 24 lb/hr FFV injectors I can use that will be plenty to support such a cam- but 19 lb would work. Can anyone help?
3) Is there anything I'm not thinking of?

Thanks, I know it's a lot, and I'm long winded in text-LOL

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Your only alternative is to swap everything from a newer OBD-II system onto this, but it's a lot of work, and expensive unless you have a donor vehicle. Your current EEC-IV system isn't as flexible as far as custom tunes or chips, but if you contact James at WWW.HensonPerformance.Com, he might have some other options. Maybe he could calibrate a custom computer?

 

[whynotthinkwhyno]

Yeah, I was starting to wonder that. I can work around the fuel pump and other parts, but not the ECU. MAP sensors are easier to adjust for cams and FI, but the fuel injectors are something I must have re-programmed.

I think I'll be better off searching out a 4L harness, ECU, and trans than messing with the old 3L.

I didn't think any Aerostars were OBD2.

Now if I could find another 97 4L I'd be very happy to swap things out!! What will probably happen is that the roller cam 3L will be installed with the injectors from the old engine, and maybe some 1.7 rockers which won't increase fuel consumption that much hopefully. The biggest problem is that the 16 lb injectors are barely enough for 145 hp.