Spark plug wires for TMH?

[JoshT]

I'm throwing together a list of parts to order for my upcoming 2000 Explorer 5.0 AWD to 1999 Ranger 4x4 swap. I don't see this engine getting more than another 50k before it gets repalced for a build, but I definitely want it to still be going strong when that time comes. I honestly think that number is very high, I drive 15-20k per year, have 4 registered vehicles (single guy), and my car accounts for over 75% of miles driven per year.

Anyhow, I have most of the big ticket items to do the swap. Namely the complete donor, the recepient, and a set of OBX/Maximizer knockoff headers. About to start gathering some of the smaller while you're in there maintenance items. Spark plugs and wires are definitely on that list, but I'm unsure of what I need.

On an OEM engine I would prefer to stick with an OEM plug. I'm having trouble determining which Motorcraft plug would have been OEM, and what the correct GAP is. Is this the correct plug? Motorcraft SP432

Since I'm going to be running the TMH knockoffs, do they require a special plug wire? Can I get away with running the Motorcraft OEM replacements, or a like built set with the TMH? I have the parts list saved to build custom cerramic booted plug wires when it is time to build the engine. I'd do it now if necessary, but I'd prefer to use a ready to install set at this time.

 

[410Fortune]

Motorcraft wires are great! You can get motorcraft wires $75 at rockauto, they also have some good wires from United for $50 I run those on
Lots of the 5.0 trucks I build/flip/ maintain



However I run the Taylor spiro 8.2 wires with my tmh on my personal trucks
$160 at summit



Sp432 is correct motorcraft platinum plug 0.054 gap (don’t gap platinum plugs)!

Summit or amazon for the Taylor wires

Taylor Cable 82023 Taylor ThunderVolt 8.2mm Spark Plug Wire Sets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Taylor ThunderVolt 8.2mm Spark Plug Wire Sets with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Spark Plug Wire Sets at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[JoshT]

they also have some good wires from United for $50 I run those on
Lots of the 5.0 trucks I build/flip/ maintain

Do the United wires have the factory style protected plug ends? I'd looked at them on RA, but those appeared to have a universal 135° boot.

RA was the plan for a lot of stuff. I see that the Motorcraft and SMP wires have the factory style protectors. Was leaning towards the Motorcraft, although there is a set of SMP on wholesale closeout for about $45. I'm not sure that I've ever used SMP plug wires, but I have used their products without issue many time in the past.

When time comes for engine build I'll be all in on building a set of custom cerramic booted wires for it, just not wanting to do that right now. Got enough to buy and do if off the shelf will work fine.

Thank you for confirmation on the plugs and correct gap.

 

[410Fortune]

The United ignition wires are very very good yes the come with all the necessary heat shields best wire for the $$$ at rockauto

 

[97Sandbox]

RA was the plan for a lot of stuff. I see that the Motorcraft and SMP wires have the factory style protectors. Was leaning towards the Motorcraft, although there is a set of SMP on wholesale closeout for about $45. I'm not sure that I've ever used SMP plug wires, but I have used their products without issue many time in the past.

I've been running SMP wires on my Sport for a couple years with no issues.

For my current in-progress 5.0, I got the Motorcraft wires because they were about the same price as SMP at the time I ordered them from RA. With my headers, I'm changing up which wires go where to better avoid the header primary routing. Depending on which wire goes where, I'm piecing together different shields (I robbed the heat shields off the original plug wires to mix in) and I'm also adding sleeves.

 

[JoshT]

I've been running SMP wires on my Sport for a couple years with no issues.

That's what I ended up ordering. RockAuto is great for a lot. The cart was adding up and shipping from too many locations. Had 3 or 4 warehouses that parts would have shipped from at $12-15 each. I ended up getting the wires and plugs from Amazon instead, might have cost a dollar more there, but it dropped a $15 shipping fee.

Shopping around I've got some parts coming from RA, some from Amazon, and some from evilbay. One stop shop would have been nice, but this got the best prices and probably dropped 30-40 just in shipping fees.

 

[410Fortune]

I buy stuff from everywhere summit jegs soeedway amazon eBay rockauto and the brick and mortar stores in town… we gotta do what we gotta do

 

[JoshT]

Yep. With Amazon 2 day shipping the local chain stores are getting less and less from me. Mostly just go local for stuff that is likely to be warrantied.

I used to would go through Summit for stuff that the local stores didn't have, but now you can find it all at Amazon or eBay, pay less for it, and get free shipping.

So replace engine and transmission mounts while out, or run them till they break. 180k miles on the donor, don't know if they've ever been replaced. On the other hand I'm probably not going to put more than another 20-30k before it's pulled out again.

 

[410Fortune]

Engine mounts cheap! v8 mounts will not bolt in however. The 05 drivers v6 mount is different so you will have to drill the motor plate on drivers side. The 5.0 motor plate sinply needs one hole drilled in it to fit the v6
Mount

So order new v6 mounts for 05

Trans mount the stock unit sucks! But v8 replacement is cheap so at the very least get a new one

I modify the crossmember and run urethane f150 Mount for aod trans

 

[JoshT]

Engine mounts cheap! v8 mounts will not bolt in however. The 05 drivers v6 mount is different so you will have to drill the motor plate on drivers side. The 5.0 motor plate sinply needs one hole drilled in it to fit the v6
Mount

So order new v6 mounts for 05

Trans mount the stock unit sucks! But v8 replacement is cheap so at the very least get a new one

I modify the crossmember and run urethane f150 Mount for aod trans

'05? Where did that come from?

Donor is a 2000, recipient is a 1999 Ranger. Both are torsion bar AWD/4WD, so was planning to use Explorer 5.0 mounts.

 

[410Fortune]

Wrong thread is all hahahaha I thought I was responding to the 05 talrac getting a 5.0 thread

Carry on!

V8 engine mounts are cheap from
Anchor, they will bolt in AND place the 302 in the factory position. We recently converted a 05 sport trac and my stepson dropped the diff and went to replace the v6 mounts with v8 ones… well for the 05 trac they completely changed the drivers mount, so he was not able to swap them. Many times when I convert v6 to v8 we simply drill one hole on the drivers motor plate…
Then the 302 fits the sohc mounts

 

[JoshT]

That's what I figured, you've done so many swaps and helped so many others that it would be easy to mix them up.

While I've got your ear I'd like to consult your experience. Most of my swap is going to be plug and play, but it looks like the start/charge harness is going to have to be modified a bit. I intend to use the Explorer's battery cable and starter wires, but it looks like some A/C stuff also goes through that harness.

'99 Ranger harness includes both the AC clutch switch and high pressure switch connectors. The high pressure switch on the Ranger V6 is located right at the back of the compressor.

'00 Explorer harness appears to only have the A/C clutch switch connector. The high pressure switch is located up by the core support with the wires running through the body harness.

I'm thinking I use which ever body side connector fits the Ranger (both may be the same) and build my own harness. I'd use the battery and starter wires from the Explorer. Should be able to use the clutch wires from either, but Explorer might be better since it would already land in the right spot. Add in the high pressure switch wires from the Ranger and extend them to reach the switch up by the core support.

I should have wiring diagram manuals for both in about a week. I can probably stretch both harnesses out and figure it out without the diagrams, but I figured I'd ask how you tackled that part of the swap.

I've got a spare start/charge harness for both trucks thanks to parting out vehicles in the past. Actually from a '98 Explorer and '00 Ranger, but they should be about the same. I'm hoping that I can have a modified harness ready to go before I start digging into the swap.

 

[410Fortune]

You are spot on

The way the ranger dash controls the ac is different from the way the 5.0 computer and dash control the ac

The 5.0 alternator wires run through the 42 pin connector, the ranger alternator wires do not.

The 5.0 starter harness can easily be modded to fit the ranger

Wiring the 5.0 ac to be a ranger is actually pretty simple

I have a link for you that will help
I did a 2000 ranger swap and I detailed every single wire and why

had to fire up my pc to find the link it was not on my phone
checkout this thread

Ford Ranger forum

The Premiere Site For Ford Ranger Enthusiasts

ford-rangers.com

 

[JoshT]

Thank you, I'll go take a look at that.

Looks like the years are reversed, but should be about the same.

Going to have to do some more studying on my donor. I'd forgotten that only the 96 & 97 had the oil cooler. I've only been under it to drain the coolant before the weather got cold, but I'm almost certain that this 2000 has an oil cooler on it.

Now I'm wondering if it has had an earklier engine swaped in, or if someone installed an oil cooler thinking it would give better cooling. The thing does have a trailer brake controller installed, so I can imagine someone adding the oil cooler thinking it would help. I should have a non oil cooler adapter from a 98 Explorer. I saw one in the shed the other day and that is the only thing I can think of it having come from.

 

[410Fortune]

Actually I believe This is the thread with the detailed Wiring info another ranger I did

Ford Ranger forum

The Premiere Site For Ford Ranger Enthusiasts

ford-rangers.com

I also did a 02 trac on that site that is very similar to 98-02 ranger covering the pats and Dakota digital installs

 

[JoshT]

@410Fortune got another question for you.

What is your process and chemical of choice for cleaning harnesses?

Seen you do it in a few threads, but haven't noticed your process or chemicals mentioned. I imagine I want to minimize the amount of water introduced into it. Pressure washer probably isn't the best idea and a little overkill, not that any of that I have one available right now.

 

[410Fortune]

I lay it on some cardboard
Mix up purple power w water in a spray bottle
Wear gloves, grab two rags and have at it
Start at one end and work your way across

I never soak them or spray the connectors with water
I just use degreaser and elbow grease wipe it all clean.
Then cut it apart with razor, modify the heck out of it, test it, and final wrap usually in the truck.
The first time I ever did wiring was about 1994 ? or so we had bolted a 4.0 into my bronco ii and I needed to wire it up. There was an old dude,retired xerox salesman out by the new airport (dia) that had a turbo 4.0 ranger he used for camping he agreed to help me wire up my 4.0 swap. The very first thing he had me do was use a can of scrubbing bubbles and sit down and clean all the wiring harness’
I’ve used a Similar approach ever since! I use diluted purple power now because we have it in the shop in big jugs and it’s biodegradable. You won’t believe how much black crap will come off an old drivetrain wiring harness

 

[97Sandbox]

Personally, I spray with 50/50 Simple Green degreaser in water, break up the gunk with a toothbrush, then blast away the loose gunk with a steam cleaner. At that point anything left can just be dried/wiped with a towel. Sounds similar to 410's approach.

 

[JoshT]

I've got gloves, rags, brushes, a steam cleaner. Need to pick up some cleaner and a new spray bottle.

Can't do much outside with the weather, but I'm single and have a spare bathroom with an already stained tub.

 

[JoshT]

The TSC I stopped at was out of the Purple Power gallon jugs and I refuse to buy the spray bottle. Why sell concentrated cleaner in a spray bottle that has no room to dilute it, It's over prices and not like most people have an extra bottle around to store it in. They did have @97Sandbox's sugestion of Simple Green in the gallon jugs, so I went with that. Actually went with the lemon sented Simple Green, same stuff with a different smell. It was also a dollar cheaper which I don't understand. I figured the original would be cheaper. Since I'm going to be cleaning inside it will be a better smell, and I'm more likely to use the rest around the house. Also picked up some plastic to lay down in the tub. It may be stained already, but I can put in some effort.

You know @410Fortune, I bet I've got some Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner around, and some TuffStuff cleaner. I know one of the guys on YouTube, legit street cars, swears by the power of TuffStuff and it seems to work pretty well in his videos. I might give them a try too while I'm cleaning just to see what they do.

They also had another cleaner I've seen strongly recommended recently called Oil Eater, but I don't remember where it was recommended. I bought a jug of that too and am going to try it out on precleaning the engine bays. If those don't work for my cleaning needs, I'll go hunt down a jug of Purple Power.