Now i have reed a billion threads on 5.0 swaps and have not seen any idea on the total cost for these swaps. I have a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT ext. cab 2wd with the 3.0 V6 flex fuel and automatic trans. It has a trans. that needs to be replaced within the next few months and 183k miles on the worn out 3.0 V6. After finding out the cheapest place to rebuild my trans. is $1800 and really wanting to do this swap for my younger brother sense he will be receiving the truck after i purchase a new one within the next few months so i figured why not spend the money on upgrading it? Now i will be doing the labor all myself and a help with a few friends (I start school for my Auto. Tech. Diploma in Jan. so will have the tools then) and wanted to know how much total it costed you guys for the swap total including the trans.? And for any of you that have done a 8.8" or 9" rear end swap with it how much did that cost ? I have been told by a friend that did it in a 94 ford ranger it only costed him $900 total for the motor/trans. and all the other odds and ends. So I am trying to figure out a ballpark estimate on how much i should look at spending. The motor itself is more then likely will be mostly factory and will upgrade it down the road so the little ole factory rear end should be fine for now. Another main reason i have been wanting to do this is i will be purchasing a ford lightning and my brother is also into anything automotive so we can spend time together putting the truck together and when its done have some fun at the track. Also i can teach him during the process about the mechanics of everything and how to do it so he can also learn a trade he can use for the rest of his life like i will be going to school for. I appreciate any input or advice!

 

Finished editing the post

 

That depends on how much fabrication you can do yourself, and how many of the parts you have access too. Iguess first you need to see what a donor vehicle costs, and whether you want to run EFI or carbed. In my opinion, while the carbed setup is easier to swap, it can cost as much or more than EFI unless you find a carbed donor, plus it will cost more in the long run. Swapping the wiring and computer out of a donor may seem daunting at first, mostly you just make sure you label everything as you go. You will likely need to alter your motor mounts and may have to alter the engine bay as well, as it was never intended to contain a V8.

 

A friend just finished up his '98' similar to your's and cost was about $1200. Best to use a 5.0 Explorer motor for the ease of the wiring, just change out the engine harness and the one to the starter. That wiring actually plugs into the existing Ranger chassis harnass. Mounts need to be fabricated but I have the plans. Few other minor items but not a big problem. Swapping in a 8.8 is just a remove and replace, cost $200-400 depending on condition. I've got a price list of what all he used for the swap that I'll have to dig up. Others have spent over $10K using new parts and aftermarket performace items.
Dave
Edit:
Current build totals:
Profit-
$250 for old engine and transmission
Costs-
$800 For the truck (98 Stepside/Std cab ranger with 2.5 4cyl/auto)
$450 for 'low mileage' 1998 5.0 and 2wd 4R70W from wrecked explorer (Jyard)
$50 + 3.73 rear end for Ranger 4.10/8.8/31 spline trak-loc rear end (Member of local webforum)
$100 Engine Mount Brackets (Local Machine Shop)
$80 Engine Mounts (Ford Parts Dealer)
$60 Water Pump (Autozone)
$30 Taurus Efan and switch/wiring to make it work (Jyard)
$40 2001 explorer 5.0 ECU to switch to the returnless fuel system. (Jyard)
$60 Fuel rails and injectors to switch to the returnless fuel system. (Explorer Forum)
$100 Sniper/DeltaForce Tuner (member of Local webform)
$40 2001 cam Syncro and CPS sensor.
$30 radiator Hoses
$40 Brand new Trans cooler (I could have re-used what I already had, but oh well)
$20 Clamps/heat shrink/solder/etc
$200 Brand new rear leaf springs (Because one of mine had cracked
$25 Power Steering hose
--------------------------
$1325 Total cost minus the truck
$2125 Cost of Truck and Swap
Made about $600 back from parting out the explorer, and the old engine and trans out of the ranger
$1525 Total Investment.
Realistically, there are lots of other nick-nacks I'm sure I bought, but there are lots of things other people may not need (Power steering hose if I had kept the old one, Re-used the trans cooler, leaf springs since mine were broken, etc, etc) So minus the profit from the old engine, and the explorer I parted out, Its still only about a $2000 project including the price of the platform.


Other Modifications:
$450 DJM 2/3 Drop kit
$45 K+N Panel filter
$30 Explorer Sport Gauge cluster (White faced with Tach)
$280 Custom exhaust from the headers back, 2.5 off the collectors, Merge to 3inch into Flowmaster 40, 2, 2.5inch out on the muffler out the side. (Local Exhaust shop, bent normally, and regular mild steel tubing)

 

Thanks Khan for the input and small trucker for the detailed list of exactly what i was looking at. As far as resources go i live near Nashville here in TN so there is a various junkyards including a very large Pull-A-Part about 20-25 mins from my house and of course Craigslist. I figured i would slowly gather the parts sense so far there is no major problems with the trans. and hopefully will hold out for another 6 months. Is there any differences sense i have a flex fuel V6? I was told the 5.0 will drop in without any modification of the engine bay is that correct? I also know these trucks have really bad wheel hop and looked around and didnt see any traction bars for the Ranger so am guessing its going to be a custom job? I mean heck the more money i can save i can apply to more upgrades instead of spending the $1800 on a rebuild on a useless transmission and still have a high mileage useless 3.0 flex fuel V6. I dont care really about the gas mileage sense but out of curiosity what do these trucks get with 5.0s in them? If i use the existing rear end till i do the rear end swap what do i need to get the drive shaft to fit the 4R70W? Did you use the existing explorer manifolds? i didnt see any type of headers for the 5.0 explorers. For the tuner you would be buying one for a 5.0 explorer right?

 

A lot who have swapped, have little or no wheel hop, lot depends on the spring rate. There are a lot of vidieos on YouTube of Rangers running at the strips. I'm not sure how the swapper (Dan) did the driveshaft fitment on his, might have just swapped the trans yoke. There are two different Explorer manifolds, one is tublular and the other cast iron. Toss any tube type, very restrictive. The only after market headers that fit are the expensive Torque Monster headers, $790. They are built one at a time to fit any heads and either the coil spring or torsion bar front suspention. Really nice pieces of work. Said to be good to about 380HP. No sugestions on tuners myself. I assumed you have the coil springs and not the torsion suspension. There are two different oil pans also, need the stamped steel one for the coil spring. Those with the torsion bars can just use the stock Explorer V-8 mounts. Got lots of pictures saved from different projects of others.
Dave

 

On older Rangers (80s models) if you have the 302, the swap can be done for less than $1,000.............Advanced Adapters makes bellhousings to adapt the Ranger gear boxes to a SBF, if driven by a adult, they will hold up fine.
On newer Rangers, I can't say.

 

Thanks for all the input, i am defiantly going to do the swap if my brother is wanting to keep the truck and when the funds are available. I paid around $1000 for this truck (crappy memory cant remember exactly how much) knowing it had the trans. problem plus it needing brakes. Figuring i myself only have $1300 or so including the price of the truck it would be a good investment sense it would cost my mom roughly $3500-$4000 to buy my brother a descent lower mileage safe truck/larger car. Shes going to be the one paying out the $ for the project and she already knows $1800 is what it costs to rebuild the existing trans. and you will still have a 183k worn out v6. I do have the coil springs up front, and the reason i asked about wheel hop is whenever it rains and i loss traction is the wheel hop is pretty bad but i guess ill get to that when i finish everything else. Whats the usual 1/4 time for a near factory 5.0 in a ranger? what about rwhp/rwtq? and out of curiosity what about mpg? The goal first and foremost is to have a good running reliable DD truck, and hopefully depending on the funds upgrade the motor a bit with a descent cam., some port work and in the end have a 13 second truck to start with. It will not only be a fun truck for my brother but something me and him can spend time together on whether its at the drag track or taking it to the car shows. Any other advice or tips i am open for anything Once again thank you for your guys input

 

Well that guy who's build list I included, ran a 14.89 sec in the 1/4 just as a starting reference, no tune. Was hitting the limiter. That's with a JY motor (bone stock) and the JY trans. Think he was getting 18-20 mpg with it.
Dave

 

Thanks Dave, well with the messed up 1st gear which acts like i am flooring it every time i am in first i am getting roughly 18-20 mpg. The more i think about it the more its a no brainier i mean i am replacing basically the main parts of the Ranger with better more durable, easier to work on, cheaper and easier to get parts along with it still getting good mpg and alot more fun to drive aslo more then likely will have less miles then the exisisting 186k+ mile engine, trans. and rear end. I am defiantly really looking forward to doing this sometime next year. You wouldnt happen to know how many hours he had into the build would you? i was told roughly 30-40

 

I don't know the hours for Dan's swap but a lot can do the mechanical swap in 30-40 hours and then a little more getting all the electrical figured out. Basically depends on all the prep done before hand. Always best to get the Helms wiring diagrams of both your truck and the donor and study them and then ask questions. Good luck, worth the swap.
Dave