<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Hi,




I posted this in the explorer's forum but I think it belongs here, please help:


I will eventually get tired of my 4.0 SOHC but really love the truck, I have it lifted and shod with 33-12.5-15 donuts, looks and performs great, and have been thinking latelly of installing a V8, I have several chevy 350 engines but I think a Ford 351W would be more correct, I want to hear any comments about the possibility of keeping the current tranny (the 55R or something 5 speed auto) I like this tranny a lot, but since it lets my 4.0 rep up to 6.000 rpm I'm not sure what would happen with the V8 wich I wouldn't like to make it pass or even reach 5.000.
Phisically bolting the 351W to the tranny won't be that hard, I'll find a way ( I already have a 4 cyl Isuzu diesel engine bolted to a chevy TH350 tranny in my brother's C1500) the electronics don't intimidate me also, it's the rpm range at wich it shifts what worries me.
Do you guys think a C4 or C6 would be a better or more natural choice?, I think the AOD is too big and heavy, am I rigth?
I want to keep the AWD transfer case, I like it a lot.
please don't suggest me getting a V8 and tranny from a full size pickup, junkyards don't carry them here.

has anybody ever done such a swap?

thanks

Augusto.



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you stock transmission isn't going to work. The 4.0 and the SBF don't share a common pattern. Being that you want to keep the AWD t-case and it being a unique pattern also the only transmission that is going to work is one from a 302 Explorer. A 351 will work but there are going to be a few things. I'm not sure if a 302 Explorer computer can run a EFI 351 due to it not being DIS. You can use the engine mounts from a V8 explorer, the exhaust will fit on the engine but might not clear in the explorer due to a 351's taller deck. If you are going to use a carb I don't think the computer will like being without an engine signal so it my not shift the transmission. A C4, C6 and the AOD are all fullsize transmissions. Any of the 3 will work. The C6 is bigger and heavier than the AOD but it is much stronger. If you use any of the three you need a fullsize truck t-case, I'm not sure if there is an aftermarket adapter to keep the AWD t-case on these transmissions. This kind of swap has been done many times. The combination you are trying to use is what might give you some problems. If you would want to use a 302 you can steal everything from a 302 Explorer and plug and play.

Matt

 

My hat is off to you if you can make it work, but just for consideration.. I have seen screwcharger kits for the 4.0l, you could force feed it some displacement.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild/129_0601_2002_ford_ranger_fx4_dyno_results

 

I never meant it to be a bolt on project, I'm a custom fabricator and I'm willing to make an adaptor to mate the engine to the tranny, this does not worry me at all, about the tranny shifting without an engine signal, I already did it with my brother's diesel conversion, I kept the electronic 4L60E tranny, installed the sensors on the diesel, made a dummy distribuitor to give it crank signal and works great, it will be even easier making a carburated (wich is the way I plan to go) gasoline engine send the propper signals to the tranny. Also Imust keep the ECM to drive the speedometer.

I also made an adaptor to make a TH350 tranny work with another diesel engine for other project, this was even harder since the TH350 uses a vaccum modulator and the diesel engine has no vaccum signal, I made a variable volume valve driven by the Throttle lever to supply vaccum from the brake booster pump to the modulator, still works great.

Engine mounts, exhaust etc, no problem I have a big shoehorn and a heavy sledgehammer.

My real concern is about the shift points, the 4.0 revs a lot higher than the V8, also will this little tranny handle the torque of the 351W ? ( I want a 351 not a 302, remember that there is no replacement for displacement )

please comment.

Augusto