So I got this wild idea to build a 250 inline and stuff it in my 96 Ranger. I think I've got the build pretty much laid out and figured I would post and see what you all thought. I am building it for maximum torque, fuel mileage and the WTF factor. I use the truck for work so I'll get to enjoy my fruits of labor daily

So to start with the engine is a 1969 250 Inline

Boring and honing to .030 over dished pistons (9.5:1 CR)
Line bore mains/rods with .010 bearings
Cam bearings
Surface block and head
De-bur and polish chamber
Pocket port, 3 angle valve job, back cut on valves stock size 1.64/1.38
Mill intake for 2V or 2bbl conversion
Melling oil pump
New freeze plugs

Now the good stuff

Custom Comp Cam Kit (springs locks seals timing set cam)
206/212@.050" .424/.440" w/ stock 1.5 rockers

Duraspark II kit

Tubular exhaust manifold (basically stock manifold but mandrel bent tube)

2.25 exhaust to glasspack, 4" exhaust mandrel bent tube for tail pipe
I've got a bunch of this and figure it won't be much different than a dumped system. Looking for deep exhaust note and won't rev over 2,500 so shouldn't be real "buzzy"

Weber 32/36 DGAV Carb

NV4500 5 speed 93' GM Transmission

8.8 LS 3.73 65 @ 2,057 in OD



I ran this through DynoSim and got 288 ft.lbs. @ 2,000 and 155 hp @ 3,500

I tried to keep it as truthful as posibble with the sim, baselined close to stock figures then built it up from there. Definitely mo beta than the 2.3 in it now, not to mention odd but with a cool factor of 7 I guess. I really like the sound of the small 6's 200 and 250, even the 170 sounds pretty good, but for some reason the 240 and 300 just don't sound the same, weird huh?!

Oh well let me know what you think, open to all opinions.

 

Why use the heavy, huge NV4500?

A T5 or even a Mazda trans would work. You 250 has the SBF bell pattern, so that makes a Mustang trans set up easy.

 

I agree. Get yourself a T5. They're plentiful and therefore cheap. Any wrecker with a Mustang will have a T5.

 

Well I got a good deal on the transmission 200.00 vs. 300.00 at the wrecking yard. I even went to a u pull yard but the 4 mustangs there were missing their transmissions. The weight I was worried about as well but isn't any heavier that a mazda with a transfer if not lighter. I tow a little bit so the granny 1 and reverse will come in handy for sure. I thought about the T5 and m5odr2 but just feel for what I do, the 4500 would be a better fit. On a side note, the size is close to the other transmission length wise but it is a little taller.

The power figure I posted earlier do you think they're realistic or a little high?

 

If you're wanting maximum torque, why are you not swapping in a 300? It's about 150hp/250tq from the factory.

 

I agree the 300 is basically bullet proof good gas and has low end torque. Eee especially if you are doing manual. Many folks got over 300,000 miles before much was needed. But im still interested in what your build will do. BTW the 300 gets decent gas mileage

 

FORDSIX PERFORMANCE • View forum - 144-250 "Small Block" Six Performance

That is a Forum dedicated to the Ford small block six.

 

The 250 is a bit smaller, length and height wise. I tried this once in an 84 Ranger with a 300 and it was a pretty tight fit. Never took any measurements from a 300 but the 250 from water pump snout to bellhousing is 30 1/2. Rangers have a inset in the center of the fire wall about 9" wide that sinks in about 1 1/2", from there to the radiator core I've got 33 1/2.

The other thing is the 250 has a different exhaust note compared to the 300. Something about a low revving straight piped small six that just sounds good to me, if you listen to a 200 or 250, even Jeep 4.0 at idle up to about 2800, that's the sound I like. The 300 just doesn't suit me, but to each their own. Won't argue with the durability, as long as there's oil and water in it, you just can't kill'em. But that's inherent to the inline 6's I think.

 

This really isn't relevant to your project, as it is about going from a 200 to 250, but it may have a tidbit or two you should keep in mind, such as stuff about flywheels and transmissions.
http://www.fordsix.com/250swap.php

Just to make sure I'm not misunderstanding, the Ranger swap had a 300 in it, yes?

Is the 250 as big as the 300?

 

The swap I am doing now is the 250.

The 84 I tried to do back when I was 16 was a 300 with a 3.03 transmission 3-speed. The engine was grazing the firewall and the radiator support needed to be massaged a little because the water pump was sitting where the radiator needed to be. The pinch weld on the floor pan and fire wall was a problem. I was dumb and didn't know **** then, thought cutting was the only solution. 2" body lift would probably had afforded enough room to get it stuck in there.

Flash forward to today and I've learned a little bit, expanded my mind in fabrication. The 250 engine will fit in the 96 Ranger length wise. No heater box cutting like with a V8 swap. From what I've gathered, the 250 was essentially a Windsor when it came to bellhousing, flywheel clutch etc. etc.. Internally balanced instead of the external balance of the V's.

The oil pan and oil pump pick up needs be fabbed up (front sump to rear sump for truck.)

I need to sit the engine as low in the frame as possible, because I don't want to cut or body lift the truck. Basically try to mod the engine to work with the truck instead of altering the truck.

Right now I am trying to figure the transmission out, I pulled the C4 transmission off and removed the bell housing. I am going to the machinist this week and discuss an adapter plate to mount this bellhousing to the NV4500. Only thing that concerns me is whether or not the bell is capable of holding up or is it going to bust the bell. I don't thrash the truck, no dumping of the clutch, no burn outs, no banging gears taking off or accelerating. Should I be worried or will I be alright?

 

In the even you were talking to me: Unfortunately, you know far more about this than I do, so I cannot give you an answer. :/ I admit I was more interested in the idea of someone trying to stick a 300 into a Ranger.

Not to mention I completely missed the part about the NV4500, and made that post thinking you were keeping the C4, which is what prompted me to post that article. God, I've been making myself look like an idiot a lot on forums lately.

Does the engine not sit on mounts on the truck frame? Why would so much of its weight be sitting on the transmission at any rate?

 

Nah man, it's cool. There is someone either on this forum or a ranger forum that swapped a 300 in a 4WD Ranger, didn't mean to get you excited just to disappoint. I read a little on the forum about it but didn't really get into the meat and potatoes if you will, of the swap. This swap is really an obscure one at best, least I haven't had anyone tell me to swap a V8 in yet ha ha.

I am trying to get the engine to set as low as possible so I will have as much wiggle room as possible for the transmission. I was concerned about the bell housing because of how small the C4 bolt pattern is to the transmission. Manuals seem to have the mounting hole spread farther out compared to the C4, I assume to spread the torsional load more. Even though the transmission mount and the engine mounts will support it, I just don't want to have to freak and find another bell housing since this is my daily driver.

I may come across knowing what I'm talking about but only because I've been reading up on it and pulled measurement more than once ha ha. Not really a whole lot of support on this swap though but once I get the truck done, I'm going to try and do a write up on the swap, who knows, I might start something once word gets out ha ha.

 

Well, reading up and trying it is the only way to become knowledgeable, so good luck.

 

Thanks, lots of research and studying before I pull the trigger. By time I get around to it, I'll know my truck better than the Ford engineers that built it ha ha!

 

While you are researching, look at the NV3550 instead of the 4500. Smaller, lighter and gear ratio's work well the 250ci. Compare price of tranny to bell adapter at Advance Adapters vs having one made.