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i have a 1992 ford ranger XLT extended cab 3.0L 2wd, i love the body style, ect.....
my truck is about to hit 140,000 miles so im looking at my options, new trucks cost 30 grand for anything i like so thats a waiste of money in my opinion
so i thought id put in a new crate motor and tranny,,, so being young and dumb as i am, i thought get a 4.7L 302 with a T-56 and a 8.8 or 9 rear axle
then i have a neat truck and no im not going to put all super performance stuff, i want it to be like a "stock" look to it
so i am posting here for positive feedback, maby a list of what i need to do im not sure, price wise the motor/trans from ford will be 5795, rear axel was guestimated at 2000, wireing harness 1000, drive shaft 500, maby some dakota digital guages to finish it out heh
The 4.0 liter V6 from the Explorer shares the same bellhousing pattern as your 3.0. This would be the most cost effective. Keep the axles stock, they'll handle the power. You can get an aftermarket supercharger for the 4.0 if you want to get wilder.
i have a 1992 ford ranger XLT extended cab 3.0L 2wd, i love the body style, ect.....
my truck is about to hit 140,000 miles so im looking at my options, new trucks cost 30 grand for anything i like so thats a waiste of money in my opinion
so i thought id put in a new crate motor and tranny,,, so being young and dumb as i am, i thought get a 4.7L 302 with a T-56 and a 8.8 or 9 rear axle
then i have a neat truck and no im not going to put all super performance stuff, i want it to be like a "stock" look to it
so i am posting here for positive feedback, maby a list of what i need to do im not sure, price wise the motor/trans from ford will be 5795, rear axel was guestimated at 2000, wireing harness 1000, drive shaft 500, maby some dakota digital guages to finish it out heh
comments help, much appreciated
You really ought to try finding a Pre-OBD2 Mustang with the 5.0 and the short accesory setup on it...that would mean 94-95, IIRC.
9" rear is overkill and you can't put the speed sensor in the pumpkin or keep what ABS you might have. 7.5 (no joke if not punished) or 8.8 will do fine. Just find a 2wd Ranger 4.0 for the easy 8.8L swap.
You CAN get a midshift T56 from TTCperformance (google search 'em), but those T56s are geared for way more aerodynamic stuff like F-bodies. There 3550 fits and is geared just fine for a truck.
You have some high guesstimates, but use what's leftover from those to cover the fab work. 5.0's ain't bolt-in swaps prior to the 98 model year for sure.
one or two things to consider.... i hear a lot of people say that its easier to install a 5.0 if you get a 3 inch body lift, as it gives you more room to work with. another thing i have heard is that a 5.0 is supposedly about an inchor so more narrow than the 4.6. all that is probable, cause i havent done it yet, since mines a daily driver and my only vehicle at the moment. but i do agree, the 4.0 is more realistic.
the reason i chose the 4.7 L is i can order it from ford crate cheaper than most anything i "want" yea 5.0 is more widely used, but this is a DOHC 1999 cobra set up,, sporty but its not a race thing....
i forgot who posted but the rear axle i just want enuf to be good, so if 8.8 is good thats what i would do, i only said 9 because its a very widely used rear axle heh
body lift accually sounds good, but i like the all season tire look so ill check on clearances on that so i dont get an ugly gap
as for just putting in a 4.0, it would be the "smart" thing to do, but i wouldnt be happy with it for the effort, and honestly id rather buy a new truck and save my blue one than put a 4.0 in it
thanks for info so far, im still looking for parts so i can come up wiht a list to take to bank to ask for personal loan hah
oh yea prices i over do t ocover tax and bolts and tools i might need small **** like that
the reason i chose the 4.7 L is i can order it from ford crate cheaper than most anything i "want" yea 5.0 is more widely used, but this is a DOHC 1999 cobra set up,, sporty but its not a race thing....
So you want a DOHC? That's a 4.6. I've looked into it, but not seriously enough to actually go through with it. What I've found, (if it is indeed a 4.6 DOHC that you want to transplant) is that while difficult, it can be done.
I forget who did this, (I think it was SVT) but there is a Ford Ranger Lightning Bolt with a supercharged Lightning motor in it. Very impressive.
that sounds about right, theres a pain in the rear link on ford racing parts web site that has the motor and trans,, ive seen a 5.0 in a ranger so i know it can be done heh, but yea thats what i want the 4.6 just because it is crate order plenty of sport for me and stays some what "stock" look,,, i dont want a super turbo or nos on it, thats too much
The 4.0 liter V6 from the Explorer shares the same bellhousing pattern as your 3.0. This would be the most cost effective. Keep the axles stock, they'll handle the power. You can get an aftermarket supercharger for the 4.0 if you want to get wilder.
My Bad! I was thinking of the old 2.9 V6. Isn't that a Cologne block?
Another thought is to see how close the '98 up Mustang front sub frame is to the Ranger. Ditto for the trans mount. I've seen swap kits for the 5.0 but not the 4.6. With all the small parts you need, I'd think a late model donor would be better/ cheaper/ less headache than fabbing it from scratch from a crate motor. I also prefer the Monster Garage credo "It must appear to be stock..."