So, I just purchased a 91 Explorer that runs great as far as the engine goes (looks like crap outside and has several dents and a bad automatic transmission), but it will make a great donor to my 89 B2 for the axles, front and rear, 4L engine, and maybe shafts and transfer case. So here are my questions to anyone that can help out. As I said, I have an 89 B2 4X4 with a manual transmission (5 speed).

Will my transmission work with the 4L engine?<O:p
Should I upgrade the transmission, but I DO WANT for sure a 5 speed in there no matter what?<O:p</O:p

What about the transfer case that is currently running with the 2.9L in B2? The one in the Explorer is electric with the push of a button versus my B2 that actually has a lever. Can my transfer case / transmission still hang with the 4L, 8.8 rear, and Front Dana 35? <O:p</O:p

Is the Explorer Transfer case better and maybe even usable with the B2 transmission so that I simply bolt it onto the manual transmission running with my B2.<O:p</O:p

Once I take the automatic transmission out and remove the 4L engine from the Explorer, can I use install a flywheel and pressure plate / clutch disk even though the 4L is coming off of an automatic Explorer? or Do I need an engine that also comes from a 5 speed Explorer?<O:p</O:p

Last question, what does this mean for the drive shafts? Both front and rear? I assumed that I will need the ones that go with the Explorer since they do appear to be thicker, but will the back one bolt onto the transfer case the B2 comes with and the front one slip in, which brings me back to the whole question about which transfer case to use? For the record, I do prefer to have manual locking hubs and will very likely make this conversions—I don’t really trust the automatic locking hubs. <O:p</O:p

Man oh man. Can't wait to get in there and start taking things apart, but I figured that someone out there may have already done this so I can at least expect something versus finding out as I go. I want to thank anyone that can help and thank you all for your patience.

 

1. Yes your tranny will work with the 4.0 you will how ever need the flywheel for the 4.0 manual tranny.
2.The t case are the same{excipt how you put it into gear}use the one in your BII thats already bolted to your tranny.
3.All you need is the right fly wheel for the 4.0 the 4.0 engines are the same.You probale need the cluch set for the 4.0 {but Im not 100% sure on that}.
4.If you dont change the Tcase your driveshafts will work.I would get a u joint drive shaft for the rear the cv ones are junk.

 

Cool. I was doing some research on this and found that the part numbers are slightly different between the 89 B2 and the 91 X, but are the exact same thing in other areas. For example, the part numbers between the clutch, flyhweel, and pressure plate are slightly different, but the throw-out bearing and the slave cylender are exactly the same--although the master cylenders are also slightly different in terms of part numbers---the same was true about the brake pads and calipers, but the rotors, bearings, and seals are slightly different. Anyhow, with that said, would you say that the X transfer case is a bit more durable and or the drive shafts or would you say that they are about the same in terms of over all strength? (I swapped out the junk rear D-shaft a long time ago--I agree, the stock ones are junk, but the one I got from James Duff has worked out pretty well and I've had it for about 2 1/2 years--just have to make sure to keep it greased after 4 wheeling trips) Thanks for the insights!

 

The brakes are bigger on the X f/r then on the BII.If there is a diffrent parts# for a part that look the same betwen the two,They are diffrent parts,they will not interchange.