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aerostar + sho....

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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 02:55 AM
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aerostar + sho....

ok, so i've always had this idea for a motor swap if i ever needed to have it done to my aero... the ford tarus (yamiha) sho motor... now, obviously it wouldn't be a direct swap in, but any one ever heard of it being done before?
 
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 06:21 AM
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the yammie sho engine and clutch parts are becoming as rare and expensive as a '98 Aero.

the Aero platform is not a high speed road course machine.
put in a built Ford SB stroked 302 w forged crank, rods and pistons running 12:1 comp...back it up with a Ford top loader and the biggest toughest clutch you can afford. a 750 cfm dual pump Holley and Nitrous to make it into the baddest meanest straight ahead go machine in town.
take her up to 4k rpm, dump the clutch, hit the nitro button and hold on
a true Honda light killer.

Aero's do not run well on their roofs
 
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 12:02 PM
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Possible, but expencive. I'm not sure A4LD will work well with SHO engine.... My overbore engine destroed tranny and I had to convert my aero to MT5
 
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 01:31 PM
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I would think the A4LD for a 4.0L could handle as much torque as you could give it. The main thing is to keep it cool, but since lockup status is decided by throttle position, more powerful motors should actually be easier on the tranny. There is of course limitations, but an overbuilt 4.0L A4LD should handle the power just fine. But as Pablo stated, I'm not sure that motor will bolt up to that tranny.
 
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 01:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Bear River
I would think the A4LD for a 4.0L could handle as much torque as you could give it. The main thing is to keep it cool, but since lockup status is decided by throttle position, more powerful motors should actually be easier on the tranny. There is of course limitations, but an overbuilt 4.0L A4LD should handle the power just fine. But as Pablo stated, I'm not sure that motor will bolt up to that tranny.
well of course it would be converting a fwd motor to a rwd motor, and like with the rwd corola's, you can't just swap in a black top 20v over night, it needs some fabricating... but it does sound do-able... also, i've heard that mustang tranny's will bolt on to aero's... is this true or a myth?
 
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 10:14 PM
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Any tranny that will bolt to a ford 2.3 will bolt to the sho engine. That includes the crappy a4ld that comes in rangers and mustangs with the 2.3.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 05:14 AM
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Are U sure that A4LD torq. capasity is enought for SHO engine. My tranny was damadged in 2nd gear band area. I tried to weld it, but it cracked againe.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 09:32 AM
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The transmission for the 4.0L is much stronger than the 1st generation A4LD. I has a better torque converter and extra bands.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 01:15 PM
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I have seen a SHO in a 38 Ford, it was hooked to a 3.0 Areo trans. He said that the 3.0 engines trans was a dierect bolt on, THe SHO is a 3.0 engine. The SHO's with the auto trans was a 3.2. I have been driving a 93 SHO for a long time and I have been trying to talk my wife into putting the SHO into her Areo, it's still a no go. And my SHO was killed last week by a deer, so I will be parting it out soon, really liked that car. As far as torque goes, the SHO does not have a great deal of low end torque, but comes alive at 3700RPM.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 01:48 AM
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I think the max torque of the 3.0L SHO engine is only 200 lbs-ft, which is less than that of the 4.0L engine. It is based on the Ford 3.0L v6, but it's a ground-up design by Yamaha, and originally mated to a Mazda 5 speed manual, so it is very likely to have the same bell housing pattern as other Ford engines using the same transmission.

But just because the engine will bolt up to the transmission doesn't mean that it will work in an Aerostar. First, the upper end of the SHO engine has the really wide intake manifolds that will not fit into the Aero's engine compartment without major cutting and welding. Second, the engine's torque curve is all wrong for a heavy van; the torque peaks at where normal engines get near their red lines. You would have to increase the stall speed of the torque converter to around 4000 rpm and install some really low rear endc gears to give the van decent acceleration. So if you're worried about overheating the transmission now, higher stall speeds will only make it worse.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 02:29 AM
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Originally Posted by xlt4wd90
I think the max torque of the 3.0L SHO engine is only 200 lbs-ft, which is less than that of the 4.0L engine. It is based on the Ford 3.0L v6, but it's a ground-up design by Yamaha, and originally mated to a Mazda 5 speed manual, so it is very likely to have the same bell housing pattern as other Ford engines using the same transmission.

But just because the engine will bolt up to the transmission doesn't mean that it will work in an Aerostar. First, the upper end of the SHO engine has the really wide intake manifolds that will not fit into the Aero's engine compartment without major cutting and welding. Second, the engine's torque curve is all wrong for a heavy van; the torque peaks at where normal engines get near their red lines. You would have to increase the stall speed of the torque converter to around 4000 rpm and install some really low rear endc gears to give the van decent acceleration. So if you're worried about overheating the transmission now, higher stall speeds will only make it worse.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is more info that i needed. thanks! i was thinking that it would be more difficult to change the spark plugs in an aero vs. the tarus due to the DOHC setup... aka drop the motor once every... 80,000 miles or so.... lol
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 08:29 AM
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They have a point here, the SHO engine is powerful, but it is not a torquer. To move a heavy vehicle like a van, you need an engine that produces low end torque, and this requires a long stroke motor, like the 3.0L or the 4.0L You could improve the SHOs torque by velocity porting the head. A 4.0L is likely a better swap however. I would like to see if the components and fuel management systems from a newer ranger would swap into an aero. This would require a lot of fabrication, but the newer 4.0L does produce more power. Anyone know the dimensions of the 4.2L V6 and if it could be a usable option? Than motor produces some nice power.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 10:12 AM
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'89 Sho

I had a '89 SHO [first year] with a 5-speed. I put in a new clutch, Eibach springs, Koni shocks. That car, for only having 220hp was unbelievably fast. At higher rpm's it was a screamer, and with the suspension mods it handled great.
I don't think it would be a good swap for the aero because as the other guys have said, the low end torque was, well, low.
I don't think it would be good for hauling and towing...but what a great engine for high rpm driving!
Beaned
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 10:15 PM
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Well since just about everything will be custom built, you might as well add one of these.......
http://www.ststurbo.com/
http://www.jlturbo.com/



just a thought,
Wylde
 
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Old Aug 21, 2007 | 11:02 PM
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hahahaha turbo ftw... actualy, my friend races his bug out @ pir all the time, and he saw like a 12-13 second caravan... all they did was put a BOV on the stock turbo... so it could but a deff. fun... although finding a place for an intercooler along with oil/tranny cooler would be fun as well. seriously... if i had to do a motor swap, i'm goin all out. :-)
 
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