2011 Ranger with a 4BT Cummins, It Doesn't Get Much Better

Engine Swaps

Engine swaps aren't exactly rare. But where the challenge lies is getting everything to fit properly and work with the rest of the vehicle, all while looking good. That is what Garrett Balmer had to keep in mind when 4BT-swapping his 2011 Ford Ranger. 

Photo Courtesy of Truck Trends - Jason Sands

Powwwerrrr! And Fuel Economy

Can you ever really have enough power? It seems the stock offering is nearly never enough. This is certainly the case with a V6 Ford Ranger. The stock 207 hp and 238 lb-ft of torque run a little short to propel the 3,606 lbs around in any sort of a hurry, not to mention the measly 15 mpg from the 4.0L V6 is quite underwhelming. These factors drove Balmer to undertake the swap. Plus, who doesn't want a Cummins swapped Ranger?

Looking into what was available, affordable, and would fit into the Ranger’s tight engine bay led Balmer into quite the search. Basing his build on a Ranger he saw in Diesel Power, he knew the 4BT was the right choice. It is compact enough to fit into the space available and produces more than sufficient power with only minor modifications. These engines have a massive enthusiast following, so there is an abundance of available knowledge along with ample aftermarket support, especially for swapping these 800lb behemoths. 

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.

Time to Get Started

Balmer picked up the engine from a friend, who had pulled it from an old van. What he thought was a runner, turned out to need some work. A cracked head, among many other issues, meant the engine essentially needed to be rebuilt. Balmer used the opportunity to build the engine and increase its reliability. Starting with grabbing a couple of friends, he bored out the cylinders 0.040. He then fit new pistons matching the increased volume, ground the crank, and balanced it all internally. Taking a core head, he exchanged the valve springs with 60 lb replacements from Pacbrakes and secured the head with ARP studs. The next step was tweaking the P-pump. He went with 4,000 rpm governor springs, along with a #10 fuel plate from BD Diesel Performance and custom delivery valves. The added performance from the P-pump required larger injectors as well. He used 60hp injectors from Mass Flow Engineering.

Upgrading the fuel system won’t do much more than making black smoke unless you have the right amount of air to go with it. Taking a 54mm Holset H1C turbo from a 6BT engine, he adapted it to fit onto the 4BT. Flipping, cutting and welding a 6BT manifold, he adapted the whole system to run on the smaller engine. Running around 30 psi, air gets pushed through a CXRacing intercooler and into an individual runner intake plenum built with help of Scott Campbell and Layne Glass. 

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.

You're Going to Need a Shoehorn

Building these is one thing, but fitting them into your application is another. Balmer faced a couple of issues here. First, he had an engine that is completely different proportionally than the stock motor. He also wanted to keep the engine bay as clean as possible, so he adopted the use of as many OEM parts as he could. He even adapted the stock V6 airbox onto the new engine, connecting it directly to the turbo.

The 4BT is too tall to sit under the hood, therefore, a 3-inch body lift had to be installed. He also added ReadyLift Suspension torsion keys to handle the additional weight the 4BT brought under the hood.

Using an adapter plate, Balmer mounted a 5-speed Ford ZF5 transmission from a 1996 F-250. Moving further back, he swapped an NP205 transfer case from a ’78 F-250. He had to modify the cross members and use cleaver fitting to get the engine, tranny, and transfer case into the truck. Despite the added power, Balmer is still running the stock axles and differentials.

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.

Cummins 4BT Basics

The Cummins 4BT is a cheap, reliable and readily available engine with few electronics making it simple and easy to fix, modify and keep running. The 3.9L 4 cylinder diesel is based on the legendary 6BT, its 5.9L 6 cylinder 12v big brother, also known simply as the 12-valve Cummins. They both share some internals and are known far and wide for their high power potential and extended reliability.

The engines are relatively large, weighing in at 800 lbs, standing at 37.7 inches tall, and 30.6 inches long. The standard 4BT only puts out 108 hp. However, it does have ample torque with 265 lb-ft of grunt. The early versions also have a mechanical injection pump, known as a P-pump. These are more reliable and far easier to modify than their electrical counterparts. The P-pump is one of the easiest ways to gain power in almost any engine. These are the definition of “free mods”. With some time, tools, and a grinder, gobs amount of torque can be pulled.  

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.

The Numbers

Make/Model: ’11 Ford Ranger
Owner: Garrett Balmer
Hometown: Sellersburg, Indiana
Odometer: 32,000 miles
Engine: 3.9L Cummins I-4, balanced and blueprinted, Colt Stage 2 cam, 60-pound valve springs, and ARP head studs
Fuel: Mass Flow Engineering 60hp injectors, 4,000-rpm governor springs, custom delivery valves, BD Diesel Performance #10 fuel plate
Air: Holset 54mm HC1 turbocharger, CXRacing air-to-air intercooler, custom individual runner intake
Exhaust: Cut-and-welded Cummins 6BT manifold, ’99 Ford F-250 downpipe, and 3.5-inch tubing into a 5-inch tip
Transmission: Ford ZF5 five-speed manual transmission, factory replacement clutch, Ford NP205 transfer case
Horsepower: 208 hp
Torque: 487 lb-ft
Wheels: 15x9 Pro Comp
Tires: 33x12.50R15 Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our How-to section in the forum.

Final Impressions

Finally finishing the little Ranger, Balmer couldn’t be happier. He drives it daily and enjoys the gobs of power in the little mini-truck. Moving from the stock V6 at 207 hp and 238 lb-ft of torque to 208 hp and 487 lb-ft, one can safely say the swap was worth it. With enough torque to rip up the pavement, he sees massive improvements in fuel economy as well. Going up from 15 mpg with the V6 to 25 mpg with the 4BT. All goals have been achieved. 

>>Join the conversation about this 4BT Cummins Ranger right here in Ford-Trucks.com.