4.0 v-6????

[eveready77]

I may be crazy, but i have a wrecked Explorer sittin here in my drive way i robbed for some parts on another project. The engine is supposedly in good running order. So, instead of scrapping the remains, I got to thinking of replaceing the 200 I6 in my Eb with the 4.0. useing a ranger 5 speed and t case, as there doesn't seem to be adaptors out there for such a swap. Anybody heard of anyone ever doing such a swap before? Any ideas? Am I crazy?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Yes, you are crazy.

Never heard of it being done. Check the height of the project engine. I had tons of hood clearance with my 5.0 swap in a ranger. I think the 4.0 is taller then the 5.0 and the 5.0 is know for rubbing the hood of a Bronco.

Since you have the parts already it isn't that bad of an idea. Don't expect crazy good fuel economy but a 15% increase in size plus modern EFI whould give a nice return in power and economy over the old 200 six. But it will never be a V8.

Doing the swap you will be 100% on your own. Fab some motor mounts and hang the trans crossmember and it should work. By no means would I ever go looking for a 4.0 to put into a Bronco, but if I had a good runner just sitting around...

 

[Desert Thrasher]

Hmm thats would be interesting. I love the 4.0 litre, they are great engines. But rather higher rpm than a heavy bronco would use.
I had an 02 explorer with the 4.0 and it moved fine, I wonder how much the explorer weighs compared to the bronco?

 

[JBronc]

Maybe a little crazy!
I had the 4.0 in my last Ranger and it was a power house V-6 putting out around 200hp, thats more than some late 70's 302's in the Bronco.

 

[broncnaz]

Dont think you'd really see much gain. I've a 03 Ranger with the SHOC 4.0 hp is about 210 and torque about 230 the problem is is that both are in the higher RPM ranges 5200 for the HP and 3000 for the torque.
There's a huge torque differance at least in my opinion between driving my bronco with a 302 and driving the ranger the 4.0L just doesnt have it like the 302 does. Even though the torque outouts are about the same between a early 302 and late model 4.0 I think the 4.0 just makes a lot less lowend torque than the 302. But even a 200 puts out around 200 Ft lbs of torque. So again not a huge gain. but you might gain something over a 200 as long as you have proper gearing in the axles.

Also you may want to do some measuring see if the Ranger T case will even fit between the EB frame rails.

 

[rulebreaker]

I sell an adapter for $260 that will mate that 4.0L to your existing tranny if you wanted to go that route.

 

[73stallion]

i heard of one here in so cal, have yet to see it though. it'd be dependable, but as others have said not very powerful. still, in '73 the 302 was only rated at 184 horses. you can get chips, headers, and other things to help the little 4.0 out.

 

[rulebreaker]

Is it a push rod or SOHC 4.0L?

 

[broncomitch]

I thought about doing it to mine, but found my 351w first.
i had it in my ranger and i love the motor, would light up the 33's no problem and had lot's of power for being a v6.

 

[7elk]

I had one in my last Ranger and it was a great motor. Sold the Ranger with over 200,000 miles on it and it still ran great. I saved the American racing slots off of it and am going to sell them.

 

[eveready77]

Thanks for the input guys. My main goal is to gain a little more power and gear options to make it better both on and off road. I have started driveing it more and more as a daily driver insted of just a weekend toy. I have looked into some performance options for the 200 such as a cam, header, and machineing the head to accept a 2bbl carb, then possible putting a 5 speed in it,but i'm also looking for cost effective. Like was mentioned before, I have this motor here and....
- Rulebreaker; it is a '92 pushrod 4.0, thanks for the info on the adaptor also but one of the goals of this frankenstien idea is to gain an overdrive and 2 more gears useing the 5- speed ranger tranny.
-Broncobowsher; thats a good point, havent considered the height issue yet but will check on that. Fabbing up the mounts and cross members is kinda exciteing to me especially since this swap hasn't been done except for a time or two maybe.
-Broncnaz; Being a 6 cyl. Bronco it came with 4.11 gears, and luckily both diffs have the factory trac-lock limited slip that seems to work beautifully.
I had a '92 Ranger years ago with the 4.0 and it seemed crazy fast. of course it was a 2wd, short bed, regular cab, 5 speed so the power to weight ratio was a bit different than an EB.

 

[broncnaz]

Might be a interesting swap. Could be worth a try since you have the engine. I dont see fitment being much of a issue the BII's had the 4.0L in them and the demesions are pretty clsoe to the EB's
But to use or make use of a 5 speed your going to need even more axle gearing to keep the engine in its powerband if you run bigger than stock sized tires. My 03 ranger 4x4 has 4.11 gears and I run stock tires maybe 29" In OD at 75mph it turns almost 3000 RPM Why because the 4.0 doesnt have the lowend torque to maintain the speed at lower RPM's while in OD. Get it below 50 mph(RPM's around 2000) and it lugs it will pick up speed but just doesnt like to maintain speed when in OD and below 50 mph. Add more wind resistance and bigger tires and your going to be worse off.
I always notice that some vehicles seem like they are fast but I think its because they are closer to the ground. When I get in a car it seems like its going a lot faster than it really is vs when I'm doing the same speed in my bronco.

 

[Explorer]

I love my 200, but the tranny does leave something to desired. The way mine is built, I do need to do some rethinking on the transmission. The stock six tranny is geared too low in first and second for this engine. Overdrive would be nice, but not absolutely neccessary. Maybe next winter. You have the parts, give it a shot. Dare to be different.

 

[rulebreaker]

I know this is not apples to apples but I have a 4.0L powered Aerostar with 35" tires and 4.11 gears and it is a dog. I have a 289 V8 I'd like to put in it but that will require some serious dog house modification, so that project is on hold for now. The 4.0L pushrod is only 160 HP. The Ranger trannys are ok but not built near as strong as the old cast iron trannys. I destroyed a bunch of them before I went back to the trusty old NP435. IMO the 4.0L will render OD useless with big tires. If you had the SOHC engine I'd say go for it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Just to clarify, he is coming from a 200 straight 6. Not from a V8.
Yea the engine is smaller then a V8 but still bigger then what he has now by 15%. And a lot more modern with much better flowing everything.

 

[rulebreaker]

Just to clarify, he is coming from a 200 straight 6. Not from a V8.
Yea the engine is smaller then a V8 but still bigger then what he has now by 15%. And a lot more modern with much better flowing everything.

I know but thats a lot of work for 15%, considering a 351W would be less work and 100% more engine.

 

[Revelation]

Had a 4.0, 5spd FW 9" FW D44 with 4:11's and never had an issue running 39.5 swampers on my Ranger extended cab.

 

[broncnaz]

You probably never ran it at highway speed in OD either. Even a 302 wouldnt like that combo.

Yes I also realize he is going from 6 to 6. To me most straight 6's will have better low end torque while the V6's will need to rev to make the power. I jst dont really see whee there will be any gain.

 

[eveready77]

-Explorer; reading your signature it looks like you have enough mods to your 200 to make it run quite a bit better, and probably pull overdrive. I have looked at the CI head but the cost of that and then a NV3550 conversion is just not practical to me at this point. My 200 is a reman, with only about 5000mi on it so I hate to give up on it but not sure which way to go.
-Broncnaz; you are correct about the gearing and the power band of a V6 compared to an I6. I have been thinking that it would have to be better than the 80 HP and 110 ft.pd. the 200 puts out peak though.
-Rulebreaker, I think thats the first Aerostar I've ever seen set up like that, good looking rig, thats the kind of one off thinking I have been looking for. I realise that a V8 would be much easier but everyone does it, also i dont have one of those laying around my garage, well actually I do have a 351w H.O. but it needs a complete rebuild and fair amount of machine work to be used. It was eating rear main seals so I believe its gonna need a crank kit at the least. On top of that you go back to the 5 speed tranny hunt. Cost is getting pretty high that way too.

 

[Broncobowsher]

You probably never ran it at highway speed in OD either. Even a 302 wouldnt like that combo.

Yes I also realize he is going from 6 to 6. To me most straight 6's will have better low end torque while the V6's will need to rev to make the power. I jst dont really see whee there will be any gain.

The last straight 6 I remember driving was a dog off the line. It didn't run good until 5000 RPM and pulled hard to the 8300 limiter. Factory stock RB26DETT. It's all how the engine is built.

The 4.0 won't make a hot rod out of the rig. But I am sure it will be respectable to drive around. Unless you have tall tires the overdrive should work good with the factory low gears that the I6 came with.

Feel free to use what you have at your disposal, especially when you lack funds. I am eyeballing a clean '84 2WD chevy half ton longbed. Real clean and a blown engine. Just happen to have a 5.0 engine, trans, harness, computer, driveshaft, etc. just sitting in the corner of the garage with no project planned for it. Could be interesting, and a cheap too.