4.0 engine swap issue!

[towelie]

I have a 98 ford ranger 2.5l 4 cylinder.

I wanna swap it for a 98 4.0l engine. Do I need a new transmission or will my current transmission work?

[289mustang]

Well, what trans do you have? I guess the best answer is not likely, no matter what tranny you do have. You'll need the trans from the donor car with the 4.0L you want.

[NITZN5]

I've been looking into the same issue. Here's what I've found out.

The only transmission that will bolt up is the 2.9. This is not recommended due to gear ratios, but it will work.

If you have an A4LD, the bellhousing may be removable. If so, you can swap the bellhousings, and use the same transmission.

From what I can gather...other than those two, no other trans will bolt up to the 4.0

[Psychopete]

Originally Posted by NITZN5

I've been looking into the same issue. Here's what I've found out.

The only transmission that will bolt up is the 2.9. This is not recommended due to gear ratios, but it will work.

If you have an A4LD, the bellhousing may be removable. If so, you can swap the bellhousings, and use the same transmission.

From what I can gather...other than those two, no other trans will bolt up to the 4.0

The 2.5L transmission will not bolt to the 4.0L You do not want to use the 2.9L A4LD behind the 4.0L. It will break. They have issues with them behind the 2.9L itself. 140h.p. 170tq.

Is it the SOHC 4.0L, or OHV? The SOHC 4.0L bell housing is 1 bolt different from the OHV. The 2.6, 2.8, 2.9, 4.0 (OHV) will all bolt to the same bellhousing. I am getting ready to use a 2.8L bellhousing to attach a T-5 to my 2.9L. Someone has done a similar swap with a 4.0L (OHV) and using the 2.8L bellhousing.

I believe it was the 86-87 Ranger A4LD that had the removable bell housing, but I honestly cannot remember.

The difference between the 2.9L A4LD and the 4.0L A4LD is that the put harder internals parts into the 4.0L A4LD. You can essentially rebuild a 2.9L A4LD with 4.0L A4LD parts and have a stronger automatic, but it's cheaper/easier to just get a 4.0L junk yard transmission.

There are other combonations that you could use, but just using a 4.0L A4LD is most practical if you want automatic. You will need the transmission wiring harness and you must have the 4.0L automatic ECC. I'd hope that you would have the complete wiring harness . There are non-electronic solutions, but that's a road I've never gone down before.

Pete

[NITZN5]

there ya go! haha.

[towelie]

Yea I have a manual transmission and I wanna keep it a manual. From what everyone's said though its just not gonna work. Thanks.