The Perfect Project - 3:1 (4.0 liter)

[Ruffinit]

First off I want to say that what Amberbrush is asking is one of my own questions. I will be making this 4.0 swap next week and my biggest question is on the wiring harness. Enough have done this that it should be documented, just can't find it...

I have an 88 BII that I am going to swap a 4.0 from my 94 Exp sport into. I also have a 89 BII. All three of these currently run. IF you could use all three, what components would you use? All 3 are V6/5spd 4x4, the BIIs have a 42 axles and the Exp has the 41. Not sure I want to go with 4:10s. Only the 88 has the manual Xfr case and a 3 yr warrantied 5 spd. The 88 and 94 have new clutches.

Which wiring harness? Do you know what specific mods need to be made to the harness?

I can use all three vehicles to make this right. Should I use the dash from the 89 or 94? Relocate the battery?

Thanks in advance.

[Joel H]

I did somewhat of the same swap.

If you use the dash from the Explorer it will make everything almost a plug and play.

Use the headlight harness also and just replace the headlight plugs with the ones from the 88.

I did a small blerp on the dash swap here about third of the way down on the first page. Warning there are lots of pictures.
http://www.broncoii-ranger.com/forum/vi ... =dash+swap

If you want to see just the pictures you can see them here.

http://s128.photobucket.com/albums/p198 ... /?start=24

If you have any questions let me know.

Here is a list of the parts I used.

Distribution/headlight harness from a 90 B2, interior dash from a 90 B2, Heater box from a 89 B2, Peddle assy from an 89 B2, firewall sound mat from 89 B2. 4.0L from a 91 Ranger

If you can get all this from the Explorer all the better.

[Joel H]

All 3 are V6/5spd 4x4, the BIIs have a 42 axles and the Exp has the 41. Not sure I want to go with 4:10s.

The Explorer has 3.27 if the axle code is 41.

Explorer
43 Open 3200 3.08
41 Open 3200 3.27
42 Open 4.10
46 Open 3.73
45 Open 3200 3.55
D4 Limited Slip 3200 3.73
D2 Limited Slip 4.10
L73 Limited Slip 3.73

The B2's are 3.45 with an axle code of 42

Bronco II
42 Regular 2640 3.45
44 Regular 2640 3.73
47 Regular 2500 4.10
D2 Limited Slip 2500 3.45
D4 Limited Slip 2640 3.73
D7 Limited Slip 2500 4.10

[Joel H]

BTW My B2 is a 5:1.

87 B2 Original
88 B2 parts
89 B2 parts
90 B2 parts
91 Ranger Parts

I did reassemble the Ranger with parts from the 88 and sold the truck.

[Ruffinit]

Hey Joel, I checked out your posting on your rebuild. Man, that's quite the project, much more involved than mine for sure. Couple things I have questions on.. You stated that when you first tried to fire it up you were missing a ground. Couldn't make sense of the pics on that, what did you find and how did you fix it? I looked hard at the 94 and the 89. They both look almost identical. Either dash should work, the wiring I still think I'll pull from the 94 with the engine and tranny. To throw another dimension into this mix is that I just today bought a rust free 84 that is a primo runner but has a auto. I think I'm gonna change my scope to put this whole thing into it and part out or sell my 88 as everything I want is in the 94 except for interior pieces. BTW I love the looks of the round headlights in yours. How did you "mildly" modify the stock grill for those? Think I need to learn to weld!

[Joel H]

Hey Joel, I checked out your posting on your rebuild. Man, that's quite the project, much more involved than mine for sure. Couple things I have questions on.. You stated that when you first tried to fire it up you were missing a ground. Couldn't make sense of the pics on that, what did you find and how did you fix it? I looked hard at the 94 and the 89. They both look almost identical. Either dash should work, the wiring I still think I'll pull from the 94 with the engine and tranny. To throw another dimension into this mix is that I just today bought a rust free 84 that is a primo runner but has a auto. I think I'm gonna change my scope to put this whole thing into it and part out or sell my 88 as everything I want is in the 94 except for interior pieces. BTW I love the looks of the round headlights in yours. How did you "mildly" modify the stock grill for those? Think I need to learn to weld!

There was a ground that went to the battery negative. It was hiding under the battery tray. I must have missed it when hooking everything up.

The dash on the 94 and the 89 are identical however the explorer harness has some pins different on the big bulkhead connector. This is the reason for using the full engine harness, dash harness, and distribution harness. Then you just need to plug in or splice some of the chassis wireing but that is simple.

Swaping parts to the 84 is going to be more involved chassis wise. The 84 is a carb and the explorer is fuel injection. You are going to need the fuel system from an EFI bronco II. The 89's will work but you need to splice the fuel lines together or find the fuel lines from a 90 B2. These will plug right into the 4.0L lines.

The stock Grill was modified by cutting out the square light pockets and glueing in the round transitions I made.

There is more info on the round light swap on B2-ranger.

[Ruffinit]

The dash on the 94 and the 89 are identical however the explorer harness has some pins different on the big bulkhead connector. This is the reason for using the full engine harness, dash harness, and distribution harness. Then you just need to plug in or splice some of the chassis wireing but that is simple.

OK, so let's see if I have this correct; I should use the 94 dash, 94 engine harness, 94 dash harness and distribution harness, but the 89 body wiring? Or will the 94's body wiring work? I found some round and square headlights that are made to allow you to use halogen bulbs and will probably get those so I don't need to make changes in the headlight hookup.
I'm pulling the 89's entire interior except for the 94 seats and console. Couple interesting things I've found is that the 88 has the vent windows, but none of the others do. Sure would like those in the 84, but I think that's gonna take a bit too much fabrication. I picked up the 84 in Tennessee and found that the roof "flexes" with the window down on the interstate (drove it 600 miles). My others have the roof rack. Should I need to put the roof rack on the 84 to keep this from happening?

[Ruffinit]

You are going to need the fuel system from an EFI bronco II. The 89's will work but you need to splice the fuel lines together or find the fuel lines from a 90 B2. These will plug right into the 4.0L lines.

Oh, yeah I did note that the entire fuel system will need to be swapped. But.. the 84's rust free body and frame will be worth the effort. Are the 94's fuel lines just too different to work on the BII? Where would the splicing come in on the 89's fuel lines? I knew that I had to change out the fuel lines from the frame filter forward..

The 23 gallon tank on the 84 is really nice though. Makes it a long way between fuel stops. I know the 89's is a 15 and I think that the 88's is a 15 also, but the book says it's s'posed to be a 23. This 2.8 is not too bad, just a bit on the anemic side.

[Joel H]

The filter forward you can use the Explorer plastic hose. The return line however you will have to splice. Unless you can get the 90 B2 fuel lines.

Splicing the interior wires into the Explorer harness shouldn't be a big deal. It's just dome light, speakers and rear wiper.

I remember hearing somewhere that the Explorer tail light harness runs inside the cab.

Find a guy by the name Cheapthrills (Jon) on the other boards and ask him all these questions you have. He just did the swap on a Bronco. Same as what you will be doing.