engine swap

metalman · Post by **metalman** » Tue May 10, 2005 11:50 am

I've got a 85 bII and was wanting to know if I could pull the engine, transmission, and t-case from any year model explorer as the whole package to be installed in my bII. If so what year and how much customizing is there. If any one should know i could use all the helpfull info thats needed. I would like any help with modifing my bII from a v6 to a v8.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Tue May 10, 2005 7:21 pm

Look through the prior posts and the answers can be found.

OCD4B2 · Post by **OCD4B2** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:11 am

A far as I know, first generation explorers had a 4.0 liter v6 (years 91-94)
And the the second generation came with either the v6 or a distributor less
V8. It was a 302 5.0 and a really nice motor. But I don't like them because of the coil ran ignition, don't trust em. If it were my guess, I'd rather go with the v8 from a fox body mustang. The electronics for them are real sweet, and they seem to fit better too.

metalman · Post by **metalman** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:54 am

What is a fox body mustang and is there a certin year for those? Can you also use the transmission from the fox body.

OCD4B2 · Post by **OCD4B2** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:00 am

The good fox body mustangs are years 87-93. I have a 90' 302 from a fox body mustang. I had to get one that is the same year or newer so I got the first thing that I could FOR FREE. If you live in california than you'll have to do the same thing, same year or newer.
Yes you can use the same tranny if you want to. The manuals are a t-5, really good for the street or strip. And the auto's are an AOD, These to me are not that great because of bad fluid flow. James Duff has a Housing that you can use from your new tranny to your already existing t-case. Here's the link:
http://www.jamesduff.com/broncoII/v8conversion.html
If you don't wanna be doing to much customizing than this would probably be the way to go. But for me, I'm going for a NP435-np205 combo for my drivetrain. I want the granny gear and steel t-case.

Also, these engines i'm talking about are E.F.I. If you wanna go carb than get an older motor or change all of the ignition and intake for a carb setup. It's just that easy.

metalman · Post by **metalman** » Thu May 12, 2005 11:04 am

Thanks for the advice and will see what i can find. Like you said, i'm not trying to spend a lot of money and unlike you i'm not looking to do much off roading. I just want to make sure that i have the power at the wheels by using a larger engine and ofcourse i'm going with larger axles from a 94 explorer. Keeping it simple and fun! By the way I will have a few OEM parts for sale at a cheap price if any body you know would want them. Mainly the axles, transmission, engine, etc... Thanks again for everyones help and if anyone has more to add if would be greatly appreciated!

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Thu May 12, 2005 12:57 pm

you can't use the mustang tranny unless you want a 2wd truck. I would go NP435 if you want a manual and probably C5/C4 combo if you want an auto. then you can keep the factory 1350 transfer case.

OCD4B2 · Post by **OCD4B2** » Thu May 12, 2005 1:00 pm

Then why the hell does james duff sell an adapter kit that clearly says "If you want a manual transmission, the Borg Warner World Class T5 5-speed from a Mustang is the way to go." If you said it doesn't work than that makes no sense to me.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Thu May 12, 2005 2:07 pm

because you have to buy an expencive adaptor to make it work. the mustang tranny is a 2wd transmission and unless you want to take it apart you are better off buying a 4wd transmission.

don't get me wrong it will work, but for the same price as buying the tranny and no adaptor you can find a NP435 and be ahead as far as the first gear ratio. the NP435 is also used behind bigblocks........I have only seen a T5 behind small blocks. from the factory the BB gives more torque. the NP435 IMO is the best manual tranny to run in a trail truck/DD. the only thing that hurts it is no OD, but if you gear the rear right doing 65MPH should not be a problem.

OCD4B2 · Post by **OCD4B2** » Thu May 12, 2005 9:31 pm

Yea but did you see what he said ^^^^^^^^
He's not gonna be doing much offroading, I on the other hand, am going to be doing an ass load of offroading. I don't think that the Np435 is gonna be his choice for his truck, he probably wants a good truck that he can drive around with a good 8. And a good truck that he can drive any where at any speed, not just up to 65 MPH. That would make me pissed if I didn't even go much 4x4'in

metalman · Post by **metalman** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:02 am

For the record i will be off road some but the problem is i will be on the road just as much. Were i live you don't see bII's jacked up its mostly jeeps and i'm sick of seeing them every where i go. Now we have some good trails around here and ofcourse i do hunt so there for i will 4x4 more than you think and maybe i didn't explain very well my intentions earlier. I guess i'm wanting the best of both worlds by playing in the dirt and showing off my ride on the streets, is that possible. I want to so those jeep owners theres more than one type of 4x4 out there. I want the V8 and i know i will install the 8.8 rear from a 92 explorer with 3.73 gears and the matiching D35 on front so what would you suggest on the tranny knowing this.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:15 am

I can tell you right now you will probably spend double to put the T5 in. personaly I would still go NP435. the difference is this:

T5 = standard 1st gear and overdrive
NP435 = 6.69:1 first gear and 1:1 final drive

honestly have you ever looked at the older muscle cars? most of them did not have OD. how do you think they got good 1/4 mile times? use a roller 5.0L and build you motor a little hot(right cam,intake, and headers) and gear it right and the NP435 will do just fine. maybe Nobody should jump in on this he has the NP435 in his and he DD's it.

OCD4B2 · Post by **OCD4B2** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:12 pm

Well, now that i get the chance to read metlman and your last reply, yes I would agree that you should go with a NP435. DBrown would you suggest a 205 case too? I think that combo should work for him if he is going to be doing half offroading and half on the street. Thats the combo that im gonna have when I get my 302 in.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Fri May 13, 2005 8:49 pm

The reason that the muscle cars didn't have five speeds is cause the technology wasn't there to build an affordable one. The Fox body mustangs are pulling 1/4 miles pretty fast with the five speeds. They may not pull in fifth gear, but they can drive home on the freeway without winding out the engine to do 55-60 mph with the 4:10 gears. On that note, I wouldn't use the t-5 either cause it doesn't have a compound low first or reverse gear and they aren't really that strong. My buddy went through 3 of them in his 89' 5.0L LX before he off'd the car, plus thay have notable clutch probelms.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:14 am

I like the 205 case, they are just stronger. the only thing that hurts the 205 is the gearing. but, there are some companies that are working or have been working on the gear reduction case. so the market should open up before too much longer. I would recomend the 205 to anyone for the strength, you can twin stick it, and more then likely if you buy a NP435 you can find the 205 already attached to it.

yeah the OD is what allows the mustangs to drive on the street with 4.10's but what I was trying to get at was that the old mopars that ran the 833 usualy ran the 3.55:1 which with the right combo of motor components could prefrom extremely well on the steet and at the track. I guess what I am trying to say is OD is not nessary to keep up with traffic if you use the right setup. gearing and power band is really the most important things. usualy the valvetrain is what stops people from getting more RPM's, so if you run the roller 5.0HO like an 87 mustang motor that had 225HP from the factory. you will be able to run the motor at higher RPM's for longer periods of time. that means you don't need OD as much as a standard flat tapit camed motor.