Chevy guy needs help with ford

GreaseMonkey

Registered User
I know, I know, Chevys suck, they're pieces of **** blah blah blah, not here to argue, just need help with my new toy. Actually its my girlfriend's 92 ford ranger. its equipped with a powerful 4 cyl, and 5 spd. tranny. ok, heres the question, i know that GM engines are interchangeable, as long as you got the computer and motor mounts but is that true for Ford? see my girlfriend leaves for 5 months for air force reserve basic training and when she gets back i want to suprise her by taking out the 12hp 4cyl and dropping in a supercharged 3.8ltr v-6(he he he) maybe throw a pulley on it and port and polish a few hundred things, like throttle bodies, heads, SC housings, and what not. Then take off those gay XLT badges and pin on some new SHO or SVT ones. but is it even possible? am i just wasting my time? i know that rangers do come with v-6's, but would they have the same engine mounts? also, i am probably going to have to replace the entire computer system right? will the tranny still bolt up or are they different? one last thing, how fast does a stock T-Bird SC go in the 1\4 mile? i know my 3.8ltr pontiak GTP(SC'd Gran Prix) went a 14.6 stock with a little octane booster, so im guessing thats about how fast a T-Bird SC would go, same engine, same weght. well maybe the GTP is alittle lighter. Therefor, do you think the little ranger could do a possble 13sec. pass? if any one has ever done this, or hell, if youve even attemted to do this, let me know, your knowledge is my power, thanks, Gene.
 
I have seen this done

but cant remember who did it it was on this board I believe some two yrs ago, I had pictures of it on my old computor in my kids room Ill check and see if they are still there , hope they didnt delete them.
 
There is a guy here...

Who does run a Sc'ed Ranger. I think it is a 1991 ranger too. I don't think that the transmission would work, you'd have to use the supercoupes transmission.
 
Hey all,

I saw the Ranger with the SC motor last winter. He had step-by-step pictures of the conversion. He played welder, plumber and electrician to get it to work. I just remember him saying that it was an unreal amount of work just getting all of the wiring to operate. He used the wiring harnes, computer and all electronics from the SC. So I know it can be done.

Bob
 
I wonder about the trans... as the Tbird is using a Mazda truck trans anyway... did they ever use the tbird 5-speed in the ranger? My understanding is that it is a lot easier to go from the 4cylinder to the V8 as they use the same engine mounts... I remember talking to my father years ago about swapping out the 6 cylinder in an 80+something mustang for a V8 and he said you'd be better off going from a 4 banger to the V8.

Might be easier for you to just upgrade the ranger motor and add an aftermarket turbocharger or supercharger to it? Just a thought.

As far as times, the Tbird at roughly 3750 pounds stock will turn 1/4 miles between 15-15.7 I believe are the correct numbers, depending on year and whether it is a 5-speed or automatic. Figure around 7 seconds 0-60. I would expect that if you can keep the rear wheels down a supercharged 3.8 ranger would fly.
 
Just put a turbo on it, I just got done putting a 2.3L turbo in a 94 Ranger with a 5sp. It is pretty quick and was really pretty easy. The wiring kinda sucked but it really wasn't that bad either. We used everything from the 2.3 dual plug motor, brackets (modified) mounts, everything, the a/c was a problem (turbo gets in the way) but you can order a turbo header to fix this problem...

A 3.8 SC would look really nice however, I am thinking about installing a 3.8 SC in a ranger --- I have a motor with no home....

good luck
 
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