Current Classifieds

74 Pinto Hub Caps & Trim Rings

Date: 02/28/2018 09:37 am
Clutch Fork
Date: 03/31/2018 09:12 pm
Sunroof shade
Date: 06/19/2019 01:33 pm
parts needed
Date: 02/20/2017 07:58 am
4-14" Chrome Plated Wheels 4 x 108 + 0mm offset with new tires

Date: 09/12/2018 12:33 pm
72 Pinto racecar, 2.3 ARCA engine, Quaife trans
Date: 01/10/2022 03:41 pm
Mustang II V8 swap parts
Date: 03/26/2017 02:25 pm
77 Cruising Wagon Front Seats
Date: 04/12/2017 12:37 pm
72 PINTO WAGON

Date: 09/23/2018 06:16 pm
78 hatchback

Date: 03/12/2023 06:50 pm
Looking for oil dipstick and tube 2.3L
Date: 11/23/2017 05:44 pm
Wanted Pinto Fiberglass Body Parts
Date: 08/16/2018 08:54 am

Author Topic: 4.0 swap  (Read 2660 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Braindead

  • Pinto Driver
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • FeedBack: +0/-0
  • Another Pinto Driver

  • Total Badges: 3
    Badges: (View All)
    Topic Starter Poll Voter Windows User
4.0 swap
« on: January 07, 2016, 04:05:28 AM »
I have a matching pair of Orange on Orange Pinto Cruising Wagons, one is a 2.3 auto all pretty much stock and in quite good condition, the other was a V6 car and has no engine or trans. My questions start with
Has any of you done a 4.0 swap?
The situation is kinda intricate but is as follows;
-Project Vehicles
The Cruising Wagon, and
my beloved 89 RWD 2.9 Ranger ext. cab. The Ranger has VERY low miles and runs like it just came from the factory, except for the A4LD transmission. I have owned about 140-150 vehicles (not including parts cars and scrap) and this Ranger is easily one of the best I have had  . . . so far.
The donor vehicles are;
96 Ranger 4.0 (OHV) 5 speed -> Engine is for the Pinto
90 Ranger 2.9 ext. cab 5 speed 4x4 -> Trans is for the Ranger
75 Mustang II hatch 2.8 auto (which is also a project car) -> Oil pan, pump, and pump pickup are for the 4.0 Pinto
What I need to know is
1. how much of the wiring harness from the 96 4.0 has to be taken to the Pinto, and do I have to cut any holes for it?
2. Where is the best place for the OBD2 plug?
3. How hard would it be to use the five speed from the 96 Ranger in the Pinto (Pinto came with C4 auto), and I am wondering if the trans HAS to go with the engine because of computer issues?
4. If I use the 96 Ranger's five speed, will stock Pinto or Mustang II pedals work with it?
5. Will the five speed physically fit into the trans tunnel (and does the shifter line up with the stock hole location)?
6. If I use the C4 auto from the Mustang II, will it work with the computerized 4.0?
7. Will 4.0 Aerostar header style exhaust manifolds fit in the Pinto on the 96 4.0?
8. Has anyone actually weighed the 2.3, 2.9, 4.0 and 5.0 engines side by side by side with similar accessories to each? I have seen weight "estimates" (their word, not mine) that have the 2.3 weighing almost the same as a 5.0, and other "estimates" that the 2.9 weighs virtually the same as the 2.3, yet also saying the 4.0 weighs a LOT more than the 2.9. Since the 2.8, 2.9 and 4.0 are basically the SAME engine, won't they weigh about the same as each other? I expect the 4.0 to be maybe 20-30 lbs. heavier than the 2.8/2.9, but ya never know until you check it yourself I suppose.
I know having accurate information like that would come in handy every now and then.
BTW I would really, REALLY like to know who at Ford was responsible for choosing the C3 instead of the C4 as the basis for the Ranger OD automatic, if anyone knows, please tell me so I can send them some fan mail.

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2016, 10:49:16 AM »
Still thinking of a 4.0 in my cruze wagon ,  I have two V-6 pintos, my 76 has the 2.8 which I installed the 2.9 crankshaft and CFI fuel injection , trans I use is a A4ld overdrive , see my photo gallery on this site , my 79 wagon is still have a tossup between the 4.0 or Diesel ,  I have already done the mock up for the 4.0 , it all bolts up, the oil pan is a kind of almost fit , one side you will have to do a small mod , the oil pump pick up you will have to make one up from the 2.8 and 4.0 by splicing , trans pattern is the same on the 2.8 2.9 and 4.0, flywheel is too, that still take the same rear seals , on using the ranger five speed I have to say no , it has a hyd clutch , the pinto is cable, but if you can find a mustang II four speed bellhousing you can bolt up a T-5, you can use the c-4 or c-3 trans on the 4.0 , just make sure you use the computor out of a standard trans vehicle or codes will pop up, the 2.9 and 2.8 weight the same , the 4.0 just a little more , on the exhaust you will have to use the 2.9 ranger manifolds one the 4.0 , passenger side is a tight fit , if I had to do the 2.8 all over again I would have just used the 2.9 , and stuffed the 4.0 crank into it, makes a 3.5 , and use the top half on the intake off a merkur scorpio  with the 2.9 , it have a very low profile and a few extra ponys , plus you  do not have to adjust the valves anymore, the 4.0 engine i have is a 94 , the later 4.0,s do not have the hole for the 2.8 mounts , but I do not know what year they stoped ,  I have the OB1 plug in under the glove box , to check it easy if I have a problem , the computor is on top of it out of the way , if you have a V-6 car it has the 8 inch rear end , the C-3 trans was made in france, the 2.8 was made in germany so it was first used over there and later picked up here , its not a bad transmission if you know how to do a few mods and care for it, if your going to use the A4LD ALWAYS get the ones after 94 , and do not ever tow anything in Overdrive , ever !! I toasted a couple before I found out what I was doing wrong , I have a 93 ford ranger 4.0 that I brought new and now has over 250K miles on it with half of the towing something and a 90 bronco II that almost got 400K before the Trans took a dump , got one in my 76 and 10K on it and also tow a camper with it , also look on the site I do have photos of the 2.8 oil pan on a 4.0 here someplace , hope this helps , later Blaine in missisippi
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline Braindead

  • Pinto Driver
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • FeedBack: +0/-0
  • Another Pinto Driver

  • Total Badges: 3
    Badges: (View All)
    Topic Starter Poll Voter Windows User
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2016, 02:28:34 PM »
Your reply was almost everything I NEED to know.
Still, do you know the actual weight of the engines? (and what accessories are attached when weighed)
Lastly, have you tried the Aerostar exhaust manifolds?
Thanks a LOT !
I am getting kinda stoked now, waiting for the weather to warm up enough that my knuckles aren't half frozen when working on the vehicles. I guess I could get s a few more heat lamps and make a wind break. Or just finish building the new shop (same frozen knuckle problem, but the half frozen "muddy" ground really slows me down)

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2016, 12:27:47 PM »
the weight of the engines I do not know , figure the 2.8 and 2.9 are the same, the 4.0 may be 25 to 50 lbs more , I did use the 4.0 starter on my 76 , smaller and saved a few lbs , plus it spins the crap out the engine on start up, the 4.0 engine i have came out of a 94 ranger , I bolted up the exhaust from a 2.9 merkur scorpeo , they would work ,  also the exhaust ports on the later 4.0 are smaller , do not know what year they started on that , I do know they have a 4.0 engine rebuilders site on this engine , some parts you can interchange and some you can not , I also brought some tube type headers that i was going to cut and fit if i had to , also some one does make a carb manifold to use on it, you have to use the 2.9 dist for ign , hope this give you the missing info you need , but i will jump back on this project after I finish up a few i have in front of it,   but still have not made up my mind to go 4.0 or Diesel ,
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline enzo

  • Pinto Member
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • FeedBack: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Another Pinto Driver

  • Total Badges: 5
    Badges: (View All)
    Mobile User Fifth year Anniversary Topic Starter Poll Voter Windows User
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2016, 11:06:24 AM »
How did you mod the dist, the drive gear is reverse cut from the 2.8, and, the oil pump drive is different.  What main bearings did you use with the 2.9 crank?

Offline enzo

  • Pinto Member
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • FeedBack: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Another Pinto Driver

  • Total Badges: 5
    Badges: (View All)
    Mobile User Fifth year Anniversary Topic Starter Poll Voter Windows User
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2016, 11:13:06 AM »
Also, which CFI throttle body did use, the one from the V6 or V8?

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2016, 05:43:12 PM »
I used the last year 2.8 dist , it was computer controlled with a feedback carb, so that was a drop in , on the crank the rod bearings and main bearings are the same for the 2.8 2.9 and the 4.0 , except for the middle thrust bearing , you cut the nose of the crank down to fit the timing gear , the front and rear seal are the same on all, the CFI I used was off a 84 LTD with a 5.0 , used the 2.9 computer out of my 90 Bronco II , works very well ,
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline enzo

  • Pinto Member
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • FeedBack: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Another Pinto Driver

  • Total Badges: 5
    Badges: (View All)
    Mobile User Fifth year Anniversary Topic Starter Poll Voter Windows User
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2016, 09:14:41 AM »
Thanks.
I've been thinking of using a CFI with a Microsquirt to control fuel, leaving the ignition as is. 
Did you use the injectors from the V8 or switch to the V6 injectors?

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: 4.0 swap
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2016, 07:09:42 PM »
I used the V6 CFI at first but ran lean on the mid and top eng , switched to the 5.0 CFI , the injectors for the 2.9 had six 14 Lbs per hour injectors , the 3.8 had two 36 Lbs per hour injectors , not enough , the 5.0 has two 42 Lbs injectors , works great , the CFI body's are the same , except the HO 5.0 .  It had a larger CFI body and 52 Lbs per hour injectors , used the stock computer from my 1990 Bronco II , always cranks with a bump of the starter , Hot or Cold , great gas mileage and low end power ,

76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0