V8 swap would it be worth it over all?

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Rich is correct. I've been a member since 2003 and have read all the posts about how easy it should be to do and the "direct bolt on" conversion. Nobody has done it yet or if they did, they didn't post about it. (which doesn't make sense with the overwelming response those have gotten about how it isn't going to be that simple) Still leads me to believe like Rich, that it hasn't or can't be done without some type of major modifying. Trust me, if it was done and done simply, someone would have posted it on here and people would have gone nuts about it since everyone would like to have a ST with a V8. I'm also sure if it was going to be simple and cost effective, Tonka would have done it instead of going with the 350 swap he did. He still had to do some modifying to the mounts and such. Instead of argueing about it, do it then post the pics on here and watch how quickly the replies come. I for one would be interested in seeing how it goes together and just how much the cost was.;)
 
There are over 12K member here who will post a project on how to change a tailight bulb to swaping the rear drums for disk brakes.
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Ironically enough, this is the same person that said a rear disk could not be done.



Anyways, sometimes it is just hard to justify replacing a perfectly good working engine.



If I were in the financial position to do so, I would pick up a 2001 ST and do a V8 swap. Having a rolling chassis with the engine, drivetrain, and electronics would be the only way to go. How different the electronics between the instrumentation and the engine harness is could be an issue.



Looking at my 2000 Explorer and my 2002 Trac, they are almost identical.



My brother is considering pulling his 4.0L OHV engine with a 4.0L SOHC engine. If he decides to do that, I will talk him into using a V8 instead.





Tom
 
Richard,

You are extremely and sadly mistaken, and obviously have absolutely zero mechanical experience or knowledge of the explorer based vehicles. I am not going to argue with you about it since you are extremely sheltered in thinking that since it has not been done by a member of this site it is impossible. More than 70-80% of the projects listed here are just copies of instructions from buying parts, or like you said changing light bulbs. Out of the 12k members there are only a handful of members who are innovative, and come up with ideas and items for the ST.



There are no projects on this site for a lift kit, or how to do a front end coilover conversion, or how to put 4:56 gears in both axles, or how to put a brush guard on the front end after a body lift is installed. Is all that impossible as well? The internet contains alot of info out there, dont be afraid to look somewhere else other than here, it really is ok to do some research outside of MYST.com



I am now finished with this thread.
 
Just an FYI, Ford did not build 2 door Explorer Sports with a V8 nor was a V8 Explorer ever available with a manual transmission. Easiest deal is using a 2001 Explorer V8 donor vehicle and a 2001 Sport Trac. Mixing parts from other years can be workable but again, you run into issues with the computer and PATS systems.
 
Caymen,

I never said that converting to rear disk was not possible, I said it wans not practical to change rear ends or try to take parts off of and Explorer with rear disks brakes. You did not do that...You purchased a conversion kit that had all the necessary parts to do the conversion...which is the right way to do it. So stop implying that I said it could not be done, when you know damed well that I was not talking about purchasing a disk brake conversion kit.



Chad,

I have probably spend more time under the hood of a car than you have been on this earth. I have probably done more engine swapt than you have ever dreamed of. You have no idea what you are talking about and it shows by your assumptions that any Ford V9 will bolt right into the Sport Trac engine compartment.



I am not saying that because nobody here has done it, that it can't be done. I am simply saying that if it has been done, why is there no evidence of it?? You claim it can be done as a simple bolt-in, yet cannot show me anyone who has done it. Again, if it had been done, someone here would have done it or posted pictures or a link to show were someone has done it...The simple fact is that it cannot be done as a simple bolt-in and is a lot more complicated and expensive than your little mind can even comprehend, so you just make it sound simple



The first 3-4 years this site exisited all everyone ever talked about was wanting a V8 in the Sport Trac. That's why the question was asked of the engineers at Ford during all the early national meets at Louisville, and we always got the same answer. "Because the V8's will not fit into the unmodified engine compartment of the Exploer Sport or Sport Trac" If it was a simple modification, Ford probably would have done it to sell more Sport Tracs, but it was not practical or cost effective for them to do that. That was the first time many of us ever knew that there was a difference between the Explorer Sport/Sport Trac and a regular Explorer.



I don't care if you are finsihed with this thread, I will still write my reply.



...Rich
 
The Ford engineers at the time would not have considered using the 302 engine because they were totally committed to the 4.6, which is a much wider engine. The 302 no longer existed as far as they were concerned. After all, Ford stopped using the 302 in production vehicles in 2001.



Although I have seen documented swaps putting a 4.6 into a Ranger, it was a lot of work. The 302 should be easier to do. With a v8 Explorer donor vehicle it should be a bolt-in. The 4.6 will take a lot of work to do, and the Ford engineers were not able to justify the expense to upper management to put a 4.6 into a 2001-2005 Sport Trac, and upper management would not have allowed them to do it with a 302.



You, however, do not have to deal with upper management. If you want to, it should be possible. I have not done it because I need my Trac on a daily basis and we are not in the position to have a major engine swap going on at our household right now. Personally I have my sights set on a Northstar v8 Fiero sometime in the future. Unless something else strikes my fancy when I get there!:lol:
 
I never said that converting to rear disk was not possible, I said it wans not practical to change rear ends or try to take parts off of and Explorer with rear disks brakes. You did not do that...You purchased a conversion kit that had all the necessary parts to do the conversion...which is the right way to do it. So stop implying that I said it could not be done, when you know damed well that I was not talking about purchasing a disk brake conversion kit.
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What is the kit I used? Explorer rear disk brakes. You, if I had a "Pull-A-Part" location by my house at that time, I would have pulled brakes off an Explorer. I got the kit because buying all the parts needed would have costed me more.



What are my rear brakes from? An Explorer. Same pads and an Explorer. Same Rotors as an Explorer. Same bolts, same backing plate/caliper bracket. Same brake lines.



Same everything.



Why was it the same everything as an Explorer? Because if you pulled the parts off an explorer and put it in a bax, you would have a conversion kit.



Who is willing to supply me with a Trac and folling V8 Chassis for the swap? I need to prove the nay sayers wrong.





Tom
 
I wish ford would have kept the 302 and 351 pushrod. Gm moded their push rod motors to modern day emissions. Why didnt ford. Not that I dislike the modular motors. It is just that ford is still in the R&D mode with the modulars..The pushrods were prooven design and GM knew that. Also the pushrod motors are more compact.
 
Eddie

R&D phase? the 4.6 mod engine has been used since 1991 (17 yrs)

Granted pushrod engines served us well back in the day, but they are dinosaurs

No more bent Rods, no tappit noise, far more moving parts, far more friction and parisitic drag.

In OEM form Mod engines make far more H.P with alot less displacment, get far better gas miliage and last far longer, no distributors no plug wires, is just a better engine period.

maybe ford should go back to the engines I cut my teeth on:) gotta love those old flatheads:lol:
 
Ok I lied!! I could not resist what Richard had to say.



Chad,

I have probably spend more time under the hood of a car than you have been on this earth. I have probably done more engine swapt than you have ever dreamed of. You have no idea what you are talking about and it shows by your assumptions that any Ford V9 will bolt right into the Sport Trac engine compartment.
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That may be true. But has it been under 95-01 Explorers? If not then, STFU as I have spent alot of time under those hoods and drivetrains.





And Caymen I agree 110% with you. If my state emissions were a little more flexible I would already have the V-8 under the hood.
 
Caymen,

You said yourself that it was a kit to convert an Explorer to rear disk brakes. You claimed that you even questioned the guy if they would fit a Sport Trac The fact that they where standard Explorer parts was not know or not mentioned by you when you did the swap.



My point at the time was that Michelle had purchased an Explorer rear end with disk brakes that just the rotors and calipers might not be everything that needed to ve changed. It could have required a new Master Cylinder, or proportioning valve to make it work. As it turns out you bought a kit that someone had already figured out the necesarry parts and it did not require a new master cylinder or proportioning valve



So what's your point...I nvever said it could not be done, I suspected that the calipers and rotors would just bolt on, but I was not sure if there were differences in the master cylinder or even the ABS sensor.



Back to the V* engine swap. If it was a simple bolt in issue with perhaps some custome motor mounts someone would be selling the kit to do it, and people would have done it. Do you idiots think you are the only people who think bolting in a V8 is that easy. If it was that easy it would have been done by so many people that it would be common to see a V9 in a gen-1 Sport Trac on almost any street corner.



The simple fact is that there is a lot of work that most are not willing to do. Nobody wants to start hacking away ath their Sport Trac or fabricating makshift parts just to say they put a V8 in. Yes, someone with more money than brains can stuff any engine in the Sport Trac if they want it bad enough or just to prove a point that is not in question but Caymen seems to be that kind of guy who wants to prove something that is not in question.



My statement still stands: You cannot simply bolt-in a V8 into the early Gen-1 Sport Trac engine compartment without serious fitting issues, transmission issues and computer issues. Thees issues will make the conversion too costly, too labor intensive and probably serously dimish the value of the truck. If the engine is too wide you will be hacking up the fender wells. If the engine is too long you will be hacking up the firewall or hacking up the radiator support to put in a different radiator. Even if you get the engine in you have to adress the transmission issues and I think we all agree that the 5 speed automatic will not work with the V8, etc





...Rich
 
Richard, get this through your head...... the engine bays are IDENTICAL! There will be no fenderwell cutting, no firewall clearancing, no A/C box issues!!!!!! The motor mounts from a 5.0 V8 Explorer will bolt to the frame half of the motor mounts from the 4.0 V6 ST. The radiators are the same, etc, etc, etc..... I spent several hours staring at my trucks side by side. The wiring harnesses are nearly identical, the computer is in the same location. This is not to say there won't be some challenges, some wiring changes and modifications to minor components such as the Vehicle Speed Sensor, but VERY few modern motor swaps come without these obstacles.



The 4.6 and 5.4 motors will not "bolt-in", and will require extensive modifications to nearly everything. The 5 speed tranny won't work. But we're not talking about those motors or that tranny, we're talking about the 5.0 with its 4-speed automatic tranny.



On a side note, I might be changing jobs in the next few weeks. If I do, I won't need my ST for daily transportation anymore. This thread is really getting me worked up to prove that this can be done.......
 
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Dan,



Be sure to take pictures and notes along the way, and then submit the project for publication here.:)
 
Jesus!!!! Just do it already!!!! If it's going to be so easy, it could have been done by now with all the bickering going on!!!!:D;)



And for Christ's sake, if one of the 12K+ members on here who has done it, just post and say you have. Any takers?:huh:
 
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Nobody has done it because it is an assanine idea.
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With the extra torque and horsepower available through minor bolt-ons and tuning, plus the option of stroking the motor if you really want to go all out, I beg to differ..... Not to mention the reliability of these motors when modded, compared to the ticking time bomb and lackluster performance of a forced induction 4.0.



Unfortunately, I sold the Explorer a few months ago. The problem was that the truck was worth too much money to me, so I was going to have to swap the 5.0 in to the ST, and the 4.0 back into the Explorer. So I was essentially going to be doing 2 swaps. I'm going to start keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a wrecked 2wd 5.0 Explorer so that it can be scrapped after I get the parts I need from it... Believe me though, I will have plenty of pics and notes if I get the opportunity to tackle this.
 
Than do it dan

Spend 7 k building stroked 302, than spend 2 grand on a lentech prepped tranny (you will have to do the tranny) than spend a yr and alot of effort fabing parts to get the engine in.

And than what do you have? a 400 HP engine in a lead sled, thats assinine IMO.

Or you can get your V6 Built with forged internals, go forced induction, and get the same result without the fitment issues, the wireing issues Etc, just bolt the sucker back in, get a tune, and motor on.

But, most little WRX ricers will still run your ass into the ground.

The gen 2s with the V8 are lame in OEM form, Is the wgt dude
 
Dan,

Talk is cheap, doing it is what I want to see. Anybody can stare at the engine bay and imagine a V8 in there and I'm sure in your mind it fit like a glove and you installed it in 15 minutes and never got your hands dirty or missed your favorite TV show.



You ack like nobody has ever looked at their underpowered vehicle and thought that a biger engine would just fit right in because it's make by the same company. Thinking about it, and doing it are very different. It always looks easy in the eyes of the dreamer. and your wishful thinking has clouded your logic and reality.



Everyone one who has said that it would be simple to put a V8 in the Sport Trac is just plowing hot air and just want to debate or argue the issue. If they spend as much time putting a V8 in an early Sport Trac the will realize that it's a lot less work to just argue about than to actually do it. That is why nobody has done it.



Can't you get it through your thick skull that if it was so easy, why has nobody done it yet !! The few who may have stuffed a V8 in an early Explorer Sport or Sport Trac have done so only because they had very deep pockets and a lot of determination to do it. I applaud their determination, but it cost more in work and money than it was worth in most peoples minds



So until you wake up from your dream and actually attempt to install a V8 in an early Explorer Sport or Sport Trac, iyou do not know anymore than the other idiots who continue to argue that it's just a simple bolt-in swap !



...Rich





 

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