Well I decided it's time to start cataloging what happens with my new truck so here goes.. Wasn't going to start a build thread till I had some real progress pics to show, but I'm filling my head with so many questions about how I'm going to tackle this build that I needed a place to get answers and ask questions as I come across issues, as well as organize my thoughts on what to do.. Some of the folks here may remember my 2004 Ranger I sold last year. (3.0 5 speed ext cab with 5.5 midtravel and LT rear, build thread - http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/dr-rides/172279.htm). It was an awesome truck and I learned alot. It was clean but again, I learned on this truck, so rather than shell out the thousands for LT to finish the truck off, I decided to sell out. I went through a couple Honda Preludes (1988 2.0si and 2000 SH) which I loved, but definitely had a few expensive mistakes.. I figured i'd better quit losing money (well on cars that is..) and get back to what I know best and love.
The 04 when i sold her:


Here is a pic from around 2 years ago at a DR meet, my old truck and my current truck, both halfway built at the time.


Picked up this 1998 Ranger Single cab from Brad (bkilgore here on DR, here is his build thread for the truck - http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/dr-rides/165070.htm). It has a 2.5 auto trans, BTF LT up front, boxed uppers, D35 fabbed uprights, still running balljoint lowers, 10in fox shocks, has bump stop cans mounted but i purchased the truck without bumps or rear shocks. Rear setup is a fullwidth 8.8, 4.56 gears, detroit, explorer disk brakes, deaver f31s, and a clean space saving bedcage made by stanleyfab and designed for 16s. I didn't plan on buying something semibuilt but the work was incredibly clean and i knew it would be way more expensive to build a truck from scratch like i attempted last time. Current Pics:


first thing i did was swap out the flag mirrors with some xlt ones i had laying around.


BTF did all the fab work for the front end install, and its top notch!


Rear bedcage done by stanleyfab, definitely on par with the front, strong and clean work. I just wish it were removable so i could get the bed off. Running those fullrace stock shocks till i can afford to put a good set back on the bedcage.









I'm considering painting this truck in the near future. For one it's because I cant stand white, it's a blank canvas waiting for some color, also it's got a bald spot that is peeling on the driver door. This is a color that a family friend mixed up a few years ago for my family CJ project, trying to match the factory copper it came in. One of the parents didn't like how light it turned out and it wasn't used. So what better use than to make this little single cab stand out from the rest! it should dry closer to the darker swirl you see here.


From the get go, i knew the drivetrain in this truck would have to change.. with the 2.5 approaching 200k fast i wanted to have a backup plan ready. I'm not worried so much about the motor, as the lima's are pretty damn reliable, but the auto could shit on me because it's pushing heavy grabbers with not enough gearing. I originally had hopes for an easy smog legal 5.0 swap because it was a 98 and auto, then i remembered i've got tt dreams on a class 11 budget.. So when this 2000 4.0 OHV swap came up for sale here on DR myself and a buddy drove down to LA and back to get it. 13 hour round trip, but i had almost everything i'd need for a great price. I picked up a motor (rumored to have 76k, cannot confirm, oh well), 5r55e trans, engine/chassis harness, dash and steering column. It ended up having a nice BBK 66mm throttle body on it as well.










I had a little free time last week and opened up the upper intake and removed the valve covers for a little look. everything looked clean under the valve covers. there was a little oil around the intake but i was told that a little was normal for a 4.0.. i figured this was the best time while the motor was out to get the heads off and have them checked out, change all seals, water pump etc.








dont mind the first bolt i touched on the motor, snapped an exhaust manifold bolt. I'm wondering if this is an EGR block off on the manifold? guessing to get the swap bar'd id need the egr working if it is supposed to be there.


little surface rust on the inside of the valve cover, do i need to replace these or can i clean it up and run it?


the spark plugs werent all that fantastic, so we'll see what i find when i open her up.

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one thing that started to bother me while DDing the truck was that there was no working radio, no dome light and no visors. Brad did a great job recovering the headliner but didnt reinstall some of these parts. So I added an explorer overhead console, and dual visors with lit mirrors (something the gf said she wanted) i scored at the junkyard. I've installed around 10 expo OHC's and the installs get cleaner every time. Pulled a factory radio plug and ordered a new aftermarket radio harness and dash kit to clean it up once i get a stereo, headphones for now..




things i dont have pics of yet - picked up a brand new 4.0 radiator and 4.0 single cab driveshaft from Dylan for a good price, thinking i really lucked out finding the driveshaft so local, as i dont think many single cabs came with 4.0s, and less in 2wd form. I also am pretty sure it is a steel driveline and not the aluminum one, will post a pic so hopefully someone can confirm.

This motor swap is going to be the biggest puzzle I've attempted, but people do this every day and it should be an easy swap being ranger to ranger and not a hybrid of some sort. the few questions i have off the top of my head are:

will going solid motor/trans mounts give me issues on a noncaged/no solid body mount truck? rockauto only seems to have the left motor mount for an a-arm 2wd frame and a 4.0, was going to just run the autofab stuff..
98 up Ranger 2wd coil spring A arm truck 4.0 V6 motor and transmission mount package

will removing the PATS system from the computer mess with my ability to get this truck bar'd?

i will have a few questions about fuel pumps, injectors etc, but for now i have more reading to do on TRS.

where can i get full wiring diagrams? do the haynes manuals have them?

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Awwww hell....Morgan is back at it again!!! Yee haw

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The truck looks like a fun project. My Haynes manual has a ton of wiring diagrams in it.

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If I were you, pick up a factory copy of the wiring diagrams. They're very detailed, and stupid easy to read.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...grams&_sacat=0

Thanks guys. Im hoping it will be a fun project and not just a death sentence for this truck because i pluck the motor. A 4.0 with 4.56s and a single cab should move pretty good. Thanks for the link shaun.

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I was wondering when you would make this

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Valve covers will be fine. Sand the rust off and run with them.

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2017 Lightning Blue Mustang GT PP 430/402
CJ Pony Parts Lowering Springs | Texas Speed Longtubes | PMAS CAI | Lund Tuned | Borla S-Type Catback
2013 F150 FX4 5.0 - Sold
1998 Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0 5spd - Sold
2001 Mustang Bullitt - Sold
2005 Level II - Sold
2001 Integra GSR - Sold
1999 XLT - May 2013 TOTM - Totaled

Just don't let the engine swap get the best of you. Make sure you have all of your ducks in a row before you start the swap. I think I only needed to go out and grab one or two tools during my 5-speed swap. I had everything else.

good to see you back in a ranger morgan, welcome back!

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2000 XLT 4X4, 3.0, Auto, regular cab - throttle cable mod, K&N drop in filter, taylor thundervolt 8.2 plug wires, autolite sparkplugs, Accel coil pack, AVS Ventshades, Rampage LED tailgate light bar, BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A tires, Trail F/X toolbox, cruse control pod light fix, Cobra 19 ultra II CB, lil wil antenna, pioneer door speakers, expo woodgrain radio bezal, 06+ mirrors & tails, powerdome hood

2000 XLT 4X4 Offroad, 4.0 / auto, supercab - the project truck!

If someone has a 2wd 98-00 ranger 4.0 and can take engine bay shots from several angles including below it would be incredibly helpful.

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there's a possibility I might have a 93 4.0 this Saturday and I can take some pictures. But they changed the 4.0 after 97 didn't they?
Nice truck BTW! Subscribed

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1996 ranger 3.0 extended cab 2wd straight shift SOLD 6/13/15

2003 f150 4.2 regular cab 2wd straight shift still in the driveway

1998 f150 4.2 regular cab 2wd automatic daily driver

i have a 93 4.0 here at home for reference that belongs to the roommate, it should help with the basics but when they went obd2 in 95 and then to a arms in 98 the bay changed a little so i'm looking for a newer one to "copy". thank you though!

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subbed

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Glad you made one, I'm in love with your truck(s) haha
Subscribed!

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2007 Regular Cab - 2.3 DOHC - 5 Speed Auto - 4.10 Gears - Maxtrac 7" Lift - Fiberwerx 3" Fenders - Bilstein 5100 Series - 15x10 Ultra 164's - 35x12.50x15 Red Letters - Custom dents

so i drove down to fresno monday night and loaded my girlfriends car with truck parts. met up with justin and picked up a set of 16in FOA's that i traded to him last year. Kinda neat to have a few parts that were on the 04 originally. also bought some 06+ mirrors and then headed over to Alec at To The Moon Racing HQ to pick up a full 4.0 exhaust setup. So now i've got a y pipe, and a custom backpipe with no cats. Still need cats in order to BAR/smog it but the custom collector should sound cool. Next morning I spent a little time installing the shocks then headed to Prairie city for some testing with my brother and a few friends.






Alex's truck, camburg 6.0 kit with 2.0x8in King coilovers added, full tube bedcage with dual spares, and deavers.


All was well for a couple hours. I was on the other side of the park showing my little brother what his 4runner could do when i got the phone call. Nobody was hurt. Trucks can be fixed, people sometimes cant.. We believe that even though he didnt have a full cage, the hoop at the back did its job and prevented the cab from pancaking like they do..


got it flipped back over and towed it home.


Luckily rangers are cheap when they dont work right. So rather than cut his losses on a 20k+ truck, we're picking up a parts truck tomorrow. Has a rod knock and needs to make a 2 hour drive home (should make it), but the best part is its the same color already!


new mirrors


Started the trim on the bedcage holes. Still need to make a few cuts on the bed to finish up, but shocks need to come out for that so it can wait till my rebuild kits show up.




think i'll be mounting the hilift here so long as i dont think it's too Jeep


pic of the new driveline and suuper kustom exhaust


the truck was a blast to drive on the track for the first time. rear shackles still hit the bed so the leaf pack didnt bump right, rear shock seals are toast, black oil on both sides of the piston im pretty sure. front needs bumps but the LT was miles ahead of the last truck of course and felt great. The rear end of my last truck was so dialed so i cant wait to get this one cycling right.
The lack of power paired with the stiff rear and the bouncing that it produced didnt give me great traction and couldnt get alot of speed. It was great through most of the smoother corners though. I knew it wasnt going to be great the first time out, cant wait to get these bugs fixed and see what needs improving next!

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