4.0 sohc in a 88 with 2.9/smog legal

[charlie_brown]

i am getting ready to swap in a sohc motor in to my 88 ranger with the 2.9. i am going to make it street legal and take it to the referee. it currently has a fuel safe fuel cell, SI/plank 4-link and threat = length beams up front.
what should i look for to better prep my truck for the ref. and what is the "pats" system?

 

[DSRacing]

The first issue the ref will have is with the fuel cell. Make sure all the emissions equipment and ECU ID numbers match whatever year you choose to install in the truck. Try not to mix and match different year parts.

If I were to do this swap, I'd look for a junked pre-2000 Explorer and swap everything into the Ranger. Have a Ford EVT manual for both vehicles, it will come in handy when doing the wiring.

PATS stands for Passive Anti-Theft System. It prevents the fuel injectors from working unless the computer chip installed in the key is programmed to the ECU. Before you take it to a ref, make sure you run a diagnositc test to ensure the computer isn't thowing any codes.

Refs are a pain in the ***. I've had some question parts installed on the vehicle when the CARB ID tag was staring them right in the face.

 

[charlie_brown]

thanks for the tips. here is some details on what i got.

I got a great deal on a sport trac (2001?) that was rolled. The guy is just stripping off the suspension parts an I am getting everything else. I live in socal (home of the smog crud).
My truck: 88 ranger, 2wheel drive preruner, fuel safe fuel cell, 4 link rear with 26” travel and threat = length beams (dana 44 hubs” up front, about 19” travel. Stock 2.9.

Donor truck: rolled 2001 sport trac with the 4.0 sohc. I am getting everything I need to make this happen. I am planning on temporally strapping the sport trac gas tank in when I go to the ref. I have a line on a chip that will bypass the “pats” system.


I should be picking up the donor truck within the next week. If anybody has any helpful tips, bring them on.

Does anybody know if my transmission will bolt up to the sohc? And some one was trying to tell me that I have to use the same transmission that came with the motor.

 

[DSRacing]

Does anybody know if my transmission will bolt up to the sohc? And some one was trying to tell me that I have to use the same transmission that came with the motor.

I assume you have a Mitsubishi manual transmission with the 2.9L. I believe the 2.9 and the 4.0 share a similar bolt pattern, but the Mitsu is considered to be light duty and probably won't take kindly to the large increase in torque from the SOHC.

Are you getting the transmission with the Sport trac? I would use it instead, then everything will work together. The transmission installed in the vehicle has nothing to do with passing the ref. as long as it doesn't cause the ECU to throw a code. If you use the transmission from the Sport trac, you shouldn't have that problem.

If you aren't getting the trans, try to find a Mazda M5OD-R1HD to install.

 

[Wahl_7s]

If the sport trac has an auto trans which is not bad, and he uses it, he will have to rig some kind of speed sensor or the ecu won't let the trans shift correctly. I know there is a few guys that do it but I cant think of them right now.

 

[DSRacing]

True, If he gets the entire harness off the Sport trac, then the sensors and wiring should already be there. Unless the OEM tranmission had been swapped out. I went through the same thing with my 5.0L conversion with a C-4. I had to build a custom park/neutral safety switch so the computer would get a signal from the trans at start-up.

 

[charlie_brown]

i am pretty sure it has the stock transmission in the sport trac. with my 2.9 i have the 4alod auto trans now

 

[DSRacing]

i am pretty sure it has the stock transmission in the sport trac. with my 2.9 i have the 4alod auto trans now

The only concern I would have using the A4LD is the ECU from the Sport trac isn't programmed to recognize or control an older auto transmission.

 

[Dezertpilot]

Just swap the trans in also, it will be the easiest way to go.

 

[charlie_brown]

Just swap the trans in also, it will be the easiest way to go.

i guess i will do that, i was hoping to "buy" time with the old transmission so i can send out the sohc transmission to get built up.

also, because i have a cell, i am going to put the stock sohc gas tank (strap it down, temp.) in the back and un-hook my fuel cell. i hope the ref will not bug me about that.

 

[DSRacing]

Once you get through with the referee, swap in the old transmission while the new one gets worked on. You just don't want the hassle of dealing with any emissions codes while the ref has it.

As far as the fuel tank, if you can make the installation look close to stock, you shouldn't have a problem. What the ref will or won't accept is a crapshoot.