Oddball Swap

[Splatranger95]

Hey guys, its my first post over here, and I have a few questions about the capabilities of this motor.

I own a 2.5 Turbo Ranger with 450 at the wheels. I love it, but I want something different for the truck. I have been looking at all kinds of engine swaps, and I have landed on the SHO. I love the motor, and the car, and I think this will fit my needs, but I need to know for sure.

It's going to be a 3.0 Twin Turbonetics TD04 setup. The question I have, is this. It is going to be an all out street truck, so i need a good street setup. I have heard that under 4grand, this motor has no balls. Above 4grand however it screams. Well, cams and some fast spooling turbo's will fix that, but I wanted to know how true that is.

Also, I have heard main bearings on these go out often. Although it wont be a daily driver, I dont want to be yanking the motor every other year. I would like a pretty reliable setup. Im not looking for mad #'s, just about 350-400whp, and a corner carver. Im more into fun than fast.

I have been lurking for quite a while, but I havent found a good answer that I have been looking for. What is the power handling capabilities of the bottom end? I know the intakes flow amazing.

 

[boat]

Props to you for putting it in a Ranger.

It is not typically the main bearings. The rod bearings are the sore spot, only if there has been infrequent oil changes, poor quality oil, lugging the engine in a higher gear around 1500 rpm's or lower. It is recommended to change rod bearings on a motor, just for a peace of mind. If you don't lug it, use good quality oil, and proper oil change intervals, I think you should be fine for many happy miles with the SHO engine.

Can't speak to the turbo thing, never done it. There are some very knowledgeable people on here. St.Louis SHO, SHO AMO, 92sho16, Toolman, these are just a few of the people that can help you out. I know there are more who can help and or chime in.

Good luck!

 

[Splatranger95]

Cool. Ya, it would get a rebuild anyway. Im not gonna throw a tired motor in a basically new car. Thank you.

Anyone else have some thoughts?

 

[yamahaSHO]

No need for cams, just a good turbo and some tuning and you'll get lots of torque just about wherever you want it, even below 4,000 RPM.

Main bearings aren't a problem. Rod bearings can be due to neglect and KNOCK. The bottom end on stock pistons will be good for about 400whp with charge cooling and a good tune. With forged pistons, the limit is fairly high... As in... We don't really know. I don't doubt that a well built motor can make 800-1000hp. For longevity sake, 400-500whp should do well.

I do recommend a good oil cooler with large lines (-10 or -12 AN) and a thermostat. These motor can generate and retain heat well.

Can't help you on the corner carving part as I've never thought of a truck in those regards.

 

[Splatranger95]

I have the corner carving part under control.. MII front crossmember, 03-04 Cobra IRS, and coil-overs all the way around. Im nervous about the IRS, so I may just do a 4 link with a watts, but that is the plan.

Thanks for the info. Looks like a just need some forged pistons then, and the rest can handle itself? Is that correct? Stock rods and Crank are fine?

So if I change the oil regularly, and use synthetic with an oil cooler, the rod bearings will live a decent life.... Cool. That wont be a problem. Alright, the last issue I have is 3.0 or 3.2? Whats the big difference? Cams, Displacement, and a nub on the head where the alternator goes right? Oh and the 3.2 has no pilot bearing hole in the crank....

With an aerostar bellhousing and a Vulcan 3.0 5sp trans, Im good to go. (I may do a T56 adapter plate though. I want a 6spd so bad.

 

[yamahaSHO]

Stock crank and rods are forged. When I built my motor, I had the rods flash ground, resized, shot peened and new bushings fitted. I also had the crank micropolished and balanced. The motor on 14 PSI has done a best of 438whp. I built my 3.2L using my original 3L block and 5 rods (spun a bearing, found another rod). I sourced low mileage 3L crank and a NOS 3L oil pump. I also have a spare built motor in the garage using a 3.2L block/rods/crank.

3.2L
- Slightly beefier rod
- Bigger wrist pins.
- Larger oil pump
- Different intake cam

This is a heavy motor. Your suspension balance will be thrown off.

My build:

3L rods. Stock vs reworked.

 

[Splatranger95]

With aluminum heads, I cant imagine it would be heavier than the Lima. That thing is really heavy. A 302 only weighs 15lbs more than a lima, so the SHO motor cant be too heavy.

Thank you very much for the info... Ill be around doing more research. I wont be starting this swap till January, but I am trying to get all the info I need before I start. I need to start sourcing an old sho for parts.

 

[SHOspazz92]

With aluminum heads, I cant imagine it would be heavier than the Lima. That thing is really heavy. A 302 only weighs 15lbs more than a lima, so the SHO motor cant be too heavy.

Thank you very much for the info... Ill be around doing more research. I wont be starting this swap till January, but I am trying to get all the info I need before I start. I need to start sourcing an old sho for parts.

The SHO motor outweighs the 302 by quite a bit.

-Sam

 

[Shovert]

Awesome on the swap. I know one of the TV programs done a Ranger swap with Cobra rear and differant front end on a late model Mazda/Ranger. I guess you know SHO has been in a Ranger as a prototype. Maurice
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12548
Thread on a swap.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78332

 

[Phoenix]

Gotta love swaps like those.

 

[rubydist]

use the 3.2 - the larger bore provides significantly more torque, especially at lower rpms. if you want better high rpm breathing, use the 3.0 intake cams.

my sources show the SHO at 50 lb more than a 302.

if you use the Vulcan M5ODR1, I recommend getting the guts from a 4.0 trans and putting that into the 3.0 trans - the 4.0 internals have a significantly higher torque rating and will hold up much better behind the boosted SHO motor.

 

[Splatranger95]

Pheonix, your car is a very cool swap.... A manual and the SHO in a newer taurus! That is just awesome. I had never thought of doing that. My friend has a 98 DOHC 3.0 and has wanted to do something with it, but didnt know what... Now I know what he needs to do!

Thanks guys. Well its good to know that you guys back me up on this swap. Surprisingly, the M50D is a very stout trans. I have 450WHP 400TQ in my ranger, and Im still using the stock 2.3 M50D, and there is one guy running it with 500. He just recently lost 2nd from slamming it in at 30psi with a 2step.

Im really looking forward to starting this swap. Its gonna be a long road, but I will certainly be around getting lots of good info.

 

[Shovert]

Awesome Keep the swap going and let us know. I recommend bolting engine [with intake] to trans and try putting in body. The heads hang over trans and that is what caused me alot of nightmares putting in a foxbody. Just a little advice ahead of time. Check out my link may help on creating motormounts and maybe a few other items. There are a few RWD conversion here do search. I learn alot from them, I have. Maurice

 

[Splatranger95]

Awesome Keep the swap going and let us know. I recommend bolting engine [with intake] to trans and try putting in body. The heads hang over trans and that is what caused me alot of nightmares putting in a foxbody. Just a little advice ahead of time. Check out my link may help on creating motormounts and maybe a few other items. There are a few RWD conversion here do search. I learn alot from them, I have. Maurice

Cool man thanks. The only problem is, I dont know what Im gonna do with the trans yet. T56 maybe, or I may stick with an M50. Either way, Its gonna be a tight fit. Im gonna have to do some measuring first. But if you got it in a foxbody, I should be able to get it in the ranger. Extra slim fans may have to be used.

I will be looking around alot.

 

[SHOtime2511]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who wouldn't mind some pics of your Ranger.

 

[Sho Amo]

Ive got some forged pistons for sale right now very cheap.

If you are planning to run twin turbo, it should be a great street machine. I had one small turbo for a while and that thing was a blast in the street but didnt breathe at all up top.

As long as you change the rod bearings when you put in forged pistons, you should be good for around 60k. Thats alot of boosted miles.

 

[Phoenix]

Pheonix, your car is a very cool swap.... A manual and the SHO in a newer taurus! That is just awesome. I had never thought of doing that. My friend has a 98 DOHC 3.0 and has wanted to do something with it, but didnt know what... Now I know what he needs to do!

Thanks guys. Well its good to know that you guys back me up on this swap. Surprisingly, the M50D is a very stout trans. I have 450WHP 400TQ in my ranger, and Im still using the stock 2.3 M50D, and there is one guy running it with 500. He just recently lost 2nd from slamming it in at 30psi with a 2step.

Im really looking forward to starting this swap. Its gonna be a long road, but I will certainly be around getting lots of good info.

Thanks , its actually ''fairly'' easy to do , the pedals bolts right in and so does the subframe. The worst part is the electrical , but its not that hard.

But the one you are doing is one step further , just like my current project. The SHOGUN. Turbo'd version.

 

[SHOracer14]

A little off topic but Splatranger you're right in my neck of the woods. Would I have seen your truck around before? I know there was a 2.3 turbo'd Ranger (XR4Ti swap) that used to lurk around Toledo with a big turbo, intercooler and spray. I remember that being one nasty little truck.

 

[Splatranger95]

Ill post up some pics soon here. Its a nice truck, but it is time for it to get put away and rebuilt. I cant wait to do it in december

Ummmmm... Im sure you have seen it. That truck youre talking about it Brian's truck. It was nasty. Mine is purple w a yellow stripe. HAHA

One of my friends made this pic for me in photoshop because she thinks I talk about my truck too much. HA

 

[Splatranger95]

Back from the very very dead.... I was planning on doing this but a few things changed. I went with a 2.3 duratec out of a focus. Still did the IRS and Mustang II front end though. Ill post some pics in the morning. Im still going to do this swap in another truck but itll be NA most likely and a daily driver.