It is the details that kill you. You would not want to use the Ranger Explorer 4wd stuff, since it is really a part time system. At least the system behind the 4.0L. The V8 Explorers/Mountaineers have a true AWD T-case.
Also, getting the front diff. in the car and below the engine without having the engine way up in the air can be tricky. The Ranger/Explorer Dana 35 front diff looks huge when you set it in a car and try to set an engine next to it. I know, I tried. I cut up 3 of them before I gave up. That is way I ended up going with a highly modified S-10/astrovan front diff that bolts to the oil pan. The shaft that drives the passenger side wheel actually goes through the oil pan and is lined up to barely clear the main caps and is between two crank throws. Yes, the center line of the diff is above the lowest point of the crank throw.
I like the 4.0L SOHC idea, somebody should do this!!
yottabit wrote:I feel like I've seen pictures of the driveshaft through oilpan thing before.
When Tim did his 2.3 4x4 conversion, he fabricated a hybrid pan that combined an AL 2.3 pan and the front diff from the Euro Sierra 4x4. Wait, didn't you do a "v2.0" of that setup Tim, because the first pan leaked? I think Grayson owns that car now - yes, no, maybe?
BTW, thanks for checking in Tim.
Any way, while a 4.0 4x4 swap would be nice - 4x4x4??? I think the best chance of seeing this get done is to focus on the basic 4.0 engine swap first. The 4x4 stuff could always come later. And this statement comes from me mere minutes after plowing my driveway with my 4x4 Kodiak. Nowhere is the difference between 4x2 and 4x4 expressed better.
Somehow we seem to have forgotten the easy way to do a 4x4 behind a Cologne V6 - use the factory parts! With the dollar gaining some value vs. the Pound lately, maybe it's time to bring one of these across the pond...
Just another data-point to add.... The Cologne SOHC 4.0 was used from 2005-7 as the base engine in the Land Rover LR3. What's interesting is that the engine was advertized as producing 216 hp and 269 lb·ft in the LR3 vs. 210 hp and 245 lb·ft in the current Mustang/Explorer/Ranger. The torque value in particular seems like too big a difference to just chalk up to over-zealous marketing. Wonder what the story is there.
DPDISXR4Ti wrote:Just another data-point to add.... The Cologne SOHC 4.0 was used from 2005-7 as the base engine in the Land Rover LR3. What's interesting is that the engine was advertized as producing 216 hp and 269 lb·ft in the LR3 vs. 210 hp and 245 lb·ft in the current Mustang/Explorer/Ranger. The torque value in particular seems like too big a difference to just chalk up to over-zealous marketing. Wonder what the story is there.
I don't have anything to back it up, but IIRC correctly that motor is tuned for premium whereas the Mustang is regular, so it could be in the tune. I know there is very little physical changes between the two
DPDISXR4Ti wrote:Just another data-point to add.... The Cologne SOHC 4.0 was used from 2005-7 as the base engine in the Land Rover LR3. What's interesting is that the engine was advertized as producing 216 hp and 269 lb·ft in the LR3 vs. 210 hp and 245 lb·ft in the current Mustang/Explorer/Ranger. The torque value in particular seems like too big a difference to just chalk up to over-zealous marketing. Wonder what the story is there.
Cams and MAF are different. Plus the Rover runs on premium 24/7. Mustang is rated to to run on urine and coffee.
Thanks for pointing that out... have you guys gotten to the bottom of that post zapping problem yet? I'll post more info once I know more... I have a list of the basic requirements so far but my actual Design III class won't be until I'm a second semester Junior- seeing as how I'm finishing up Freshman year right now it's still a ways off. Nothing wrong with planning ahead though. Once I actually meet the Professors that are teaching it I'll be able to learn whether or not it will fly
yottabit wrote:have you guys gotten to the bottom of that post zapping problem yet?
Yep, see here: http://forum.merkurclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14283
It was a bit crazy there for awhile - a couple times, the board turned itself back on without human intervention, when the controlling database switched. It was like a ghost-admin was at the wheel! We're back on-line for ~24 hours now and all is good.
GeneticRehab wrote:Does the 05 an up use variable valve timing like the V8?
Nope. That's why Ford needs 4L to generate 210HP when most everyone else is pushing out 250+ HP with just 3L.
I think Ford's gotten their money's worth out of the Cologne V6 - it's old, it just needs to die. It's laughably unbelievable that they stuck it back in the Mustang in 2005 after a 27 year lapse. Probably unprecedented in automotive history.
Still, I think it's a good project for a low-buck swap in a XR. It's got some historical perspective to it too, as it represents what the Merkur XR4i almost was.
I think the best chance of seeing this get done is to focus on the basic 4.0 engine swap first. The 4x4 stuff could always come later. And this statement comes from me mere minutes after plowing my driveway with my 4x4 Kodiak. Nowhere is the difference between 4x2 and 4x4 expressed better. 
