92 2.9 xlt 4x4 manual
What would I need to do this?
Can’t find too much online that’s all together
just wondering if I should swap or if I should rebuild the 2.9.

 

With a rebuild you unhook the wires and pull the engine, rebuild it and put it back in and hook back up the wires, I know DUH

With a swap to 4.0l you will need 1990-1994 4.0l with computer and engine wiring harness, 1995-2000 used different computer and harness, so much harder to do, but doable
And a 25-30 year old 4.0l might need a rebuild as well

The 2.9l transmission will bolt to the 4.0l block, and the motor mounts are the same, so different than a V8 swap
And you do get 20 more horse power, 2.9l is 140HP, 4.0l 160HP

 

hey so I blew the head gasket in my 2.9 truck you said it would be hard to do but possible to swap a newer 4.0 into it what exactly was hard about it? I know the ecm has more pins but is it possible to use an older computer and harness on the newer engine? I also know the sensor issues like replacing them with the older style ones but i would just like to know.

 

The 4.0l SOHC engine(2001-2011 Ranger) needs more engine management than the 4.0l OHV(or 2.9l)
It runs 9.7:1 compression ratio so NEEDS a knock sensor and a working EGR system, you "might" be able to run 93 octane fuel(premium) full time without these, but gets expensive, and its still just a maybe

An older, 1990-1994 4.0l harness and computer could be tried, but not sure you would get full power from the 4.0l SOHC, even with 93 octane

4.0l SOHC computers have PATS(passive anti-theft)
Except for 2005 model year, Ford got into a beef with PATS maker and that year was skipped in Rangers
So a 2005 4.0l SOHC computer and harness could be used with less hassle doing a 4.0l SOHC swap
But you will also need the instrument cluster from that same 2005 and its wiring, as after 2003 the cluster and computers are "married" at the factory so one won't work without the other plugged in, it was to stop cluster swapping to low mile odometers