85 BII 2.8 to 92 4.0 Confirming my thoughts

[stickboy697]

Have been lurking around for a while and now that we are started on our 4.0 swap I have read and reread so much information, I simply want to confirm that the following are correct:

The 4.0, m5od and t-case will work fine with the exception that our 85 BII had an fm145 trans which results in the replacement being approximately 3" longer. This means that I will need the front driveshaft from the 92 Ranger ext cab, and a rear driveshaft from a BII with an A4LD to correct the differences in trans and t-case lengths?

The fuel tank on the BII in 85 has a smaller opening for sending unit which means that I have to replace the tank so that I can install a pump and sending unit from an 88-90 BII, as well as supply and return fuel lines have to be sourced and installed to work with the fuel injection system for the 4.0?

The entire dash and wiring from the firewall forward are being transplanted from the donor into the BII, is the lack of input from the RABS going to cause any complications other than illuminating the warning lamp on the dash? (I intend to swap in the D35 and the 8.8 at a later time, but gearing is too high and want Bronkenstein mobile before I regear the front and rear replacement diffs, will run the D28 and 7.5 for now as they are 3.73 gear sets)

Thanks in advance for your patience and your responses. I have read, and read the forums here and other places and everyone's info has just a few differences so just trying to confirm that I have digested the information correctly before I make a mistake :icon_idea:

 

[Beef52751]

Post this in the engine swap forum. You'll get more traffic. Also where in iowa are you located?

 

[SenorNoob]

Not saying it's all right. (IDK) But, It sounds like you've done your homework.

As for the fuel system: If I were gonna go through that much trouble I'd go ahead and use a single pump setup. Meaning 89-90.

 

[stickboy697]

Thanks for the responses! Thinking that as I am swapping the dash and all wiring from the 92 ranger that was the donor, I may use the fuel pump and lines from it with modifications, and a bronco II sending unit from 89-90 to have the correct fuel pick up depth in the B2 tank. And I am in southwest Iowa. Dash swap is slow and tedious compounded by the fact that I am working on it with my sons after school and I work nights so any real progress has to wait for my days off when the wife doesn't have plans for my time...

 

[Lariat]

http://www.bbbind.com/free_tsb.html
This is the site i was telling you about. I've saved some of the pinouts so we can track grounds. As of late we have finished the dash swap and have the motor and trans mounted. We had to use the blower control box out of the ranger due to the HVAC control panels being different sizes and having different hookups. As of right now we are having a cranking issue. It will crank and fire when you jump the solenoid. I will be tracking wires once the weather warms up. Fuel lines are also a requirement as we haven't been able to find any exact replacements from an 89-90. We're close. I can taste it.

 

[adsm08]

So far so good.

I agree with Noob. Not only will going to the single-pump setup remove some complication from the system, but if you are swapping in an 89+ dash and cluster then the later fuel pump will be needed for correct operation of the fuel gauge.

I think you can keep your tank too. IIRC the 85 tank has the larger hole for the fuel injection pump. I know it's true on the Ranger because the 2.3L went EFI in 85, but I am not sure that extends to the BII because the BII never had a 4-cyl option.

 

[stickboy697]

Thanks for the replies!
Bought sending unit for 89-90 and salvaged the pump from the 92 ranger and it fit in the 85 B2 tank. Think we have the fuel line figured out, now to get the cotton picking plastic couplers with the clip stuck back into the line I had to shorten...Aside from that, the next complication is the no power to energize the starter when you turn the key, but shorting it at the solenoid will fire it up and run. Thinking there may be a ground issue, as well as possibly needing to check the safety switch at the clutch to confirm it is working and not the root of the issue. Progress is slow due to the cold weather and non heated/non insulated building, but will keep posted when more progress is completed.

 

[adsm08]

If you want to check to see if the clutch switch is the issue go find a shorting bar from something with an auto trans and plug it in in place of the clutch.

 

[Lariat]

may i ask what a shorting bar is? could i rig a wire up to jump/bypass the switch to see if that's the issue? We had a 91 3/4 ton we bypassed the switch entirely to eliminate that possibility of it not working. When we pulled the slave cyl off the firewall i had to pull that switch off so i could stick it into the BII hole in the firewall.

 

[adsm08]

The shorting bar is a little guy, dead headed slug that goes in the plug for the clutch switch and closes the circuits as if the switch was there and the clutch was down. The dash harness was the same for auto and manual trans, they were used to close the circuits at that plug on the auto trans units.

 

[Lariat]

so it should be hidden up there in the dash?

 

[adsm08]

Not if your donor had a manual transmission.

 

[Lariat]

alright, tomorrow i'll climb around in my 89 bronc. and see if i can find it. Heck maybe that will be my starting issue in that thing too. lol!

 

[Lariat]

Pulled the bar out of my 89, plugged it in and bam, the bronc starts. dad rigged up a fuel line to see if it runs. Primed the system and it started and ran. All we need now is a slave cyl, driveshafts, and to finish the rest of the interior.

 

[Totalled]

89/90 sender won't work with your '85 fuel gauge.

 

[Lariat]

89/90 sender won't work with your '85 fuel gauge.

The gen 1 dash was pulled and swapped with a gen 2 dash.

 

[Lariat]

Alright, not much to add, just doing minor stuff in the mean time until we get parts ordered. Dad got his radio hooked up while i tackled hooking up the y-pipe and finishing all the bolts on the bell housing. I was trying to top off the power steering pump and found out that we will be needing a line for that as well, no biggie.

List of things needed to get this thing mobile
Finish hooking up and routing fuel lines
master cylinder replaced and bled
top off antifreeze
driveshafts installed
interior buttoned up
rest of exhaust installed.

 

[stickboy697]

Thanks for the replies, couple new questions...

Thanks Adsm for your input on the shorting bar, got us in business and we were able to hear the 4.0 purr in it's new home. Lariat began looking over the drive situation and brought it to my attention that the front shaft that we have is too short. We have 85 B2 with D28 in front and 7.5 rear for the time being. The donor was 92 Ranger ex cab, both vehicles were 4x4 5spds. We kept the M50D from the 92 along with the elec shift transfer case. Have the front shaft from the 92 that appears too short (I haven't confirmed, Lariat just said it's too short). Bought it with a blown 2.8, and has what appears to be 3"-4" of lift. From the information I have read, it would appear that a Rear drive shaft from an A4LD equipped B2 of any year, or 88-90 M5OD equipped B2 should bolt in. (looking to avoid CV joint style shaft with the lift) The rear drive shaft that was in it became too long, but upon inspection has a manufacture year of 93 on a Ford decal but the other numbers are illegible to look up what it was before it was installed on an 85 B2, I may try and cut it down. I believe that I need a front drive shaft from an A4LD equipped B2 or an 88-90 as well, since we haven't swapped the D35 in yet, which would call for the front shaft from an FM 145 equipped RBV. I have read too many peoples write ups and my head is swimming and simply want to know what I need to procure, as nearest custom drive shaft shop is 2 hours away and about $225/shaft to make them. Thanks in advance for any
input!

 

[vwa1]

Hey cool, another SW Iowa dude! I'm just north of Atlantic. I'm wanting to do the same swap, but funds won't allow it this year probably. Mine is an 89, so it sounds a little less complicated. Good luck with the swap!

 

[Lariat]

Hey cool, another SW Iowa dude! I'm just north of Atlantic. I'm wanting to do the same swap, but funds won't allow it this year probably. Mine is an 89, so it sounds a little less complicated. Good luck with the swap!

its time consuming, but it's fun!


Also, I'll be working on installing the interior now. What would be a good place to mount the automatic 4x4 module?