FM146 to a M50D swap

[1988broncoll]

I just toasted my FM146 Tranny and I was wondering if doing a M50D swap is a direct bolt in or what has to be changed to bolt it in? Any info on the situation would help thanks

 

[mjonesjr]

It is a direct bolt in. Just make sure you get an early 90's slave cylinder for a 5 speed 4.0 so the clutch line will work with it.

 

[rickcdewitt]

shift levers,boot,trim,tin floor plate.tranny harness for easy wiring(you can swap plug ends if needed).slave

 

[1988broncoll]

Is it really worth it to swap from a FM146 to a M50D I thought my throwout bearing was going because it was showing the common signs of it when I pulled it down the through out bearings was fine so I pulled the drainplug and it was metal shavings galore I started to pull it apart to see what bearings I messed up in it but I have yet to find it. I called a couple yards i can get FM146s for 125 already pulled and 250 for a M50D and the rebuild kit for the FM is almost 300 so im trying to figure out what to do now.

 

[mjonesjr]

If you are going to have the FM-146 out, then put back a M50D. It is worth the swap in the strength gained in the M50D.

 

[1988broncoll]

I was trying to find a swap info. for it and what all is involved in it I found a local yard that has one out of a 91-94 exploder that is already pulled and sitting in the storage area and they want 250 for it. Is it something where its pretty much just bolting it in and not haven to change anything on it or am I going to have to spend more money or getting other stuff to make it swappable? I am gettin mixed reviews some people on another site said id have to change the slave cylinder and a couple of other things in order for it to work and all

 

[mjonesjr]

The only parts you will have to change is you will need to get a 4.0 flywheel, 4.0 clutch kit, 4.0 manual transmission starter, and a slave cylinder for a '91-'94 Explorer or Ranger. You will have to run a 16AWG wire from the starter solenoid to the starter to redo the wiring since the 4.0 starter has the starter solenoid on it.

Everything else is a bolt in swap.

Here is the wiring diagram for the 4.0 starter in a 2.9 vehicle.

 

[Hahnsb2]

and a slave cylinder for a '91-'94 Explorer or Ranger.

The FM146 and M5OD slave is the same :icon_confused:

 

[azhrei]

I replaced my fm145 in a 87 ranger from a 92 ranger M50D, I kept clutch, flywheel and starter, things that I had to change driveshaft length, and the clutch pedal had to have a rod to go to the left a couple of inches...

 

[1988broncoll]

Nvm on doing the swap Im most likely just going to go back to a FM146 if I have to change the clutch out because my clutch is only 2 months old and Im not going to spend that much on a new clutch just to run another tranny I dont have the money right now to spend 6-700 on swapping out a tranny so I will just go back to the FM146 plus I have to have the truck done and ready for monday morning. so it might now be to logical to to a swap from the fm146 to the M50 thanks for the input though I will have to plan on doing it later.

 

[mjonesjr]

You can do the swap for less than $500 counting buying the transmission and all the parts needed. The M50D is much stronger than the FM-146.

 

[1988broncoll]

Yea but I only have 300 after paying the bills and all and I dont get another pay check till friday. So at this point theres no way of comen up with another 200+ before tomm morning to be able to have time to swap it all out and get it all put back togeather and have it ready for work on monday so

 

[mjonesjr]

You don't have to use the 4.0 parts. You can use your 2.9 parts as well.

Get the M50D and use the 2.9 parts until you can afford to upgrade to 4.0 parts.

 

[1988broncoll]

So pretty much the M50D will be a direct bolt it and I can use all of my original parts for my FM146 meaning clutch and starter and all and it will all work. This is my DD and I have plans for doing a 4.0 swap to her before 2010 hits. I just dont have the extra cash now to spare on it once income taxs come I was going to start getting everything togeather to start on it and I been hurrying to get everything caught up and all and was going to start banking 50 a week out of my checks this friday coming up to start to build the funding back up and then I just found out my trannys shot. It was like a kick in the nuts lol. I was thinking about maybe just getting the FM146 for now thats used and throughing that in. Because my original intentions where to try and find a ranger or exploder with a 4.0 and a M50 already in it as a donor vehicle esentually killing 2 birds with one stone. I would have everything. I missed out on a deal like 3 months ago a friend of a friend had a 92 with 110k on it and got rear ended so he bought a ranger and was selling the exploder for 600 bucks and it had a 4.0 and the M50 in it but I couldnt come up with the cash that was another kick in the nuts. But I have till around 4 to decide on what I want to do as the yard closes at 5.

 

[mjonesjr]

Just get the M50D. That will allow you to find an Explorer with an auto also.

 

[rickcdewitt]

Just get the M50D. That will allow you to find an Explorer with an auto also.

maurice i think you are wrong on a few counts.

the clutch slave and all clutch and stater parts will work fine for the swap especially if its new,i'm using the same slave from fm to m5od.you're confusing him with what he should be using not has too.

1988b2 you really should get the 5 speed cpu donor truck so the automatic coast idle strategy doesn't drive you nuts(it floats the engine more)

-you will need the boots,trim,tranny shifter,and floor tin from a m5od ranger or 91-94 explorer

-the neutral saftey and backup switch plugs are different so unplug the tranny harness and take it with you when you get shifters/boots(its easy to grab)

if you are swapping this year anyway then i would be tempted to use the 100$ fm tranny(after checking input shaft play,etc.) and take your time scouting around for a 500$ wrecked 5 speed ranger or ploder that you can hear run and warm up.it cost me 500$ to swap in a 4.0/m5od combo including plug wires:icon_thumby:.i'de like to see the 302 swap guys match that.:icon_bounceblue: by the way you want a 94 or older without egr as those are the best canidates

 

[1988broncoll]

Thanks for the input I was getting a little confused on the whole situation and I decided to spend 300 on a 88 Bronco 2 with a 5spd FM146 and a Manual tcase that are both in great shape its a complete truck just the motor doesnt have any spark but it has tons of great parts. So I am going to get that pull the tranny and tcase and put it in my truck then part the SOB out lol. I was affraid to get the M50D as out 1 yard that had it pulls the trannys and t case ahead of time and stocks them in a storage building so all I was going to get was the tranny for 250 I would of had to go to a different yard and spend more money for the plugs boots and all that good stuff that I would have needed so I figured for the 300 id spend just on the tranny id spend on this parts truck and then part it out and see if I could get my money back out of it.