Q: 1992 Ford Ranger 2.3 l 5 speed manual swap to 302 Ford with 5-speed manual but engines from 1981 is it do able

asked by on March 24, 2018

I have a completely rebuilt 302 5.0 engine from a 1981 Ford F-100 and I have a 1992 Ford Ranger and I was curious if it was possible to put the 302 in the Ranger and what issues I might right into because I will be swapping from fuel injection 2 Engine with the carburetor and there's such a large age Gap I didn't know if it was possible.

My car has 162000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

The swap is possible but it is impractical especially if you intend to register the vehicle for use on public roads. The alteration in weight will require suspension/alignment modifications that will have to be engineered. Even prior to doing this work, you would have to confirm that the "new" vehicle configuration is certifiable insofar as Federal emissions law. Please see the relevant Federal EPA Engine Swap Guidance Document. California, and a few other jurisdictions, have additional requirements and, in the case of California, these are published in the California Engine Change Guidelines. Unless you have very sophisticated test equipment and a thorough understanding of what is legally allowed in an engine swap, you are much better off keeping the stock engine and, if need be, simply rebuilding the stock engine. Indeed, that is the advice stated up front on the California guidelines document. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

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