2000 AWD Xploder from Turbo back to NA

After getting an estimate on how much it would run me to fix up my Xploder with all new exhaust, cold side piping, and a bunch of other stuff done up the "right" way... I've decided to convert my Xploder back to NA form so that I can actually ENJOY the truck before I die of old age.

Anyways... To start it off I ordered up a MAC cold air intake (I do not have the stock intake) and sold my FMS headers on ebay.

I plan on buying a set of torque monster headers in the next week or so but am still up in the air on how I should run my exhaust from a performance "speed" perspective. I do not plan on doing much, if any, off road driving, so am looking for a setup that improves take off and speed for spirited pavement driving that sounds good.

I already have the spare tire removed (and will be keeping it off, I have free towing anyways lol)... What would an optimal setup be with the above in mind and no worry of a spare tire being in the way? True duals (straight pipe off of each header, thru separate mufflers, and out the sides), or a dual exhaust both going into a 2 in 2 out "H" pipe style muffler and then out the sides? Or something else? In all cases I won't be running any cats.

I also plan to re-tune my car since currently it is tuned for the turbo setup which obviously will no longer apply once I rip everything out.

Thank you for any input!

 

[CDW6212R]

Me too, the PS pump is whining and my radiator has leaked barely for months. I'm not close to finishing my work truck, so I keep driving the one.

Good luck with the fan, hopefully nothing hurt the radiator, that's a PITA.

 

[willzilla]

Me too, the PS pump is whining and my radiator has leaked barely for months. I'm not close to finishing my work truck, so I keep driving the one.

Good luck with the fan, hopefully nothing hurt the radiator, that's a PITA.

Thank you. I shined flashlight up from bottom of where fan shroud/fan combo connects to radiator and nothing is touching it which makes me think something is sitting on the bottom within the shroud/fan combo piece I made that somehow fell in there and the bottom fan is bumping it. Will use air compressor/vac to see if I can figure it out without needing to pull the fan/shroud combo unit which would be a nightmare and require dumping my coolant... which I may need to do depending on the damn leak I could see coolant pooling a bit on the top of the engine by the heater core hoses so maybe its the valve again or the hose connections or.. something.. arg.

 

[willzilla]

I think I found the leak...

Seems the hose clamp thingie gave up...

Need to find some small worm clamps to swap on without needing to pull the hose... then... if that DOES fix the issue (pretty sure it does, as I tried to take rad cap off and more fluid poured out from the hose which then dripped down at the back where the leak I saw is)... I get to troubleshoot the lower fan.

 

[CDW6212R]

I forgot how tight is down in there. I hope it's not too bad, I'd want to replace those small hoses, the clamps are usually very good for decades. I have three of the coolant pipes/tubes that had no provision for the tiny outlets, just a loop from one pipe to the other. I discovered those on eBay($39.95) recently. If you have to replace that at some time, try to find the version that doesn't need the hoses; http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OUT-OF-BOX-OEM-Ford-302-5-0L-V8-Explorer-Coolant-Crossover-Tube-Sensor/182422269419?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

[willzilla]

I forgot how tight is down in there. I hope it's not too bad, I'd want to replace those small hoses, the clamps are usually very good for decades. I have three of the coolant pipes/tubes that had no provision for the tiny outlets, just a loop from one pipe to the other. I discovered those on eBay($39.95) recently. If you have to replace that at some time, try to find the version that doesn't need the hoses; http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OUT-OF-BOX-OEM-Ford-302-5-0L-V8-Explorer-Coolant-Crossover-Tube-Sensor/182422269419?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

I tried to quiksteel weld up the cracked nipple on the tube and got everything back together and... still leaks... looks like from somewhere under the tube so it seems I will need to replace the setup or something.

That link.. that would work? When you mention the hoses... I recall seeing a cpl pictures of the stock setup and it has 2 more small tubes that run off of it closer to the back of the truck by the heater core valve... ?

Also... pulled my entire fan assembly (thankfully I built it so it comes out as a unit "somewhat" simply.. though A/C must be disconnected from where it bolts into the radiator... good thing I had not yet charged the system). It seems the fan itself, the plastic that the fan spins within, had warped a fraction of a centimeter and it caused the fan to brush against it a bit... So.. drilled a small hole, attached a thick zip tie.. and hooked it to the outside plastic piece pulling the plastic outward a bit and it seems to be good to go, lol.

Thank you!!!

 

[CDW6212R]

Very good, more tweaking. That eBay link is current, I bought those a few weeks ago. Those he has don't require the tiny hoses, which most people prefer, to avoid the heating of TB etc, or a rare leak of the extra hoses. If you need one, that's about the cheapest, I got one with the pipe nipples from Ford before those, for about $55.

 

[willzilla]

Very good, more tweaking. That eBay link is current, I bought those a few weeks ago. Those he has don't require the tiny hoses, which most people prefer, to avoid the heating of TB etc, or a rare leak of the extra hoses. If you need one, that's about the cheapest, I got one with the pipe nipples from Ford before those, for about $55.

Looks good to me! I don't recall seeing any tiny hoses for the TB and such, odd.

Going to order, hopefully not to much of a pain to replace!

Thank you!

 

[CDW6212R]

I forgot where those hoses go, they are down in there so deep. The big line fitting at the front is the toughest part, getting a wrench on it etc.

 

[willzilla]

I forgot where those hoses go, they are down in there so deep. The big line fitting at the front is the toughest part, getting a wrench on it etc.

Did you plug the tiny hoses somehow?

 

[willzilla]

I forgot where those hoses go, they are down in there so deep. The big line fitting at the front is the toughest part, getting a wrench on it etc.

The front fitting looks like it wouldn't be as bad if I pull the ignition coils out of the way... Draining the coolant is the biggest PITA for me as I have to vac fill each time, ugh. lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

My two 302 Explorer engines are still stock with the lines intact. I bought those other parts for three different vehicle projects, plus one for this 98 when I swap intake/heads etc. I'm sorry you are having to deal with that annoying leak.

 

[willzilla]

Yeah, it's a PITA, lol. Hopefully I get part Monday and can get it situated during the week.

While waiting on the part I had installed my HID kit (https://www.xenonhids.com/dual-beam-hi-lo-9007-full-xenon-hid-conversion-kit.html?i=Kdv93R) and ran into an issue with that (not sure if I mentioned it previously).

The ballast and relay setup worked perfectly and even fired up my old HID bulbs fine (no flicker, and both work now)... But the bi-xenon bulbs that I had received are pretty fat in the back (the mechanism that moves the bulb for low/high) and the locking ring does not slide over it to lock the bulb into place.

So, the bi-xenon bulb would only be held into place with the rubber o-ring and just kind of sat there and that was def not going to be good enough to drive around, lol. Is there another way to "lock" the bulbs into place?

I'd love to find some projectors with just the single bulb (9007) but all I can find are dual bulb projectors which I don't want :-/

 

[willzilla]

May order 2 more... cut them and then fit around base of bulb and epoxy back in place and then turn them to lock bulbs in place... lol.

 

[willzilla]

Wow... Fast shipping. Got my part in today!

Now to figure what I do with the two hoses that plug into the old pipes lol. There is some kind of U pipe on the replacement part.

Can I just tie the 2 hoses into each other or something?

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, just run one hose in place of the two, to where they come from. That was fast shipping, some sellers are on the ball, good.

 

[willzilla]

Yes, just run one hose in place of the two, to where they come from. That was fast shipping, some sellers are on the ball, good.

So.. just loop them together ... Awesome. What are the hoses original purpose?

 

[CDW6212R]

I'll have to look, it's almost always about heating the TB area.

 

[willzilla]

Interesting .. would be simple if that's all it's for ! Lol.

 

[willzilla]

A bit confused...

I tore out most of everything in the way of the intake manifold heater inlet tube. I'm at the point of removing the big connector section of the tube...



The bolt turns but... Do I continue loosening the bolt or, looking at the connector...



Do I just pop out the connector up and out or do I loosen the bolt completely and then the connector comes out?

Thanks!

 

[CDW6212R]

Hopefully someone else will pop in and say how hard you have to pull on it. I've not had to pull one of those off an Explorer engine yet. The fitting going into the intake is the same thread type for any SBF, but that o-ringed part is a new design. I saw that too when I got the coolant pipes, I figured seeing the old part would make it obvious when it's out.

I think it will be easier to remove it with the intake fitting in place. It'd be harder to separate the fitting if it's not in the intake, out in hand with the coolant pipe. Let's ask Jon(Turdle) or any of our regular 302 guys, they'll all know.