302 carb swap

[CDW6212R]

You've made a lot of progress, staying at it is most important.

I'd remove that rear intake piping, that isn't needed and it'll create an air pocket. Older intakes had the extra water ports and the ones on the right OEM used for heating the TB etc. Just put plugs in those ports.

I hope you can get that oil pan to work, the Explorer pans are ugly shaped on the bottom to clear the diff.

What WP and pulleys do you plan to use? Only the Explorer and 94/95 Mustangs are short enough to leave room in front for a radiator and thin fan. The older pulley systems are a lot farther forward, almost 3" I believe.

 

[jonwatts]

Made any more progress? This is of interest to me because I will be doing a carb conversion on my 2000 5.0 Explorer this spring...been planing this for some time. This is a very practical conversion that makes so much sense. Down the road a guy can always use aftermarket EFI if desired. The list of practical features as a result is a mile long. Soon I'll be ordering my trans controller so I can get started.

Jon

 

[Mbrooks420]

What practical reasons are there to converting to a carb?

 

[fastpakr]

What practical reasons are there to converting to a carb?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[jonwatts]

I know a lot of you younger guys grew up learning EFI as you matured and many of you are automotive techs. I am not and have no interest in becoming one at 62. I'm an old guy that tuned Holley carburetors and hot rodded in my youth, so I have no problem dealing with them. I'm not here to argue for the superiority of carburetors because they are not. EFI meters fuel and controls spark to a degree we could of only imagined 30 years ago. By nature, I view all the stuff in my environment as a tool. My tools need to be engineered as simply and as efficiently as possible with simplicity key. My Explorer is a tool. It has a job to do and if it fails I demand to have the ability to fix it myself. With the current system it has, I am limited with the diagnostic prowess I possess. Everything is difficult to access, the countless electrical connectors and miles of wire degrade over time. In harsh conditions the degradation is only accelerated. Many of these trucks are over 20 years of age, failure of these components will occur in time. In tank fuel pump burns out 300 miles from home, I'm not paying someone that's probably going to hose me to fix it that far from home. What do you think a repair like that would cost away from home? The PATS system, what happens if that fails when you are camping up in the mountains? Maybe you guys know how to bypass the system, I don't. I just want to be rid of it. This forum it loaded with diagnostic questions of problems Explorer owners have, some resolved, many not. All of you guys are very helpful and take your personal time to aid and assist others. Hats off to you who do so! These are very kind gestures! I don't want to take up your time so you can help others. These are a few of my reasons and I don't want to hijack this thread so I'll leave it at that. I love the Explorer platform for countless reasons and mine will do fine for now with a Holley. My ability to diagnose a problem on the road with a simplified system will be swift, and will probably have the parts on board to repair the problem quickly with the obvious exception of internal engine, transmission, or third member issues. The advance in automotive technology over the past 30 years is simply astounding, but it's just not for the old Iowa farm boy that I am...for practical reasons. Finally I just want to encourage Dakotals in his quest to transform his own Explorer!



Jon

 

[CDW6212R]

To the OP, and Jon, for a carburetor, put a premium on the fuel filter. Carbs are very sensitive to any debris in the gas, the cheap on carb screens are not good enough, and parts stores have lots of cheap inline filters , also which filter poorly. My last carb was on my first 86 Crown Vic, a stock rebuilt 351W didn't run right with the original VV carb, so I swapped on a Holley 600. I did use a cheap inline filter, plus the inlet screens. That wasn't good enough, as I found out twice, the needle/seat got stuck slightly open. Fuel just runs into the carb and it runs super rich etc. I fixed that eventually, but decided I wanted better fuel mileage than what was about 8-10 then. Stock was over 15mpg with the old 351W(225k on it). I swapped in a stock 88k 302 HO engine, and that got close to 20mpg, EFI, started every time in all conditions. I sold that car after it hit about 335k, most of it mail delivery.

Carbs can be okay, but never ideal unless you buy high dollar and get it perfectly matched to the engine comboniation. Nobody does that, so common is to see several mpg less than EFI, hard starting in certain conditions etc. I can tune a carb, I've done the research and learned how to install adjustable jets for the midrange circuits etc. I learned how to do it to do it once, and then liked the EFI results better. I'll stick with EFI myself.