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Solved Exploring Forced Induction: The Fluid MotorUnion Ford Explorer Turbo Build Thread!

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Not too sure on the final price yet, but if this is something that gets some serious interest, we'd be willing to put together a "kit" of sorts that should contain everything necessary.

Looks like I'll have to convert my 3rd gen's front end into a 4th gen. lol :p: Wish I lived closer to IL so you guys could get me an M112 or M90 supercharger installed on my 4.0L SOHC.
 



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Hmm. This is pretty cool. The STS remote mouny concept is pretty cool but I just couldn't see doing it in upstate NY on a daily driver.

Your only competition for a kit like this is Brenspeed. They made the Saleen SC VI.5. The base conversion is $8500 out the door. For all the goodies short of a forged internals and a built tran will run you about $10,000. So if you cam make 400-430 to the wheels with a Turbo at or under that price range....you will slam the market. I don't know anyone that would prefer a supercharger to the sound and feel of a turbo!
 






Subing;)

Hmm. This is pretty cool. The STS remote mouny concept is pretty cool but I just couldn't see doing it in upstate NY on a daily driver.

Your only competition for a kit like this is Brenspeed. They made the Saleen SC VI.5. The base conversion is $8500 out the door. For all the goodies short of a forged internals and a built tran will run you about $10,000. So if you cam make 400-430 to the wheels with a Turbo at or under that price range....you will slam the market. I don't know anyone that would prefer a supercharger to the sound and feel of a turbo!

I've thought about what I'd do if I had the money to go nuts and more likely it would be twin turbo(a single would do:D) but supercharger would provide more lowend torque which is what we need. I know a properly sized turbo setup will have very little lag, but on the street at a light, a supercharger would be hard to beat.
 






I've thought about what I'd do if I had the money to go nuts and more likely it would be twin turbo(a single would do:D) but supercharger would provide more lowend torque which is what we need. I know a properly sized turbo setup will have very little lag, but on the street at a light, a supercharger would be hard to beat.

Well I suppose we shall see :D

Sorry for the lack of updates, guys; we've been doing lots of measuring for the manifold fabrication (currently happening), and pictures of slide rules and tape probably isn't worth posting, haha. All in due time!
 






Very cool....
 






Update! Manifold Manifolds

First, I have to start off by saying that we're not doing a single turbo build on this Explorer. We're going twin. Always have been, just neglected to mention that earlier. That being said, let's continue.

Today, we return to the tale of the turbocharged Ford Explorer. Craig’s been hammering away (well, welding away) at the manifolds since we last discussed this interesting custom build, and progress is definitely being made. Making manifolds from scratch isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but we’re willing to put in the effort so long as everything comes out as gorgeous and functional as we want it to. And so far, we’re living up to our lofty expectations. The manifolds didn’t look like much when we started…

manifold_squared1.jpg


…But after a little bit of elbow grease and tungsten…

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…We’ve got two manifolds. Well, the main meat-and-potatoes of the manifolds, at any rate.

manifold_squared4.jpg

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You know us; it wouldn’t be a blog about welding without at least one good picture of our craftsmanship.

manifold_squared8.jpg


Now, after a little bit of test-fitting to make sure everything’s clearing as intended…

manifold_squared9.jpg


…We’ve got the manifolds back on the welding table to prepare the ends to mate up to the turbochargers.

manifold_squared10.jpg


And one more weld shot for good luck:

manifold_squared11.jpg


Craig’s in the zone right now, so look out for another update soon!
 






Pipes 'N' Stuff: Turbo + Intercooler Mounts

The last time we checked on the turbo Explorer, we had finished welding the manifolds, and the turbos and intercoolers were up next. Now, they’re no longer up next, they’re on the main stage! Let’s start with the turbos. To start with, the turbos just hung out in the engine bay, waiting for more fabricated steel to help the snail stand on its own two legs (if turbos have legs, which is still an unfounded theory). Both turbos had their flanges already cut out on the mill, and the first piece of pipe was tacked on in order to help determine placement for the remainder of the connecting pipe:

pipes_stuff1.jpg

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After some measuring, we started with tacking together the pipe to connect the turbo to the manifold:

pipes_stuff3.jpg


After double-and-triple checking the pipe’s location for fitment and everything, we started welding. And the result is, well, much stronger than the tacked-together version. Strong enough to hold up the turbo on its own, that’s for sure.

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Gratuitous welding shot!

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With the passenger side finished, we move to the driver’s side.

pipes_stuff8.jpg


Sadly, they don’t make mirror-version turbos, so the engine bay won’t be entirely symmetrical, but a little less piping to weld is never a complaint when you’re working as hard as possible to finish the job without losing an inch of precision.

pipes_stuff9.jpg


Yet ANOTHER gratuitous weld shot? Sure!

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And so the turbos are mounted, and half of the exhaust work is done. From here, all that’s left is routing the exhaust from the turbochargers out the back of the Explorer. But we’ll save that for another day…

pipes_stuff11.jpg


Next, we approach the intercoolers. Instead of choosing to weld tons of small chunks of metal together, we took the proper route and just fabricated a small table-like structure to hold the intercooler in place. Starting with a base design and creating the mount around that, we made sure to keep these intercoolers as secure as possible, while also keeping them relatively close to the intake manifold to reduce heat soak in the charge piping. Utilizing already existing mounting points is a challenge, but certainly not the toughest challenge we’ve ever faced:

pipes_stuff12.jpg

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And the intercoolers are mounted! The driver’s side is mounted too, but the sides look exactly identical, so we didn’t include it in the picture-taking.

pipes_stuff15.jpg


We’re putting together the downpipe right now on the passenger side, so already there’s even more progress than you see here.
 






Awesome build. Some nice welding work. Unless I missed it somewhere what are you guys hoping to put down power wise? Engine staying stock or upgraded internals etc? Would this be adaptable to an 06'+ Mountaineer, as I know the exterior is different but not sure if there's any slight differences like if the IC would fit behind the grill of the Mountaineer?
 






Looking forward to results!!!

I'm going to guess that it'll make around 425 to 450hp at the wheels if all else is stock.

I'm jealous, very jealous!!! :D
 






Looking forward to results!!!

I'm going to guess that it'll make around 425 to 450hp at the wheels if all else is stock.

I'm jealous, very jealous!!! :D

I'm jealous as well. This is one lucky guy (for the fact he has the cash to do this to an Explorer :D).
 






Awesome build. Some nice welding work. Unless I missed it somewhere what are you guys hoping to put down power wise? Engine staying stock or upgraded internals etc? Would this be adaptable to an 06'+ Mountaineer, as I know the exterior is different but not sure if there's any slight differences like if the IC would fit behind the grill of the Mountaineer?

Thanks!

Power should be, as mentioned below, somewhere north of 400 whp. But this is also his daily driver, so we're not going for max boost or anything -- no sense trashing internals and a transmission ten minutes after we finish the tune.

Not sure how it would fit on a Mountaineer; if I know my parts-bin engineering, I'd assume that the overall frame of the vehicle is somewhat if not exactly similar, so the engine bay should have almost similar constraints. As you said, the heat exchanger might be the issue with fitment. You can always move to a slightly smaller heat exchanger, if that's a proper solution to make it fit.

Are you rockin' the Modular V8 as well?

Looking forward to results!!!

I'm going to guess that it'll make around 425 to 450hp at the wheels if all else is stock.

I'm jealous, very jealous!!! :D

Everything else is stock. The exhaust is the only part that's getting a full-on redo.

400 whp should be quite nice :D

I'm jealous as well. This is one lucky guy (for the fact he has the cash to do this to an Explorer :D).

And it's his DD, too. Next time some kid revs at a random Explorer on a lark, let's hope it's this one.
 






Since we last checked in on the Explorer…so, um, yesterday…all the piping from the turbos to the manifolds were completed, and we’d started working on the downpipes.

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Once work started on the downpipes, the flood gates opened and the fab garage has been nothing but a flurry of tacks and welds, argon gas and tungsten rods.

comma_down2.jpg


As always, we were there for the close-up shots.

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After a small amount of test-fitting, the final welds were put in place and the passenger side downpipe was ready to roll.

comma_down4.jpg

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Since the passenger side was a breeze, we figured, “Hey, why not, let’s make two downpipes. The driver’s side could probably use one!” And it could. So we did.

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Just like the passenger side, the driver’s side fit with a small amount of correction factor applied to take advantage of the lack of room from the steering shaft. Those pesky things manage to get in the way all the time. No matter, though, as the fitment turned out excellent. We now have two completed downpipes, awaiting the rest of the exhaust.

comma_down10.jpg


And it’s not like we don’t have ample room to work with.

comma_down11.jpg
 






Great fab work. Subscribing to see how this come out.
 






Looks excellent. Question with the welding - are the intercooler mounts stainless as well? I see you know your stuff and are back gassing all the tube welds - what do you do on the plate? I have a bunch of flat stock parts to do and without the back gas, get the crystal formation. Any way to avoid it?

Also, do some good detail on the heat exchanger mounting. I will be supercharging my sport trac (have a Saleen Series VI headunit already) in the near future, but don't see a good place for the heat exchanger without taking all of the first air from the rad / condenser.
 


















That Explorer is sure rusty.

??? Are you kidding ??? It is an '06! I only see rust on the frame. Be happy this isn't a Ranger when they were only wax coated from factory. The E-coated frames are way better. Just some edge / surface rust, nothing to be concerned with.

I will be happy if my STA looks like this in 4 years.
 






??? Are you kidding ??? It is an '06! I only see rust on the frame. Be happy this isn't a Ranger when they were only wax coated from factory. The E-coated frames are way better. Just some edge / surface rust, nothing to be concerned with.

I will be happy if my STA looks like this in 4 years.

I'm not kidding :D I meant the frame surface rust btw. Oh those rangers.... terrible....
My 05's frame looks like new. Only thing that has surface rust is really the back of my trailer hitch.
 









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They do SALT in the winters in IL! That's probably why it's rusty.
 






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