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"TURDLE" or " How to mess up a perfectly good truck"

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Well, it is about time I do this
This is our 1998 Mountaineer.
We acquired it in late 2000, with 29 k on the odometer. Previously it prowled the Oklahoma turnpike as an unmarked police cruiser.

I would say it was about June-2001, when the initial madness set in, and I became obsessed with changing the looks.
I found Explorer Express, Where I scored the x-spec suspension.
After talking with John V., I learned of the Apten group buy here, and the rest is as they say, history.
In June of 2002, I acquired an exhaust leak. Being the expert I thought I was, I bought a header gasket set, went to fix it.
Well, in my thinking I didn't have the front bolt tight enough, I snapped it off into the head---ooops.
After pouting about this for awhile, I decided to really get into this site for answers.
The result--



347 cubic inch, stroked and bored engine


FMS sportsman block-bored .030 over and machined for stroke
Billet crankshaft with chev rod journals
H-beam ultra light rods
Probe PRS forged pistons -9cc dish ( slightly over 10:1 compression)
Melling stock volume oil pump
Edelbrock performer efi heads 2.02 intake, 1.60 ex valve 58cc chambers
Crane's roller lifters--billet aluminum lifter guides
Crane's roller rockers
comp cams pushrods
Cloyes true billet double timing set.
FMS X-303 camshaft, advanced 4 degrees
Professional products Typhoon intake and EGR elbow, with 1" phenolic spacer
FMS 42 lb injectors
Aeromotive fuel rails, boost reference regulator ( currently set to 43 psi.)
Walbro 255LPH fuel pump--return style 3402
Lightning MAF
Torquemonster headers--stock exhaust with rear cats removed--magnaflow dula in single out-Hooker Aerochamber stacked right behind, 3" mandrel bent MAC tailpipe.
Art Carr 3000 RPM flash lockup converter ( 10 " billet housing)
Art Carr built valvebody kit
Amsoil fluids in all otherwise stock components. ( since I change my oil early and often, I use the least expensive synthetic oil. Usually Amsoil, but sometimes I will use Mobil 1)

AWD IS OUT!! 4406 4X4 IS IN!
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185203&highlight=turdle

UPDATE
As of 2-17-08
I mentioned the truck being a poilice cruiser in it's first life-
well, this caused a little "glitch"
While the PCM says it is a NRT1 box code, somewhere along the line a police code was flashed into the PCM.
My original paperwork shows a dealer service call for a PCM reflash right before the title was signed over. I am assuming the police tune was recovered, and a stock tune re loaded.
However,
they didn't mention they loaded it with a MC2O box code.
After 2 trials with the initial run tune, I actually read the box code with the XCAL2 and James deteremined This error.

Once this was figured out-the tuning was ON!!!

Baseline tuning is complete and all is well. I'm waiting on a new Innovate LM-1 wideband for WOT tuning.
Somehow mine took a dump,
I spent a whole day trying to figure it out. If it had been operating though it would have been a breeze.

James ( jah81592) is about the best help a guy could ask for in this area.

www.hensonperformance.com

UPDATE 2
Tuning complete-after a few WOT pulls to 6000 rpm's
James has not only achieved a great tune in my truck, but totally eliminated the surging issues I was experiencing.

UPDATE 3

Truck now lifted for trip to Colorado Gold mine trails--page8

Update 4
colorado trip completed-Imogene pass and Black bear pass have been driven in this truck
woo hoo!!
picture of black bear pass-

update 5
On Sept 19, 2008 Went to KCIR and ran a 14.8 @ 90mph---2.002 60 ft time
I was snoozing and did everything wrong. It has more in it.

Update 6

After drooling over Mountaineergreen's extensive suspension mod list for years-

With a feeling of guilt, for not doing the actual work myself, I have acquired his

4" superlift suspension lift,
410 gears
aussie locker in rear
disconnect front diff--- http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188359
double cardan front drive shaft ---http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

285-75-16" cooper discovery sst (33") tires

UPDATE 7

Exhaust Dumps installed 4-15-2009
These allow the exhaust to be opened right after the cats.









new pics as of 3-16 2009

HPIM4066.jpg


HPIM4067.jpg


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update 8

Added another stock trans cooler beside original, installed hard lines and twin 10" cooling fans

fansbumper.jpg


They seemed to work just fine

DSCF2694.jpg


Update 9

Sliders installed!!!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245321&highlight=sliders


stupidbracket.jpg


I used Smoked chrome powder coat on front and rear bumpers, sliders, and wheels make for a factory look match
Bumper pictures are before slider install-

bumperdonenoflash.jpg


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Next up--Get rid of torsion bar drop brackets, and, the bars themselves.

I also have some mild white neon tube rock lights, some very bright 55w rock lights, and, 6 rock llight of death tubes ( to be shown later)

stay tuned!!

turdleflex.jpg
 



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...I knew about the fans and I am interested in how they work out for you...IIRC, they are 180* activation???...Did the controller come with it and do you have a link???...:D

I got the kit off ebay--
item number
330317849587
 



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I love your mounty! The "How to ruin a perfectly good truck" thing in the first post is a complete lie.....Ive always thought a 99-01 explorer front bumper would look great on the mounty's......Just an idea for you......
 






That looks really awesome, have you tested out the cooling capabilites of them yet?

Here lies the problem.I live in Kansas. You know, if it is over 50 feet high it has a name like " Mount chanagua"

I had no idea I had any kind of issue until we got into the mountains in Colorado. I mean, those are some hills, and it was nothing for the engine to be 3000-maybe 3500 rpms for a long time. If I say a constant hour I don't think I am exaggerating the length of the climbs.

It was very embarrassing to know we had the most power to get up the hill, but couldn't use it. All of the stock vehicles went right on up, while we had to drag the group down while they waited for us to cool off. Not to mention the feeling of " are we killing this thing?" Once when the transfer case popped into nuetral, I said" yup there she went!"



Disgraceful I tell ya!!

The test will be in Missouri at the Smoor off road event. The hills there are long enough to test this out, but still low enough we won't be in any real danger. This is a 1000 acre park after all, not hundreds of square miles of ledges and hills.

I drove the truck on a 40 mile round trip today for instance, and the temp gauge barely even moved off the resting position. It is when the torque converter is working the heat sets in



I love your mounty! The "How to ruin a perfectly good truck" thing in the first post is a complete lie.....Ive always thought a 99-01 explorer front bumper would look great on the mounty's......Just an idea for you......

I was going to say I want your bumper. ;)
 






Here lies the problem.I live in Kansas. You know, if it is over 50 feet high it has a name like " Mount chanagua"

I wasn't aware of the flatness of Kansas, but i can see the issue now (looked at a topography map). I think that by adding a second cooler, and those fans you will make the trans a whole lot cooler. Congrats on your New mod.

Justin
 












LOL Colorado will test your vehicle, I was at 13,000' last weekend with the wifey, my 96 V8 passes just about everything up there, thanks to the cam and breathing mods.. with 3.73 and 33's though it could us some more help

Isnt 3000-4000 rpm where these suckers are supossed to run? LOL

Dont sweat it Jon! my first trip to Moab I was sitting on 30" tires with a 2" lift, you are not going to be able to hang with everyone on the first trip, it should just be a starting point for learning about what is needed and why. No need to be emberassed although I know the feeling looking back, I was so worried about picking the right line (I didnt even know I was going to be picking lines before I got there hahaha) keeping up with the group, making sure my truck was working, etc that I almost forgot to look around at Moab! we expect newbies to have issues and a big learning curve
 






A big reason I want to go with a group that has gone to somewhere like Ouray. The experience one gets first hand from wheeling is invaluable. Every trip out is an education.

Everything I have done to the Black Hole, all the wheeling I have been doing is to prepare for this years trip to Ouray. I feel that I am very close to being ready as far as the rig goes. Mentally, I am giddy as a little kid on X-mas eve. I can't wait to get up in them Mountains!!

Next weeks pics of the next mods, will be side by side with the Turdle! Be there soon JT!
 






Well guys--I have done it now
This one is full on commitment to off roading, and no turning back. Up to this point, the changes to the truck could have been "undone"

Today I flattened the rocker seams, to make room for rock sliders.

cough,
 












Well guys--I have done it now
This one is full on commitment to off roading, and no turning back. Up to this point, the changes to the truck could have been "undone"

Today I flattened the rocker seams, to make room for rock sliders.

cough,

Did you make em purdy or do they look like these? :D
 

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Well, it isn't "purdy" but I think I did a better job that that. Once it has hercliner on it I will get pics

Ideas for bending over the fender tabs please? also, how about filling in the front 2 holes?

I used touch foam to fill the rocker holes, and was thinking of using some plastic push pin buttons for the front 2 holes, sticking them in with the first coat of herculiner, using it as glue--then coating over them with the second coat.
My real hang up now is how to roll the fender tab over--
 


















OH NICE!! Way to do it now before nature does it for you! :)

explorer's get hung up on the rocker and also the rear leaf spring hanger (front mount, its under the frame = the big suck) this happens on the break over angle, sliders are a HUGE help for pivoting on rocks and cresting a climb..... perhaps after you may come up with some sort of slider for the rear spring hanger :) I would be using cutting board material myself!

Cant wait to see what you come up with now Jon :) PC on sliders = lots of touching up! Unless you could make a replaceable skid plate out of the cutting board stuff... my BII will have skid pads all over the place, slides nice on slick rock
 






Sanding sanding sanding--

Yes I have been sanding on the lower silver --it's going darker-

Nevermind that now, what we want to see is the herculiner. It will be painted over

side shot

rockersdone.jpg


I had some kinda stone gaurd on mine, so I followed those lines--
rear wheel

rearwheel.jpg


Middle door jamb

middoorjamb.jpg


front door jamb

frontdoorjamb.jpg
 












Are you going to take the doors off to PC? or are you going to just paint them? rock Rails look sick. you'll be able to take on the big'uns with em.

can't wait to see them done
 









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