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

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

update 8

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

They seemed to work just fine

Update 9

Sliders installed!!!

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

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-

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!!

 

[Turdle]

Update to first post--

 

[rookieshooter]

This is one really nice build. One of those tranny coolers looks awful familiar LOL.

 

[Turdle]

This is one really nice build. One of those tranny coolers looks awful familiar LOL.

Thanks again!!

One of the things I like most about my truck is the variety of members' parts that make it up. I can look it over and see several of you guys in it. Call me sentimental--

 

[crazyflights]

Lookin great! Love how it runs, have you thought anymore about SASing it like we had talked about?

 

[Turdle]

Well, the Turdle is fighting me again, this time by cooking my lovely bride's feet.

actually, it is my fault, and yes, once again a mole hill has become a mountain to climb.

Years and years ago the little heat shield over the hvac housing near the engine was frayed. Rather than replacing the cover, I decided it just looked better without it. Bad bad mistake---

The passenger side header has melted a nice hole in the housing. This is allowing hot engine capartment air to flow into the ****pit. The faster we go, the faster it cooks. Going to Colorado is out of the question until this issues is resolved----


Man, it is tight in there, and to replace the cover proves a challenge.

It would seem the header needs removed to gain access to the hvac cover. No real big deal, except I cannot get a wrench on the egr tube nut with the tall valve cover in place. I have shaved material from my wrench but it still will not allow motion once fitted to the nut--

Soooo, it would seem the chain reaction ends with me removing the upper intake to gain access to the valve cover bolts, remove the valve cover and then finally the header.

then--to make it worse, it would seem the only way the truck will get enough airflow at slow speeds to cool properly with the ac running, I will need a nice electric puller. I have a Mark 8 fan, and Techieman33's single core radiator at my disposal. The radiator might still need moved forward a but though.

Any ideas out there for me?

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Well, the Turdle is fighting me again, this time by cooking my lovely bride's feet.

actually, it is my fault, and yes, once again a mole hill has become a mountain to climb.

Years and years ago the little heat shield over the hvac housing near the engine was frayed. Rather than replacing the cover, I decided it just looked better without it. Bad bad mistake---

The passenger side header has melted a nice hole in the housing. This is allowing hot engine capartment air to flow into the ****pit. The faster we go, the faster it cooks. Going to Colorado is out of the question until this issues is resolved----

Any ideas out there for me?

Let her DRIVE

 

[inh]

I know its $$$ but that fan Aldive installed seems to be pretty nice and doesn't look too thick. Maybe that would fit? I dunno if I would want a smaller radiator on the 5.0, expeically lifted, driving for long periods, in the heat...

Could always try to fit a pusher fan..

And you're pretty much screwed on the HVAC box man =[ Unless you can patch the hole with some of that shiny aluminum duct tape. That, and then some kind of heatshielding on top, maybe rig up a piece of sheet metal to block most of the heat? That could be a decent temp fix untill you have a better reason to take the top half of your motor apart..

 

[Turdle]

What is the consensus on the later model radiator? Is it actually smaller with less capacity, or, could it be more efficient?

 

[Turdle]

Let her DRIVE

ah--I like this fix.


Man, I just went out there and the hot sun has me back inside. I think the thing to do is 1, plant a tree on the south side of my driveway,and 2, pop open a beer. Repeat step 2 until shade appears.

 

[Joey P]

1, plant a tree on the south side of my driveway,and 2, pop open a beer. Repeat step 2 until shade appears.

Hilarious!! That just made me laugh big time!

 

[Turdle]

Once in a while I will second guess others advice or suggestions. Case in point is Don--CDW6121R
He is correct. I should not have wasted time measuring.

The Mark 8 fan aint happening. There is no way to get it in there-at least not on this truck. To do so would meant jeopardizing the structural integrity of the header panel, and, maybe eve require the engine be shifted back an inch or 3.

I need almost 4" more of clearance. From the water pump rotating neck to the radiator, I have about 3.20".

the fan is about 5.80" thick, then we need some clearance between the pump shaft and fan-



Looking at my 98 radiator, and Eric's 2000 radiator, I am seeing no measurable difference.

So, now what? Tell me please, are the metal fans more efficient than the plastic one i currently have?

would a couple small pushers ( keeping the stock fan also) help,???I think I can manage that-

 

[Maniak]

Check into the HHR fan.

It pulls quite a bit of air and is a bunch thinner.. Looks like almost 2" thinner..

This thread at 460ford.com has some good drawings of the Mark vIII and the HHR fan.

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135721&highlight=hhr


~Mark

 

[inh]

I think some electric pushers that you can wire to be on ALL the time, with a switch of course, would help a lot when wheeling or low speeds in the heat..

 

[Turdle]

HHR fan dimensions

http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/g...geurl=http://info.rockauto.com/TYC/621450.jpg

 

[crazyflights]

Pusher fans you can turn on and off sounds like good idea to me.

 

[Maniak]

Puller fans are better as pusher fans can block the air going to the radiator.

If you are diving faster than the pusher fan is pushing the air through the radiator then the fan is actually blocking air. The same is true if the fan is off.

On a puller fan, many of the shrouds have holes with flaps that allow the air to blow through the radiator and out past the fan/shroud so it won't get in the of the air flow.

~Mark

 

[Turdle]

Hmmm
Chrysler LHS fan mounted vertically?
Supposedly this pulls 5000 CFM

Just throwing search results out there for confusion--er, consideration

 

[CDW6212R]

The fan Cobraguy installed is working well for him in the high heat of Arizona I believe. It was the version almost like Al's , a 188 I think, the version without controller is around $260. He has a great write up here for it, and a slight modification that gained a hair of space, an e-clip change.

I found a source for the full size radiator, it's still made. For the AC, can you find a reason to get inside the box like the blend door hack job? I'd place the aluminum tape over the hole on the inside, then fill the depression with an insulation material, covered again with tape. Use an aluminum shield, that cools better than anything else.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLX-188/

 

[gmanpaint]

I agree with Don^^^

Aluminum tape, and a aluminum heat shield riveted over said hole, and its done.

 

[racinjason68]

I used fiberglass to patch the hole on my air ride X.

As for fans this is what I run on my 5.4L pickup.. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLX-270/ 5500cfm

Not cheap but cold ac all the time and no worries about air flow. And I has variable speed control. Only thing I did different was use a stereo system type fuse instead of there blade style. Faster winter warm ups, and cooler summer days, of course that is when using my remote start....

How much space do you have between your water pump shaft and radiator? I would keep the bigger radiator if possible. On my V6 X I had one 16" puller and then had a back up 12" pusher for the A/C.