"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!!

 

[dkchrist]

Jon, have you put water wetter in you cooling system? Dead Link Removed

If you could pick up a couple degrees here and there you might be about to solve the problem.

 

[Turdle]

Jon, have you put water wetter in you cooling system?

I have not tried that yet.
But I did have a thought

It would seem the transmission and engine heat could be fighting each other--
now, considering I have added 2 explorer coolers and 2 10" fans for trans cooling, ---

How about I ditch the trans lines going into the radiator????? I could easily tube them together for a bypass experiment I guess---

Thoughts?

 

[Maniak]

Are the trans coolers in front of the radiator? The reason I ask, if the fans are on, and in front of the cooler/radiator they will actually block air while going down the freeway. If they are freewheeling then they still block some, but not near as much (I have mine trans cooler fan turn off when I go into OD which is about 45mph).

As for taking the trans lines out of the radiator, I don't have mine in anymore and problably won't put them back in. It gets colder where you are so you could put in valves to direct the flow into the radiator during winter and keep it out during summer. I have found that my dual external coolers cool the trans better when its out of the radiator so I can say that the radiator cooler in my case is just heating the fluid for winter.

~Mark

 

[techieman33]

My brother took his out of the radiator and it's much cooler now, but he Also added 2 10x15 coolers with fand on them.

 

[Maniak]

My brother took his out of the radiator and it's much cooler now, but he Also added 2 10x15 coolers with fand on them.

Thats about what I did.. but my coolers are a little smaller..

Those coolers seem to keep up even in the Southern Az heat.

~Mark

 

[techieman33]

We didn't think about it needing to go through the radiator to help warm it up in the winter though, I'll have to bring that up to him.

 

[Turdle]

So,
I went to my favorite pick and pull looking for fans --just to see what was there to work with.

I kinda was taken back when I found 2 of these

Without knowing which exact parts I needed I snipped wires and got these

And this

I also snagged a radiator fan from a subaru legacy on right, and a Hyundai of some sort on left

I think I may have something to work with here

 

[Turdle]

Ok, the large box is a multi relay box, and it does switch in the fans
the mid size box is the crash sensor-the smaller one is a large relay

 

[Turdle]

Well, after testing these fans I found the subaru fan is quite a kicker actually. It is 2 speed. INstalling the s bladed fan blade to it made it really move some air. My 10 amp battery charger rn it for a good minute, so I have to assume it has less than 15a draw on high speed.


Also, I tried to fit the Taurus shroud, dangit to heck fitting it there would mean the oil filter would be blocked from removal. I'm not going to get myself into a chain reaction of moving parts around to fit a puller fan. not to mention the large fan motor is fubared. I took it apart to find shattered brushes and a burned winding.


I'll see about using the larger fan with a smaller behind the radiator. If that doesn;t work, I will see what I can do about using 2 smaller fans and fitting them to the stock shroud. If that doesn't seem to be a good idea
I will install them in front of the radiator as pushers, using also the stock fan.
Also going to look for a replacement fan motor for the 16" fan.

 

[dkchrist]

alright, next time I come down there we gotta go to the junkyard.

 

[Turdle]

Well, dangit e fan = 1 , JT= 0

No efan for the radiator this time around. After 5 different units and a replacement motor, fitment issues exist.

Back to the program now. I re routed the transmission lines to avoid the radiator, going directly thru 2 coolers -each with it's own 10" fan, which were installed earlier in this thread. Hopefully this will help each cool more efficiently.

I also found a metal stock type fan. I am also hoping it will move more air.

 

[410Fortune]

metal fan heck yes plastic is too nice to fingers!!

I personally opt to keep my fluid/fluid trans cooler (inside the radiator) you cannot get a air/fluid cooler that will do the same job, not cheaply.

Stuffing pusher fans in front of your radiator may actually be hurting your cooling abilities, pusher fans are 80% as effective as pullers, and for any driving at speed you are blocking airflow....

have you considered the rail style trans coolers mounted under the truck? saves alot of space up front and they are very efficient

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60350/10002/-1

 

[Turdle]

I personally opt to keep my fluid/fluid trans cooler (inside the radiator) you cannot get a air/fluid cooler that will do the same job, not cheaply.

Stuffing pusher fans in front of your radiator may actually be hurting your cooling abilities, pusher fans are 80% as effective as pullers, and for any driving at speed you are blocking airflow....

How does this look?

and with fans

Hard lines for fluid added

with bumper in place. The trans coolers do not penetrate into the grill openening

 

[410Fortune]

looks great! you kept them down low!! (I forgot about these pics) However the centers of those 10" fans are like 6", blocking lot of airflow through the coolers when you are not standing still

However that being said if it stays cool on highway and city driving then the fans would be GREAT for low range 4x4ing

my 96 likes to heat up in 4x4 low, and if I have the AC on it will heat up in a drive through.. when its 90+ out I have to put it in N and give her 2500 RPM to cool it back down...

I need a shroud LOL, never got a shroud after the body lift.......I have a HUGE trans cooler, the trans stays below 200, its the coolant temps that are climbing, I hope a shroud fixes this sucker... the BII runs cool no matter what I do, 195-200 water and 160-180 trans.....

 

[CDW6212R]

Jon I like all of that except for the lines for the coolers. Please get rid of the connections of the rubber hoses on the steel lines. Anything else would be more secure, those hoses will get loose and eventually blow off. Find the slick push lock fittings which never let go of the proper rubber hose, and put them in. Then only the connections at the coolers will need to be watched.

I'm going to have basically the same trans coolers, with rubber hoses in parallel(two "Y" fittings). I'm not going off road, so I don't need the fans for low speeds. See how cool you can get the engine to run with an electric fan. I'm going to see what I get with a 160 thermostat and set the fan to run a little over that.

 

[Turdle]

Jon I like all of that except for the lines for the coolers. Please get rid of the connections of the rubber hoses on the steel lines. Anything else would be more secure, those hoses will get loose and eventually blow off. Find the slick push lock fittings which never let go of the proper rubber hose, and put them in. Then only the connections at the coolers will need to be watched.

I'm going to have basically the same trans coolers, with rubber hoses in parallel(two "Y" fittings). I'm not going off road, so I don't need the fans for low speeds. See how cool you can get the engine to run with an electric fan. I'm going to see what I get with a 160 thermostat and set the fan to run a little over that.

Hmm, I do see what you re saying, but I assure you I flared each metal tube, and the clamps are tight. This has been this way for quite a while, and has already been banged on pretty good. There are no signs of leaking, and you cannot rotate the clamps by hand

 

[JTX]

My 94 came stock with rubber houses like that, luckily i've never had a problem.

 

[CDW6212R]

I know, but think of the OEM steel cooler lines. They are all well made with a bulge that gives a very good bite for the hoses. But the clamps always get loose given enough time. If you knew you'd get rid of the truck before that happens, of course leave it alone. That's how Ford made it, they knew it would be long out of warantee before a leak started.

I'm just picky, and you know that, I look for the long term best way to go. My 91 Mark VII has a battery cable that loses a connection often, and I don't know if it's the cable or the end. Instead of using a spare cable of two we have, I'm going to have a new one made from welding wire. I'm thinking long term.

 

[IZwack]

I think those metal tube to rubber hose connections are fine - the ATF pressure isnt very high at that point.

 

[Turdle]

It Runs again!
The ac is ice cold!!! Joy joy
I am burping the coolant for the 5th time now, but I think the air is all out.

OK,
I fixed a few items wile in there, one of which must have been a vacuum leak. I now have about 1 more inch of vacuum at idle. I also found another bad plug wire, and adjusted the fuel pressure to 43 psi, as it had gone up a little.
I noted something else,
in the past I had been worried about high temps, using a cylinder head temperature gauge for reference. I assumed head and coolant temps were equal. Nope
Cylinder head temps are about 35 degrees higher than coolant temps, as verified by Techieman33's scangauge. So, in other words,
When I thought my coolant was over 230, it was actually 195 degrees.

scangauge reads 188 coolant temp while cylinder head guage reports around 230, idling with ac on after sitting about 20 minutes at idle.

I feel better now, about a lot of things.