supercharged 5.0 true fire 98 explorer sport

hi everyone, my name is tim . i live in selkirk, manitoba, canada and as if this date that i am posting this, i am 36 years old.

i bought my sport in jan 05 from a local ford dealer. it had 111,000KM's on it. this is the second sport i have owned. it was sitting on the lot for about 8 months before i came along. i am the third owner (i was able to track down the person that traded it in, and they got it from a friend, who bought it new in 98).

i started to do a few things to it after i first got it, then i found this site, and all hell broke lose! i've never been satisfied with something the everyone else has, so i started to tinker with it even more.

mods include

interior

installed factory tilt, cruise, overhead console, auto dimming mirror, full length console, with a message center (it didn't have these from factory).

white face with blue flames indigo gauge covers (they light up blue)
blue l.e.d. everything
white l.e.d. interior lights
Kenwood DDX392 Touch Screen Head Unit
alpine 4 channel amp (all four speakers)
boston acoustic front and rear speakers
alpine mono amp (for sub)
2 12 inch jl audio subs
rockford fosgate cap
passenger side one touch window down mod.
custom transfer case shifter
tripple a pillar gauge pod, housing autometer boost, Innovate LC-1 wideband, and oil pressure gauge
12v power inverter with 120v plug in a 2 usb plugs built into the center console

exterior

BMW E46 projectors, mounted into stock housings using clear lens
6000K HID head lights
angel eye "driving" lights, with 8000k h.i.d.'s
clear parking/corner lights
billet grill (powder coated by Turdle)
blacked out ford emblems
custom front steel 95-98 bumper, with 4 inch round tubes welded in for driving lights
shaved radio antenna
shaved roof rack
black euro tall lights
l.e.d. license plate lights
smoked out 3rd break light
lund rear tailgate spoiler/wing (formally from the truck "blackjack" owned by EF member Spas)
hand made roll pan (made from 3 1/2 rear bumpers, with 1/4 inch diamond plate on the top, and it is removable)
aluminum T/A differential griddle/cover (powder coated by Turdle)
Motegi Mr107 20' rims
goodyear wrangler hp p245/50 r20
1 1/4 wheel spacer in the rear, 3/8 in front
and most noticeable, black with blue pearl paint, and blue true fire (ground effects are black with blue pearl as well)

Suspension

2 inch lowering blocks in the rear, reverse TT in the front (2 inch as well)
Explorer Express rear sway bar
4 door leaf springs
rancho rs9000 adjustable rear shocks
03-05 sport trac spindles with drilled and slotted rotors

performance

5L swap
347 stroker
TFS twisted wedge alum heads
comp gold 1.6 rockers
comp cams CCA-35-556-8 nitro cam
heavily modified edelbrock victor jr air gap intake (which serves as a valley pan now)
eaton m122 supercharger (metco 2.70 pulley, and ASP 8 rib 7 1/4 crank pulley) with custom made mount with bell intercooler core
8 rib serpentine belt conversion using pulleys from a 7.3 powerstroke
custom made 3 1/2 inch throttle body elbow
accufab 75mm throttle body
4 inch intake pipe
PMASS MH90 90mm Universal 3000 KG/HR MAF
amsoil cone filter
F.A.S.T. 60lb injectors
edelbrock fuel rails, trick flow specialties fuel pressure regulator with summit racing fuel pressure gauge
walbro 255lph fuel pump
1/2 inch steel braided fuel pressure line from tank to rail using 8AN fittings
torque monster headers
2 1/2 duel pipes with flowpro duel in and out 2 1/2 single muffler
accel extreme 9000 ceramic 45 degree plug wires with boot protectors
4R70W w/2600 stall with J mod
tuff stuff 200a alternator
tuning made possible with sct pro-racer package, and tuned with major help from member [MENTION=102869]Dono[/MENTION] and [MENTION=81804]4pointslow[/MENTION]
flex a lite duel 12 inch electric fans
big 3 upgrade (4 gauge wires)
meziere innercooler water pump
2 froozenboost innercooler rads

Transfer case

4406 manual shift from a 97 F150
modified stock trans cross member to accept 93 mustang 5L polyurethane tans mount
double cardan rear drive shaft

because of all the "fun" i had doing the bodywork, and some other things to my truck, i have nick named it "evil dora" or if you like, just plane "evil"!
and now the thank yous

my buddy gord leiss, who let this thing sit in his garage for 3 months while i did the body work to it. he also gave me a hand with some of the prep work, and painted it for me

kevin willson for doing the true fire http://affordableairbrushing.ca/

Joe Bukoski for letting me do the 5L/4406 swap in his garage

now people from this site, weather they knew it or not, they helped

BIG THANKS to tara a.k.a. explorersport77 for pictures of her truck. wouldn't been able to build the roll pan with out them!

ExplorerSport77's X "Hotness"

jon a.k.a. Turdle for selling me some real swanky rear shackles, as well as powder coating the diff cover and sending them up to canada. as well as much needed info on v8, and 4406 swaps as well as doing the grill and showing me how its done.

don aka dono for the help with the tuning, and wideband, as well as the supercharger

andy aka ahodges for some parts, and any help i needed for all the go faster goodies

5.0 swap - w/ 4406

jad2411 for finding me a link for my hidden antenna

ryan a.k.a. MustangP51 for doing his write up on making l.e.d.'s for interior lights, and how to make projectors

P51's HID Headlight (Projector) and Fog Conversion (PICS)

and N3ELZ cardomain page for L.E.D. switch and cruise pod mods

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-6
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-12
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-23

bob a.k.a. rwenzing for showing me speedhut's sit for the gauges

Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod

Buzz4x4 for his write up on blacking out ford emblems

How to Make Your Own Custom Ford Emblems

the late aldive for his write up on one touch down passengers window mod

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141027&highlight=touch+passengers+window+mod

BIG COUNTRY, for his write up on how to install a auto dimming mirror

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84968

BIG COUNTRY, 98formulaLS1, and Ryon40 for there write ups on how to install a message center

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225017&highlight=BIG+COUNTRY
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80670&highlight=message+center
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245085&highlight=Ryon40

MountaineerGreen for his 4406 swap write up and "Custom" Driveshaft for a 4406 and 4" Superlift on the Cheap " (even tho its lowered

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726&highlight=awd+4x4+swap
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

Simon, aka blueka for his "pickle" thread, and help anytime i picked the phone up the phone on the 5L swap

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271813

Jon, aka 4pointslow for any MAJOR technical advice i have needed

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219092

i wish i could find who did the write up on the overhead console install, but here is the link

http://www.explorer4x4.com/overhead.htm

Russ aka NICE59FORDF100 for his help on the wiring, and what to watch out for electronically.

hopefully one day, i will be able to help people on here just as much as the people that i have mentioned above!

plus you know you have done something right when.....

your truck (as well as corkey) wins truck of the month

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=296023

is the feature truck on the fun hump day radio show (starts roughly around the 30 min mark)

http://explorerforum.podbean.com/2011/03/23/19-vroom-zoomboom/

and you drive 26 hours ONE WAY to the carlisle all ford nationals in june 2010 and 2011, and grab second place in the s.u.v. all category!

then in 2014 you go back to the same show you have been to 5 years in a row (nothing by most, but its one hell of a long drive) and take first!

 

[vroomzoomboom]

spring is finally starting to look like spring! evils 20's went back on, took it for a quick little ride, and a wash (not sure how many liked me swinging it out sideways going onto the street but, meh).
i also finally got to fit the new hood. was pretty happy with it.

also (or at least from what i can see so far) it isnt distracting to look at it threw the windshield either.

im also pretty happy on how it fits. was worried i would have to do trimming on the sides or some stuff like that. will have to move the fenders a little bit. it also sits high at the back near the cowl, so i will try and ream the hood hinge holes where it mounts to the firewall and bring it down some. i am going to open the holes up on the outside, and they forgot to make them on the inside, so i will have to do that as well, then off to paint. i figured i would get that started while i am changing a few things as well (like getting my mount fixed so it sits flat which i am sure was causing a few problems as well as put a new replacement of TMH's on).
im just happy its warm enough now i can work on it again!

 

[Rick]

spring is finally starting to look like spring! evils 20's went back on, took it for a quick little ride, and a wash (not sure how many liked me swinging it out sideways going onto the street but, meh).
i also finally got to fit the new hood. was pretty happy with it.

View attachment 451208

View attachment 451209

View attachment 451206

View attachment 451205

also (or at least from what i can see so far) it isnt distracting to look at it threw the windshield either.

View attachment 451207

im also pretty happy on how it fits. was worried i would have to do trimming on the sides or some stuff like that. will have to move the fenders a little bit. it also sits high at the back near the cowl, so i will try and ream the hood hinge holes where it mounts to the firewall and bring it down some. i am going to open the holes up on the outside, and they forgot to make them on the inside, so i will have to do that as well, then off to paint. i figured i would get that started while i am changing a few things as well (like getting my mount fixed so it sits flat which i am sure was causing a few problems as well as put a new replacement of TMH's on).
im just happy its warm enough now i can work on it again!

Looking good. Is the same person that painted the truck going to paint the hood?

 

[410Fortune]

No more issues with her cutting out on you?
It is hard to get a fiberglass hood that fits proper! That one looks great!

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Looking good. Is the same person that painted the truck going to paint the hood?

unfortunately no. he moved out of province years ago. i messaged him to see if he was coming back for a visit anytime soon, and he wasnt. the funny thing was that he recommended someone to do it, and that was my old boss's son (who i did tribal flames on a buddys truck years ago (when i worked for his dad). he can old school freehand pin strip and all that stuff. i called him, and he thinks he should be able to get it close, so thats the option for the moment, or i drive out to edmonton, alberta with evil lol.

No more issues with her cutting out on you?
It is hard to get a fiberglass hood that fits proper! That one looks great!

if you are talking about the tuning part of it cutting out, there is still more to come. i have to make some changes first (2 1/2 bar holley map, level the mount to the lower, new headers, try to finish all loose ends for my wiring)
now, if you are talking about the hood, yes, it fits better then i thought it would. it does have a little wavyness to it, but nothing 20 mins of boarding will fix. going to open the cowl holes a little more today. @ahodges had mentioned to me that they use gutter screen over the openings (smart) to keep any stuff from getting into the engine bay, so i will have to go grab some of that today as well.

 

[ahodges]

@vroomzoomboom, it sounds like all the same issues I had with mine. I never could get mine to sit perfectly flush in the back so I just live with it now. The main issue is that the hood is much thicker than the stock steel hood and it really affects fitment at the firewall.

 

[410Fortune]

Might be able to slot the holes in the hinges a bit to get them to drop 1/4”

Rangers have different hinges over the years, when we replace a 98 front clip with say a 06 front clip you have to change the hinges too. Wondering if maybe some ranger hinges could work with your hood (02 rangers have thick hoods fiberglass) the firewall is similar)
Something to consider trying to bone yard parts
Or you could cut chop weld the hinges to get the desired height once all is set

 

[vroomzoomboom]

@vroomzoomboom, it sounds like all the same issues I had with mine. I never could get mine to sit perfectly flush in the back so I just live with it now. The main issue is that the hood is much thicker than the stock steel hood and it really affects fitment at the firewall.

i was looking at the pictures you had sent me a few months back. mine looks like it sits higher. the other thing i am also wondering (because i put the hood on first, then took it off THEN looked at the instructions lol) is if the bottom of the edges need to be trimmed a bit. either way, not worried. i will make if fit because if i doesnt it will drive me absolutely nuts!

Might be able to slot the holes in the hinges a bit to get them to drop 1/4”

Rangers have different hinges over the years, when we replace a 98 front clip with say a 06 front clip you have to change the hinges too. Wondering if maybe some ranger hinges could work with your hood (02 rangers have thick hoods fiberglass) the firewall is similar)
Something to consider trying to bone yard parts
Or you could cut chop weld the hinges to get the desired height once all is set

thats what i was meaning when i had said ream the hinges a little to bring the hood down. that is if the edges arent holding it up.
that is good to know about the ranger hinges. i have a 02 or a 03 stashed at work. i was going to take the prop rod, and the hardware from it to replace the hood pistons that they tell you to no longer use, or find ones that are shot. guess i will grab the hinges while i am at it as well.

i opened the holes up some more yesterday on the outside, and made a opening on the inside. didnt think to take pitures of it, and the hood is back in the box. i called the guy that will be painted it black, and i will have to find some time later this afternoon to drop it off.

also when i took it for a short drive on saturday, i did notice lots of black smoke. it fowls the plugs if it sits idle for too long on start up. something that will hopefully be addressed this next round of tuning. they were bad enough that i was just able to make it run to back out out of the back yard, but wouldn't start to drive it back in. when i pulled the plugs, all were black, and soaked.....i cant remember if i put new ones in before it was parked for winter. looks like a also will be ordering a ton of plugs from rockauto this week as well.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

hole opening before

opening now

just dropped it off at the bodyshop. told him if he had it done in a month that would be fine. he laughed, and said it should be finished way before that.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i feel like i have been here before.......
blower is off as well as the mount. i dropped it off to a machine/welding shop this morning to show what i needed done.

if you look at the bottom of the intake mount, from left to right are my boost reference port, iat, and my map. what i am doing is, moving the boost ref port to the center, and from there it will be mounted to a vacuumed tree, or brick what ever you like to call it that will sit where the factory ecm sat on the firewall. have to block it off anyway because its a open cavity might as well put it to use. i am also going to relocate the map into it using a 2.5 bar holley sensor (the tuner said it stopped reading boost). i think it got too hot back there and fired it. speaking of relocation, i also bought a different type of iat sensor that has a probe. it will be moved now to the upper mount on the drivers side between the injectors and intake bolts. i also believe it was getting heat soaked and giving false readings.

on the motor side of things, i have a new set of TMH's for it. the headers i had on there i also think leaked (after replacing the og leaking headers). i also want to do a leak down and compression test just to see how bad i have buggered up this motor.

hood should be painted by the end of the week, now to also get a hold of the guy that i want to flame it. have had no luck in the last week. not good.

also replacing the door hinges because the bushings are finished, and its the 3rd set of oversized bushings. more then likely the holes are worn so i grabbed some out one of my 4 door parts trucks (don, your old black truck lives on again lol).

 

[Dono]

Wow, you have been busy already.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Wow, you have been busy already.

yuppers. who knows how long this nice weather will last until it snows again. want to get this over and done so i can start driving it again.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

new TMH;s are now in. i forgot how much of a PITA they can be. also have one hinge in as well. stared making my mount plate/cover for my vacuum block. i also drilled one hole in the wrong spot, whoops. tomorrow ill hopefully put the other hinges in. remember what i said about snow? shouldnt have said that.
we got it. screwed my entire week up as well....

 

[Dono]

Impressive. I see you yanked the AC box. That sure gives lots of room. Nice to see your so motivated.
I wish I had your energy.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Impressive. I see you yanked the AC box. That sure gives lots of room. Nice to see your so motivated.
I wish I had your stupidity.

there, fixed it for you don.
the last go around in the fall i believe when i went to change the header, i looked at it and figured i would pull the box out to see how much easier it made it. it made it a lot, that and with nothing in the a/c system, and no coolant it was a no brainer.
want to get everything done, so when the mount and lower intake come back, i can dunk them on. also no word yet on the hood, and i am ok with that.
another thing i forgot to mention was i could smell a little antifreeze from time to time. also when i went to fire it up, the coolant was down, nothing in the oil (thank god), but also nothing on the ground. when i pulled the box off i could see wetness inside the blend door. i really hope the core isnt leaking. that will be a hell job to pull the dash.
also did a compression test. everything ranged from 150 to around 165. didnt bother with the leakdown when i saw that.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

todays update. the vacuum box is now done, and new lines are in. this is the boost reference one i am talking about. i went from lines that were plastic, rubber using hose clamps (yes i know there is a barb fitting, cant find something that i can use for the valve on the supercharger) to the push lock style. i also needed a block off plate for where the stock ecm went because its a open cavity going into the cabin. 2 birds, one stone. going to use brass fittings for now. maybe later down the road ill get the fancy fittings. i also drilled a hole into it to fit the map sensor. now its not near any heat.

was also going to pick up the hood from the body shop (they just did the bodywork and black, no flames yet). noticed a wave that they missed. i wouldnt have cared normally but this was right in front of me if the hood was on, and would have drove me nuts, so he said he would fix it, then repaint it.

then the event that happen today........

after it gnawing at me, i broke down and ordered a heater core. as mentioned before i saw some wetness inside the box. i had also started to think that the windshield had a small patch of fog at the bottom of it in the fall when i drove it, as well as i was able to smell a little coolant from time to time. this winter, all the windows were also fogged over. after looking at some videos, and a couple of write ups, on here i was haft way there so i figured i might as well go all in. not too bad, but its not something for the bucket list thats for sure, and you wont be able to put the dash back in place with one person. i had also finally noticed that not the top of the carpet was wet, but the bottom. so this now is also done on my small list of things that have bugged me over time. i can also now say not counting unbolting the body from the frame, unbolting the hatch, or opening up the front diff, i have taken everything apart in this truck. and i do mean everything. not sure if thats something to be proud of, or institutionalized.

 

[Turdle]

Glad you got that heater core done . That's an easy job considering the evil thrown at you previously.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Glad you got that heater core done . That's an easy job considering the evil thrown at you previously.

never really thought about that until now. when you can say putting a heater core in, or putting a set of TMH's in and telling people it wasnt to bad to do, i guess thats when you look back and realize your back has been up against the wall for a while lol.
also when i was in there, i took that next to impossible bolt to reach out of the blend door actuator. it will be fine with 2 bolts. this way if (when with my luck) it to bites it, it shouldnt be hard to change out.

 

[410Fortune]

Did you test the old core? Didn’t have a hole in it? Looks awesome so far! Can’t believe the body shop left a wave in the paint sheesh

Battle on! Sorry I missed your call I will be available today!!

 

[donalds]

Go...go...go...
I like the vac box Smart

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Did you test the old core? Didn’t have a hole in it? Looks awesome so far! Can’t believe the body shop left a wave in the paint sheesh

Battle on! Sorry I missed your call I will be available today!!

no biggie jamie, wanted to know if i had to disconnect any wires when i pulled the dash back, but as you can see i figured it out lol. your not off the hook yet however, will need some wiring help when its all back together and running (a/c, and reverse lights come to mind for now). as for the hood, i may have let if fly, but for what he charged me, i am going going to tell him to fix anything i see.

Go...go...go...
I like the vac box Smart

i saw a couple of mustang guys use them on holley terminator x facebook page (the moderator was the one that fixed the harness, as well as made some modifications to it, as well as shipped to to Turdle so i wouldnt pay threw the nose with shipping). as well as a member on here (who is on my facebook page, but for the life of me, cant remember his screen name here) had put on in his truck. its a lot better then the way i had everything put together.