Plenum - URGENT

[Mirge]

Just a quick update... I called LKQ salvage yard (local one here in Tulsa, OK)... I lucked out and they had one straight off a 1998 Ford Explorer 4.0L SOHC motor... was quoted $125 for it.

Then my sister in law (works for a body shop) called them and talked to a guy the shop deals with, and got me a lower price of $75!

They are shipping it from another facility of theirs & it'll be here tomorrow morning... made arrangements for the machine shop to install it tomorrow morning after I pick it up.

FINGERS CROSSED, hopefully this fixes the issue!! I'm thinking about going ahead and grabbing a new set of Felpro manifold gaskets while I'm out... might as well since it's only $15 for a set.

If this did fix the issue, I'd be extremely relieved.

 

[renegadepig]

If you need I have a upper and lower from a 98 PM if u need

 

[Mirge]

If you need I have a upper and lower from a 98 PM if u need

Sweet thanks. If something happens & i can't pick up this upper tomorrow I'll shoot ya a PM for sure!

 

[Mirge]

Was driving it earlier today... putting it around. Noticed it would NOT engage third gear. Like, it would try... but RPMs would just shoot up without actually being in gear.. as if I was revving in neutral.

Just keeps getting better... any ideas? Could it somehow be related to the insane miss/vac leak?

 

[renegadepig]

My guess is the computer is in limp mode due to the vacuum leak and limiting trans functioning. Dave

 

[gijoecam]

I doubt the trans problem is related to the intake issue...

I, too, suspect it's a gasket. The odds of the plastic manifold itself warping are pretty slim... The material they used for those is extremely thermally stable. I suspect it would break long before it warped permanently.

For the part cheap, check the For Sale forum for Ped5Stang's parts. (The title is 'Parting out 95-01 Explorers' IIRC) If anyone has it available, he does.

 

[Mirge]

I really HOPE the trans is related to the intake issue--if that even is the issue. Can't afford a trans rebuild.

Going to pick up the part now and take it back to the shop... cross your fingers!

 

[tvken]

Additional Plenum problem...

I was recently re-installing the intake plenum & tightened one of the torq bolts too tight and snapped it (oops! - rookie mistake). How much trouble am I in with this? How deep will I have to go to fix it? Any help appreciated.

Forgot to note: Engine is 4.0 SOHC. Thanks!

 

[Mirge]

I was recently re-installing the intake plenum & tightened one of the torq bolts too tight and snapped it (oops! - rookie mistake). How much trouble am I in with this? How deep will I have to go to fix it? Any help appreciated.

Forgot to note: Engine is 4.0 SOHC. Thanks!

Did you just break the head off and can still see the bottom portion of the bolt? If so, not really a big deal.... easy to drill out (just the bolt, CAREFUL not to drill into the intake manifold or plenum).. and then just replace the bolt. Maybe a picture would help of the broken bolt?

 

[Mirge]

Update, the motor is running great now... but the transmission is still shifting all funky.. or rather, isn't shifting I guess?

1st gear - great
2nd gear - great
3rd gear - revs up as if in neutral.

It's an automatic tranny... we left it at the shop and they said they would take it to a tranny shop Monday morning who happens to be a buddy of the owner..

Any thoughts as to what would cause this? Upon inspection, it looks like the tranny is WAY overfilled. I have service history receipts from oil changes, etc saying the tranny fluid level was "OK" when they checked... so I can't help but think that someone at the machine shop messed up when doing the motor overhaul.

 

[tvken]

Mirge -
I'm not sure - I haven't gotten back in to it yet. I'm just looking for what the possibilities are. It felt like the bolt itself didn't break, but the part where it attaches did. If this is the case, will the entire lower manifold have to be replaced? Thanks!

 

[renegadepig]

hard to keep the manifold sealed if all the bolts won't keep it down where it belongs. Eventually, it will start leaking again and back to where u are now. Dave

 

[Mirge]

Mirge -
I'm not sure - I haven't gotten back in to it yet. I'm just looking for what the possibilities are. It felt like the bolt itself didn't break, but the part where it attaches did. If this is the case, will the entire lower manifold have to be replaced? Thanks!

If it's the lower manifold, you're in luck... that's stocked in every parts store I've checked (autozone, o'reillys etc) and it's cheap.. $50 or so.

 

[Mirge]

Just an update for those following along in case anybody is:

Tranny is having to be rebuilt now... I talked the guy down to $1,800 (from $2,300)... still pretty expensive to me considering I just put $3,000 into the motor rebuild.

Motor has a 12 month warranty, and the tranny will as well. Was gonna sell the explorer for a newer one, but just gonna keep this one now... damn these expenses right before the HOLIDAYS!! *shakes fist*

 

[Russel]

I had the same problem with my 4.0 Explorer. There is a certain way to remove those bolts for the intake plenum. Removing them the wrong way will cause the already warped plastic to crack by one of the bolt holes. Because the timing chains are hard to replace on those trucks alot of people just junk the whole truck so it should be really easy to find a new intake plenum. I bought the whole intake plenum for $75.00.

 

[Mirge]

I had the same problem with my 4.0 Explorer. There is a certain way to remove those bolts for the intake plenum. Removing them the wrong way will cause the already warped plastic to crack by one of the bolt holes. Because the timing chains are hard to replace on those trucks alot of people just junk the whole truck so it should be really easy to find a new intake plenum. I bought the whole intake plenum for $75.00.

Yeah, I bought the upper intake (plenum) for $75 from LKQ (salvage yard). They wanted to sell it to me for $125, but my sister works for a body shop that deals with them and she was able to get it for me for $75... I didn't even need it though. Returning it for money back..

 

[Russel]

anybody with a 4.6L explorer? I wanted to put a cone air filter on this truck. Does anyone know if it will change the engine sound? and what kind of performance gains could I expect?

 

[Mirge]

anybody with a 4.6L explorer? I wanted to put a cone air filter on this truck. Does anyone know if it will change the engine sound? and what kind of performance gains could I expect?

Air filter alone isn't going to net anything noticeable... I wouldn't expect any sound difference either. Even on a forced induction setup, air filter alone isn't going to change HP/TQ numbers much.

 

[MrQ]

anybody with a 4.6L explorer? I wanted to put a cone air filter on this truck. Does anyone know if it will change the engine sound? and what kind of performance gains could I expect?

Wrong thread man.

 

[MrQ]

Just an update for those following along in case anybody is:

Tranny is having to be rebuilt now... I talked the guy down to $1,800 (from $2,300)... still pretty expensive to me considering I just put $3,000 into the motor rebuild.

Motor has a 12 month warranty, and the tranny will as well. Was gonna sell the explorer for a newer one, but just gonna keep this one now... damn these expenses right before the HOLIDAYS!! *shakes fist*

Woah man! Before you do that check out the tranny section first. I assume because of the year you have a 5r55e.

Check this thread out: The 5R55E and the infamous 2-3 shift flare issue

Rebuilding the valve body doesn't require the transmission to be removed from the vehicle. Just follow the instructions here and you should be okay. I am rebuilding an A4LD right now (the 1st gen of this tranny) and its not that hard. Beats $1800 any day.