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!

 

[delexploder]

I may have to look at the tps as well , my 99 tps may not be ok with my 97 harness and pcm

 

[vroomzoomboom]

here is the difference in them

this is the 96-97

i did have one of these when i bought the throttle body. i bought a bbk one for the 87-93 mustangs from american muscle (and when i mean bought from them, i mean standing in their office in PA lol). i had all sorts of problems. i then think i went to a explorer one. not as many problems, but some very small ones. 4pointslow kinda urged me to ditch those, and go back to the stock 98 and up tps which is this one

the problem with those and running a accufab throttle body is there is a shoulder on the back side that you have to mill down so it will sit flush to the body. you may also have to remove the bushings and open up the holes so you can swing it to get the voltage you want. when i was going through all this, i do remember searching on here and @
Turdle saying in a old thread if you could find a tps from a 95 mustang cobra (not a gt, but cobra which is pictured below) go with it because of the voltage range

you would have to change the plug for it, but thats no biggie. i dont know what has changed since that thread was posted, but now when you go look, the part number for a cobra is the same as the ones for gt's

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks. I was hunting for another TPS that didn't have a wire pigtail to use for the common Mustang TB. The Accufab one I have I made my 98 TPS fit, I didn't hear about the 95 Cobra version. Everything else I looked at was much different than the 98-01 TPS, either had wires or didn't mate to the TB without modifications. I was planning to settle for the Fox mustang pigtail kind of TPS, to not have to modify anything besides the harness. There's some more planning to do I see.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

motors out now

i gave it some thought, and also asked a few peoples options, and orders a new scat crank and bearings as well. the reason why i did that was when it ate the thrust bearing out, they had cut the crank and used a oversized thrust. as well as i am sure there was enough metal running around the motor at the time that they also had to cut the journals as well. i would guess it would have been 10 under. i am not sure if the bearings got wiped out again or not, but if they did, they it would need to be cut again making it 20 under. thats when you start questioning how good the crank will be after that. it also gives the guy who will be balancing the new stuff a easier time doing it because he isnt trying to machine over someone elses work from the past. it also gives me peace of mind. however, if the crank is good, the bearings are good, i will save it for maybe one day turning evils 302 into a 347. maybe.
with the motor out now, this will also give me a chance to fix the leaking pan gasket that i caused myself when i was trying to find why i had no vacuum (ended up being a crimped tube going to the vacuum boost gauge. theres 2 weeks of my life i will never get back). i also didnt know that i had the front bolt missing on #5 cylinder header tube (?) and redo some other small stuff that i didnt like but put up with while the motor was in.
i am trying a new machinist as well. wasnt happy with the place that did the motor for me, as well the guy i am trying, everyone has said he is annual as hell! lol. i have to get him a piston and rod as well as the flex plate, balancer, and pulley. if the parts are in on friday, he told me he might be able to get it done for Tuesday for me.

 

[Dono]

That was quick!

 

[ahodges]

Out again! p.s. do yourself a favor and get rid of that fram filter too..

 

[vroomzoomboom]

don, i picked at it on sunday, and yesterday
andy, i was waiting for someone to say something about that lol

 

[gmanpaint]

Sorry if I missed any of this but,

Any metal shavings/bits in the oil/filter?
Feel any Front/back play in the crank now that the engine is out?

Just to rule out the Trans/drivelines.....
Did you only feel the vibration at speed, in gear? or is it present in P/N & raised RPM's?
Have you attempted to bring it to speed, shift to Neutral, rev the engine?

Just for grins.......When it is torn down, have the main bearing races checked for proper install. I have heard stories of them being the culprit to crank issues, as some are directional, and easily missed at install.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

havent ripped this filter open. there isnt many miles on the last oil change. didnt check the end play either. i did this. i was going down the highway going 100kms (60mph) in od. i clicked od off. there is about a 500-600 rpm difference with od off vs on. when i did that the vibration felt worse. i was able to feel some vibration when it was in park idling.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

so i picked at it last night in the insane heat we have had over the last few days (not really insane for you all in the south, but we went from 10C 50F to 35C 95F within a week or so). pulled the heads, intake, and pan off.
got back at it today.

pulled the rods out, and ran one of them to the machinest today with the balancer, pulley, and flywheel. parts didnt come yesterday and he is hoping for monday. thats find because i have a butt load of stuff to do to the motor before i can think of putting it back together. when i pulled the rods off, it was killing me to see what kind of mess was waiting for my under the caps....well....

zip, zero, nadda....

bearings had some wear, but nothing horrible. yes i see the marks on the bottom of the cylinder. it looks way worse then what it really is. trust me.

next came the mains. i figured i got luckly with the rods. well.....

damn crank, and bearings are mint. now i know this is weird and all, but i have a new crank that i really dont need. hell, i looked at the bearing shells, and they are all standard! STANDARD! they didnt even have to cut the crank or nothing when the trust was ate out of it.
i was kinda bummed in a way, oh well.
however me being me, the paint on the block looked like crap so

there must be something so wrong with me to care what it will look like when you wont see 95% off it, 100% off the time!
so anyway with the exception of degreasing/deoiling the block (didnt want to do it just yet, didnt want it to flash rust) the most part of the clean up is now done. motor is i a bag on the stand, old crank is bagged until i find a use for it. tomorrow i am going to clean the heads, intake and some other things so when the new crank is done, i can put it all together.

backyard 101
need a seal installer? have any old pulleys kicking around?

dont laugh at my redneckisim. it works.

 

[Dono]

LOL. I use an oil filter socket type dealie. lol. I cant believe the **** you did to that motor and it still looks like a new motor.
So much for the 'too long of a stroke' theory.

Beautiful.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, it looks great, and thanks for the idea for the seal. I've used a small block of wood for the WP seals, but I do have a couple of old pulleys too.

How old are the oil filter adapter o-rings? I had a leak at the block of my 98 Limited when I got it. It took some time to hunt the seals, the little ones Ford has a few in a bag, the big ones they stopped carrying(I had two left from years back). I tried to install the oil cooler version, but in the car it was hell(I would have had to also R&R the WP and I didn't have time then). I think the oil cooler is a good idea for a boosted engine.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

LOL. I use an oil filter socket type dealie. lol. I cant believe the **** you did to that motor and it still looks like a new motor.
So much for the 'too long of a stroke' theory.

Beautiful.

i know right? hell when i was on the phone with damper dudes, i told him i drive this thing like i hate it. guaranteed every time i bring it out your going to find some stop sign someplace that has black j hooks on the ground, and someone with a broken ego.

How old are the oil filter adapter o-rings

not even sure if i have them in there or not now. i know i gooped the hell out of it with silicone and called it a day

 

[CDW6212R]

They get hard with age(flattened), mine had oil accumulated all over the front and bottom of the engine, and everything else under there. That adapter and the pressure sensor was most of my leak. Now I have just a tick from the oil pan there, and the engine eats a lot.

 

[Dono]

Are you going to put new rings on also?
I have to wonder if it is even worth doing.
May be pull a ring, put it in a bore and check ring gap. that would give you an idea on wear. Shouldn't really be any to speak of though.

I can see the top of the piston, and it looks pretty good. no thick goo or anything. once its back together you will have to let me play with the cold enrichment in your tune and see if we can get it running better (leaner) when its warming up.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

not going to bother with rings. leak down, and compression was very good. that and there was no metal floating around in the motor. as long as the guy balancing the motor says im good, im good.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

just putting this there for reference

EE rear sway bar bushing ENS-9-5164R

 

[vroomzoomboom]

crank came in. as well as the bearings. he wasnt happy with how much weight was on the flex plate however. i ran down there with 2 spares that i have, but they wernt any better (if not worse) so he is going to be spending some time drilling the crank to balance it. he is literally doing it as i am typing this lol



it was kinda neat seeing one on a machine. he is hopeful that he will have it done for me thursday. then thats when i get to see how good i am at putting a motor together.......

 

[Dono]

Is there a rod and piston on there somewhere? I can't see.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

you weigh those first. then you make your bob weights up and bolt them to the crank and spin it.