2000 AWD Xploder from Turbo back to NA

After getting an estimate on how much it would run me to fix up my Xploder with all new exhaust, cold side piping, and a bunch of other stuff done up the "right" way... I've decided to convert my Xploder back to NA form so that I can actually ENJOY the truck before I die of old age.

Anyways... To start it off I ordered up a MAC cold air intake (I do not have the stock intake) and sold my FMS headers on ebay.

I plan on buying a set of torque monster headers in the next week or so but am still up in the air on how I should run my exhaust from a performance "speed" perspective. I do not plan on doing much, if any, off road driving, so am looking for a setup that improves take off and speed for spirited pavement driving that sounds good.

I already have the spare tire removed (and will be keeping it off, I have free towing anyways lol)... What would an optimal setup be with the above in mind and no worry of a spare tire being in the way? True duals (straight pipe off of each header, thru separate mufflers, and out the sides), or a dual exhaust both going into a 2 in 2 out "H" pipe style muffler and then out the sides? Or something else? In all cases I won't be running any cats.

I also plan to re-tune my car since currently it is tuned for the turbo setup which obviously will no longer apply once I rip everything out.

Thank you for any input!

 

[Dono]

Does the front blow any air at all? Even with the air off? If there is no air blowing at all at the front, maybe try checking voltage at the motor (If you can get to it). If there's no voltage at the motor, you know you have to work back to the controls, if there is voltage at the blower motor you know its motor or resistor (If its a part of the motor assembly) Once you locate the blower motor, I'm sure you can work backwards.
Sounds like you know what your looking for already.

 

[willzilla]

Does the front blow any air at all? Even with the air off? If there is no air blowing at all at the front, maybe try checking voltage at the motor (If you can get to it). If there's no voltage at the motor, you know you have to work back to the controls, if there is voltage at the blower motor you know its motor or resistor (If its a part of the motor assembly) Once you locate the blower motor, I'm sure you can work backwards.
Sounds like you know what your looking for already.

I'm not sure... She made it sound like no air when heat or ac is selected from the front vents... Back vents work fine for everything. She's not home yet for me to check it out and it will be dark soon so I probably won't get a chance until tomorrow or this weekend.

I unplugged my AC compressor on the Xploder... Started truck up and the sound is still there. Scope arrives tomorrow so I'll use that to determine exact location.

 

[willzilla]

Got my scope in today... Has 2 configurations, one for mechanical and one for leaks and such.

Tried both configs and... Hard to tell. Mechanical rod I couldn't hear anything anywhere. The leaks one helps magnify the normal audible sound in the air and it SEEMS to point to... The NEW (new as in zero miles on it but installed years ago when I replaced almost all pulleys/tensioner/belt/etc) Gates idler pulley (the smooth top one).. Wtf? I pulled it (pretty much a pro at yanking the damn belt on and off at this point) and free spun it as fast as I could and heard nothing. No wobble or play. Still looks almost new. Sprayed a little dry lube into the bearing and put it back on and the sound is still there tho MAYBE not as much (takes harder revs to bring it back it "feels like").

Does this seem right or are my ears gone insane??

 

[shucker1]

Is it a chirping noise?

Perhaps and old trick I always use for weird belt noises.

With the engine running, just a dash of dry lube on the ribbed side of the belt.

If the chirping noise goes away and then returns, replace the belt.

Just a thought.

 

[willzilla]

Is it a chirping noise?

Perhaps and old trick I always use for weird belt noises.

With the engine running, just a dash of dry lube on the ribbed side of the belt.

If the chirping noise goes away and then returns, replace the belt.

Just a thought.

Thanks for the reply! It's hard to explain the sound, lol... I did post a few videos where it can be heard on this post: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-turbo-back-to-na.319010/page-34#post-3629269

The belt is new, as is the idler pulleys (smooth and the ribbed one), and the tensioner pulley as well... Though, when I say new... They all have zero miles on them but I installed them a few years ago and they all still look new.

Though I am def down in trying the quick squirt of dry lube on the belt lol.

 

[Dono]

Did you try taking the belt off and running the motor briefly?
Might help troubleshoot.

 

[willzilla]

Did you try taking the belt off and running the motor briefly?
Might help troubleshoot.

Yep. Have taken the belt on and off like 10 times troubleshooting (have it down to a science now HAHA)... No sound with belt off and no pulleys spinning. No sound really when warmed up and idling. Sound when warming up from cold and when revving it. Using scope it "seems" like the sound is coming from my zero mile top Gates smooth idler pulley but hard to really tell even with the scope (zero sound when using the mechanical straight rod extension and placing it on the metal behind the actual pulley on any pulley so I used the vac leak sound extension that I held an inch in front of each pulley and it seems louder in front of that pulley). Pulled the idler pulley off the truck and there was no play, still looks new just about, and spun freely without sound BUT I couldn't replicate spinning it to engine type speeds lol.

 

[shucker1]

Factory Tensioner?

Perhaps it's just getting to weak to keep proper load on the new belt?

 

[willzilla]

Factory Tensioner?

Perhaps it's just getting to weak to keep proper load on the new belt?

Tensioner is also new... I replaced belt, tensioner, both idler pulleys, all together a few years ago. Truck has zero miles on it since replacing everything... Belt seems tight, no slack/flop/play and I need to ratchet twist the tensioner pretty hard to get belt on and off each time lol

 

[willzilla]

I ordered a new top idler pulley which should arrive today or tomorrow so I can see if that resolves the sound or not lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

There are three idler pulleys on these 302's, the top one and the tensioner pulley are the same. It's not a bad idea to have a spare, these aren't the highest quality looking components. If I was describing most idler pulleys, I'd call them cheap looking, ad definitely not robust. Hopefully you just have a lemon of a new pulley.

 

[willzilla]

Replaced top idler pulley with a new Gates idler pulley yesterday. The new pulley was a little bit thinner and also slightly smaller in diameter and had black bearings versus the red ones in the pulley that it replaced. I had to pop out the plastic piece that sat inside the pulley center and pull the screw and locking washer out and install everything into the new pulley. Swapped the pulleys, started the truck up, and revved it up a bunch and... NO SOUND. It seems the new pulley has fixed the problem! Only got to mess with it for a few minutes as I had to go out to dinner with the family but I plan to dump the water from my coolant system and replace with coolant in a few days and will run it to full temp then to double check the sound is taken care of. Also just got UPS notice that my new brakes will be here tomorrow.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good good, found it.

 

[willzilla]

Slow week or so... Brakes ready to go in.. Picked up some paint for the calipers... Need to grab some more coolant still. Has been HOT, stormy, and a busy week overall so hadn't got any work done this week. Hopefully this upcoming week I'll get a chance to get some work done.

 

[CDW6212R]

What color did you pick for calipers? I chose gold when I was browsing Amazon last week. I got the VHT spray cans, clear also. I'm looking for something for my bigass calipers yet to make fit, which are a raw flat black finish. My current big brakes have SSBC calipers, and those were raw plain AL, I think reselling them painted would be better.

 

[willzilla]

What color did you pick for calipers? I chose gold when I was browsing Amazon last week. I got the VHT spray cans, clear also. I'm looking for something for my bigass calipers yet to make fit, which are a raw flat black finish. My current big brakes have SSBC calipers, and those were raw plain AL, I think reselling them painted would be better.

I went with red... Was going to go ford blue but realized my shocks are red so it would look a bit odd so went with red to match the shocks. Should look nice with the black rims though a bit overused color for calipers lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm sure it will look better than the original drab grey etc. Post some pictures, others will like it too. I'll try something different to contrast with all the black, and become less visible with the dirt that builds up on it. Night,

 

[willzilla]

Yeah... Right now my calipers are drab "rust" colored lol. I plan to pull the calipers off when I'm doing my brakes and use a wire brush and clean the calipers up as best as possible and then to sand it, blast with some brake cleaner, and then clean up with some alcohol, dry, and bag/tape everything off and paint them up. I'll take pictures once complete hopefully within the next few weeks depending on weather.

 

[CDW6212R]

Seal the brake lines completely, don't let any real amount of air get up inside the lines. Keep the leakage to a minimum, if air gets all the way back up to the ABS module, there's a chance it gets into the ABS internals, and that can't be bled out normally.

It's best to just minimize the time the lines are open, plugging the open end(s) is the thing to do. I like a golf tee for short jobs like changing a caliper or brake line. Those sharp pointed ends have a great chance of staying up in the lines end. They might do fine for longer too, like days. That I'm not sure about. I've misplaced the few I had, I need to buy more myself.

 

[willzilla]

Seal the brake lines completely, don't let any real amount of air get up inside the lines. Keep the leakage to a minimum, if air gets all the way back up to the ABS module, there's a chance it gets into the ABS internals, and that can't be bled out normally.

It's best to just minimize the time the lines are open, plugging the open end(s) is the thing to do. I like a golf tee for short jobs like changing a caliper or brake line. Those sharp pointed ends have a great chance of staying up in the lines end. They might do fine for longer too, like days. That I'm not sure about. I've misplaced the few I had, I need to buy more myself.

I'm going to actually paint the calipers with them still fully connected to the brake lines... Much like this video:



After I replace all of the brakes I'll flush the brake fluid. Also still need to replace the water I have in the coolant system with actual coolant plus I'm thinking of doing the transmission and power steering fluid.