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!

 

[willzilla]

Has been a busy few weeks. Got all of my WRX mods done for now and just about finished the final tune (9 revisions of the tune so far) and will be good to go. Drives great and sounds amazing. Will be able to get back to work on the Xploder. Have a long list of things to do lol. Maybe will get to start on the list this weekend as time and weather (which looks good!) allows!

 

[willzilla]

Looks like I will be selling my 2010 Ford E-350 XLT Super-Duty. Noticed some noise from the engine... Did some investigating and it seems the timing chain tensioner(s) is on its way out and the chain has some slack and is hitting the cover. Looking at what is involved to replace the timing chain (entire kit) and on the van... total PITA. More work than I want to do or pay someone to do lol.

Carmax offered us like $6k for it (was going to private sell it for something like $8k or so).. bit less than I want but will be good to be rid of it before the van jumps timing before I get around to working on it lol. Wife has only driven it a few times since she got her SMART car lol. She wanted me to sell the Xploder but I said heck no... so.. the van goes lol.

 

[willzilla]

Van is SOLD. Just spent a good $150 for new hood vent cowls from Tasca... They let me buy them but I have a feeling I will get an email telling me OOPS sorry they don't actually have them and refund me lol.

 

[willzilla]

Has anyone re-foamed their driver side seat? My left bottom bolster is about gone and I can feel metal when sitting in the chair.. I found a few threads on the forum but all of them had their photos nuked when Photobucket axed all the web linked photos... :-/

 

[CDW6212R]

I would check the local JYd's for any good used seats, and then an upholstery shop. I haven't messed with seats myself, so I wish you well to do it yourself. I think there are examples online to work on them but as you mentioned, Photobastards screwed a lot of people.

 

[willzilla]

I'm going to see if I can repair the seat myself.. Other than the little bit of foam collapse on the left bottom bolster the seat is in perfect shape.

Just got shipping notification for my new hood vent cowls... Hopefully they are the right parts lol. Also have safelite coming to replace my windshield which cost about $200 (use code GLASS20 for $20 off for anyone else who uses safelite).

I would check the local JYd's for any good used seats, and then an upholstery shop. I haven't messed with seats myself, so I wish you well to do it yourself. I think there are examples online to work on them but as you mentioned, Photobastards screwed a lot of people.

 

[CDW6212R]

Sounds good, not too bad to do one bolster.

I've got a friend who's brother said he found a good upholstering shop. I need a pair of old Lincoln seats redone, and two cheap aftermarket seats for my SUV I want improved. We'll see how much trouble it is for some real professional work.

 

[willzilla]

Looking at some threads if it's just the foam it looks to be pretty simple.. if some of the wire connection pieces are broken it looks like soldering/welding or something would need to be done which looks like a pita lol.

Sounds good, not too bad to do one bolster.

I've got a friend who's brother said he found a good upholstering shop. I need a pair of old Lincoln seats redone, and two cheap aftermarket seats for my SUV I want improved. We'll see how much trouble it is for some real professional work.

 

[willzilla]

Got my Xploder windshield replaced (cost about $200 installed) and received my hood cowl vents and they were perfect! Shocked Tasca actually had these lol. Price is a bit high but they are brand new with nozzles and washer fluid hoses so overall the price was very reasonable IMO.

Quick comparison between my old pieces (hard to see the broken parts lol) and the new ones...


Installed up (with the new windshield on as well)...


One of the old washer fluid lines that run between the nozzle into the engine bay... Seems a bit leaky lol...


Finally have washer fluid front and back for the first time that I've owned the truck lol.

Nice storm hit shortly after I sprayed down the truck a bit afterwards...


Depending on how hot it is today I may try to replace the door window motor finally. Hope to get to the seat before to long though my next few weekends I will be out of town and without the van my wife has been driving the Xploder when she needs more room than what her SMART car provides lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

Beautiful, I'm glad there are some NOS parts still out there. I have two of those I'll install also when I get my good one painted.

I found out recently the torsion bar isolators can wear out. I replaced the four control arms, and the isolators fell out when the torsion bars released. They were toast, the material in them that looks like urethane was completely gone. It's supposed to be about 3/4" thick or so, the pair in my 99 were like new when I had those out in 2007. So I found three NOS parts from Tasca, it's a Ranger part now, through the 2011 Ranger(same suspension). It's a 6L5Z 5B335AA part, over $60 from Ford now, $30 back in 2007 when I first checked on them.

 

[willzilla]

Finally got around to replacing my driver side window regulator... Kind of a PITA compared to when I did the window on my old SVT focus lol. Had to punch out a bunch of rivets and fetch hardware from the store. Window seems to be working nicely now!

Will Green on Instagram: “New window regulator unit on the #2000 #Ford #Explorer #XLT #5point0 #v8 #awd ... Not to bad of an install just a pita to punch out the…”

 

[willzilla]

Well.. something is wrong with my driver side window... ugh. Something is scratching the glass more than before now in 2 places when the window goes up and down :-/ Plus.. a decent gap in the trim when down compared to passenger side. Need to pull it back apart.. hopefully I can buff out the scratches as well...

 

[CDW6212R]

There are a couple of guides that touch the glass I think, small with a fabric like felt on them, it's been years since I looked inside the doors closely. Be sure nothing metal is touching the glass.

You might want to buy those two window felts/trim, I think they can still be had new. I bought several 10+ years ago, knowing I'd want them to rebuild things. They used to run about $30, give or take, inside and outside were slightly different. Those are super easy to change, try to get some of them.

 

[willzilla]

Thanks for the info! I will have to take a look next week as I will be out of town camping early tomorrow morning until Monday. Any idea what the part(s) is/are called or part numbers? Window guides? Window trim? lol.

There are a couple of guides that touch the glass I think, small with a fabric like felt on them, it's been years since I looked inside the doors closely. Be sure nothing metal is touching the glass.

You might want to buy those two window felts/trim, I think they can still be had new. I bought several 10+ years ago, knowing I'd want them to rebuild things. They used to run about $30, give or take, inside and outside were slightly different. Those are super easy to change, try to get some of them.

 

[CDW6212R]

Try window felt, it's the window rubber or felt, similar. I was hunting the outer/above window trim in February, that was hard to find.

 

[willzilla]

Try window felt, it's the window rubber or felt, similar. I was hunting the outer/above window trim in February, that was hard to find.

Thanks! I will take a look when I can... window/door just doesn't seem right at all but no time to delve into it.

 

[willzilla]

Finally have a free weekend this weekend.. Hope to delve into the driver side window issue. Ordered up some new snaps for the trim as well.

 

[willzilla]

Not a ton of new updates lately.. I fixed my driver window issue... It seems I forgot to bolt in the left track and thus the window was only held in place by the motor arm clamp things and the right track... Also found the 2 metal clips in the trim that look like where the window had lightly been scuffing up on for YEARS and put a piece of 3m dbl side tape on it with a cut out of a microfiber cloth that may help a little, lol. Window works great now! Still need to charge my dang AC eventually lol.

 

[willzilla]

I've been slacking off with the Xploder, lol. Wife has been driving it some lately as her SMART car is useless for more than 2 people. I still need to get the AC charged up, do the transmission fluid, change the oil, and a few other things. Hope to get to some of the stuff soon! I did pick up a FMIC for the WRX and flex fuel kit (and aem fuel pump) so have a bunch of projects to do lol.

 

[willzilla]

Finally got my hands on a vac pump.... pulled vac on A/C system and.... doesn't hold vac :*( lol.

I replaced (a while ago now).. the orifice tube, the dryer, and the condenser.

I "think" I can hear some sound escaping from the evap core box area... Should I... use some stop leak and see how that works, or, replace the evap core (and all the lines while I'm at it)? Lol.

If replace (and thus replacing everything in the system minus the compressor)... I'm assuming I would need something like the following:

> UAC EV 0162PFXC A/C Evaporator Core
> UAC HA 10606C A/C Refrigerant Liquid Hose
> UAC HA 10294C A/C Manifold Hose Assembly

And maybe just do the compressor while everything is apart??

> Denso 471-8125 New Compressor with Clutch

Hmmm...