Howdy, Just got 1998 Expplorer Sport SOHC

[Jorgen]

as it says just syaing hi. I just got my explroer about a week and a half ago.. happy so far. I am a college student still, age 23, male, Auburn Hills (20 minutes north of Detroit) michigan, mechanical engineering student and will be done at the end of the summer. Need to find either a stock exhaust or have my exhaust guys build me something since the kid who had it before me chopped the muffler and strightpiped out of the cats into a y. The thing is high milage (165K) don't know how long these thigns run for but it is loaded down to leather moon roof cd/cassette (that took a crap on me two days ago) but bought it for 3500 seemed like a good enoguh deal for me. Bought this for a second ride while my 99 Cougar is layed up getting an engine swap/upgrade done due to me spinning a bearing. But basicly i have been with my cougar for about 4 and a half years, but am enjoying the upgrade in size with the explorer, my sister has a 96 4.0 ohv 5 speed i picked out for her years ago so have driven them enough to know i liked it before buying this. Well I'm rambleing so i end this while i can.

 

[Gonzo]

Welcome to the board! The first thing I would reccommend would be to have the tranny filter replaced, and change the tranny fluid. Also, it is probably a good idea to change all the fluids. I'm sure there are more things to look after, but this is the first thing that came to mind. As for the exhaust, I think that your best bet would be to have a shop build you something. The muffler would depend on your preference of exhaust note. I prefer flowmaster, but there are other brands that are just as good. Almost anything is better than stock.
The search feature is very helpful in answering many of your questions.

 

[rookieshooter]

Welcome. Good luck with your 98 and your mechanical engineering class. I was a mechanical contractor for many years.

 

[Jorgen]

thanx guys.. i am thinking about just trying a flowmaster but like things a little quieter than the last car i had a flowmaster on so might try a magnaflow like i have on my cougar. I will have to look into changing the fluids.. i'm sure they could use it after that long and don't know when they were done last. All i really know is that the previous owner worked for the dealership i vbought the car at, so i assume she had standard maintenance done.

 

[Explorer#2]

i like my magnaflow on my 1998 SOHC xlt it is a good choice, i have 2.5" pipe and it cost about $230 to have it installed at a local shop

 

[Gonzo]

Flowmaster does not just make loud mufflers. Look at their website. I had a magnaflow on the Ex. and it sounded great from idle up to the low 1000's, but from there on it had a little bit of rice buzz to it. Going up hills was really loud. People in the back seat pretty much had to yell to carry a conversation. What was really strange, was somewhere around 3000-3500 rpm, it got quiet - almost like stock. I think there are some people here that do like their magnaflow, but I think they only sound good on a V8.

So I got the flowmaster 50 series delta flow (I think the 50-series SUV is supposed to be a little quieter inside). It is louder outside than the magnaflow, but much much quieter inside. Also, no rice buzz. I think I remember someone here saying they had a 70 series flowmaster that was only a little louder than stock.
Do a search for magnaflow vs flowmaster or something like that, and you will find lots of info and opinions.

 

[celly]

Greetings from another Sport owner. Mine's a 2000 also with a SOHC.

I put a Magnaflow on mine about a year or so ago and hated it. Sounded a bit ricey when installed in stock pipes with OEM resonator. I replaced the Magnaflow with a Flowmaster SUV Series 50 with 2.5" pipes from the cats back. I liked it much better, but it droned a bit in the cab. I then installed a Flo-Pro resonator and it's perfect now.

Welcome to the site. Great Explorer resource. Prepare to part with lots of cash as you keep modding your Ex.

 

[Jorgen]

No plans to mod the explorer other than replace this exhaust to get rid of the drone/rice sound i get with no muffler and replace the head unit that the screen doesn't stay lit on (odd, common?) and that keeps telling me no tape and cutting out the radio (odd, common?). My money for modding is all tied up in the cougars svt or 3.0 engine swap that is on its way this winter or early spring (not a fan of doing major work in the winter, my hands don't like it when it's that cold), that car is still my love and I have spent alot of time and money to get it to handle and drive like i want it to... now it is time to up its power a little for a little more fun for my buck out of it.. So the explorer really is going to stay just a daily driver with limited mods probably...

 

[TheFox88]

Welcome to the site! As it has been said, this is the best resource for explorer owners. And i assure you that at some point in time you will end up modding your X. It happens to the best of us. How cool would it be to have a fast cougar and a big lifted explorer? Really cool!

 

[Jorgen]

Lol, well i guess we'll see about that once the cougar is done this spring.. should be pretty much done modding that once the new motor is in so....

 

[Jorgen]

so am I searched and stuff can't rinf it very easily.. is the stock pipe on the exhaus ton this thing gunna be 2 or 2 1/4? i am probably just poping a replacemetn in with stock pipe for now but saw it listed both ways in threads.. anyone?

 

[Jorgen]

I searched alot can anyone answer stock muffler size? i don't want to replace pipe just put a muffler back on since the former owner chopped it off and straight piped it.. and it's cold so i can't get under the car to figure it out...