1996 awd 5.0 v8 explorer - Performance mods?

[masospaghetti]

+1 I can also tell you from my own experience that a 2wd has way more get up and go ,and turns less RPM than an awd ,

How could it turn less RPM, unless the rear end has different gearing?

2WD will have a couple hundred pounds less weight, 4406 will weigh more than the AWD.

Think about it. How could the AWD "absorb" so much power without generating a ton of heat? That power has to go somewhere! Even a 10 HP loss would be over 7000 watts of power being dissipated into the TC. That would boil the 1.4 quarts of fluid in there almost instantly.

 

[MercuryMullet]

I'm with ya on the rpms. Final drive is final drive. Unless the awd are 373 and 2wd is 355. You will feel a quicker pick up with the 2wd because of the driveline loss of less components. But I've driven 3 97 awds with the same gearing and tire size. All 3 ran a little different.

 

[delexploder]

Rotational force mass ect, you are asking the motor and tranny to motivate more weight and moving parts all at once, it has nothing to do with heat its just as simple as you are moving more parts, as far as the RPM I happen to have just tested this with my mounty and a 2wd we have at the shop, prior to the new bigger tires on the mounty, they are the same truck other than mine is awd and the one at the shop is 2wd,

 

[MercuryMullet]

Rotational force mass ect, you are asking the motor and tranny to motivate more weight and moving parts all at once, it has nothing to do with heat its just as simple as you are moving more parts, as far as the RPM I happen to have just tested this with my mounty and a 2wd we have at the shop, prior to the new bigger tires on the mounty, they are the same truck other than mine is awd and the one at the shop is 2wd,

How much difference in rpms are you talking? Is it road tested or dyno tested? You have peaked my interest.

 

[delexploder]

Not a super scientific study or anything, we just took each one for a ride and took the same route and held it at a few different speeds, flat roads, about a 20 mile loop, we saw a 300 rpm difference, I'll be able to post more info on gains with the 4406 very soon, and I also have AVM manual hubs to install

 

[tenny]

$1000.....???


I would cut secondary cats, and side dump.

K&N and swiss cheese the air box.

throttle body or spacer upgrade.

upgrade the secondary....MSD???

and RE-GEAR.....4.56s which with 30in tires with give
you around 2500rpm at 70mph (this is my exp)

about a G

 

[v8explorer]

Ok guys now I have another question. I was driving the explorer and got on it heard a pop by the driver fuses and smelled alittle burnt whatever. None of the fuses are busted what could it be?

 

[masospaghetti]

Rotational force mass ect, you are asking the motor and tranny to motivate more weight and moving parts all at once, it has nothing to do with heat its just as simple as you are moving more parts

What you say is true if you are comparing an AWD vehicle to a true 2WD vehicle.

However, using a 4406 is not a true 2WD vehicle. You have the same rotating mass as the 4404 AWD system - front axles, differential, and driveshaft. Even when the 4406 is not engaged in 4WD, all those components are still rotating because the front hubs are always engaged.

The 4406 probably has more rotating mass because its a more complex case. It certainly weighs more than the 4404.

The true 2WD vehicles may have a different rear end with different gearing, that may be why they are turning a lower RPM. I know the V6 models with the 4WD system came with a higher rear end ratio than the 2WD models, the V8 models are probably the same.

 

[delexploder]

I agree about the front still turning ,that's why I just got AVMs and all the necessary components along with the 4406 for both my v8 sport and mountaineer, as for the gearing the 2wd we have has 3:73 LS just like my awd mounty, the factor to keep in mind is that i have 3 awd v8s so when I get in one its like putting on a pair of my own pants, when i get into a 2wd I dont have to push the gas /apply more RPM to accomplish what i do in the awd, and yes I know its due mostly to the lack of rotating parts in the front but that too me shows its best to do both a manual case and manual hubs

 

[MercuryMullet]

ALL 95-01 Explorers came with an 8.8 rear disk 3:73 or 4:11. LS or open.

 

[MercuryMullet]

What you say is true if you are comparing an AWD vehicle to a true 2WD vehicle.

However, using a 4406 is not a true 2WD vehicle. You have the same rotating mass as the 4404 AWD system - front axles, differential, and driveshaft. Even when the 4406 is not engaged in 4WD, all those components are still rotating because the front hubs are always engaged.

The 4406 probably has more rotating mass because its a more complex case. It certainly weighs more than the 4404.

The true 2WD vehicles may have a different rear end with different gearing, that may be why they are turning a lower RPM. I know the V6 models with the 4WD system came with a higher rear end ratio than the 2WD models, the V8 models are probably the same.

Engaged is different than just rotating. For those who have a true 4wd, try putting in 4hi, then 2hi. There is a difference, then again try with the hubs not locked in (if you can) and you'll notice even more. This is slight, but noticeable. Not to mention if you are awd/LS and you have a low tire or something. The truck will fight itself.

 

[Turdle]

ALL 95-01 Explorers came with an 8.8 rear disk 3:73 or 4:11. LS or open.

Some had 3:55

post 16 in this thread= scrapping all plans

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331095&highlight
[MENTION=199374]delexploder[/MENTION], if both v8's had the same gear ratio the final drive RPM's would be the same at the same speed. Variables you may have encountered would be speedometer (tachometer) error between the 2 trucks, Tire size difference, a gear ratio difference or, one of the trucks torque converter was not locked up. Once the TC clutch locks there is no "slipping", transfer case and or load would not be a factor. The AWD and 4406 will have identical final drive ratio.

 

[MercuryMullet]

Thanks. I meant 3:55 3:73.

 

[masospaghetti]

ALL 95-01 Explorers came with an 8.8 rear disk 3:73 or 4:11. LS or open.

I think my V6/4WD had 3.55 rear end, and my V6/2WD had 3.23.

Engaged is different than just rotating. For those who have a true 4wd, try putting in 4hi, then 2hi. There is a difference, then again try with the hubs not locked in (if you can) and you'll notice even more. This is slight, but noticeable.

With hubs I could see there being a difference since you are cutting out rotating mass. Otherwise I don't think it really matters. All of the components, whether driven by the transfer case or back-driven from the wheels via the vehicle, are going to be rotating at the same speed regardless.

 

[MercuryMullet]

The difference is that the engine is turning the axles and wheels vs pushing the rotating mass. There are so many factors for driveline loss you will never know unless you test each one on the same vehicle.

I agree that you are turning a transfer case and pushing axles it takes hp, but my truck is a dog in 4wd, if I go to 2wd its better even with the hubs locked (maybe just because it lets the engine wind up faster) and in 2wd unlocked its a whole new truck.

My thought is if you put an extra 5% tq to the ground, even though you are pushing the front axles you are better off than never having the power to start with by turning them.

 

[bertomax]

Ok, sounds good to me right now I can beat my friends Honda. But I want to beat something more worth while lol.

I've found that throttle response time is your key with the AWD.
I can beat almost anything outa the hole.
If you can get 1or2 seconds out of Rumpelstiltskin next to you you can beat them.
Just be ready and focused with that lead foot and keep it light in the trunk. This awd thing launches like a missile ,"no time for squeal with all four on the kill." And lose that spare tire, The weight reduction you perform before your street hunt for a contender will make a big difference. Like those giant boxes you call speakers. If you want to smoke some camaros or mustangs, lose them big tires too Einstein. Good clean 235-75-15 are just fine. Those 'biguns", look good but just make me smile when theyre on someone elses vehicle. Keep a good clean air filter and fuel filter too. Youll shock them all one by one. Remember weight is the killer on this vehicle.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If you’re beating Camaros and Mustangs with your 5.0 they are either very sick, or you have a lot of cash tied up in it. v8 second gens are a lot of things. Fast isn’t one of them. Losing just a spare tire won’t make your car appreciably faster.

 

[bertomax]

You can win by using reaction time and knowing you machine. You must know how this vehicle jumps out of the trap.
Its reaction time that'll win .But I'm just street racing.

 

[Dono]

I guess its pretty easy to win a race when the other guy doesn't know your racing. That's where the one or two second lead time comes from. lol. Not what can be considered a race in my humble opinion.

I'd consider my truck a bit of a turd off the line, and that's with a heavily modified motor, and 2800 stall converter. The turbo is a bit slow to spool up off the line.
Vroomzoomboom is super quick out of the hole as his Supercharger gives instant boost to another highly modded motor. If he were the one posting about kills at the stop light, I'd be agreeing.

Fact is, these 4700lb trucks are not exactly nimble and take a ton of power to make move. Numerical higher gearing thru diff gears and smaller tires help, but were still faced with weight. Who wants to strip their daily river down to nothing and still have an overweight turd in the hopes of catching some unsuspecting performance car driver off guard to say you beat them?