Kenne Bell Supercharged Explorer...

I have been on here for a while now always talking smack of how I plan to do a 2003 4.6 SOHC V8 Explorer project with a Kenne Bell 1.7 L supercharger. Well I lied!!! I decided the 1.7 L supercharger just wouldn’t support enough power, so I went with a 2.2 L supercharger. Just to give people an idea this is the same supercharger (different manifold to fit the 4.6 SOHC) that allot of the 03-04 Cobra fellas are running and making 600+ rwhp with.

Here is an outline of the project:

Install Kenne Bell 2.2 L supercharger for Mustang GT onto Explorer 4.6. Send stock bottom end of engine off to VT engines and have them build a billet 4.6 bottom end for me, send the stock 5R55W tranny off to Level 10 and have them rebuild it to withstand the huge levels of torque that this setup will create. Install small NOS dry shot of nitrous (45-65 shot). Wait for rear end to snap like a twig, yay! Contact DSS and pay out the butt for new custom half shafts and 3.27-3.55 LS differential. Brembo or Baer brakes to stop this pig! Weld racing 5 star lightweight aluminum rims with MT or Hoosier slicks out the back. So on so forth.

Here is the abbreviated parts list:

Kenne Bell 2.2 twin-screw supercharger S1
VT built short block S2
Level 10 rebuilt 5R55W tranny S2
NOS dry kit S3
SCT Xcal2 S1
SCT BA2800 MAS S1
42 lb injectors S1
60 lb injectors S2
VT stage 2 heads w/ blower cams S3
Dual SVT Focus pumps (still returnless) S2
Aeromotive fuel rails S2
KB BAS S2
DSS rear end S3
Headers (most likely going custom on this) S3
Aluminum drive shaft S3
Brembo brakes S3
Clicks/rims S3
Custom adapted Cobra CAI S1
DYNOTUNE, DYNOTUNE, DYNOTUNE!!! S1,2,3
Various other smaller mods S1,2,3


The list of mods is all grouped together but there are actually three different stages of mods there.

Stage 1: 400 rwhp street machine (KB 9 lbs/stock bottom end/stock tranny)

Stage 2: 600-rwhp dynoqueen (KB 15lbs/built engine & tranny)

Stage 3: 600+rwhp (maybe more) weekend racer / fun truck (KB 18lbs/built everything+ heads cams, headers, brakes, rear end, rims/slicks, nitrous)

Hope this gives everyone an idea of what I have been planning for 2+ years.

Here are a few pictures to get the juices flowing. Enjoy!!!

 

[STEVE-O]

Holy crap, I leave for a while and come back to all of this? Thats awesome. I remember your old 5.0 project too, and all of the videos you made for it. Looks like its going to be pretty quick when you are done. Keep the vids coming.

 

[rocket 5979]

Holy crap, I leave for a while and come back to all of this? Thats awesome. I remember your old 5.0 project too, and all of the videos you made for it. Looks like its going to be pretty quick when you are done. Keep the vids coming.

Thanks man. Yeah I felt very eery when driving it for the first time. After all, the last time I had gotten that far with a custom installation on an Explorer I wrecked it the next day. It was good to finally get into the boost the first time after the tune. I cannot wait for a warm day to take it out and have some fun. Maybe I will get a little traction then. I plan to take it out tomorrow with a Cobra buddy of mine and make a video or two weather permitting. I will try to get some good footage of the Cobra too.

 

[CDW6212R]

My friend is going to sell his 203 Cobra. It's going to get him into trouble, and he drives a truck for a living. I've been driving my 91 LSC some lately. Maybe when I get it done my friend can buy it for his toy. The Cobra's attract way too much attention. Regards,

 

[rocket 5979]

My friend is going to sell his 203 Cobra. It's going to get him into trouble, and he drives a truck for a living. I've been driving my 91 LSC some lately. Maybe when I get it done my friend can buy it for his toy. The Cobra's attract way too much attention. Regards,

Yeah they do! I was thinking about that the other day after I blew past a speed check with a cop there. I thought for sure I was busted. I really think they do pay attention to what kinds of cars they want to pull over. Knock on wood.

 

[CDW6212R]

I've been lucky to with the LSC. Not having driven a good quick car for a while, it's hard not to push it. It runs 90-100MPH so easily compared to an SUV, and stops better too. I need to get all of the 96 Cobra parts on it that I have had for eight years so far.

 

[BeauJ]

I really think they do pay attention to what kinds of cars they want to pull over. Knock on wood.

They also look at banners/stickers you have also. Political stickers can get your warning turned into the ticket especially. Also why I won't put any banners relating to motorsports or racing on my truck.

 

[rocket 5979]

They also look at banners/stickers you have also. Political stickers can get your warning turned into the ticket especially. Also why I won't put any banners relating to motorsports or racing on my truck.

Me neither, besides stickers usually just make a vehicle look like its straight from the trailer park anyways. hehe. I see very few stickers that actually compliment a vehicle.

 

[BeauJ]

I don't think it's been asked, but how many PSI are you running right now? Any detonation?

 

[rocket 5979]

I don't think it's been asked, but how many PSI are you running right now? Any detonation?

Because Kenne Bell is a bunch of idiots and didn't want to give me a 4.00" pulley (8.75psi) I am running a 3.75" pulley (9.5psi). No detonation so far. But it has been really cool lately so that will always help. Plus quite a bit of timing has been pulled so that helps allot too. And I am running copper plugs also that tend to be more forgiving but wear faster.

I need to reset the dang thermostat on my electric fans! It keeps kicking on and sending my temperature down below operating temp range. lol. Not really a bad thing unless I need my heater. Yeah Illinois weather neccessitates that I have a heater right about now. Thats laziness on my part I guess. All it is will be a simple turn of a knob. lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

Try aluminum plugs(Beru Silverstone), I have noticed nothing special, but that is supposed to be the best material. Regards,

 

[BeauJ]

I need to get a wideband too. I saw the one you have in Summit, and Summit just opened their HUGE warehouse 15 minutes from me, so they will know me on a first name basis . Got any pictures of the setup or where you mounted it? How hard was the install?

 

[BeauJ]

Try aluminum plugs(Beru Silverstone), I have noticed nothing special, but that is supposed to be the best material. Regards,

Some guy on the Lightning board spent a crapload of time running/testing different spark plugs. All kinds of plugs: Denso, NGK, Brisk, Motorcraft, Beru, Autolites. All different kinds of price and heat ranges. The best bang for the buck were just the cheap ($20-30 depending what store) NGK TR6 or BR7 plugs. Some guys are running 17-18 psi with the BR7s, no detonation or blowout. The only complaint he had about them was the idle wasn't as smooth than as it was with the Iridiums.

BTW Robert, you'll LOVE the plug changes on the Ford OHC engines. It took me over 2 hours the first time on my Lightning. And that was after I researched how to and exactly what tools after hearing how big of a pain it was.

 

[rocket 5979]

Some guy on the Lightning board spent a crapload of time running/testing different spark plugs. All kinds of plugs: Denso, NGK, Brisk, Motorcraft, Beru, Autolites. All different kinds of price and heat ranges. The best bang for the buck were just the cheap ($20-30 depending what store) NGK TR6 or BR7 plugs. Some guys are running 17-18 psi with the BR7s, no detonation or blowout. The only complaint he had about them was the idle wasn't as smooth than as it was with the Iridiums.

BTW Robert, you'll LOVE the plug changes on the Ford OHC engines. It took me over 2 hours the first time on my Lightning. And that was after I researched how to and exactly what tools after hearing how big of a pain it was.

Plug change would be a snap if I didn't have my damn KB intake plenum in the way on the passenger side! God what a PITA x1000! I decided after installing the KB to change my plugs so I learned the fun way to do it. It took me about 1.5 hours. Now that I figured out how to rig my extensions I could probably do it in 30 minutes while cursing and b1tching. lol. I went with the NGK TR6's gapped at .030 I think. I forget now.

I didn't actually install the wideband in my truck besides the O2 bung that was welded in before the cats. I am keeping it separate as part of my tuning/datalogging tools. It will be wired to a 9 pin DIN connector which will plug into one of the two analog DIN slots on the Xcal2. I will be able to datalog all perameters through the Xcal2 including a/f to allow me to street/track tune it and my other vehicle too.

 

[tmsoko]

Robert, you are running 6 rib pulley, correct? If so, I have a 4 1/8" pulley I will sell you.

Let me know if you are interested.

Todd
tmsoko@comcast.net

 

[rocket 5979]

Robert, you are running 6 rib pulley, correct? If so, I have a 4 1/8" pulley I will sell you.

Let me know if you are interested.

Todd
tmsoko@comcast.net

Yeah 6 rib right now. Thanks for the offer but that pulley would be a tad too big for what I want. Being that this is nicely tuned for now I will stick with it for a while till I repulley for more boost on an 8 rib system later this summer.

 

[synyster]

you......are...........my.......hero! lol for real.

 

[rocket 5979]

you......are...........my.......hero! lol for real.

Man, bringing this thread back from the dead. haha. Thanks for the compliment. Hopefully if all goes well I will be able to play with the X again here next summer.

 

[synyster]

Haha it will never die! I had the same idea...but being 20, fresh outta college, and working for next to nothing....this is a long way away. But the dream will never die! Did you replace the whole block or is it the stock block just built to handle that horsepower?

 

[rocket 5979]

Haha it will never die! I had the same idea...but being 20, fresh outta college, and working for next to nothing....this is a long way away. But the dream will never die! Did you replace the whole block or is it the stock block just built to handle that horsepower?

Everything in the entire drivetrain has been replaced with upgraded parts. About the only thing I can think of that I reused was the cam followers. You can build the aluminum WAP blocks found in the 3rd Gen V8 Explorers to handle one hell of allot of hp though. I just decided to go for that extra strength in case I really decided to push it; and went with an iron block.

Honestly what I did that allowed me to enjoy it bit by bit was just do the supercharger system itself first and the rest of the mods in other phases. That still set me back about $6-8k or so but it is better than $30k+ all at once. Boost it to about 8-9 psi making just shy of 400rwhp and it will make for a fun daily driver.

 

[synyster]

I would really love to supercharge my '02 ex now! I think I will do it slowly though...i might have to do a whole rebuild on everything though. I've been having a few problems lately...one being the bypass cap in the back of the engine, right next to the number 4 plug hole. For some reason it has been blowing out on me...everytime I get into higher RPMs. Plus I would definetly need to upgrade the trans.