5.0 Perf Intake Mods

[philo]

Looking for a larger throttle body for '99 5.0

Paucity of performance parts for the 5.0 Explorer, and I'm not sure what's compatible off the 5.0 Mustangs of the same years.

Would be interested in a larger throttle body,
a throttle body spacer.

Not too interested in messing with the computer/retuning right now.

Just want some better flow.
I can figure out (buy or fabricate) my own cold air or air box; not a problem.

Advantage to going with a larger throttle body? Or will a spacer do the trick (if there is one).

I'm not looking for a 10 second quarter mile run,
but I want more off-idle grunt, or alternatively more on the roll get up and go at 1500+ Rpm.

I see that www.ExplorerExpress.com has a nice Mac Cold air system and a 75mm MAF.

I don't really want to drop $600 on a torque monster header system right now. That's a lot of coin, and I don't think it's worthwhile UNLESS you're adding the airbox, Maf, dual cat-backs, etc.

Lay it on me peeps. I'm looking for some imput, real world stats, problem solving, and either out-of-the box bolt ons or some cool fabrications.

Thanks in advance.

ps. my five year old LOVES burnouts, so i want to juice this baby up and show him how an old man melts rubber.

 

[X6StringerX]

Generally, from what I have gathered, the throttle body spacers are nothing more than a gimmick. AirRaid makes one for our 5.0 Xs... think its somewhere around $110-$115. If nothing else, I guess its good for a slight whistle on acceleration.

Unless you have some extensive engine mods, I doubt you'll need a bigger throttle body.

I'd start with an intake and a good cat back setup. Look at how restrictive your factory exhaust manifolds are... you might reconsider the TorqueMonsters. When I changed my plugs, I thought my X had a homemade set on it, so I searched to verify if they were factory or not.

They were.

I have the AWD 5.0 and the only "performance" mods I've done to it have been the KKM intake and a custom true dual setup with glasspacks. Other than that, its been full-synthetic fluids and a tune-up. It has some get up and go, but it is, by no means, a race car. You SHOULD be able to do plenty of burnouts if your 5.0 is 2wd. I pulled out of my driveway yesterday and cut it hard left... gave it a little gas and left four marks.

 

[philo]

Thanks. Installing the torquemonsters looks daunting. What was the install time on that job, and did you see gains right out of the box across the rpm range (i don't want to give up my entire bottom end)?

did you have to remove the intake to change your plugs. i considered changing the plugs/wires today and it looked like a helluva operation.

you have a plug/wire recommendation? i'm considering the ngk, bosch or denso iridiums.

i'm assuming pulling out the intake and doing the plugs/headers at the same time will eliminate alot of frustration, knucklebusting and socket/elbow extenders.

do you have an intake recommendation or are you running stock?

as for the burnouts, i just throw down a sweet posi line lock and my kid just howls with excitement (he watches from a safe distance, holding his mom's hand, while she admonishes against such outrageous behavior . . . but he's hooked). luckily, i get a pretty good deal on tires locally.

 

[X6StringerX]

Let me clarify. I don't have TorqueMonsters... yet. I just noticed how mangled the factory headers look when I was changing my plugs. I didn't change my wires.

This is gonna sound like a lot of work, but it is actually a lot easier if you do it this way. Jack the X up and remove the front wheels along with the little protective rubber inner fender liner. You know, the little rubber piece that is held in with plastic push pins. Once you remove that, the plugs will be staring your right in the face. An extension will make this job a LOT easier. I've heard some people say they changed the plugs from the top, but for the life of me, I don't see how.


As for plug recommendations, AutoLite Platinums, NGK, Densos... I'd say go with any of the high quality plugs. I went with Bosche Platinum because Advance had them on sell for $1 a piece. I don't think there are too many fans of the Bosche plugs on the board, but I haven't noticed anything bad yet and I've had them for 3 or 4 months. Apparantly, the tend to foul out more frequently, but again, no problems here.


Go to a local muffler shop and see what they'll charge you to fab up a custom exhaust. I got my 2.5" true dual cat back system with 3" chrome tips done for $130, but I know the owner really well and he had previously done my old hotrod. I'm not sure what the prices are like in your area, but I called a few shops here and the average pricing was between $200-$250... depending on the mufflers. I used glasspacks.

Oh yeah, you asked about intakes. I currently have a KKM intake, but it is nothing more than a MAF adapter and a conical filter. It doesn't have a fancy schmancy chrome tube or anything, but it undoubtedly lets the engine breathe better. It was a $100 shipped... brand new. You can get them at http://www.kustomz.com/

Good luck!



EDIT: Oh yeah, I would recommend Taylor wires based on their reputation. Thats the route I'm going when the time comes.

 

[Turdle]

Pssstt
Torquemonster headers!!
click the links in my sig for ideas??

 

[aldive]

For spark plugs, stick with Motorcraft.

 

[celly]

I've got a '99 EB with 5.0 too. First mod I did was aftermarket air intake. free flowing exhaust from the cats back (2.5" pipes, performance muffler) and then tied it together with custom tuning by way of a SCT XC2 flasher. Definitely wakes up the stock EB (which I found sluggish). I too want to do the TM headers some day, but I'd never be able to install myself. I'm waiting to get down to Kansas some day so my good buddy jtsmith can assist D).

Also consider replacing your rear sway bar with a beefier one from Explorer Express, and better shocks too. Handling is night and day better.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I would start with TM's. Too free flowing of an exhaust will hurt your lower end when you get the headers. A cone filter and programmer (SCT) backed up by a decent exhaust system will yeild good results. To get the most usable power, to a 4406 swap and send all of your power to the rear wheels. The AWD case eats HP.

My next mod is going to be a upper manifold spacer for more torque.

You can find my TM headers install thread, my 4406 swap thread in the links in my signature.

 

[lowflyingbird]

Hi,
I have a 98 5.0 and when I was looking for an Explorer I wanted a 2wd. But, living in NY and not down south, they are far and few between. My truck had a bad front drive shaft and I just ended up removing the shaft and entire front axle. The transfer case is still there, just not going to anything up front now that its rear drive only. Should I open it up and pull out the chain if its robbing me of some HP?
Please reply
Thanks
Keith

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Hi,
I have a 98 5.0 and when I was looking for an Explorer I wanted a 2wd. But, living in NY and not down south, they are far and few between. My truck had a bad front drive shaft and I just ended up removing the shaft and entire front axle. The transfer case is still there, just not going to anything up front now that its rear drive only. Should I open it up and pull out the chain if its robbing me of some HP?
Please reply
Thanks
Keith

I don't beleive that will work. The case distributes power differently than a typical 4x4 case. I would just put a replacement d shaft in. There is a vender on the board that has unbeatable prices for d shafts. His user name is Kbabiak, his name is Karl and he is a great vendor.

 

[Patton]

Stringer I am thinking about doing the exact same exhaust configuration. I was wondering how it sounded. But I have one dilemma. Isn't a true dual cat back system an oxymoron? I thought true duals means a seperate pipe for each header. If thats the case then how can a cat-back system be true dual because by the time you reach the cats the pipes have already come together. Sorry I'm probably missing something simple here, I'm pretty new to exhaust and the ins and outs of it so I'm asking alot of questions on all these threads. I hope you understand.

 

[Turdle]

Stringer I am thinking about doing the exact same exhaust configuration. I was wondering how it sounded. But I have one dilemma. Isn't a true dual cat back system an oxymoron? I thought true duals means a seperate pipe for each header. If thats the case then how can a cat-back system be true dual because by the time you reach the cats the pipes have already come together. Sorry I'm probably missing something simple here, I'm pretty new to exhaust and the ins and outs of it so I'm asking alot of questions on all these threads. I hope you understand.

Our v-8 setup is dual exhaust, 4 cats-then a dual in single out muffler.
I have a dual in -dual out muffler--true dual exhaust all the way. So, A true dual catback is essentially what I run on my mounty--

 

[Turdle]

I've got a '99 EB with 5.0 too. First mods I did was aftermarket air intake. free flowing exhaust from the cats back (2.5" pipes, performance muffler) and then tied it together with custom tuning by way of a SCT XC2 flasher. Definitely wakes up the stock EB (which I found sluggish). I too want to do the TM headers some day, but I'd never be able to install myself. I'm waiting to get down to Kansas some day so my good buddy jtsmith can assist D).

Also consider replacing your rear sway bar with a beefier one from Explorer Express, and better shocks too. Handling is night and day better.

The only part I can argue--
Maybe I need to get to Calgary--Celly needs to make more noise!

 

[X6StringerX]

What Jon said.



As some of you know, I'm in the process of turning my X into an off-roader. My buddy just done the exhaust on his truck, but they were out of 3" chrome tips, so I'm sawing mine off and selling them to him.

I plan on removing my rear two cats and having a 2.5" 3-bolt flange made so that I can install some Purple Hornies. They're basically just glasspacks with built in turn downs that are designed to bolt directly up to full length headers in race applications. I'm going to have the shop weld the flanges on slightly turned so that the Purple Hornies will be aimed down and to the outside a wee bit. They should still be entirely undetectable from beside the vehicle unless you squat down.

Why don't I just get turn downs installed at the end of my glasspacks and have them reweld the glasspacks in place of the rear cats, you ask?

My shop has been very good to me in the past. I had a full custom exhaust put on my old hot rod for VERY cheap. Again, I had this cat back system installed for very cheap. But for some reason, a month or so ago, they told me it would be $40 per side to remove the cats and weld in a new section of 2.5". I thought $80 was rediculous for 2 14-16" straight sections of pipe. All they would have to do is swell both ends and weld them in... no complicated bending or anything. In addition to that, they wanted $10 for the turn downs per side. So all together, that was going to run me $100. I only paid a little more than that to have them do the entire exhaust system a few months ago. By doing it my way, I'm just going to whack the pipes off myself with a saw and have them weld two flanges in. Thats only going to run $10 per side for the flanges. I've found some Purple Hornies locally for $25 each, so its actually costing me less to get a better setup that I think I'll be happier with.

 

[ponycarlover]

I too have been thinking about a throttle body, I already have a 01 Mounty with the 5.0 and AWD and have had good luck with my plugs, wires, and coil packs. I am currently running Autolite iridium plugs also referred to as AutoliteXP or Autolite Fine Wires. I bought and installed them from Advance Auto when I worked there and they first started selling them this past January. I have put on a little over 10k on them and they still run great, I even like them better than the motorcrafts. I have tried about just about every plug configuration on multiple ford vehicles and always found motorcraft to be the only ones that last more than a couple of months until now. It might just be a fluke but I have had great results. I also run Taylor 8.2 wires and Accel 4 tower coil packs. The Accels put out more voltage and better response than the MSD counterparts; in addition they are a good bit cheaper. I also have a self-fabricated cold-air intake with a K&N Filter and the Flowmaster 50 series exhaust kit for the x/mountys. With these mods and 2" drop I average about 20mpg and it moves real well for its weight, I have even seen as high as 25mpg and never drop bellow 17.5mpg with conservative driving with the occasional WOT.

Hope this helps and I appreciate help with Throttle Bodies

 

[philo]

ponycarlover,
did you index the autolite iridiums or just thread them in?
also, would you mind sending pictures of the self fabricated cold air intake and the accel tower coil/mounting?

 

[ponycarlover]

I gapped the plugs at 56 I believe. Ill post some pictures of the intake when I get home from work today.

 

[ponycarlover]

Here are some pictures of the intake and the coils. Sorry it is currently a little dirty under the hood and I have yet to paint may "heat sheild/air box". The intake cost me about 80 bucks to make not including the "heat sheild/air box" and I think it all looks pretty good. I have part numbers for most of the intake parts and where to get them if your interested. The Accel Coils are part #140018.

 

[philo]

outstanding; looks great.
i'm certainly interested in part numbers and where to get them.
any info and direction you can provide will surely be appreciated.

thanks.

 

[celly]

The Accels put out more voltage and better response than the MSD counterparts.

Where did you hear/read that? I did a ton of research not too long ago and was undecided between Accel and MSD. I scored MSD because they looked better under my hood when all was said and done (I've got other red stuff). I got them cheaper than Accel would have cost me too. The reality also seems to be that aftermarket coil packs don't do much in our applications anyhow. I pretty much did it to be different and because I got them for a good price. I noticed a slight (if not psychological) difference in idle. I know of others that feel the same way, but I doubt it did much.

Not saying you're wrong, but I just don't recall finding any beta on Accel being superior than MSD. Sorry for the hijack.