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"TURDLE" or " How to mess up a perfectly good truck"

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Well, it is about time I do this
This is our 1998 Mountaineer.
We acquired it in late 2000, with 29 k on the odometer. Previously it prowled the Oklahoma turnpike as an unmarked police cruiser.

I would say it was about June-2001, when the initial madness set in, and I became obsessed with changing the looks.
I found Explorer Express, Where I scored the x-spec suspension.
After talking with John V., I learned of the Apten group buy here, and the rest is as they say, history.
In June of 2002, I acquired an exhaust leak. Being the expert I thought I was, I bought a header gasket set, went to fix it.
Well, in my thinking I didn't have the front bolt tight enough, I snapped it off into the head---ooops.
After pouting about this for awhile, I decided to really get into this site for answers.
The result--



347 cubic inch, stroked and bored engine


FMS sportsman block-bored .030 over and machined for stroke
Billet crankshaft with chev rod journals
H-beam ultra light rods
Probe PRS forged pistons -9cc dish ( slightly over 10:1 compression)
Melling stock volume oil pump
Edelbrock performer efi heads 2.02 intake, 1.60 ex valve 58cc chambers
Crane's roller lifters--billet aluminum lifter guides
Crane's roller rockers
comp cams pushrods
Cloyes true billet double timing set.
FMS X-303 camshaft, advanced 4 degrees
Professional products Typhoon intake and EGR elbow, with 1" phenolic spacer
FMS 42 lb injectors
Aeromotive fuel rails, boost reference regulator ( currently set to 43 psi.)
Walbro 255LPH fuel pump--return style 3402
Lightning MAF
Torquemonster headers--stock exhaust with rear cats removed--magnaflow dula in single out-Hooker Aerochamber stacked right behind, 3" mandrel bent MAC tailpipe.
Art Carr 3000 RPM flash lockup converter ( 10 " billet housing)
Art Carr built valvebody kit
Amsoil fluids in all otherwise stock components. ( since I change my oil early and often, I use the least expensive synthetic oil. Usually Amsoil, but sometimes I will use Mobil 1)

AWD IS OUT!! 4406 4X4 IS IN!
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185203&highlight=turdle

UPDATE
As of 2-17-08
I mentioned the truck being a poilice cruiser in it's first life-
well, this caused a little "glitch"
While the PCM says it is a NRT1 box code, somewhere along the line a police code was flashed into the PCM.
My original paperwork shows a dealer service call for a PCM reflash right before the title was signed over. I am assuming the police tune was recovered, and a stock tune re loaded.
However,
they didn't mention they loaded it with a MC2O box code.
After 2 trials with the initial run tune, I actually read the box code with the XCAL2 and James deteremined This error.

Once this was figured out-the tuning was ON!!!

Baseline tuning is complete and all is well. I'm waiting on a new Innovate LM-1 wideband for WOT tuning.
Somehow mine took a dump,
I spent a whole day trying to figure it out. If it had been operating though it would have been a breeze.

James ( jah81592) is about the best help a guy could ask for in this area.

www.hensonperformance.com

UPDATE 2
Tuning complete-after a few WOT pulls to 6000 rpm's
James has not only achieved a great tune in my truck, but totally eliminated the surging issues I was experiencing.

UPDATE 3

Truck now lifted for trip to Colorado Gold mine trails--page8

Update 4
colorado trip completed-Imogene pass and Black bear pass have been driven in this truck
woo hoo!!
picture of black bear pass-

update 5
On Sept 19, 2008 Went to KCIR and ran a 14.8 @ 90mph---2.002 60 ft time
I was snoozing and did everything wrong. It has more in it.

Update 6

After drooling over Mountaineergreen's extensive suspension mod list for years-

With a feeling of guilt, for not doing the actual work myself, I have acquired his

4" superlift suspension lift,
410 gears
aussie locker in rear
disconnect front diff--- http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188359
double cardan front drive shaft ---http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

285-75-16" cooper discovery sst (33") tires

UPDATE 7

Exhaust Dumps installed 4-15-2009
These allow the exhaust to be opened right after the cats.









new pics as of 3-16 2009

HPIM4066.jpg


HPIM4067.jpg


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update 8

Added another stock trans cooler beside original, installed hard lines and twin 10" cooling fans

fansbumper.jpg


They seemed to work just fine

DSCF2694.jpg


Update 9

Sliders installed!!!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245321&highlight=sliders


stupidbracket.jpg


I used Smoked chrome powder coat on front and rear bumpers, sliders, and wheels make for a factory look match
Bumper pictures are before slider install-

bumperdonenoflash.jpg


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Next up--Get rid of torsion bar drop brackets, and, the bars themselves.

I also have some mild white neon tube rock lights, some very bright 55w rock lights, and, 6 rock llight of death tubes ( to be shown later)

stay tuned!!

turdleflex.jpg
 



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Where were we here? Idonl't know, guess we have to go back to find out-

HPIM3243.jpg

That is by far one of the greatest Mounty shots I have ever seen... Dunno where you were either, but it could be a cover shot for Mountaineer Monthly, LOL :D
 






Oh wow. That looks like soo much fun. Wish I could join especially since I'm about to have a rejuvenated Transmission. You think my truck could handle what you guys were doing?BTW I noticed you got the Silent Armors. How are ya liking those?
 






You got Silent Armor? What's the gauges in the A pillar?? What's out there? Looks like you all had a blast! :)
 






Oh wow. That looks like soo much fun. Wish I could join especially since I'm about to have a rejuvenated Transmission. You think my truck could handle what you guys were doing?BTW I noticed you got the Silent Armors. How are ya liking those?
The silent armors worked well I guess. I had no troubles. They aren;t very loud either
Yeah-you will have no problems. You need to plan this, or Moab next year. Moab is actually a shorter drive for us

You got Silent Armor? What's the gauges in the A pillar?? What's out there? Looks like you all had a blast! :)

1 ) Yes-

2 ) Volts-
Vacuum-boost ( like I have any boost)
Air fuel ratio

on the dash is a pod with 2 cylinder head temperature gauges.

3) Idunno

4) I told you to plan it--but nooooo, you had to stay home building a bumper-
 












Hey, that's my shadow in your picture that you can't identify. :) That was taken on Monday when we went sight seeing at those old mining sites. Near Yankee Girl Mine. It's also a very nice shot. ;) Can't wait till next year.
 


















I wish I was going to the track tonight becasue I found my problem.

An exhaust leak had again developed on the passenger side.
So, out with the Percy's carbon fiber gaskets and in went Percy's "Seal 4 Good" Aluminum gaskets.

While doing this I decided to change spark plugs and check the wires-
Good thing I did. #4 was burned thru and causing an arcing between my AC drier and throttle cable at idle. I revved the engine and it went away. Hmm, it did seem to have a miss while lugging at low rpm's every since the Trip to colorado.

#8 was burned from the intense heat and tight fit.

I put a heat sock on #8 and routed #4 differently.

It runs pretty good now by golly.
 












Interesting, plug wires are very sensitive aren't they.
 






dude! glad you found your shorts, I was doing a copper gasket on my drivers side possibly at the exact same time you were doing aluminum! LOL

I have new Taylor wires on my 96, I routed so carefully and used the heat socks on 6 of 8 plugs... so far so good!
My 88 has the original wires on the 98 engine... LOL I bet they are due for a change!

How did you spot your arcing? in the dark?

I agree! Mud time! you only have to do it just once and you will find dried mud under your truck for the next ten years
 






I agree! Mud time! you only have to do it just once and you will find dried mud under your truck for the next ten years

No kidding, we're in the middle of tearing my brothers truck apart, for another 3" of suspension lift, and to have Jon powdercoat pretty much everything we can get to, and there was a pile of dirt under the truck by the time we were done, and he's only had it out in the mud once, it's crazy how much dirt we've found, even found a little plant life:eek:
 






Since our truck had no real rear tow point I bought a hitch from a guy on Craiglist for 40 bux.

First, I needed to remove the safety chain bracket from the stock tow bumper

chainbracket.jpg


Then I had to cut the spare tire mount part the drops between the differential and tire to fit a 31" spare

hitchinstalled.jpg


I really hated the Mac tailpipe --it hung out at least 5" so I hacked it off with my ziz wheel

tailpipecut.jpg


The truck needs paint bad--but the faults are addressed

side.jpg


And, because the smoked chrome wheels look different with varying shades of daylight-another close up. I Am going with this color on my 16" sport wheels also-

wheel.jpg
 






Strange. On mine I didn't have to remove the factory chain bracket. I wonder if it's due to the different bumper design.
 






Your hitch may mount up closer(better). Mine still has that bracket, should it come off, does it do nothing for strength?

FYI, I have new rotors and pads again, you'd like these 12" Sport Track Cryo Power Slots.
 






Your hitch may mount up closer(better). Mine still has that bracket, should it come off, does it do nothing for strength?

FYI, I have new rotors and pads again, you'd like these 12" Sport Track Cryo Power Slots.

you get rid of your custom setup? He has the sport trac parts, just needs to do the swap now.
 






No, I've got the Sport Trac brakes on my 99 work truck. I had a rumbling feeling under heavy braking that I didn't like, and new pads from October have been still making a little noise. Last Friday I had issues with the truck going to work. I decided later that day to spend some time and money on it this week. The Tire Rack had the rotors in stock so I received them Wednesday.

My rumbling seems to be from a bad left front axle(boot is bad). I'm doing that tomorrow. Night,
 

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