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supercharged 5.0 true fire 98 explorer sport

hi everyone, my name is tim . i live in selkirk, manitoba, canada and as if this date that i am posting this, i am 36 years old.

i bought my sport in jan 05 from a local ford dealer. it had 111,000KM's on it. this is the second sport i have owned. it was sitting on the lot for about 8 months before i came along. i am the third owner (i was able to track down the person that traded it in, and they got it from a friend, who bought it new in 98).

i started to do a few things to it after i first got it, then i found this site, and all hell broke lose! i've never been satisfied with something the everyone else has, so i started to tinker with it even more.

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mods include

interior

installed factory tilt, cruise, overhead console, auto dimming mirror, full length console, with a message center (it didn't have these from factory).

white face with blue flames indigo gauge covers (they light up blue)
blue l.e.d. everything
white l.e.d. interior lights
Kenwood DDX392 Touch Screen Head Unit
alpine 4 channel amp (all four speakers)
boston acoustic front and rear speakers
alpine mono amp (for sub)
2 12 inch jl audio subs
rockford fosgate cap
passenger side one touch window down mod.
custom transfer case shifter
tripple a pillar gauge pod, housing autometer boost, Innovate LC-1 wideband, and oil pressure gauge
12v power inverter with 120v plug in a 2 usb plugs built into the center console

exterior

BMW E46 projectors, mounted into stock housings using clear lens
6000K HID head lights
angel eye "driving" lights, with 8000k h.i.d.'s
clear parking/corner lights
billet grill (powder coated by Turdle)
blacked out ford emblems
custom front steel 95-98 bumper, with 4 inch round tubes welded in for driving lights
shaved radio antenna
shaved roof rack
black euro tall lights
l.e.d. license plate lights
smoked out 3rd break light
lund rear tailgate spoiler/wing (formally from the truck "blackjack" owned by EF member Spas)
hand made roll pan (made from 3 1/2 rear bumpers, with 1/4 inch diamond plate on the top, and it is removable)
aluminum T/A differential griddle/cover (powder coated by Turdle)
Motegi Mr107 20' rims
goodyear wrangler hp p245/50 r20
1 1/4 wheel spacer in the rear, 3/8 in front
and most noticeable, black with blue pearl paint, and blue true fire (ground effects are black with blue pearl as well)

Suspension

2 inch lowering blocks in the rear, reverse TT in the front (2 inch as well)
Explorer Express rear sway bar
4 door leaf springs
rancho rs9000 adjustable rear shocks
03-05 sport trac spindles with drilled and slotted rotors

performance

5L swap
347 stroker
TFS twisted wedge alum heads
comp gold 1.6 rockers
comp cams CCA-35-556-8 nitro cam
heavily modified edelbrock victor jr air gap intake (which serves as a valley pan now)
eaton m122 supercharger (metco 2.70 pulley, and ASP 8 rib 7 1/4 crank pulley) with custom made mount with bell intercooler core
8 rib serpentine belt conversion using pulleys from a 7.3 powerstroke
custom made 3 1/2 inch throttle body elbow
accufab 75mm throttle body
4 inch intake pipe
PMASS MH90 90mm Universal 3000 KG/HR MAF
amsoil cone filter
F.A.S.T. 60lb injectors
edelbrock fuel rails, trick flow specialties fuel pressure regulator with summit racing fuel pressure gauge
walbro 255lph fuel pump
1/2 inch steel braided fuel pressure line from tank to rail using 8AN fittings
torque monster headers
2 1/2 duel pipes with flowpro duel in and out 2 1/2 single muffler
accel extreme 9000 ceramic 45 degree plug wires with boot protectors
4R70W w/2600 stall with J mod
tuff stuff 200a alternator
tuning made possible with sct pro-racer package, and tuned with major help from member [MENTION=102869]Dono[/MENTION] and [MENTION=81804]4pointslow[/MENTION]
flex a lite duel 12 inch electric fans
big 3 upgrade (4 gauge wires)
meziere innercooler water pump
2 froozenboost innercooler rads

Transfer case

4406 manual shift from a 97 F150
modified stock trans cross member to accept 93 mustang 5L polyurethane tans mount
double cardan rear drive shaft

because of all the "fun" i had doing the bodywork, and some other things to my truck, i have nick named it "evil dora" or if you like, just plane "evil"!
and now the thank yous

my buddy gord leiss, who let this thing sit in his garage for 3 months while i did the body work to it. he also gave me a hand with some of the prep work, and painted it for me

kevin willson for doing the true fire http://affordableairbrushing.ca/

Joe Bukoski for letting me do the 5L/4406 swap in his garage

now people from this site, weather they knew it or not, they helped

BIG THANKS to tara a.k.a. explorersport77 for pictures of her truck. wouldn't been able to build the roll pan with out them!

ExplorerSport77's X "Hotness"

jon a.k.a. Turdle for selling me some real swanky rear shackles, as well as powder coating the diff cover and sending them up to canada. as well as much needed info on v8, and 4406 swaps as well as doing the grill and showing me how its done.

don aka dono for the help with the tuning, and wideband, as well as the supercharger

andy aka ahodges for some parts, and any help i needed for all the go faster goodies

5.0 swap - w/ 4406

jad2411 for finding me a link for my hidden antenna

ryan a.k.a. MustangP51 for doing his write up on making l.e.d.'s for interior lights, and how to make projectors

P51's HID Headlight (Projector) and Fog Conversion (PICS)

and N3ELZ cardomain page for L.E.D. switch and cruise pod mods

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-6
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-12
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-23

bob a.k.a. rwenzing for showing me speedhut's sit for the gauges

Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod

Buzz4x4 for his write up on blacking out ford emblems

How to Make Your Own Custom Ford Emblems

the late aldive for his write up on one touch down passengers window mod

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141027&highlight=touch+passengers+window+mod

BIG COUNTRY, for his write up on how to install a auto dimming mirror

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84968

BIG COUNTRY, 98formulaLS1, and Ryon40 for there write ups on how to install a message center

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225017&highlight=BIG+COUNTRY
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80670&highlight=message+center
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245085&highlight=Ryon40

MountaineerGreen for his 4406 swap write up and "Custom" Driveshaft for a 4406 and 4" Superlift on the Cheap " (even tho its lowered

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726&highlight=awd+4x4+swap
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

Simon, aka blueka for his "pickle" thread, and help anytime i picked the phone up the phone on the 5L swap

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271813

Jon, aka 4pointslow for any MAJOR technical advice i have needed

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219092

i wish i could find who did the write up on the overhead console install, but here is the link

http://www.explorer4x4.com/overhead.htm

Russ aka NICE59FORDF100 for his help on the wiring, and what to watch out for electronically.

hopefully one day, i will be able to help people on here just as much as the people that i have mentioned above!

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plus you know you have done something right when.....

your truck (as well as corkey) wins truck of the month

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=296023

is the feature truck on the fun hump day radio show (starts roughly around the 30 min mark)

http://explorerforum.podbean.com/2011/03/23/19-vroom-zoomboom/

and you drive 26 hours ONE WAY to the carlisle all ford nationals in june 2010 and 2011, and grab second place in the s.u.v. all category!

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then in 2014 you go back to the same show you have been to 5 years in a row (nothing by most, but its one hell of a long drive) and take first!

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yea, i should have worded that better. it will force it into o/d at 115 mph weather you want it to go or not.
head blew out a head gasket, and a rad. cant remember if there was anything else. that was a bad bad day.
 



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Tim, ill review your tune on the od thing. its always worth double checking. I do make mistakes, lol
 






I know I have issues with mine going into o/d even if I have the o/d off button pushed. At some speed (100mph+) that light turns itself off and it allows it to go into o/d. I haven't had mine go into o/d on the track yet, just street racing and I cringe when it happens (I can count on 1 hand how many times that has happened).

The only time I was able to get o/d locked out completely was when I was data logging with a 3rd gear pull.
 






im trying to remember this. i would start off on a pass, would have the o/d lit on the dash (o/d set to off) i think the light would go off either haft way into second gear, or some point in third under wot.
 






I didn't know that the OD was a problem, I thought tuning could handle it.

I may be able to fix that though, if it's not possible to get the programming to do it. I have two relays in my 95 Crown Vic, that I added to the trans wiring, to lock out both 4th and 3rd. That did what I wanted it too, stopping the signals(3rd/4th) from reaching the trans. I have a switch in an overhead console to control that. I haven't used that in years, but it worked. The 4R70W shift wires see four combinations of power, it's that simple. 1st gear is with no power to either wire, an obvious default first condition. 2nd is OFF/ON, 3rd is ON/OFF, and 4th is ON/ON. That wiring logic is in the ATSG manual somewhere.

For my mail car back then I didn't want it to constantly shift to 3rd, with me slowing down from say 25mph, 200+ times a day. The one downside is that it throws a code after doing it a few times. The CEL light did go out after not using that switched circuit for a few days.

I might be able do that for keeping 4th from happening also, if the other three gears are not altered. It'd be just the right combination of relays and one switch. Hopefully you guys can get the programming to lock out 4th somehow.
 






made a few calls around today. one was to don lasota, the other was to my trans guy eric merkel at erm automotive. eirc told me physicaly the only way i can block od is physicaly blocking the od valve. which would mean dropping the valve body. not gonna happen. cant do a switch like if i was to do a bwm on the v6 transfer cases because there is one solinoide that controls the 1-2 shift, and one that controls the 3-4. don said the limiter should be around the 125 mark, but he is going to try and look into a way from it shifting into od for me.
with that said, the end of racing is coming to a end very soon. im planing on going to the strip on saturday. this thing BETTER hit the 12's or i am going to be uber pissed. if we cant find a way from keeping it from going into od, im going to be forced to run the 20's. which will mean my 60 ft is going to suck, my mph might get better, but its a crap shoot if my e.t. will drop.
this past weekend was also the last big show and shine here, so i spent the sunday there with the kid. there was some pretty nutty stuff there.
like this twin magnuson supercharged avalanche

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and also i guy i was playing around with who claims he has a stock 454 in a 80 camaro that i was keeping right beside. however will also say when he puts the nos on, it lifts the tires. i called bullshit to him more then once. especially how his story changed with the gearing. nice try, im not buying it lol
and lastly, 20 years ago ford created something that has changed life for me. today is evils 20th birthday. happy birthday evil......you little wallet drainer you.
 






Nice Tim. I can't wait to see your times!
 












well.....the race cancelled due to weather yesterday. that was a test and tune day. i looked this morning and they were gong to run. problem being its not really a test and tune day, but you could sneak in a few runs before they started eliminations. packed up my junk and drove a hour there for them to say, they are trying to dry and glue the track, but at that time the track was too cold. not wanting to wait around for them to decide i turned around and headed back home (to also see one of the race cars that was pitted beside me back in town here).
i did do a few bonsai runs coming home (the track is in the middle of nowhere, with no cross roads). she will click into od still, but now when it does it, its singing around 6000-6200 rpms going off the stock tac. before if i remember correctly, it would shift into od around 5000 rpms and this is with the same tires that i had on today as well.
they have one more race in 2 weeks before the track closes for the year. i hope the weather holds for that one. going by the seat of the paints, it feels like it will just hit the 12's/ i dont care if its 12.999 because thats still 12's lol
 






Sorry I couldn't return your call, I am up to my ears in problems again.
I have been trying to finish painting the second and third floor hallways and stairways and now I am having transmission problems in my 2004 Ex.
I am currently working on it but had to stop for a minute.

I hope you get to the track and grab that 12 !!!
 






well. today was kinda disappointing in a way. went to the local track today. its their last test and tune of the year.
first problem was the wind. there was a pretty strong head wind which really sucked. everyone said they were down on theirs times.....oh joy.
i had about three tunes in the hand held, and god knows how many in my laptop. messed around with a few things in the truck, and had dono do some small adjustments.
my first run it hit the rev limiter hard going from 1st to 2nd. however, i had don lasota make a change in the trans that would keep it from going into od before the end of the track. low and behold, i was running around 5700 rpms at the lights. last year it hit od at around the 1000 ft mark and would short me about 1000 rpms or more (cant remember for sure what it was).
basically my first, and last runs were the best (only made 4 runs then had to head home, that and there was tons of cars there today)
the last run might have been the best but this was how it played out. the guy in the other lane they had shut down just as he staged which really distracted me (no kidding, with a .977 reaction time?! BLAH!!!). when i did hit it, i felt evil literally lift up, spin (in 4x4) and move to the side. that sucked. then it hit the rev limiter badly again. this resulted in me having to lift to get it to shift faster (i also found out she will hold the connecting rods inside the block while spinning at 6500 rpms). this all while a nice head wind hitting the windshield. today wasnt my day and i now have to wait until next year to figure out how to get int the 12's. who would have thought running a low 13 at 102 mph was disappointing in a 2nd gen

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on the left was the fastest 1/4 mile time. on the right is the fastest mph.

and for comparison, this is last years best of everything time slip

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i also went and drove evil over the scale at work. she weights in at 4580 with me in it, and about 1/2 tank of gas. i had about 3/4 of a tank at the track today if it makes a big difference
 






One thing I will say, at least this time it held all its fluids in.
This means it is reliable now, and you can focus on getting it faster.

What wheels did you run?
Maybe some traction bars would help with the launch? The Calvert racing ones push the wheels down and the body comes up.
This puts more traction on the rear wheels.

How much boost?
What was timing at WOT, 2000 - 6500 rpm?
What rpm was it shifting at? each gear?
 






when im at the track i am using smaller wheels and tires. i am using stock rims, with a 225/60 15 tire. all runs are in 4x4. the reasons why i use them are with the 20's on i have to run spacers. not real keen on the idea of using spacers at the track. plus with the smaller tire size, i get out of the hole faster which makes the motor spin up faster. this time it bit me in the ass. a friend of mine has a set of slicks (27x10.5 15) that i really wanted to use, but when i found out about them i didnt have the time to see if i had a spare set of rims kicking around on one of the parts trucks. that and i wasnt sure if they would fit without rubbing. if they rubbed, game over. trust me, caltracks are on the wish list.
boost, i hate to say it, but i never did glace at it. i am guessing it was about 7lbs.
now if i am reading the log correctly on the first and last pass i did, it looks like timing was at 17 at 2000, 19 at 3000, then around 20 at 4000 then around 19 at 5000. im sure when dono sees this post, he will correct me
now rpms are a different story, and this was my screw up. a few weeks back we were trying to set the shift points at certain rpms as well as the rev limiter. when i did this, i wasnt using the tires i use at the track, but the 20s. things happen way faster using the smaller tire because well, they are smaller. going from first to second, it would bounce off the limiter at 6500, second to third it would shift at 6000 (which is were i wanted it to) then i would be off the throttle going through the traps at 5600 when last year i would be going through at under 5000 in overdrive
 






I think those 15's you are using only at the track, are a big problem affecting how the shifts are being tuned. I'd get a set of wheels/tires put together that you can run anywhere, tune for them on the street etc. With say a 29" tire or very close to the diameter of your normal tires(the 20's), then you can fine tune the shifts very well, and have it run similarly when you have the nice wheels/tires on.

Stock 16's were 30" tall, a 255/70/16. I chose a 255/65/16 for my mail truck, to keep the width but drop it an inch in diameter(better handling).

I think anything in the 255-275mm range should work well for 4WD traction, but adjust the diameter for the rpm you see at 1280 feet. The stock type wheels are too narrow for a wider tire, and the Mustang wheels of 94-04 are offset a little too much to run without spacers and a very wide(275) tire. Those are about 30mm or so, and it needs to be down closer to 20mm to have clearance for 275mm tires.

Just my thoughts, I'd come up with a better set of track tires, which are closer to your street tires.
 






Tim, I think you need to see what Don Lasota says about bouncing off the rev limiter going from 1st to 2nd

Last I looked, the shift schedule was set to shift at something like 5600 rpm. I think taking 900 rpm to shift, and still not shifting is very odd. I know it can take a few hundred rpm to complete a shift after its commanded, but sheesh.....900 rpm?
 






Are the shift tables in rpm? Mine are in MPH.
The faster the engine accelerates the quicker the shift has to happen.
Smaller tires will definitely affect this, so will gear ratio changes in the differential.
I had problems bouncing of the rev limiter when I changed to 4.88 gears.
I tuned it out in the summer but found that when it got colder I would hit the rev limiter again and had to lower the MPH that the shift would happen.
 






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Yes, you adjust MPH in ours also, but your shown the rpm (Calculated rpm, obviously). I thought that even with the smaller tires, 5600 would be super safem since the rev limiter is at 6400.
I havn't done the math, but I'm pretty sure Evil should still shift before 6400, even with smaller tires.
 






My rpms listed in the stock tables made no sense. I think some were saying 7,000 or more.
I ignore them and just lower the mph until it stops hitting the rev limiter.
Rate of acceleration in first gear is super fast too, probably the one that would be furthest off.
 






There's no mph in the logs I have from Tims Runs down the quarter mile, but you can see how fast the rpm's are rising and the sample rate logging. For anyone new here that is tuning in, Analog 1 is the a/f ratio. See where the rev limiter is kicking in at 6334 rpm? See the jumps in rpm being sampled? Logging mph would have really helped troubleshoot this.

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I have also found that you can not always trust the rpm readings(and some others) at wide open throttle when the rpms go way up.
Things happen so fast I don't think the refresh rates of the datalogger can keep up.
So my rev limiter is set to 6250 but I have been bouncing off of it and had the datalogger still read something lower like 5999 because it could not refresh quick enough.
I am told that having a chip plugged into the back of the PCM, and datalogging through it would be a faster refresh rate since it would be raw data.
I have never experimented with chip tuning yet though, I may try it someday. It is older technology but if datalogging can be done with faster refresh rates it might be worth it just for that feature. Newer PCM's don't even have a slot for one now.(chip).

For tuning out Tim's problem, just take the highest mph number in his tune for the 1-2 shift, and remove 2-4 mph and road test with same wheels on to see if it is gone. Keep in mind that street conditions may be different than track conditions, traction can affect things drastically.
So that number in red in Tim's 1-2 shift table which is set to 47, try 45-43 and see what it does.
 






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