01 sport - 4.0 SOHC STS turbo charged (Project complete)

4.0 SOHC turbo charger project

Guys - I'm done....well, almost (you know how that goes)

I've drove the truck around today very safely and all I can say is wow...I love this and I'm very glad I did it. I'll have to say I went thru a lot to get this far and lost a few buddies along the way.

I'm gonna try like heck to get you guys some videos soon but right now I need to chill cuss my wife is pissed. I've been working on this truck when I should be working on the house, but oh well. blah blah blah.


I've got the boost at around 5 LBS and that's where it's gonna stay until I can get the MAF, injectors, and fuel pump in. Oh yeah, I'm running the 73MM C&L housing and stock injectors and pump. Anyways, I'll be changing those out and tuning the thing out pretty soon - I can then take her to the track and see what happens.....

This is what I've been wanting for two years now so I'm a little excited that it's here now. Not trying to make a drama thread here but I'm happy to join James in the STS 4.0 SOHC circle. Now let me see if I can out run him? :

 

[Jakee]

This is how fast it is. This door on the back of the console is in perfect working condition. Everytime I get on it hard, it comes open.

 

[mr.p]

hmm

did i miss something ur upper intake is different than mine...

 

[IZwack]

There is more than one version of the upper plenum for the SOHC engine. But mine looks like the one pictured.

 

[mr.p]

hmmm

Is there any gains using one over the other?

 

[Jakee]

They change the power band a little but very similar. I (personally) wouldn't swap your intake because it's actually a newer design. All and all, they’re very similar, just different runner lengths and volumes. Not a real huge difference for an N/A application (under 5 HP at the peak and thru-out power band) I think your intake might produce a little more torque but I'm not sure. It's a very small difference.

 

[mr.p]

oh ok thanks for the info, i like the setup ALOT, wish i had the time to do something like this. awaiting videos preferrably blowing the doors off a bmw

 

[Jakee]

I'll get some up here this weekend but right now something came up. Hang in there.

I hope to get a vid of my truck against a friends lightning.

 

[mr.p]

you should school that lightning , but whats next? i saw tom morana has 4.3L fordged stroker short blocks for sale....and supersix has ported heads and cams....all youd need was a better upper and lower intake and someone could build a monster 4.0...add a level 10 55S and some 4.10 gears and holy crap

someone should do it

 

[CDW6212R]

Very nice Jake, and very tempting. The fabrication for a supercharger that I have versus a turbo is similar. I'll have to look into how the piping might run around the back of a 302. Where's Justin?

 

[Jakee]

A new garage is a must for me if I go any further with this project. I have thought about doing a motor re-build and will probably do this in the future. I would put forged pistons, look at the rod options and some headwork - then crank the boost on up around 15-16LBS and call it good. 500 HP is possible but most that tried going further than that with the 4.0 SOHC spent a bunch of money and blew it up. I'm trying to learn from their mistakes so I don't make the same ones. I believe most think the stock forged rods are good in the 4.0 SOHC but I have a feeling they need to be upgraded. (The guys that blew their motors didn’t mess with the rods)

 

[Jakee]

Very nice Jake, and very tempting. The fabrication for a supercharger that I have versus a turbo is similar. I'll have to look into how the piping might run around the back of a 302. Where's Justin?

Yeah, I would highly recommend a turbo. I was one of those guys that was afraid of "turbo lag" but I know that's not a problem anymore like the old days. I'm not sure where Justin is? - Probably adding another turbo to his truck? Hehe

 

[CDW6212R]

I had a conversation with my cam designer about turbos. The key is to match two items, one controls the max rpm and boost, the other is for the initial boost point. I cannot do justice to the conversation, but I feel comfortable knowing that the proper turbo components can be had. The trick is to find someone who knows what those are, and how to select them, then pick their brain.

Jake, worry more about your transmission, any high performance engine needs better rods and pistons naturally. Hopefully their are reasonable choices for the 4.0's, like 302 parts.

 

[Jakee]

Yes - The transmission subject is a hard one for me.

Option 1 - Swap to the 5R55S. I'm a little nervous about this one. James did this and it gave him a run for his money. If it did that to him, then I know it'll be even harder for me to get it right.

Option 2 - Swap in a C4 and lose the overdrive. I don't like that much.

So the transmission would be a must if I went any further. Also, if I were to go further, I may have to swap the turbo to get the most out of it. All this equates to a bunch of money.

I'm going to stay where I'm at for awhile and enjoy.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's a very good plan.

 

[turbo cat]

looking great jakee looks great under the hood

 

[Jakee]

Thanks - I'm still trying to get videos. Just hasn’t had the opportunity yet.

Hey guys, I think I'm around a low 5 second 0-60. Actually, the best I've got so far according to the data logs is a 5.5. I just believe it's better because on that log I spun when the boost kicked in and then the tranny short shifted into second. I stayed in it just to see. The worst so far is a 5.9 which I totally spun and then tried to recover. I need new tires and it's time to throw the locker in I purchased from James. I've learned to get the thing off the line without spinning but haven't learned what position to keep the throttle at, and for how long after the boost kicks in. This would probably be where a better boost controller would benifit. I'm running a turbo XS single stage controller. WHen the boost hits, it hits....there's no "Slow" about it.

 

[aldive]

Jake, have you had that beast on the dyno yet? thetrack?

thanks....

 

[Jakee]

Not yet but I would like to see the power curve on a dyn0. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to get it on the dyno first. The track would be good but I really need to get the locker in there first.

I'm still playing with the tune. I fattened the fuel just a bit up top cuss I was going to up the boost to 10 LBS but then I'm getting a sound like I hit the rev limiter. I'm pretty sure it's spark blow out but I'm going to pull the plugs and gap them back down to .035 and inspect for any detonation. I tried to gap them at .045 just to see if I could get it to work but I think that gap is too wide, thus the spark blow out.

I still need to tune LOAD W/FAILED MAF.

 

[410Fortune]

5.5 0-60 in an Explorer thats awesome
I remember seeing troll pull a 11.4 or something in the 1/4 mile on video and thinking sickness, I would so love to drive your truck around for a day, just to see the looks you get

nice work awesome build

 

[Jakee]

5.5 0-60 in an Explorer thats awesome
I remember seeing troll pull a 11.4 or something in the 1/4 mile on video and thinking sickness, I would so love to drive your truck around for a day, just to see the looks you get

nice work awesome build

Thanks, and yes, it pulls pretty darn hard. I honestly think it's going to be better than a 5.5 0-60 but I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch.