1997 ford explorer 5.0 lowering and engine mods | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1997 ford explorer 5.0 lowering and engine mods

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October 20, 2015
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Oklahoma
Year, Model & Trim Level
1997 ford explorer
Hi I'm currently in the process of building a fast ish explorer I was wanting to make around 350 or so hp and I was wondering what headers I could buy. And what's the best cam for a 5.0 explorer I'm looking into trickflow or crane cams. I was also wondering what's the best way to lower an explorer?
 



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Unless you go nitrous or forced induction on a 5.0L 350Hp is a slightly high number to shoot for.
 


















Good luck.

I'm probably gonna end up with a 347 and heads.
 












What do you mean?

To get 350 out of a 302 takes a boatload of work. Heads, cam, higher compression, intake, custom tuning or carbs, custom headers since there are no off the shelf options for the explorer that'll flow well enough.

It's just gonna be very difficult. Forced induction will do it easier, cheaper, more reliably, and more street friendly.
 






To get 350 out of a 302 takes a boatload of work. Heads, cam, higher compression, intake, custom tuning or carbs, custom headers since there are no off the shelf options for the explorer that'll flow well enough.

It's just gonna be very difficult. Forced induction will do it easier, cheaper, more reliably, and more street friendly.
So could I go stroker? Or if I went supercharger were could I get one?
 






Search the threads by users like Dono (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427497&highlight=dono)

Or Vroomzoomboom
Super charged 5.0 True fire 98 Explorer Sport.

Both of these guys have built their entirely own systems.

You not going to find a supercharger off the shelf to fit one of these trucks anymore.

If your lucky you might find an old kit on Ebay.
 






You can lower the front close to 3" and not hurt BJ's, I have over 100k miles on my BJ, since lowering.

For power beyond say 250RWHP, skip everything else until you find a way to get custom exhaust manifolds made. The existing choices are choking off power at the stock level(200), so going past 250 is like breathing through a straw. It needs bigger manifolds, much bigger than 1.5" pipes.

Find someone who can make log manifolds for it, that's the simplest way and actually not that hard for a good welder. Make the pipes 1.75" at least at the heads, and 2" or more where they join, and 2.5-3" at the collector area, located near the stock collectors. Then make the rest dual 2.5" or bigger all the way back, with two mufflers(not one).

Just such a big exhaust should be worth 30HP on a bone stock Explorer, after retuning the computer.

To change the cam takes removing the engine, the stock truck roller cam is very good until you upgrade the heads a good bit(TFS TW etc). Then the stock HO cam is very good until you are ready to go to a true custom cam.
 






You can lower the front close to 3" and not hurt BJ's, I have over 100k miles on my BJ, since lowering.

For power beyond say 250RWHP, skip everything else until you find a way to get custom exhaust manifolds made. The existing choices are choking off power at the stock level(200), so going past 250 is like breathing through a straw. It needs bigger manifolds, much bigger than 1.5" pipes.

Find someone who can make log manifolds for it, that's the simplest way and actually not that hard for a good welder. Make the pipes 1.75" at least at the heads, and 2" or more where they join, and 2.5-3" at the collector area, located near the stock collectors. Then make the rest dual 2.5" or bigger all the way back, with two mufflers(not one).

Just such a big exhaust should be worth 30HP on a bone stock Explorer, after retuning the computer.

To change the cam takes removing the engine, the stock truck roller cam is very good until you upgrade the heads a good bit(TFS TW etc). Then the stock HO cam is very good until you are ready to go to a true custom cam.

How do you lower the front three inches and I'm running full 2.5 inch piping to a 40 series Flowmaster dual in dual out and deleted the rear cats as well and I'm just looking to jump straight to a comp cam or a crane cam
 






All trucks are different regarding drop distance. Generally, removing the torsion bolts will lower around 1.5" to 2" depending on original torsion bar strength and how much the t-bars have weakened over time. IMO, drop keys are
the preferred method over the "key flip", especially since they are now $30 and were sold a few years ago for around $150 a pair. The bolts are also properly seated in the key dimples with no chance of slipping. Keep in mind, any time
ride height is tweaked, camber kits and front alignment are almost always required.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-06-Ford-...ash=item4175873f2e:g:giYAAMXQ56ZR-TLZ&vxp=mtr

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142973

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191742
 






350 rwhp is not impossible from a 302, but its going to cost you lots if your doing it with a n/a motor. forced air induction will get you there, but you will also have to have a lot of supporting mods (as well as a n/a motor). you would be better off going stroker, but that to almost seems to have a black cloud in these trucks.
my old motor was a 302 with a explorer express m90 supercharger on it (long out of production) made around 255hp at the rear wheels (yes it was dyno'd). the new motor and supercharger (347 stroker and a m112 supercharger) has not been dyno'd yet. be very prepared to spend a very large amount of money both buying and building the combo to make that much horse power, then also maintaining it as well.
the only off the shelf header was torque monster, but as mentioned before, they are to small and will choke off the motor. you will be better off getting a custom one off set made either by yourself if you think you can do it, or a professional shop.
 






350 rwhp is not impossible from a 302, but its going to cost you lots if your doing it with a n/a motor. forced air induction will get you there, but you will also have to have a lot of supporting mods (as well as a n/a motor). you would be better off going stroker, but that to almost seems to have a black cloud in these trucks.
my old motor was a 302 with a explorer express m90 supercharger on it (long out of production) made around 255hp at the rear wheels (yes it was dyno'd). the new motor and supercharger (347 stroker and a m112 supercharger) has not been dyno'd yet. be very prepared to spend a very large amount of money both buying and building the combo to make that much horse power, then also maintaining it as well.
the only off the shelf header was torque monster, but as mentioned before, they are to small and will choke off the motor. you will be better off getting a custom one off set made either by yourself if you think you can do it, or a professional shop.

How much would it cost for custom headers??
 






My guess would be $1 K.

It will be a one of a kind gig.

But if you do get yours to work out you could always patent ad sell them.
 






My guess would be $1 K.

It will be a one of a kind gig.

But if you do get yours to work out you could always patent ad sell them.

Probably closer to 3. We charge 1k for a custom header on a 4 cylinder frontier
 






Well I understand 350 is a high number to aim for I just want enough power to help it move better because it's really heavy
 






VR 4 You guys need a mask and a gun..

LOL.
 






All trucks are different regarding drop distance. Generally, removing the torsion bolts will lower around 1.5" to 2" depending on original torsion bar strength and how much the t-bars have weakened over time. IMO, drop keys are
the preferred method over the "key flip", especially since they are now $30 and were sold a few years ago for around $150 a pair. The bolts are also properly seated in the key dimples with no chance of slipping. Keep in mind, any time
ride height is tweaked, camber kits and front alignment are almost always required.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-06-Ford-...ash=item4175873f2e:g:giYAAMXQ56ZR-TLZ&vxp=mtr

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142973

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191742

Wow, they're only $30 now, I need another set.

I have the drop keys on my Mountaineer, it's been my best for getting it low and having a good alignment. My 99 Explorer wouldn't align properly(with camber keys too) with it lowered similar to my Mounty, so it's a good 1.5" higher(where it would take an alignment).

Every truck is different, there seems to be a better range of camber alignment in my Mountaineer versus my other one(it has Sport Trac spindles(bigger rotor).

Measure your ride height first, and not at the fender. Measure the actual height of the frame, in front, at the LCA mounting bolts. That's what you need to have even side to side, for equal handling left and right. I have mine I think around 9" high, my Explorer is near 11" there. I'm going to be doing my "new" 98 Limited soon, and I want it down low there also.

Keep in mind the height includes the tire diameter. Stock 15's are 29", stock 16's are 30", so the vehicle goes up or down as you change the tire size.
 



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How much would it cost for custom headers??

Skip custom "headers." Search around for the TM headers for installation issues, the costs for it also, and then difficulty working around them. All of that is very expensive and troublesome, "too much."

I'd love to have real headers myself, but performance is way more important than being able to say I have great looking headers. I want a high flowing manifold, I don't care how ugly it is(what it looks like).

If you make it simple, only aim for a log manifold, find someone who can do it, then I'd call $400 way too much for them. I envision several hours of my slow skills, cutting and fitting pipes together to mock them up, and a couple of hours of professional welding to make them solid. Coating them is a completely different task, you can do $5 for a rattle can job, or $250 for serious ceramic coating etc.
 






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