1998 Explorer 5.0 “Restoration2021” project

[SuperGordo]

I say from experience
I have done it s few times
I don't have to be a professional mechanic to know how to properly fix something and if you are professional mechanic you should know that
Good luck
Just cause it works don't make it the right way
I'm actually surprised the professional mechanic would do it that way
Keep my comments to my self for the rest of your thread
Suggestions are not welcome Why post

You are taking my comment the wrong way. I'm not telling you to pound sand. I've enjoyed your comments as well as everyone elses during this build. Please keep in mind I said the pinion seal was absolutely leaking. If it wasn't I'd have left it alone. I also didn't say you were wrong or that I did it differently than you suggested. I was only trying to let you know that I have the skills and experience to get the job done right. I certainly don't want to cause bad blood here. And I wasn't trying to be an internet know it all. That's not the kind of guy I am. Please accept my apology, I wasn't trying to be offensive to you in any way.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Have been wondering about the short sidewall wider tires (although I really like the tall narrow ones in snow!) Do the sidewalls hold up to potholes? Do you get rim damage more with them? As you have had both and presumably drive a lot in different conditions. Are they better for highway driving than the 235/75/15?

Shorter sidewalls handle better at the expense of ride quality and being more likely to get sidewall damage and to damage the rims.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like the 255/70/15 size better but it didn't gain much you can tell for handling. They look better and the width isn't too much for the 15x7" wheels. I have had one tire issue from a slight cut in the sidewall, but I have no idea what cut it. I bought a new tire and I believe these Hankook Kinergy tires wear too fast. I may be lucky to get six months from these, while the worst I've had before was nine months.

 

[sandsprayer]

I like the 255/70/15 size better but it didn't gain much you can tell for handling. They look better and the width isn't too much for the 15x7" wheels. I have had one tire issue from a slight cut in the sidewall, but I have no idea what cut it. I bought a new tire and I believe these Hankook Kinergy tires wear too fast. I may be lucky to get six months from these, while the worst I've had before was nine months.

Wow, everyone I talk to says the same thing- they wear way fast. About how many miles in that 6 months, Don?

 

[CDW6212R]

My tire mileage is terrible due to lots of hard braking, cornering, and many gravel driveways each day. So my best review is to compare other tires I have used. I might get 20k miles the way I use tires, but 9-10 months is fairly good for me. Thus these at what looks like around 7-8 at most, is worse than the Coopers I have used prior. I liked the Discover AT3 +4 the best, but is was about $25 more per tire, than other AT3's by Cooper. I think much of this Kinergy wearing faster is because the tread depth is short when new, less than 9/32" I think it was.

 

[SuperGordo]

Its been several months since this project went into daily use. My daughter came by tonight, i checked the oil and it hasn’t lost a drop since it hit the road again. Very happy about that.

 

[SuperGordo]

Exhaust clip.

 

[SuperGordo]

Exhaust clip number 2.

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Oh yeah that sounds mean

 

[joney]

Exhaust clip number 2.

Much preferred to my neighbor's Nissan - he just had it updated to what he thinks is a cool sound...sounds like I had with a hole in the muffler combined with a small lawnmower, LOL

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Much preferred to my neighbor's Nissan - he just had it updated to what he thinks is a cool sound...sounds like I had with a hole in the muffler combined with a small lawnmower, LOL

thats how a real rig sounds- v8 4cyls have rheir place as a commuter, but when it ocmes tosound, nothing beats a good ole v8... and a v8 diesel... and jake brakes i wont lie though, the sohcs/ohvs sound dang good for a v6

 

[Rick]

Much preferred to my neighbor's Nissan - he just had it updated to what he thinks is a cool sound...sounds like I had with a hole in the muffler combined with a small lawnmower, LOL

LMAO!

I had a friend who bought a '67 Camaro with a 327. First thing he did was to drill holes in the muffler so it would "sound better". I drove with him to the local McDonalds when it was done, and people started pointing and laughing as he pulled into a spot. He backed out, drove home, and never took the car out again until it had headers and a proper muffler.

 

[SuperGordo]

So the EX presented codes p0340 and P1309 for the camshaft synchronizer. I'm going to get a new cam synchro. But I'm considering replacing the intake manifold gaskets at the same time. That was one of the things that I didn't do during the rebuild. At the time If I had known in November that I was going to get held up until February then I would have probably replaced them then. But that isn't how it all went. So my question to any of you 5.0 guys is are the intake bolts prone to breaking on these things at this age? Also, ARP sells 5.0 intake bolts, do these work with the 5.0 Explorers?

ARP 154-2001: Intake Manifold Bolt Kit Small Block Ford - JEGS High Performance

SB-Ford

www.jegs.com

 

[Turdle]

The bolts will probably break, I'd probably skip lower intake gasket for now.

I don't understand how the engine was rebuilt without a new intake manifold gasket. Do you mean plennum gasket?

 

[SuperGordo]

The bolts will probably break, I'd probably skip lower intake gasket for now.

I don't understand how the engine was rebuilt without a new intake manifold gasket. Do you mean plennum gasket?

The engine was not rebuilt. I went through about 90% of the entire Explorer. It's well documented in this thread. I used the word rebuild because most of the folks that have already read all the posts know what I mean. I apologize if I'm being confusing.

In this Explorer, I replaced the oil pan gasket, the oil pump, the timing set, the timing cover gaskets, the water pump and gaskets, the valve seals, the valve cover gaskets, the plenum gasket, and more. The only engine gaskets I left were the lower intake manifold gaskets, the rear main seal and the exhaust manifold gaskets. I'm not trying to be a jerk, there are many pictures and posts on this thread with details.

 

[allmyEXes]

@SuperGordo Of all of the 289, 302 and 5.0 intakes that I have removed in my life, I don't recall breaking any intake bolts. The only problem that I remember, and I think that it happened to you too is the timing cover and or water pump bolts. I haven't reread your posts, but I think you had a problem with the one in the 7 o'clock position. I had the 11 o'clock position one break.

 

[410Fortune]

the front two lower intake bolts enter the water jacket, similar to the timing cover
It is not often they break, but they can
I think I have had two 5.0 where those bolts gave me fits, normally they just spin right out.
If you did the timing cover on this engine without the 4 long bolts giving you fits then the lower intake should be a breeze

You will want to re seal the fuel rail as well, all new O rings there

For a cam synchro I would buy a Ford unit

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, the intake bolts are a worry at this old age, the corrosion of the aluminum that they pass through bonds to the steel bolts.

I'd pull the sensor first from the cam synchronizer, to be sure it's the sensor that is what's bad, but the synchronizer itself is also a suspect part at 25 years of age. We are all seeing the affect of age on these older vehicles, some items should be replaced that never needed to be since new.

 

[SuperGordo]

Thanks for the input guys. When I did the timing cover I had discovered that someone had previously broke one of the left side water pump bolts and just left it there. Other than removing that broken bolt nothing else was much trouble. So I think I'll be alright. Probably do this job in a few weeks.

 

[410Fortune]

sorry about that!



LOL kidding.
I did that a time or two when I was younger, some 5.0 in the truck with the broken stud, need to get back on the road....I know I can seal a waterpump with one or two bolts MIA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

now days I have more tricks up my sleeve for getting those broken studs out