1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[Josh P]

I bought from harbor freight an extractor set that looks slightly different, I don't have it handy to post the part number, it is Icon brand. It has a tapered end left thread, worked perfectly for extracting a broken off brass pipe check valve on my Freightliner. I'm wondering if it might work as well?

 

[97Sandbox]

Some will say success looks like a new sports car, a big house, or a tailored suit. To me, success looks like this:

So how'd I do it? I could tell you all the things I tried first, but what finally worked is all that's important. Lucky for me (sarcasm), I had two plugs broken and for the first I had to experiment to find the right technique, then the second was validation that the method worked. Here we go!

Get the porcelain out first. One came out with the shop vac, the other had to be chipped at with a pick first

Now all that's left are steel shells

To help the penetrant creep in more and maybe break up some of the corrosion, use a small punch and hammer to mushroom the exposed edge of spark plug shell inward. The scrape away crud around the shell, vacuum said crud, and liberally apply penetrant where you just opened a slight gap around the shell.

As you guessed, next step is to heat it up. Let the penetrant wick in and get the metal bits all expanded. Heating the surrounding head is not a bad thing. Once it's all nice and hot, quickly shut off torch, grab can of freeze off and spray just the metal shell -- this will cause it to contract and hopefully separate from the head.

Now's time to stick in the extractor of your choice. I didn't feel like driving to HFT, so I bought a very similar kit to what 410 posted at Walmart (was omw to my son's daycare) for ~$13. I've seen DIY extractors made from ground down bolts work just as well. So whatever extractor you have, tap it in and find a socket that fits the back. Start turning.

If you're cranking so much you start to see the torsion (aka twist) building up in your socket extension, I suggest stopping, backing the extractor out, and doing another round of penetrant, heat, freeze. Eventually, you'll get that bugger free I swear. Patience is key.

Once it's out, vacuum out the combustion chamber as well as possible

I'm also leaving my new plugs out overnight so the penetrant and freeze spray residue can evaporate more.

But that's it! This honestly isn't a terrible job, just a bit trickier that the average broken bolt.

 

[97Sandbox]

I got all the new plugs in last night and took the Mounty for what may be it's last drive before the teardown starts. With new plugs, it generally seems to run better/accelerate smoother, but I wouldn't say it feels like I gained any power back. Maybe it has to do with the wider gearing of the 4R70W compared to the 5R55E, but I'd say the Mounty feels slower than my '97 with the SOHC did (which had a little over 200k on the odometer when I scrapped it). I'll be curious how it feels with the M5R2 because right now I think my OHV 4.0 with the M5R1 behind it would put up a decent fight.

 

[410Fortune]

The sohc makes more power then the v8
The v8 has a 4 speed the v6 5 speed

However just a few mods (headers first) and you will stay up with the sohc

The v8 rigs feel more
Solid with their 3/4 ton transmission
Way more enjoyable to own and operate imo
I can drive a v6 ranger and then a v8 although the v6 has similar power and an extra gear, the v8’just feels more solid underneath you
You won’t miss the sohc for long lol

 

[97Sandbox]

That all tracks. My butt dyno must be better calibrated than I thought.

Yes, headers are #1 on my list, especially after seeing how bad the stock manifolds look while I was in there changing spark plugs. Due to my impatience and general curiosity, I'm getting pretty serious about making custom headers instead of buying TMH. I'm thinking of tacking together a rough pair of "prototype" headers from scrap motorcycle head pipes then taking them to someone who actually knows what they're doing so they can reference my prototypes and make me a nice set.

I've been researching diameter vs. horsepower, importance of collector length, etc. Given my eventual power goals, I'm thinking 1-3/4" primaries to 3" collectors eventually necking down to a single 4" tailpipe (I don't really want to deal with duals). In the end, I'll probably be into it for more than TMH cost, but I think I'll be a lot happier with the result.

That said, if a used set of TMH or OBX headers pops up, I'd still love to buy and install those in the meantime because it'll be a while until I have the time and material to start my prototypes.

 

[DintDobbs]

@97Sandbox True true, I test drove a 2000 with a V8 shortly after I got my '99 Sport, and it felt heavy and sluggish. Definitely didn't have the get-up-and-go the SOHC had. Butt dyno doesn't lie!

The exhaust (starting at the headers) is notoriously restrictive on these 2nd-gens as you know, and just sucks the life out of the motors... which is why you started there, I presume!

 

[97Sandbox]

While I understand the strange tube routing due to the tight space, I was surprised to see how much the tubes are "pinched" right at the exhaust ports in order to get better access to the mounting bolts:

On the plus side, I'm guessing the stock manifolds are easy to take off.

Compare to cast LS manifolds though:

It makes you wonder what the Ford engineers were thinking when they made the bolt holes so close to the exhaust ports instead of spacing them out like GM.

It still baffles me that there aren't more header options given the popularity of Ranger 5.0 swaps. But these are the things we Explorer enthusiasts must contend with...

 

[97Sandbox]

I made a brief trip to the local salvage yard yesterday and picked up a lot of misc. items including a couple cool ones:

Manual B-series clutch/brake pedal assembly and a t-case boot that fits better than the 97-03 F-series.

I pulled the boot from a bricknose F-250. I'm pretty sure the 80s-90s F-series boots were all the same until the big '97 refresh.

I grabbed the manual blockoff plate for the gauge cluster from the same '00 B-series I got the pedals from too. I was going to take the steering column as well, but I realized it didn't have the tilt feature. After poking around more, it seems as if the manual pickups didn't come with tilt wheels. My manual '00 Sport has one however, so maybe it was only an Explorer thing? I'm expecting I'll just have to mix and match parts to keep the tilt wheel in the Mounty while also deleting the column shifter and having it all look factory~ish.

I found one 5.4 Expedition that wasn't as rusty as the others, got 3 of 4 rear drive shaft bolts out then the third gave me trouble. I snapped the end off an extension, then I tried another extension and broke my socket! I tried clamping the bolt hard in a vise grip, but there was no room between fuel tank and exhaust to get leverage. I'll have to buy a 12mm 12 point impact socket because all the impact sockets I have right now are 6 point. I'll go again next weekend and hopefully get the last bolt out.

In spite of there being ~10 first gen Expeditions/Navigators in the yard, not one had a 4.6. @410Fortune, you said a 4.6 F-150 front drive shaft works too if you cut an inch off the splined end, right?

 

[97Sandbox]

One item I passed on yesterday was the older style transfer case shift lever and I'm wondering if I'll regret that. The yard wanted $10 for it and I already have one for a '96, but I'm not sure what'll work best. To: anyone who has followed 4406M conversions, which lever fits better in a 2nd gen Ex?

'97 and up:

'96 and earlier:

Thanks!

 

[Turdle]

Door number 1 is what I used. Self tapping screws will be your friend here.

 

[410Fortune]

5.4 front shaft can work also if you cannot find a 4.6 one

Good score so far!
Those d shaft bolts can be a bear

 

[97Sandbox]

5.4 front shaft can work also if you cannot find a 4.6 one

Good score so far!
Those d shaft bolts can be a bear

Good to know!

I may just take the front shaft off the same Expedition I take the rear from then. Assuming I can track down a 12 point 12 mm impact socket anyway.... My Milwaukee impact sockets are all 6 point which seems typical from what I'm seeing at local tool vendors. I have a set of 12 point impact sockets from Harbor Freight, but it skips from 10mm to 13mm. Might just need to use a bigger vise grip and bigger prybar!

I also looked more into the t case shift lever and realized the two lever styles aren't directly interchangeable. The older ones mount with two small bolts while the newer levers use one bigger bolt and a "forked" end that goes over a pin on one of the linkage arms. I may go ahead and grab an older lever anyway so I can mix and match/hybrid something that looks and works well.

 

[97Sandbox]

Do 5.4 expedition rear shafts normally have a dc joint up front? I don't recall hearing about that...

EDIT: No, most 1st gen Expedition rear drive shafts I saw in the salvage yard have a standard setup with a single ujoint front and back.

 

[97Sandbox]

And more importantly, will this shaft work or do I need one with a regular ujoint in front?

 

[97Sandbox]

I left the rear drive shaft behind today because I didn't want to pay $50 only to find out it wouldn't work. I'll go back for a regular shaft sometime when it isn't brutally hot (hit 103 here today).

I got close to getting a front drive shaft out, they're so much harder than the rear because they can spin with the vehicle in park! Wedged in a prybar and got the 4 bolts at the front dif loose, but I was only able to get one off the transfer case side before I got too hot and gave up. I remember it being tricky to get the front shaft out when I pulled my 4406 -- I had a helper then and may need that (someone holding prybar, someone breaking bolts loose).

Picked up other odds and ends too including clutch master cylinder hardware and more transfer case shift levers. I got two more and both are different than the one I almost bought last weekend:

Left to right: '97 F150, aeronose F250, first gen super duty F250. I seem to remember the lever I pulled from the bricknose was a similar bend to the areonose lever, but the mounting configuration was totally different. It'll be good to have some options once the 4406 goes in.

Shift knobs aren't quite all the same either:

I also realized the Mounty never had the jumper harness fuse recall thingy installed so I grabbed one of those too.
Here's the jumper harness on my Sport (my 97 XLT had it too):

Missing from Mounty:

 

[CDW6212R]

Good score, it's great to collect a lot of extra parts from the JY.

FYI, that brake recall harness, it is just an inline fuse, you can add your own to any brake sensor like that on a MC. That constant current there is dangerous if the sensor was to leak(the recall was because those OEM sensors began to leak, which caused the short, and possible fire).

 

[AidansCars]

Anything else I should get?

Haven't seen anyone mention lower ball joints on the front, so I will! A ***** and a half to get off and on without the exact size that ford makes their BJ cuffs, but a very important replacement in my opinion. Seeing how deep into the car world you are, I don't need to explain any of the benefits of new joints.
-Aidan

 

[410Fortune]

The lower ball joint comes out easily, support the Lca with a jackstand smack it with a hammer directly in the middle, they fall out every time
Ball joint press to push new joint in, must get the angle right, I simply use a piece of steel or the body of a wrench to act as a spacer under the cup, gives the press correct angle to press new joint in.

4406 shift lever I’m using the 97 f250’style
They can also be heated up and bent if needed or chopped cut and welded, we have extended them a time or two and shortened them also, just depends on user preference and the vehicles it’s going in

The 97 lever I’m using is perfect with the 2” body lift

A small pry bar or claw hammer can be used to keep d shaft from turning while you get the bolts. I use a chrome Molly 12mm 12 point socket from Husky I use it with my impact and a 12” long wobbly extension allows access to the 4 d shaft bolts. Never had a socket issue using non impact socket

 

[97Sandbox]

A small pry bar or claw hammer can be used to keep d shaft from turning while you get the bolts. I use a chrome Molly 12mm 12 point socket from Husky I use it with my impact and a 12” long wobbly extension allows access to the 4 d shaft bolts. Never had a socket issue using non impact socket

Sounds pretty much like the technique I was using! I think part of my issue was that the Expedition was propped up on old rims in the exact spot I neede to lay to reasonably get at the rear bolts on the shaft. I'll bring my bigger impact and a second extension next time and hopefully I can pop the bolts loose.

Have you ever come across a rear drive shaft with a DC joint in front? Thinking about it more, I'm wondering if it might actually be an upgrade from the regular shaft.

 

[97Sandbox]

Haven't seen anyone mention lower ball joints on the front, so I will! A ***** and a half to get off and on without the exact size that ford makes their BJ cuffs, but a very important replacement in my opinion. Seeing how deep into the car world you are, I don't need to explain any of the benefits of new joints.
-Aidan

I just took of the LCAs and used my shop press when I did LBJs in my Sport, wasn't bad. Currently the joints on the Mounty feel fine, so I'm leaving them alone.