2000 AWD Xploder from Turbo back to NA

After getting an estimate on how much it would run me to fix up my Xploder with all new exhaust, cold side piping, and a bunch of other stuff done up the "right" way... I've decided to convert my Xploder back to NA form so that I can actually ENJOY the truck before I die of old age.

Anyways... To start it off I ordered up a MAC cold air intake (I do not have the stock intake) and sold my FMS headers on ebay.

I plan on buying a set of torque monster headers in the next week or so but am still up in the air on how I should run my exhaust from a performance "speed" perspective. I do not plan on doing much, if any, off road driving, so am looking for a setup that improves take off and speed for spirited pavement driving that sounds good.

I already have the spare tire removed (and will be keeping it off, I have free towing anyways lol)... What would an optimal setup be with the above in mind and no worry of a spare tire being in the way? True duals (straight pipe off of each header, thru separate mufflers, and out the sides), or a dual exhaust both going into a 2 in 2 out "H" pipe style muffler and then out the sides? Or something else? In all cases I won't be running any cats.

I also plan to re-tune my car since currently it is tuned for the turbo setup which obviously will no longer apply once I rip everything out.

Thank you for any input!

 

[CDW6212R]

The air cleaner is what contains the air filter, all vehicles have an air cleaner. So your aftermarket model will be easy to remove to get under it. I'm sorry I don't have any picture of that relay box, I thought I did.

 

[willzilla]

Ok.. I found it. I didn't even need to move the intake

Found this relay diagram to find the "fog light" relay:

Changed out K26 fog lamp relay anddddd.... same issue, lol.

With a halogen bulb in place in the driver's side fog lamp it lights up fine:

With the LED fog bulb in place, the fog light does not light up on the driver's side but passenger side works fine:

Upon looking it over again I noticed something odd... my low beam AND high beam are BOTH lit on the driver's side and the passenger side just the low beam is lit, not the high beam. I believe with high beam on the fog light and low beam shut off and for whatever reason with my high beams set to OFF (not on) the high beam is still on with the low beam and with the high beam on, for whatever reason, that is shutting off the fog light.

I do not believe this being a thing a while back before the fog light bulb burned out or whatever. I found an older photo and from looking at it with low beams on I see the driver's side fog light on and low beam and high beam not on:

This makes me think it's not an issue with my headlight wiring as it wouldn't just re-wire itself and cause an issue years later. Any idea what would maybe cause this? In that small relay box diagram I do see a relay called K337 "Fog lamp isolation relay"... not sure what this relay is for or what is keeping my high beam on with the high beam lever set to off.

 

[CDW6212R]

The headlights should be isolated from the fog light circuit in some way, so the dimmer shouldn't affect the two sides differently. I don't know what that K337 relay is for, you might need to look into the circuit diagram a lot to figure that out. I'd swap that one too and see if anything changes.

If you discover any relay that doesn't work right, "trash it" and don't mix up any that you are unsure about. I had to make myself take my old turn signal flasher inside my kitchen to keep from mixing it up with a known good used flasher I also found. The bad one has to go, I try to scrap used parts for the metal instead of going into the trash(landfill).

 

[willzilla]

The headlights should be isolated from the fog light circuit in some way, so the dimmer shouldn't affect the two sides differently. I don't know what that K337 relay is for, you might need to look into the circuit diagram a lot to figure that out. I'd swap that one too and see if anything changes.

If you discover any relay that doesn't work right, "trash it" and don't mix up any that you are unsure about. I had to make myself take my old turn signal flasher inside my kitchen to keep from mixing it up with a known good used flasher I also found. The bad one has to go, I try to scrap used parts for the metal instead of going into the trash(landfill).

Yeah, thankfully the old relays looked... super old and crusty, and the new ones looked nice and shiny, so, pretty easy to see which is what, but def kept them separated just to be safe as you mentioned.

I installed another new relay, this time in the K337 spot, and... no change :-/

More troubleshooting and I also noticed when I turn on my lever to high beams the entire driver's side is off.. no high beam, no lows, no fogs. Passenger side all working perfectly. When the high beam lever off the low beams and high beams are all on, on the driver's side... plus the fog light (halogen bulb) or without fog light (LED bulb). Passenger side is functioning as it should with just low beams and fogs.

Def makes me think something is up with the high beam logic somewhere. Will need to open up my service manual electronic schematics when I get a chance and see what's going on.

I do see some headlight fuses in the passenger compartment:

4 - 10A - Left Headlamp
8 - 10A - Right Headlamp, Foglamp Relay

Maybe this will help guide me.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm sorry to say but I like most people, do not troubleshoot with proper diagnostic manuals or tools for the most part. I do what I can with my mind and experience, and then go to the code reader or manuals last. I'm sure real mechanics do that also when they have many years of experience, but they start by being forced to use the manuals etc. So we come at it back words most of the time, and it ends in the stereo type of "not diagnosing, but simply replacing parts."

That makes it more expensive often yes, but the one bright spot is that most of my vehicles have always been very old, so almost any replaced part is actually needed in any case. I'm just suggesting don't be mad at yourself much for spending money on various parts, they were very old and really in need of upgrading already.

That being said, your symptoms also point to anther common wear part, the multi function switch. That is now at 26 years of age, a big wear item. My older 73 Ranchero's have a 50 year old electrical system, and tons of parts are super fragile, plus most obsolete. As things get older, it's time to learn which are soon going to be very hard to come by, and buy many of those for your keeper vehicles. I have one of those multi function switches stored someplace, and it's time to expect one or more of my trucks to have problems with those.

Given the issue of the high beam circuit and turn signals, I'd replace that switch also.

 

[410Fortune]

LEDs are polarity challenged you must have + to + and - to -, unlike a halogen bulb which does not care, it simply completes the circuit

I too suspect your multifunction switch
I would be testing with a multimeter at the light
Bulbs, not using the housing and bulb as my “tester” way better to check the wires for power and see if it is battery power or if there is a short

 

[willzilla]

LEDs are polarity challenged you must have + to + and - to -, unlike a halogen bulb which does not care, it simply completes the circuit

I too suspect your multifunction switch
I would be testing with a multimeter at the light
Bulbs, not using the housing and bulb as my “tester” way better to check the wires for power and see if it is battery power or if there is a short

Yeah, I know what you mean with LEDS... but these LED bulbs are keyed and fit only 1 way into the fog light harness. Its like a circle with a notch in it just like the halogen bulbs.

I did notice weird voltages when I tested the fog light harness.. passenger, which works fine, reads 10.8v, and the driver's side reads 11.3v. Haven't had a chance to test the headlights yet, maybe today or tomorrow. Good idea with maybe the multifunction switch... always something

 

[Turdle]

could be the multi switch,
The headlight switch itself has complicated connections inside, which cause weird symptoms.

You might look it over for heat discoloration, soak it with electrical contact cleaner while cycling the switch. If you can locate one in a salvage I'd try that.

 

[willzilla]

could be the multi switch,
The headlight switch itself has complicated connections inside, which cause weird symptoms.

You might look it over for heat discoloration, soak it with electrical contact cleaner while cycling the switch. If you can locate one in a salvage I'd try that.

Is this the rotary type switch on the dash or the stalk with the high/low beams?

 

[Turdle]

Rotary headlight switch. All light circuits run thru it.

 

[410Fortune]

The multi function switch is the turn signal stalk

The headlight switch is the rotary switch “off park lights” after 04 the fog lights are also in the headlight switch

I would inspect both
I find the multifunction switch is the most problematic so many moving parts so much power running to it and it’s on the tilt wheel those wires take a beating

If you have power to one fog light you should have power to both I would think… otherwise that’s in the connections

 

[410Fortune]

Does your 2000 have autolamps?

 

[willzilla]

Does your 2000 have autolamps?

With the switch in the mirror on autolamp delay? Yes. It's an XLT.

 

[willzilla]

The multi function switch is the turn signal stalk

The headlight switch is the rotary switch “off park lights” after 04 the fog lights are also in the headlight switch

I would inspect both
I find the multifunction switch is the most problematic so many moving parts so much power running to it and it’s on the tilt wheel those wires take a beating

If you have power to one fog light you should have power to both I would think… otherwise that’s in the connections

Yeah.. I have power to both fog lights it seems but the working side is getting 10.8v and the non-working (with LED) side is getting 11.3v... oddly enough. And the driver's side (non working side) also has the high beam and low beam on together when the low beams are on and when I turn on the high beams with the stalk both low beam and high beams turn off on the driver's side. Passenger side all works correctly. I'll take a look at both. I did see looking at the schematics earlier that there are some tests in the service manual to perform on the switches so I'll see what is with that when I have a chance

 

[willzilla]

Haven't had time to work on the Xploder past few days. Was driving wife's Mustang and hit some road debris and got a flat tire. Went to put on the spare on the side of the road anddddd... POS Ford lugnuts were warped and couldn't fit the lug nut socket on to remove them, lol. Dealership had just rotated the tires on the car last month and blasted the lug nuts on and the junk 2 piece lug nuts got warped or something. Dealership took 2 days to get them off and get a new tire on, lol. So, the Xploder was the main transportation for a few days as the Mustang was down and the ZL1 is still in my garage as I work through video'ing the suspension upgrade

 

[willzilla]

Had a few minutes and went ahead and changed out the multi function switch/lever.... anndddd.. no change, lol. Super easy and pretty cheap so I figured why not? The old lever was worn down pretty good, the new one looks crisp! haha.

I'll delve into my headlight wiring that I did a few years back and see if something came loose next.

Ooo, and we got back my wife's Mustang. The dealer had to really work to get 3 lug nuts off to get the wheel off and the tire replaced. Look how bad these things are:

Ordered some Gorilla lug nuts and will replace every lug nut on her car with those... I'm sure I'll find more lug nuts warped all the hell so I expect this will be a fun task.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good work. I've had my PITA time with the first Ford OEM lugnuts that they made with covers on them. Those were a really thin cheap metal that often let go in five years or so, and when the cap fell off, the proper tool didn't fit right. I've replaced several sets of my Fords lugnuts with McGard sets, they were just over $50 a set 10-15 years back. I highly recommend those for any OEM replacements, except for the style under wheel caps that are really strong(Ford made some with a big steel ring around the base, which some caps attached to). I love those for my Explorers that have OEM wheels, I have a locking lugnut set(4) for each of those cars. The OEM locking nuts are very good, but I have liked the McGard better, and the Gorilla brand should be the same.

 

[willzilla]

Got all of the warped/deformed lug nuts off of the Mustang and the new Gorilla lug nuts installed. In total... I found 7 more warped lug nuts on top of the 3 warped lug nuts the dealer had removed and replaced when they replaced the tire for a total of 10 out of 20 lug nuts that were junk. That's pretty insane! Lol. Made a quick video while I was at it for removing the messed up lug nuts, lol:



Hopefully get a chance to pull the headlight on the Xploder and delve into my old custom wiring in the next day or so! Afterwards.. circling back to the rear driver side door lock actuator replacement.