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!

 

[techieman33]

Oh I forgot to mention that you will need a tune before you can drive it, when you restore the stock tune it will throw all kinds of codes with no EGR hooked up.

 

[willzilla]

Ahhh.... I figured... I wonder if keeping it with it's current tune (it drives fine as is even without boosting due to the leaks and such... Currently I am driving it a little due to an issue with a broken rim on my backup ride, arg) and pulling the turbo stuff off and putting the MAC intake on I could still drive it without issues before re-flashing it.

As for tune... Still have not heard back from James... Sent him a pm and an email.. maybe he is on vacation or something :-/

 

[techieman33]

he doesn't conduct business on the weekends to keep his wife happy, so that's part of it. the turbo tune is probably ok under low throttle conditions, but if you open it up it may go way to rich.

 

[willzilla]

he doesn't conduct business on the weekends to keep his wife happy, so that's part of it. the turbo tune is probably ok under low throttle conditions, but if you open it up it may go way to rich.

Ahhh... Ok, that makes sense then

Hopefully my intake shows up today, and ill swap that on tonight maybe along with the new PCV valve... if the weather does not get too wild!

 

[willzilla]

Received my MAC intake and spacer today.. Question though.. Should the intake come with a MAF tube or do I just reuse the one I already have?

 

[techieman33]

reuse the one you have.

 

[willzilla]

reuse the one you have.

Ok, that is what I figured but wanted to be sure! Didn't get a parts list or anything and the parts were all kind of tossed in the box looking lol.

 

[willzilla]

Sent torque monster headers guy an email for info on the TMH's (requesting the larger collector version with extended EGR tube)... I'm ready to buy!

 

[techieman33]

call his phone number, he's really bad about returning emails.

 

[willzilla]

Ahhh... thanks for the heads up I will give him a ring!

 

[willzilla]

Still waiting on a call back from Bob (or email reply)... Left him a VM yesterday.

Hopefully will rip a lot of stuff out of the truck this weekend and mount up the MAC intake and such... Curious though, what would be best to remove the STS oil pump setup and return the truck back to stock in that regards? Is there an easy fitting I can just replace where the oil lines were tapped into (i'm assuming oil pan and somewhere else for return, haven't had a chance to look yet tho)?

 

[techieman33]

Still waiting on a call back from Bob (or email reply)... Left him a VM yesterday.

Hopefully will rip a lot of stuff out of the truck this weekend and mount up the MAC intake and such... Curious though, what would be best to remove the STS oil pump setup and return the truck back to stock in that regards? Is there an easy fitting I can just replace where the oil lines were tapped into (i'm assuming oil pan and somewhere else for return, haven't had a chance to look yet tho)?

I would find a bolt with the right size threads, put some rtv on it and seal the hole up that way. Then if you decide to go turbo again you can just remove the bolts and re-plumb your oil lines.

 

[willzilla]

Good idea!

 

[willzilla]

Tried to give Bob another call but still am unable to reach him... Perhaps he's out on vacation or something.

 

[willzilla]

On a "SIDE" note... hope to have my '03 SVTfocus completed and ready by sometime in July! I have not driven that car in a good 2-3 years!

Mods on the focus include:

42lb injectors, diablo MAFIa, steeda short throw shifter, 3" header back, all 3 poly motor mounts, aluminum throttle-body, massive comp engine bay and hatch stress bars, H&R sport cup kit, steeda 28.6mm rear sway bar, H&R 24mm front sway bar, custom tune by turbotom w/diablo predator, exhaust side cam gear, MSD coil pack and 8.5mm plug wires, centric premium rotors, hawk hp plus ceramic brake pads, russel 6pc stainless brake lines, cfm 2pc alum under-drive pulleys, aem cold air intake w/bypass filter, 180 degree t-stat, cfm billet intake manifold lever, carbon fiber fenders, carbon fiber invader hood, fresh black paint over entire car, smoked side bumper lights, ford euro center grill, anthracite colored team dynamics pro race 1 light weight rims (just a hair over 17lbs each), cfm black billet shorty antenna, ford racing DPIC and AF gauges in pillar pod, ford gt shift knob and stainless e-brake handle.

Was originally going to be a fully built motor and turbo setup shooting for around 350whp but pulled the plug on the project due to a nasty (and expensive) divorce :-/

 

[willzilla]

I tore off some of the old cold side piping... Wow... NASTY!!! Tons of oil floating around in there! And for some odd reason there were two MAF tubes bolted together with one MAF and the other tube had the MAF port blocked?? Lol. More work later but for now date night!

 

[rocket 5979]

I would find a bolt with the right size threads, put some rtv on it and seal the hole up that way. Then if you decide to go turbo again you can just remove the bolts and re-plumb your oil lines.

The threads in his oil pan are not machine threads but pipe threads. Very different.

Just take the existing fitting out of the oil pan and bring it with you to the hardware store and buy a brass pipe plug that is the same size. Then just put a little teflon tape or paste on the plug, thread it into your pan and snug it down. No leaks and it is done the proper way.

Pipe fittings are taper threaded so that they seal progressively tighter the further you insert them. Machine threads are straight threaded and will not tighten down as you thread the bolt in further. There is a good chance that even with RTV it will leak, let alone that the thread TPI may not even match either so you would end up with a crossthreaded hole and bad seal. Bottom line, don't do it that way.


For the oil pressure feed I will assume Justin tapped into the front bottom drivers side oil gallery where the OPSU (oil pressure sending unit) attaches to in stock form. Chances are that you will find a brass tee sticking out of the block and on one side will be your oil pressure feed line. On the other side will probably be the relocated OPSU. You have two choices here. You can either remove the entire brass tee assembly and rethread your OPSU back into your engine block or you can simply disconnect where your turbo oil feed line connects to and use a properly sized brass plug with teflon to plug the one side of the brass tee.

 

[willzilla]

Awesome! Thank you for the info!! Very much appreciated!

 

[willzilla]

Ripped off all cold side piping, IC, etc... Talk about a nasty oily mess!

Ran into a problem tho with MAC install.. Damn MAF tube is too big to interface with the heat shield... Is the stock MAF tube a 70mm? Also, the wiring for maf connector is spliced into and an external IAT plug was added I believe.. Not sure how I can interface that into the Mac piping?? There are 2 rubber plug holes in the MAC piping for something.. Maybe can squeeze the IAT into one and plug the other.

Also swapped an Xploder PVC valve on to replace the mustang turbo PVC valve.

Also, the oil line runs up to the driver side front portion of the engine bay but I can't see exactly where? Is it in a hard to reach spot and how is the best way to access?

 

[techieman33]

The threads in his oil pan are not machine threads but pipe threads. Very different.

Just take the existing fitting out of the oil pan and bring it with you to the hardware store and buy a brass pipe plug that is the same size. Then just put a little teflon tape or paste on the plug, thread it into your pan and snug it down. No leaks and it is done the proper way.

Pipe fittings are taper threaded so that they seal progressively tighter the further you insert them. Machine threads are straight threaded and will not tighten down as you thread the bolt in further. There is a good chance that even with RTV it will leak, let alone that the thread TPI may not even match either so you would end up with a crossthreaded hole and bad seal. Bottom line, don't do it that way.


For the oil pressure feed I will assume Justin tapped into the front bottom drivers side oil gallery where the OPSU (oil pressure sending unit) attaches to in stock form. Chances are that you will find a brass tee sticking out of the block and on one side will be your oil pressure feed line. On the other side will probably be the relocated OPSU. You have two choices here. You can either remove the entire brass tee assembly and rethread your OPSU back into your engine block or you can simply disconnect where your turbo oil feed line connects to and use a properly sized brass plug with teflon to plug the one side of the brass tee.

Didn't even cross my mind that it would be pipe threads, glad you caught that.

Ripped off all cold side piping, IC, etc... Talk about a nasty oily mess!

Ran into a problem tho with MAC install.. Damn MAF tube is too big to interface with the heat shield... Is the stock MAF tube a 70mm? Also, the wiring for maf connector is spliced into and an external IAT plug was added I believe.. Not sure how I can interface that into the Mac piping?? There are 2 rubber plug holes in the MAC piping for something.. Maybe can squeeze the IAT into one and plug the other.

Also swapped an Xploder PVC valve on to replace the mustang turbo PVC valve.

Also, the oil line runs up to the driver side front portion of the engine bay but I can't see exactly where? Is it in a hard to reach spot and how is the best way to access?

The stock MAF is something like 66 or 67mm. If I remember right the MAF just bolts on to the flat side of the mounting bracket, can you just drill some holes in it to bolt it up? And yes the 2 holes are for the IAT sensor in earlier v8's, and the other one is for the breather tube that comes out of the oil fill neck.