2000 AWD Xploder from Turbo back to NA

[willzilla]

Those look really nice!

 

[willzilla]

Even the first one just cleaned and painted looks pretty good... I may just do that and restore it to look decent. What paint is best for this?

 

[CDW6212R]

Any engine paint will work great, which I think run about 450-500* rated. I think Eric used something close to the OEM color, which is more of a gray than silver.

When I painted my yet to install BW4406 transfer case I didn't want to use a bright silver. I ended up with a non heat paint that is a darker shade I liked. I didn't look for long, you can find tons of color choices.

 

[willzilla]

Awesome! Yeah.. I want to stick to mostly stock looking just freshen it up. Do you put like a primer coat on then a cpl final coats?

Never really painted anything before other than a wall, lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

Getting the part clean is the important part. Primer isn't really necessary, as engine paint sticks well to clean bare parts. But use a light coat of primer if you think the parts aren't perfectly clean, or for insurance that the paint will stick.

 

[willzilla]

Getting the part clean is the important part. Primer isn't really necessary, as engine paint sticks well to clean bare parts. But use a light coat of primer if you think the parts aren't perfectly clean, or for insurance that the paint will stick.

Thanks for the tips! I'll see how clean I can get it before I decide on primer go or no go haha.

Do you know of any intake manifold hose kits that replaces all those little hoses? All mine are pretty nasty and I wouldn't mind changing them all out if easy to get the hoses or something.

I took off the EGR stuff last night... 2 hoses go from the EGR valve back into the IM... Do I just cut the hoses coming out of the IM and then block them?

Anyways... Talk about a MESS!

IM is pretty nasty!

Bottom of the IM, note the mud nest thing, I took like 4 or 5 other ones off elsewhere on the IM/TB/etc, lol..

And the spacer that will eventually go on!

 

[CDW6212R]

The plastic lines are the most fragile, take really good care of those. These later hoses are very reliable compared to older stuff from HO 302's. You should be able to reuse any of them, and most are obsolete anyway. I bought a new PCV "assembly" from Ford, at about $25 it includes the PCV/grommet and the hoses to the intake.

Make sure that you remove and clean the lower intake PCV screen, it's metal so just blow it out with carb cleaner etc. The rubber grommet there is likely shrunk, that's a big reason to buy the PCV assembly.

You can plug the extra nipples not used for the EGR too.

 

[willzilla]

Ok, cool, thanks, and yeah, most of the hoses seem petty good, just nasty and need a good cleaning. My PCV/grommet are both fairly new, I replaced them a cpl years ago.. They seem in pretty mint shape still. There is a screen down in the PCV hole in the lower intake that I can reach in and pull out?

Also... The EGR nipples... What is a good "plug" for these? Is there like a cap that you can use? Or just leave a bit of hose on them and then plug the hose with a screw or something ghetto like that? lol.

 

[CDW6212R]

That screen is what needs to be clean for the PCV, sometimes they get plugged up with oil/sludge. The intake ports will all be vacuum, so those you can find simple plugs for. The EGR also has/had just vacuum besides the exhaust inlet.

 

[willzilla]

Awesome, thanks for the info. Lots of HW to do today so I won't get to do any work on the truck but I did a little yesterday... Took the TB off and cleaned it all up, cleaned the TPS and a few other things. Once I get everything stripped off and cleaned I'll prob end up painting the IM and TB and the piece between the TB and IM all a silver color or something along that line.

 

[Dono]

I read in a how-to that you need to drain some coolant when removing the upper intake. Please tell me that this is not true.

 

[willzilla]

I read in a how-to that you need to drain some coolant when removing the upper intake. Please tell me that this is not true.

Not sure... I drained all of the coolant a few months ago already (in anticipation of replacing waterpump). I don't remember reading anywhere about needing to drain coolant but that some will leak out when pulling the IM off.

 

[Dono]

Thanks. Im sure you would have noticed if there were any water passages on the upper. It just made no sense to me.
Definitely water ports in the lower though. That makes sense to me.

 

[willzilla]

Thanks. Im sure you would have noticed if there were any water passages on the upper. It just made no sense to me.
Definitely water ports in the lower though. That makes sense to me.

Yeah, no problem. From what I remember on the 1" IM spacer install and removing the IM they don't mention draining the coolant only to wipe up the little that may spill.

 

[willzilla]

Not much progress these past few days... I did get everything stripped off the IM though.

Still need to clean it and have decided I will prime it and then put a few coats of paint on it as I don't see me getting it perfectly clean by hand. Won't get around to the paint until next week though as I'll be out of town this weekend.

Got my EGR block plate in and it is the wrong damn size... I didn't look at the picture close enough and it is too wide built to block the EGR valves that have the two holes in them. Only spent $4 on it so no biggie. Will keep looking for the appropriate plate or just make one out of a piece of aluminum or something.

 

[willzilla]

Haven't been doing much.. Went on a weekend trip with the family last weekend so didn't get anything done. Got some aluminum cleaner stuff to try and clean the IM and TB even better before paint.

Working on the SVTf as well... Wiring in a firewire cable to my A/F gauge so I can get an updated tune on the car with my transitioning from a Diablo Predator to an SCT3 tuner. Also picked up a trip tunes kit to add an aux jack to my stock SVTf radio so I can listen to Pandora in the car lol

 

[willzilla]

Long time! Been busy with LIFE and job hunting. My current position ends Monday, ugh. Trying to stay local so I don't have to move :-/

Anyways.. Painted the IMF and TB:

Not a pro job by any means, lol. I just cleaned it real good and then put on 3 coats of high temp silver (aluminum) and 2 coats of high temp clear. Have not put it back together or anything yet. Hopefully soon but gathering up everything I need (gaskets mostly).

Does anyone know where I can find waterpump bolts?? I see a stud kit for sale but not the remaining couple bolts and all of my bolts are all pretty badly corroded and was hoping to be able to replace them with something in better shape.

THANKS!!

 

[Dono]

Im pretty sure this is a timing cover and water pump bolt kit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/arp-154-1504

 

[willzilla]

Im pretty sure this is a timing cover and water pump bolt kit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/arp-154-1504

I think I saw somewhere that does "not" fit :-/

But... I am going to try this:

94 95 Ford Mustang 302 5.0L EFI water pump bolts kit stainless steel 1994 1995


Stainless waterpump bolt kit for the 94-95 mustang 5.0 which has the same waterpump configuration as the 5.0 ford explorer.

I guess we shall see (well, I guess I shall see, for good or for bad lol).

 

[Dono]

This is all great info for the rest of us. How does it feel to be the guinea pig?