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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! :)
 



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Here's a link for the licence plate bracket, you will also need 2 plastic rivets and the special rivet gun. Just find a body shop near you, they will have the rivets and tool to install them, shouldn't take more than a few mins.

Amazon product ASIN B000NU99TK
Thank you for the info! The link didn't seem to work... got some weird media error looking box? :D The plastic rivets don't work with a traditional style rivet gun?
 






Do any of these look like the plug wire terminal you need?
Those wires have sure been a PIA in the past 🤔, stupid headers 🤪

Here's what the fitting looks like:

IMG-20210719-150700.jpg
 












Here is the part number for the lisc plate bracket , search Amazon $24.99

XL2Z-17A385-AAA​

 












Here is the part number for the lisc plate bracket , search Amazon $24.99

XL2Z-17A385-AAA​

Awesome, thank you!

And yes, that other terminal end looks closer... Sadly seems these terminals only at O'Reilly's and its like a week wait time plus $8 to ship to the store AND a $5 service fee, lol. Insane. For a part under 50 cents.
 






Well, during that week of ship time... You can work on the El Camino 👍
 






Well, during that week of ship time... You can work on the El Camino 👍
Haha, true! I was actually back in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan visiting my parents with a few of my kids and got back home Saturday evening. So... now I can tinker with the El Camino (and the Xploder) once more :D Received a few parts in for the El Camino while I was gone and still need to pick up the maybe correct spark plug wire fitting from O'Reillys.. if the fittings don't work I have another full set of plug wires on the way from Summit which I'll return if the fittings don't work.

I need to order as new AFR gauge as well, my old gauge has fallen part.. pieces of plastic had become brittle and pieces began to just break off, lol. Also, with my SCT3 having malfunctioned (backlight comes on when plugged into the ODB2 port but nothing displays on the screen) I contacted SCT and they will swap my old SCT3 out for another unit and give me like 40% off. May also look into picking up SCT Pro Racer so I can attempt my own tuning as I cannot get in touch with Henson to update my tune (he sent me a message a while ago and said he would hook me up but has since disappeared again, sadly).
 






Picked up my over priced fittings from O'Reillys... Didn't fit, lol, not even close :-/ Thankfully ordered an entire new set of plug sires and they arrived today as well and I just used one of the longer ones and ran it to cylinder 3 and tried to make sure it was a decent distance from the headers this time :D

Also, I have one of those blue sensor ODB2 scanner things and cleared the check engine code light and noticed it also lets me scan other stuff and ran it and it gathered codes from all over the car which is cool... ended up with a couple random codes, lol:

1 Powertrain Control Module code:
- P1000 - On-board diagnostic (ODB) systems readiness test not complete (I seem to remember this kind of being a normal code for a tuned car?)

1 Anti-Lock Brake Module code:
- C1155 - Left front wheel speed sensor input circuit failure (maybe why my ABS light is on??)

1 Remote Anti-Theft / Personality Module code:
- B1309 - Power door lock circuit failure (not sure what this is about... power locks all seem to work fine, though occasionally a door or 2 may be a little sluggish)

2 Restraint Control Module codes:
- B1994 - Side air bag circuit open, front driver side (no idea what's up here?)
- B1998 - Side air bag circuit open, front passenger side (same..)

Maybe the airbag codes are from when I pulled the seats out... do they not clear on their own and I must clear them?

Fun times :D
 






Went ahead and installed one of the wires from the entire extra set of Taylor plug wires... I guess I have 7 spares now, lol. Need to re-install my air deflector/water guard plastic bits that go under the car still up by the radiator and such.. hit a small puddle and water just splashes into the bay and makes a mess, haha.
 






Does anyone happen to have the part number for the front license plate mount rivets? Googling around gives me some maybes but maybe someone has the part number for sure? :D
 






I don't know what they look like, but if they are a typical AL rivet, they might be a simple 1/4" size. Those take a larger rivet gun, the same as for door handles, window glass or regulators etc.
 






I don't know what they look like, but if they are a typical AL rivet, they might be a simple 1/4" size. Those take a larger rivet gun, the same as for door handles, window glass or regulators etc.
Yeah, reading around it looks like they are indeed 1/4" plastic rivets. May grab a cheap set (see a few options on Amazon) and see how they work. Not super rushed on it as car isn't driven much and I don't take it onto base where the majority of my front plate woes were with my prior WRX. With Covid I have only been back to base once in around a year and a half lol.
 






I believe this is the one I used. Try a body shop, paint store or Fastenal

 












What rivet gun would that take to install?
Seems there are cheap options on Amazon for plastic rivets but reviews all pretty bad. There is also a $17ish one at Harbor Freight that seems to be pretty good.. Or, some just use pliers :D
 






That's why I wondered. I have the cheap HF 1/4" gun, but for plastic I'm not sure how that would work. It may be great, the rivet is supposed to break off while installed.
 






That's why I wondered. I have the cheap HF 1/4" gun, but for plastic I'm not sure how that would work. It may be great, the rivet is supposed to break off while installed.
Yeah, the regular style metal rivet guns won't work with the plastic rivets. But there are some videos on ways to do it without a tool:

 



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I have a plastic rivet gun from my dealer days


 






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