3.8 supercharge v6 in a 94 ford explorer sport

[greenexpolorer]

i was thinking when my high miles 4.0 kicks the bucket instead of trying to put a 302 in it i think it would be cool to put a 3.8 supercharged v6 from a thunder bird sc with a five speed in my explorer cause i was thinking of trying something different. Not only will i increase power i mite be able to keep my 17mpg to 20mpg that i am getting now. What do you guys think?

 

[Spdrcer34]

I think you will blow a head gasket....

....But the tranny will still live on.


Ryan

 

[greenexpolorer]

well when you research the engine ford upgraded the engine a lot to stand the supercharger like rings, rods, and heads to cool the engine better so it is harder to blow the head gaskets. the only real way to blow the head gaskets is to have the water pump go out or stuck close thermostat and have the engine over heat is really the only way.

 

[Jason94sport]

Going to be a lot of custom. If you have the time & $ go for it. tons of both will be needed. The v8 is the recommended & easiest swap. You can use a 5 speed from a F150

 

[greenexpolorer]

i was tired of seeing all the v8 i was just thinking of something different for a change.

 

[TBMounty50]

I heard that aftermarket headers help prevent blown headgaskets on those engines. Apparently the factory logs were inadequite...go figure. I don't have any experience with them but it kinda makes sense. Better scavaging=less heat in the head...I don't know, maybe.

Project sounds cool though. Eaton will give you good low end torque, but so will a v8. I've been averaging 17 combined cty/hwy with my 5.0, and that v8 exhaust note is great!

 

[91eb4x]

why not try to modify that supercharger to go on a 4.0? is this not possible

 

[arco777]

well when you research the engine ford upgraded the engine a lot to stand the supercharger like rings, rods, and heads to cool the engine better so it is harder to blow the head gaskets. the only real way to blow the head gaskets is to have the water pump go out or stuck close thermostat and have the engine over heat is really the only way.

Have you read on the Super Coupe forums about the reliablility of those motors? Despite the better internals the SC 3.8s got, they still have issues with head gaskets. A Chevy 2.8 head stud kit helps but either way expect to deal with that.

Also the 3.8 in those is set up to fit a M5R2 trans or AOD, either of which will take some work to fit in your "Expolorer". Engine mounts and exhaust will take some work as well, and piping and mounting for the intercooler. Then you get to wire it all up, though considering you'll pretty much need a whole T-Bird SC (~$2500) that won't be too much of a nightmare. But still, don't expect to find lots of topics on the web detailing how to install a 3.8 into a Ranger/X.

When you finally have it together, you'd have a motor putting out around 210/315 for hp/tq. And aside from cranking up the boost (goodbye head gasket) you'd be about stuck there.

Or, you could start out with a 4.0 SOHC (210/255) which would pretty much drop in without mods and go from there. You could even supercharge it, as there are kits available. Or, you could install a 5.0 (225/300 in the 87 Mustang) and go nuts with all the aftermarket support. You could build it to any power level you wanted, N/A or forced induction. The install wouldn't be that hard, as it's been done plenty of times, with numerous online writeups.

I guess what I want to know is if you are serious and skilled enough to do the motor swap, or just fantasizing. Being unique is one thing but if you can't finish the project, it's pointless. And the 3.8 is not necessarily the most bang for your buck.

 

[Earl73]

I had a 1990 SC around 2000 with auto tranny. Thing ran great for a while, then the head gasket let loose on the highway (80 mph 2500 rpm and about 28 mpg) After spending almost as much on engine repairs as the car cost me to buy, it still didn't run right.
I wouldn't take the risk on that engine. It's GREAT when it works, but it WILL let go.
Or, maybe it was just the one that I had.

 

[Sport5spd4x4]

Anyone that tells you that the 3.8L SC is not prone to blow headgaskets is a GODDAMN LIAR.

<== Super Coupe Club Of America alumni

The 3.8L SC is a PITA to work on and vacuum leaks will be the bane of you. But when that motor works right and it's giving you those 315 lb/ft of torque at 1200 rpm or so, ohhhh how you will love that motor. Oh, have I mentioned the specialty wrench you need to undo the stupid intercooler tubes?

My SC left my custody after the crankshaft snapped after some detonation while experimenting with a Mark VIII MAF.

 

[nas]

why not try to modify that supercharger to go on a 4.0? is this not possible

not sure if they made one for the 4.0 but I know Explorer Express made a kit for the 5.0s had a teacher at school with one on a Mountaineer

 

[arco777]

There are superchargers made currently for the 4.0 SOHC, unless they've recently been discontinued. There is/was an adapter also to fit a supercharger off a Nissan Xterra or Frontier if I recall correctly for the SOHC. As for the OHV, there used to be some made but they are rare now. Good luck finding one.

 

[LordBear]

the tb sc was a good motor..problem was... cheap headgaskets and to much back presure in the exhaust. i had an 89 for a while. good fuel milage as well. but i remember some time back doing a little research and there is a adapter plate out there some where that the m90 can bolt too. and m90s u can pick up cheap. think about doing it myself now and then..but not sure of how to hook all the other stuff up and getting the puter to read it right and all

 

[mcsteven]

You want powa? We gotcha powa right here!

...you could start out with a 4.0 SOHC (210/255) which would pretty much drop in without mods and go from there. You could even supercharge it, as there are kits available. Or, you could install a 5.0 (225/300 in the 87 Mustang) and go nuts with all the aftermarket support.....

You want powa. We gotcha powa right here (in my best Brooklyn accent).

Power? Decent mileage? 5.0 and don't go too heavy on the pedal. Yeah, it's not easy. I loved the rumble from the exhaust on my Mustang. But it can be done. And in mixed daily driving, I've seen there's not a lot of difference from the 4.0 V6 to the 5.0 V8. Of course, add a supercharger, better headers, a bigger MAS, maybe a NoS system, well, that mileage will drop. But it will be 10x more reliable than the 3.8 SC motor.

Here's a question for the forum...
Anyone know of a Ford diesel swap? I've been hearing of other diesels (one wanted a Benz or BMW swap (straight 6-loads of torque) into his X. Any others?

 

[wanab4x4]

2.3 turbo from svo would be cool

 

[Mudboy]

why not try to modify that supercharger to go on a 4.0? is this not possible

I like!!! My buddy plumbed one onto a jeep 4.0. That thing rips. He used it specifically for mud racing. We didn't have a 4/6 cylinder class so he ran with class 2 v-8s. He had 35" boggers locked front/back with 4.56s he was spanking on my other buddy with a full size chevy on 38" boggers with a 496 13.5:1. The supercharged cherokee was damn close to getting up on top of the mud through the whole 200 foot pit. It would be on top the first 30 feet or so then it would go down and grab the traction off of the bottom of the pit. Granted a explorer is heavier and the explorer 4.0 doesn't have the same horsepower/torque as the 4.0, I believe it would still be a nice set up with extreme potential. Quite honestly I wouldn't attempt it unless you designed your own fuel injection mapping or had a close freind that knew what he was doing, or hadthe big bucks to constantly be going to the dyno. No point in doing it unless it's properly tuned.

 

[arco777]

2.3 turbo from svo would be cool

Cool yes, practical no. IF you intercooled it, you might match the power/torque of a stock 4.0 SOHC. If not, you'd match the power/torque of the OHV.

 

[mcsteven]

2.3 svo?

2.3 turbo from svo would be cool

The 2.3 turbo from the SVO had 175 to 210 hp, depending on year. Nothing really over the 4.0 OHV, and under the SOHC. And with the cost of rebuilding one, the OP would do better with a 5.0. Heck, if you want to get creative and spend money to be unique and to save money (mileage), go for the 2.7L 6 cylinder diesel (mostly Great Britain usage) or the 3.0L 4 cylinder Powerstroke used in the Ranger in Brazil. I'm betting that the Ranger engine would likely be an easy fit, etc. But it'll still cost money even without the shipping. A new fuel system, computer, etc.

Stick with stuff that works, not expensive experimentation. It's cool to have something other people don't. Especially money. :

 

[jtbuck92]

Put a 460 in it.

 

[mcsteven]

460?

Put a 460 in it.

A 460? or a 4.6? 460? Holy crap! Over 7.5 liters. I remember those. They were the ones you measured in GPM, no MPG.