347 RE-Power 1996 Limited AWD

As things are getting closer and closer thought I would update.

Started late last year, reading posts and asking questions. I decided to go ahead to drop in a built 347 into my 1996 explorer which has over 300,000km (almost 190,000 miles) on it. The truck still runs great BTW, and has been in the family since new and its been in my hands since last Oct.

First impulse was a cheap 1996 complete 1996 5.0L Explorer motor on fleabay. Shipped it to the engine builder to use as a donor.

It is a 347 built by Fordstrokers with a custom cam from Camshaft Innovations.

- Scat rotating assembly
- Mahle pistons
-Trick flow fast as cast 190cc heads
- comp gold rockers
- trick flow Track Heat intake.
- Torque Monster Headers built with the correct exhaust flange.

Other items of note
- 1" phenolic spacer
- 70mm accufab throttle body with modified throttle arm
- 30lb injectors
- 255lbs/hr fuel pump
- re-use the explorer intake elbow 70mm dia.
- black trick flow valve covers
- utilize some of my MAC intake

Supporting items
- 75mm Prom M MAF (Henson Performance)
- Wideband 02 sensor (Henson Performance)
- tuning (Henson)

Other to-do's
- exhaust will be re-done from the headers to cat back with mandrel bent tubing and new cats. Larger mandrel bent intake tubing to match larger diameter of MAF and TB.




This motor is being bolted to a Lentech 4R70W with 2600RPM 11.5" stall converter.

I'd like to thank many people for advice and tips but especially Don - CDW6212R for pointing me in the right direction with Fordstrokers and equally important was providing me with a custom made 28oz balancer with the explorer timing ring machined and pinned on there.

2010man for selling me his 1994 Mustang Cobra OEM crank pulley. This part is not made by ford anymore and has the same diameter of the explorer pulley but bolts to the custom 28oz balancer that Don sent me.

Also Turdle and tmsoko for answering some questions.

here it is at the engine builder


here it is at my shop, patiently waiting. mocked up driver's side header and intake.


Here is a used 70mm accufab throttle body next to a stock explorer 65mm TB. I modified the arm on the TB to match the location of the stock explorer linkage so both the throttle and cruise cables/linkages with match up.


I will post more updates as they come.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's good work, tedious and slow, but you're getting it done. Enjoy the Spring weather and drive it long and hard.

 

[TheJokersGT]

Went home, loaded up the new tune. Went for a drive and it was much better. I need to get James more datalogging with the proper PID's selected so he can do his thing.

Had some periods of slippage in the trans?? Seemed to go back to normal after a few shifts...

Anyway here is a video of start-up tonight.

It sounds like heaven man!!! Sweet build!

 

[ford99_1979]

It sounds like heaven man!!! Sweet build!

Yes it does and it also doesn't get old

Your mustang gives you the same satisfaction I'm sure and then some.

 

[ford99_1979]

Time to sell the Explorer

It comes with a heavy heart that I am selling my explorer. While it has been lots of fun it has also came with more than enough challenges. The latest of many was intake gaskets (again) and now it's got a miss. May be a simple fix and I plan to fix it. I could write a long list of the problems that have come up. But the big picture is I have low confidence for winter reliability. This truck is better suited as a secondary vehicle and not a daily driver. I run a business, have 3 active kids and I can't be pissing around with an unreliable vehicle. Anyone who thinks you can drop in a built 347 with all the other stuff (and it's lot$) and expect it to be totally reliable is just lying to themselves. That is just a shot at myself in hindsight.

Do I sell as a complete truck which on the resale market is a 1996 explorer with 340,000km = not much. OR do I part it out.

347 stroker with all the goodies $6000+ new
Lenntech 4R70W street bruiser $2000
BW4406 that was gone through with rebuilt driveshafts and shifter
$1500+ new of Cobra R wheels & 33" Goodyear Duratrac tires @ 70% tread
New headlight housings stuffed with hi/low HID projectors retrofitted
MAC intake, trick flow diff cover
TMH headers
Qlogic 10" vehicle specific sub enclosure with sub and amp
Pioneer speakers, JVC double DIN, Bluetooth DVD head unit


Anyone want to buy the truck as a whole or want any of the junk I put on?

 

[ahodges]

Man that sucks you are having so many problems. How many miles/ km do you have on it since you put the built 347 in it?

If you part it out I would be interested in the projector headlights.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i hate to also be one of the vulchers here, but what are you going to ask for the truck whole, or the motor separately, and trains?

sorry to here, this was one of the limiteds that i really liked

 

[Limited02]

I think you'll get more money parting it out, but remember that the time it takes to do that is also money (time is money).

What model is the JVC headunit?

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes' it's sad to hear that you have to sell the truck. The others are right too, it should bring more separately unless you happen to find a buyer who loves it all and appreciates it.

I might could find a use for the headers if you have to part it out. Try to find a buyer for it whole first, and good luck.

 

[ford99_1979]

Man that sucks you are having so many problems. How many miles/ km do you have on it since you put the built 347 in it?

If you part it out I would be interested in the projector headlights.

I have 35,000 km on motor. I’ll keep you in mind about the lights if I part it out.

i hate to also be one of the vulchers here, but what are you going to ask for the truck whole, or the motor separately, and trains?

sorry to here, this was one of the limiteds that i really liked

That’s a great question. $3500 would be a starting guess. Trans $1000, Motor $2500. These are all estimates. Open to offers because I need to decide what to do soon. The good news is I will be getting a 4th generation limited explorer. So i'm still in the family. You can count on one thing, whatever I drive it will bleed FORD blue.

I think you'll get more money parting it out, but remember that the time it takes to do that is also money (time is money).

What model is the JVC headunit?

It is a JVC KW-AVX740

You are right about the time/money equation, also labour to pull things, logistics of moving an immobile vehicle, rental of engine hoists etc. Then storage of said items. Multiple listings of things for sale, and all associated emails/texts and tire kicking involved. Plus the shipping of items and trips to Post Office/courier. These are all negative aspects of parting out....

I'm leaning towards a complete vehicle sale after saying all that.

 

[CDW6212R]

Based on those guesses, would you like me to make a thread to test the waters to sell the engine and/or trans, on the SBFtech forum.?

That is a Woody(FordStrokers) 347 right, you got it complete from them? The SBFtech.com is his site, and lots of members there really like his engines. Maybe there would be more possible buyers there than other places.

No rush either, take your time at deciding on how to sell it, test out what it may bring whole etc.

 

[ford99_1979]

Based on those guesses, would you like me to make a thread to test the waters to sell the engine and/or trans, on the SBFtech forum.?

That is a Woody(FordStrokers) 347 right, you got it complete from them? The SBFtech.com is his site, and lots of members there really like his engines. Maybe there would be more possible buyers there than other places.

No rush either, take your time at deciding on how to sell it, test out what it may bring whole etc.

Thanks for the offer Don. If the whole vehicle thing fails, then I will take you up on that offer. Yes it is a FordStrokers built motor.

 

[CDW6212R]

Will do, you have a bunch of work invested in that truck. I hope that someone can make a home for it like it is.

 

[Dono]

What are you thinking you would like to sell the whole shebang for?

Im in Winnipeg, so a one way flight and a drive home is not unreasonable.

 

[ford99_1979]

PM sent

 

[TheJokersGT]

I am kinda pissed that you gave up on it and sold it...

 

[vroomzoomboom]

I am kinda pissed that you gave up on it and sold it...

in the end of it, he was way better off selling it. there was a big unknown to brad that would have not ended well. he got out of it just in time and avoided catastrophe. and after all, it is his truck to do with what he wanted to do, and in my opinion, it was smart move

 

[TheJokersGT]

Thats all well and good, I can appreciate a logically driven decision. I guess I'm just super sentimental about cars/trucks and after reading the entire thread in one sitting the build had brown on me "came late to the show" and I was shocked to learn it was for sale and actually had sold and was sold during the reading of the thread...."It all happened so quick" lol


also vroomzoomboom can you recommend a 351w swap thread? I am interested in that direction instead of putting my 2nd gen lightning motor In my 00 limited

 

[ford99_1979]

Thats all well and good, I can appreciate a logically driven decision. I guess I'm just super sentimental about cars/trucks and after reading the entire thread in one sitting the build had brown on me "came late to the show" and I was shocked to learn it was for sale and actually had sold and was sold during the reading of the thread...."It all happened so quick" lol

Jokers, thanks for the comments. I do miss the truck, nothing I've ever owned or driven had the personality and fun factor that truck did. It's like when you first start dating a girl and you want to do all these things to impress her and show off. Then time goes by and you start seeing all the faults in her and its to much to deal with. Well that's what happened to the 347. If I hadn't confused having a toy and having a seperate daily driver. I would still have the truck. You can't modify the **** out of something and have trouble free daily driver type characteristics. As we all now know if you are following vroomzoomboom's thread is the 347 had some problems. At least it went to a good home and lives on.

Two things about me I will share. #1 it will always have a blue oval on the front. #2 it won't stay stock for long. Like the rest of you I have the same problem(s). Haha

 

[mr cribb]

That sucks it didn't work out like you had hoped.

Kinda like a good book, it was getting really good, then the tragic ending happened.

I want to do up a 2nd gen sport with a v8. Still trying to decide if it stays automatic or if it goes 5 speed.

I have to finish up my 1st gen sport before I consider any other projects, it's a good thing I'm almost done with it.

 

[ford99_1979]

Keeping this thread alive... all these years later. back with an explorer again in the garage. Well it’s the wife’s ride. She doesn’t need the power but I will use it. She also didn’t know that she wanted the ST over any other trim Explorer. Haha

Meet the 2020 ST

switching out the pirellis for VREDESTEIN QUATRAC PRO tires. Tint the front windows, protective film. That’s it for now.