347 RE-Power 1996 Limited AWD | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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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.:thumbsup:
 



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Thanks guys.

Only update today is I got an analog cable from Henson that plugs into the SCT tuner and it gets spliced into the wideband o2 sensor for datalogging. That's my understanding as it's new to me.

Anyone got suggestions on where to run the wieband o2 sensor cable? When datalogging there will be the sct tuner with a plug going to the OBD II port. One cable going to the wideband o2 sensor, which I don't have yet. And one USB cable going into a laptop to save the file.
 












That's a very nice power plant! Maybe someday I'll have something similar in my Sport. Here's a link to what I did for my wideband A/F gauge and also my custom tune by James:

Best Wideband O2 Sensor Location?

Multifunction temperature gauge

Custom tune by Henson

Thanks for the links Dale! that helps clarify the whole process in real world layman terms. :D

The process of datalogging and your actual experiences are very informative.

I decided not to purchase a A/F guage to go with the wideband 02 sensor. Some of you may wonder why, but I just want to get it tuned up and let the tuner tune with the data. Once its tuned i'll pull the wideband and put a plug in the bung. Don't care to see my a/f ratio all the time.

I already got the factory trip computer, dvd player, satellite radio, Iphone and scangauge to look at. I'm thinking that's enough .....
 






Thanks guys.

Only update today is I got an analog cable from Henson that plugs into the SCT tuner and it gets spliced into the wideband o2 sensor for datalogging. That's my understanding as it's new to me.

Anyone got suggestions on where to run the wieband o2 sensor cable? When datalogging there will be the sct tuner with a plug going to the OBD II port. One cable going to the wideband o2 sensor, which I don't have yet. And one USB cable going into a laptop to save the file.

I did the wideband tuning with my center console and access panel removed, running the wideband to the bank 1 rear o2 sensor hole--

James will turn off the rear 02 sensors in the initial tune.
 






I did the wideband tuning with my center console and access panel removed, running the wideband to the bank 1 rear o2 sensor hole--

James will turn off the rear 02 sensors in the initial tune.

So I don't need to weld in another bung. Sounds even easier. It will all depend on how much exhaust work I want to get done.

What path should I take.

Replace everything from headers back to cat back with high flow cats?

Or just replace the cats and re-use old piping?

pros/cons
 






The Key part in this setup is the Cam from Jay allen!

My 85 mustang ran (by previous owner) 12.4 on street tires @ 114mph with an untuned 650 holley, timing curve set to 4k instead of 2k, wrong size exhaust, wrong intake (wrong by the cam builders specifics) and a broken motor. Makes power to 6500 and yet it doesn't buck in O/D @ 1200rpms and gets 25mpg with 4.10s untuned!!!. Jay Allen knows his stuff.

Sweet motor! Please tell me you are heading to the track asap!
 






The Key part in this setup is the Cam from Jay allen!

My 85 mustang ran (by previous owner) 12.4 on street tires @ 114mph with an untuned 650 holley, timing curve set to 4k instead of 2k, wrong size exhaust, wrong intake (wrong by the cam builders specifics) and a broken motor. Makes power to 6500 and yet it doesn't buck in O/D @ 1200rpms and gets 25mpg with 4.10s untuned!!!. Jay Allen knows his stuff.

Sweet motor! Please tell me you are heading to the track asap!

It's good to hear more of those testimonials about Jay Allen. I will get to the track someday.


UPDATE: got all the parts now I think. James sent me the innovative wideband O2 sensor and SCT analog cable which have to be spliced together so I can datalog. Also just got the MAF sensor. Lastly I finally got valve covers. They do not come with any breather/fill grommets which is what I wanted so I can put in a oil fill hole where I need it on the passenger side close to where the factory oil fill was. The oil fill is a trick flow oil fill extension kit.

I am really itching to get this thing done but its a busy time at work and home. With 2 young ones at home, both under 2 yrs old. Also currently trying to sell my 2008 diesel Jeep to replace with a Flex. The flex is much more family friendly for my wife to use. The used market sucks for a seller now.
 






It's good to hear more of those testimonials about Jay Allen. I will get to the track someday.


UPDATE: got all the parts now I think. James sent me the innovative wideband O2 sensor and SCT analog cable which have to be spliced together so I can datalog. Also just got the MAF sensor. Lastly I finally got valve covers. They do not come with any breather/fill grommets which is what I wanted so I can put in a oil fill hole where I need it on the passenger side close to where the factory oil fill was. The oil fill is a trick flow oil fill extension kit.

I am really itching to get this thing done but its a busy time at work and home. With 2 young ones at home, both under 2 yrs old. Also currently trying to sell my 2008 diesel Jeep to replace with a Flex. The flex is much more family friendly for my wife to use. The used market sucks for a seller now.

Hmmm well it looks like you pretty much went all out! With that setup I wonder if you would be looking at 400rwhp+, With the explorer weighing less than most other SUVs it might just be breaking 12s!!!
 






You got just about my dream drivetrain there lol... interested in seeing how the Lentech performs in such a heavy vehicle..
 






I'll get some more pics of the
Motor and tranny.

Surely the lentech street bruiser 4R70W is going to be better than trying to beef up my 96 case. Heard that the 1996 was weaker in a few ways compared to later model 4R70W's. I also wasn't impressed with some of the local tranny shop prices or recommendations.

But time will tell how the Lentech works. Len knew full well what vehicle and type of motor is going in front of the tranny and recommended the 11.5" 2600rpm torque convertor. He also helped out by talking to the engine builder about the flywheel etc. Good guy to deal with.
 






I have to agree with you on not having the wideband gauge mounted permanently, seeing as my truck and yours is N/A. In a turbo/supercharged application I would mount it, but I don't plan on changing my tune on a regular basis and don't have the means through my current SCT. I ran my tuning cable out my passenger rear door to the o2 bung I have welded where my 2-1/2" merges to a single after the X-pipe. I also believe Bauman sells components that will improve the earlier 4r70w's for relatively cheap. I have the same Trick-Flow intake set-up as you, but mine has the SN95 black elbow and my cruise control doesn't work with my 75MM BBK. I can help with exhaust questions for sure and if you where a little closer I could hook you up with a sweet a$$ exhaust.

Charles
 






I have to agree with you on not having the wideband gauge mounted permanently, seeing as my truck and yours is N/A. In a turbo/supercharged application I would mount it, but I don't plan on changing my tune on a regular basis and don't have the means through my current SCT. I ran my tuning cable out my passenger rear door to the o2 bung I have welded where my 2-1/2" merges to a single after the X-pipe. I also believe Bauman sells components that will improve the earlier 4r70w's for relatively cheap. I have the same Trick-Flow intake set-up as you, but mine has the SN95 black elbow and my cruise control doesn't work with my 75MM BBK. I can help with exhaust questions for sure and if you where a little closer I could hook you up with a sweet a$$ exhaust.

Charles

Ya i don't plan on changing the tune on a regular basis either. Just get it set and forget about it. Maybe have a 91 and 94 tune or something. I like the idea of running the tuning cable out the rear door, sounds easy and really temporary :thumbsup: . I may use the existing narrowband O2 bung as James can disable it. I think that's what Jon (Turdle) suggested.

I've heard good things about Bauman, but I already have the Lentech tranny sitting here now.

The SN95 elbow you have is probably what just a 45* not a 90*? In anycase I sacrificed the 5mm difference and wanted to re-use the exploder 90* elbow so I could run with all the factory linkages and maintain cruise control. I measured the explorer 90* elbow and found it to be 70mm diameter which is what my Accufab Throttle body measures. I got the TB used for cheap so that's what i'm running.

Ya i wish I knew someone to do my exhaust. i've got estimates and they are all over the place, its rediculous.

Exhaust is next, then the swap begins:D
 












One step closer!

Just an update. I got the last remaining bits and pieces including valve covers as shown below. I took all parts over to the shop doing the re-re. Ya I know, i'd like to do it myself and probably could pull it off. Just no time and its my daily driver.

We went over all the parts to make sure everything is there and to get a general game plan. Probably take my truck in for the re-re in two weeks. Everything should be straight forward. He's going to build the exhaust from the torque monsters to the MAC cat back with new Cats and 02 bung. He will use all mandrel bent tubing and piece it together. I like this rather than going to any old exhaust shop to get a non-mandrel bent garbage work done. He's also going to fab up a new intake pipe that will be larger than the MAC intake tube because that will become the restriction with the larger MAF and larger throttle body.

on to the pics.

Nice new valve covers to match the intake. funny thing is, you will barely see them when its all buttoned up.

picture.php


loaded up in the van this morning. You can barely see the tail end of the new tranny in the background and of course the torque monster headers.

picture.php


Looking forward to this, its been a long time in the making.:)
 






Just a tip for ya---

loosen the valve cover bolts and turn the engine by hand--see if the valve covers move at all. Just curious as to whether they actually clear the rocker arms.
 



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subscribing..

i want to see what a 347 can put out power-wise and what kind of MPG you can expect from a heavy suv.
 






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