5.0 2to4wd 4406 and tons

[Scotts96sploder]

Don’t remember where I thought I saw a water port in the manifold… but I found this port. Is that water?

 

[allmyEXes]

That might be an oil journal. That's one of many plugs that can get removed before the bare block goes to the machine shop to be cleaned.
That might work as an alternate oil pressure port. Have you seen upper radiator hose goosenecks that have a temp sender screwed into it?
I think that @410Fortune Jamie recently tapped one out. He might have a picture.

 

[Cobraguy]

Scott...I have used that exact cluster in my old 5.0 Explorer. It was a long time ago (there MIGHT be a write up here...can't remember) but I made that cluster work perfectly...including the 4WD lights after I converted transfer cases. And yes...even the check engine light worked. Everything worked just like factory. You have to do some repinning and wiring, etc...but it WILL work and is so much better than the cluster that came with it. I sold that a long time ago, so I just can't remember. I'm driving a 2022 F350 Super Duty now with the 6.7L. Now that thing is a beast!!

 

[Cobraguy]

Also, as you have found out, 410Fortune, Turdle, and others know their stuff. Excellent sources of information.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Been sick, haven’t got much done lately, back to it today.
I got all the electronics installed a couple weeks ago. Went back to the stock cluster. While I was swapping I realized the red needles from the 01 would make all the gauges match so I decided to swap them. Looks great but the tac and speedo both read high now… oops. I’ll have to fix that next time it’s apart, I guess just put the needle on the underside of the stop and flex it over.
Anyway the water temp is in the passenger side of the block, no issues there. I’ll get around to adding splitter for oil pressure, just not in the mood to get dirty yet. Currently installing the return temp for the trans and it got me thinking about the outlet temp sensor.
Anyone know what thread type/size is going into the liquid cooler on the rad? Thinking I could buy or make a fitting to go there but it’s probably something silly like m16 hydraulic so I’ll have to tig a 1/8 bung on a stainless nipple maybe. Idk
Anyway trans return temp is fine for now, it will probably just stay pegged low. Going to finish that and straighten the A pillar gauges when I wore it in. Maybe if someone has changed needles and has a good trick to get those accurate again I might dig back in there also.

 

[410Fortune]

To seat the needles on the tach and speedo you must power up the cluster… then carefully set them to zero
After that you can now install the globe/ glass

What temp sensor are you looking for the thread pitch of? Water temp?

 

[Scotts96sploder]

@410Fortune the plan was to install a pair of trans temp sensors, hot outlet and cool return on a switch to the same gauge. The other vehicles I have trans temp on the rerun and they stay pegged low unless it’s under load or hot and traffic. I was thinking of installing a t fitting here at the rad for the hot side.
I might be canceling the hot side because now that I’ve driven it I realized with 40s and tons this trans is always under load so it reads temps even with 3 coolers. Though maybe I still will because it may be nice to see just how hot the trans is getting.

 

[410Fortune]

Ahhhhh I see

Well there is a factory temp sensor in your 4r70w

You can add temp sensors wherever you want in the system just have to plumb them in

Maybe consider two large plate and fin style coolers and bypass the radiator cooler
My trans pan temps never reach over 160-180 max with this setup no matter what I throw at it

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Bunch of crows feet and a whole lot of cussing later I got the oil pressure sensor installed.
I bought a machined part that was supposed to fit but it’s 1/8 all around, and the sensor/block is 1/4. So I just used this T-fitting that’s basically the same size just a little more work and adds a potential leak point. The stock wire was like that when I started, going to fix it and replace the stock sensor next oil change. Sensor works but the plastic broke off and I figure it won’t hurt since I’ll be in there.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Ahhhhh I see

Well there is a factory temp sensor in your 4r70w

You can add temp sensors wherever you want in the system just have to plumb them in

Maybe consider two large plate and fin style coolers and bypass the radiator cooler
My trans pan temps never reach over 160-180 max with this setup no matter what I throw at it

Is the pan temperature going to be as high as the outlet to the cooling loop? I wouldn’t think it would be but I’m no expert.

 

[410Fortune]

No pan temp just gives you a general idea / a place to start

As u know the absolute best setup is to have a temp probe at the inlet side of the cooling stack and then one again at the outlet so you can monitor how well the coolers are cooling, most race trucks would be setup this way

What you and I are concerned about is two things

1. That we don’t see 190-240 trans fluid temp anywhere ever!

Don’t quote me but we’ve all seen the charts… over 160 or 180 or so the fluid starts to break down exponentially
Once it’s cooked then so will be your trans because cooked trans fluid can no longer cool or lubricate or make a good hydraulic fluid. The hotter it gets the worse its performance

2. That the cooler setup can handle the extremes,

40s, locked, aired down, desert day time crawling in low range, and ac running or….. stop and go traffic downtown summer

So the hottest the fluid will get is when it leaves the trans and heads to the coolers
This is where we monitor max temp
But that’s a pita to put a sensor in those small 3/8 lines….

The pan is a good place to monitor because it gives you a general idea of what’s going on and it’s pretty dang simple to run a probe into the pan or check the stock sensor w scanner. If the trans temp is gonna rise and get over 200 degrees when it’s all
Mixed in the pan then you can bet it’s probably 20-30
Degrees hotter when it leaves the pump and heads to the coolers
Ideally I never want to see More then 180 pan temp at extremes… my bii rarely sees over 160 in the pan… same with my 7.3 excursion on 37s

 

[Scotts96sploder]

I may actually get a finned pan for just a little extra. I know the excursion with the 4r100 peaks at 180° on the return, pulling ~10k lbs in summer with the AC, I think we were in a traffic jam in hills. This one read 140° driving like an a hole through traffic and it was maybe 80° that day. (Yeah it’s already hot again here lol) So that’s kinda got me thinking this thing may get a little warm when I’m actually making it work.
Speaking of, the oil pressure in this thing doesn’t change. The other rigs I’ve had a numerical reading start out 60-80 psi and drop a bit. This one hits 50 and stays there (at idle), maybe that’s just because of high ambient temp or maybe the T6 or T5 whatever I poured in there is just better?

 

[Turdle]

A plug in scangauge will show 4 gauges at once, out of like 40 inside it. Trans temp, coolant, voltag e,
Uses existing sensors. Cool as all get out.
Reads and clears codes also, without plugging in another device

 

[410Fortune]

The oil pressure should fluctuate?????? I’ve never had an explorer engine that does not
50 psi is pretty good for a 302!
Odd that it stays steady?
You running 15-40 t6?

Do you have a fan shroud on your cooling stack? Very important to force the air through the coolers…
I use plastic to close any gaps on the sides of the coolers/ ac / radiator

My excursion lost all gears last summer..275k miles… I just finished hauling a boat 30 miles and then pushing a 17000# boat into the garage in reverse….then lost all gears. Let it cool down they come back. Fluid now dark and burned. New 4r100 going in this spring
Ouch

 

[Scotts96sploder]

Throttle was sticking, figured I’d pull it apart and clean it real quick… didn’t know there’s a water passage back there, oops.

Anyway broke off two bolts, and I’m not sure I can extract them where they are at. The two stud nuts and one of the bolts are moving fine on the 90° section, the other bolt is loose but fighting me a bit.

Obviously it’s not coming off with the AC in the way, so would it be worth it to pull the entire intake and clean all that out real well or just pull the AC that doesn’t currently work and I want to replace it all anyway?

I’m currently trying to throw all my resources into the 65, so I’m thinking of pulling the intake because all I have to do with the AC is charge it, it works it just leaks. Seems like it couldn’t hurt to clean it out and put it back. Idk what do yall think?

 

[allmyEXes]

That is some kind of pre-heater deal. My '97 doesn't have it. Bypass it. We don't need it here in the southeast US.

 

[allmyEXes]

@Scotts96sploder I ask this question because yours is a '96 Explorer and mine is a '97 Mountaineer (1/2 year '96), Where your throttle body is bolted to the 90-degree curved plenum extension, was it nuts on studs or bolts? I'm not near my truck right now and can't remember exactly how it was configured, But I do know that my throttle body DID NOT have a pre-heater built in. I'm making mental notes of the changes, the differences
year to year.
If you haven't ever had the curved piece detached from the upper plenum, The long studs going through it will have to come out to gain clearance.
Just carefully, slowly work them out so they don't break. If they won't come out, and you are taking off the upper plenum anyway, leave them in. *Don't ever think that I know more about working on these old Explorers than anyone else. I'm learning about them too and just making suggestions at what to do.*
My studs came out clean from the upper plenum. I can see that if you can get the curved piece detached and clamp it up in a vice or turn it 90 degrees, and lag screw it to a work bench to hold it stable, maybe some heat around the area where the leftover bolt is stuck in the extension or use your favorite penetrating lubricant. If using heat be careful on the aluminum so that you don't melt it. The good thing about where they broke, there is enough bolt there sticking out to get Visegrip pliers clamped on the piece of bolt after heating around on the aluminum outside of the threaded hole. Of course, chase the threaded holes with a good tap.
You have figured out by now that all 5.0 bolts have standard threads and not metric.
I'm talking to myself here now as if I was working on it, be patient.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

@allmyEXes lol yeah I was really confused why the bolt heads were 1/2”. I’m actually about to try the weld a nut and crayon trick. I don’t have high hopes.
This has me thinking though. I don’t need water in the throttle body, and I don’t “need” EGR at all. Could I go find the parts from a fox body? Or more specifically, if I delete the EGR is there any way to prevent the CEL?
What im saying is, if I have to pull this intake to fix this, it’s probably not going back stock. I don’t think I need the 90 since im pulling air through the fender in front of the blower fan. Might be less work to delete it all together and rebuild my snorkel filter box to shoot straight across. Idk just a thought.

 

[allmyEXes]

My '97mm 90 Degree piece doesn't even have the places made into it for the pre-heater? lines to attach. Maybe the '96 Explorers only had that.
I'm not well versed on the year to year 5.0 variances that have occurred. I remember when I didn't know anything about the EEC-V 5.0s which only came in the Explorer/Mountaineers.
I'm not sure about EEC-V Obd2 pcms, but the Fox body EEC-IV OBD1 guys had made up a triangulated resistor circuit on the 3 EGR wires that fooled the pcm into thinking that the EGR valve is plugged in.
If I had a spare 90, I would send it to you. I just thought of who might have one. @SuperGordo recently had to buy a replacement used 5.0 and it is possible that he might have one in his extra leftover pieces. Maybe Gordon will see this post since I @ ed him. Keep us up to date on how the bolt extraction is going and enjoy the higher temperatures that us southerners or more used too.

 

[Scotts96sploder]

I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t just do it, but the heat and crayon trick works!
If you’re on IG the vid is posted to @super_doody
So hopefully I didn’t destroy the plenum to elbow gasket and I can just put this back together. Gonna bypass the water, it loops around and heads out the back to a t fitting on a heater hose.
What’s this “special coating” they are talking about? This thing is about to get cleaned idgaf lol, there’s no way any coating has lasted this long.
Oh also replacing the IACV while it’s out and was gonna do the TPS but it’s a special order. It’s easy to get to should I need to replace it.