5.0 Explorer performance?

[65Matt]

Hello,

I am seriously considering purchasing a 96-97 Explorer 5.0 2wd, and Im already planning mods for it. I am pretty knowledgeable about mustangs, but I'm curious how fast this big 'ole truck would go with the following mods:

K&N replacement filter
Advance timing to 14 degrees
Drill holes in airbox
cat-back exhaust
Superchip (is it worth it?)
Mass air meter
3.73 gears (do all of the V8's have these?)

I know that Mustangers really envy the GT40P heads and the Explorer intake. It seems to me that the motor has a very good starting point, and a cam swap would really wake it up. I read that Troll swapped in a E303 cam, how much of a difference should it make?

What would this truck run 0-60 or quarter mile?

 

[billy d]

I currently have a 97 5.0 and it is a very good truck. But, there are no 2 WD's, all 5.0's are AWD. They also all come with 3.73 gears. If you are going for speed on the trach you are limited by the wind resistance, because after all, you are driving a big square truck. After all of those mods, you may run low 15's.

 

[Alec]

Get a 2001 Sport with the SOHC. Do the filter, chip, and exhaust and you'll be pretty fast.

 

[QuadCam]

billy, the explorer V8 models come in either AWD or 2WD.

65mAtt,
unfortunately, the explorer's don't have a distributor. they have coil packs. Therefore,you can't twist the distributor to get 14 degrees of timing. Also, the EEC-V is very conservative. A conversion to an 89-94 mustang EEC-IV would likely help the HP situation.

One other item to note, the 96 v8 models use gt-40 heads. the 97-2000 v8 models use the gt-40p heads.

later,
Andrew

 

[65Matt]

Well low 15's is not too bad. Its not enough to go chasing mustangs, but its enough to surprise someone on the street!

The GT40's are better than the GT40p's, right? Perhaps I should concentrate more on 96's than 97's. They're cheaper anyway.

 

[V8Pete]

Andrew:

What's the difference between the GT-40 and the GT-40P? Is it just spark plug location, or is it different combustion chamber shape and/or ports?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[QuadCam]

the main difference between the gt40 and gt40p heads are the exhaust ports and valve. The other difference is the spark plug location.

the P heads use a smaller exhaust valve than the gt40 heads. The P head also has a revised exhaust port. Even though the P head has a small valve, the airflow is about the same. The P head ends up having higher exhaust flow velocity.

The spark plug relocation is more for emissions purposes. The main problem is that the spark plug sits in the P head at such a wierd angle that headers are very difficult to fit these heads. What usually happens is that the headers will fit the P head and will not have interference problems with the chassis (mustang), but you don't have any room to plug the spark plug boot onto the plug.

All in all, the p heads have a little more room for making power than the gt40.


Andrew

 

[Tekeman]

do you mean the header (spark plug boot) is hard to fit on the mustang or the explorer or both w/ gt40 headers on a gt40p head

 

[QuadCam]

yes.

you have to get gt-40P specific headers.

CCM (central coast mustang) and MAC sell headers for the mustang that work with the revised spark plug angle of the P head.

 

[Tekeman]

And is this to assume that these specific headers will fit on my explorer?