94 explorer with little/no power?

[alextlo]

I got a 94 4 dr, 116,000, 4.0, 5sp, 3.73 gears, manual locking hubs, 33's, flowmaster 2.5" exhaust, and lifted with a 3" body lift and spring spacers. Driving normally, it feels like i cant get out of my own way. 60mph max and downshifting top 2nd on most steep hills. a few weeks ago, i was towing a mid size blazer on a tow dolly for a friend, and couldnt get out of 2nd gear, sometimes downshifting to 1st. is this typical of the 4.0 motors??
I then replaced the air and fuel filters, plugs and wires, tested the MAFS, tested for a clog in the cat, tested the coil pack, and the clutch doesnt free rev or anything. no check engine light, feels like the whole rpm range after 1500 is a flat spot.

yesterday i was pulling a few trees into the woods. in 2wd the back tires broke free (as expected) so i locked the hubs and put it in 4 hi. i couldnt pull it. it kept bogging out and shutting off. not even a budge. i switched to 4 low, and soon as the clutch left the floor i was pulling like it should be in 4 hi. almost effortless.

where the clutch let off felt totally different and power-wise felt like a totally different truck.

not too sure what to make of this. i ended up playing a bit in the woods after working, and in 4 hi i had a lot of trouble driving in general, but in 4 low it was an animal.
Is it possible theres an issue with the ecu that would make the engine act differently in 4 low than 2 or 4 hi? or am i missing something? Im 24 years old and this is my 25 car. been building, racing, offroading, and flipping cars since i was 16, so im not exactly inexperienced with mechanics.

 

[Maniak]

I actually have never driven a 1st gen X with a manual so I can't comment on any difference in feel but I can't think of any reason why the clutch should feel different.

A big part of the issue is you don't have the right gears for 3.73.

With an automatic transmission you can get away with the wrong gears, at least more than you can with a manual. You will still have to (trans will) downshift when you even see a hill but the torque multiplication from the converter will help you start out. With the manual trans you don't get that advantage. You can slip the clutch but once you have the clutch out if you manage to stop the tires rolling the motor will stall. On top of that you have no way of getting the rpms up without slipping/burning your clutch.

You really need at the absolute minimum of 4.10's and even better would be 4.56 gears. Going from 3.73 to 4.10 would bring up your 60 mph rpms from 1800 to around 2000 and going to 4.56 would bring you up to 2250 or so. At 2200 rpms you will be in the power band while with the 3.73 your below it.

To put things in perspective.. 33" tires (assume they are only 32.5" tall) and 3.73 gears is like running a stock explorer (29" tall tires) and 3.27 gears. On top of that, your current tires are much heavier so its even worse than it was stock.

~Mark

 

[alextlo]

Any suggestions as far as gears that I can get on the cheaper end? What should I be looking for? 4.10s sound good but what year/models would work?

 

[Maniak]

The raw gears aren't that expensive. Its getting them installed (and the install kit) that starts to get expensive.

IIRC, ECGS(east coat gear supply), a vendor here, actually has used 8.8 ring and pinions. I don't know if they have 4.10's and I doubt they have 4.56's.

There are 1st gen X's with 4.10's stock but they are pretty rate in junk yards. For the rear you could actually use the gears from a 1st or 2nd gen explorer but for the fronts it has to come from an 1st gen.

I don't have all the years of rangers you could pull the front from but if its TTB and a Dana 35 (not a 28 or 28/35 hybrid) you could use the gears from that front end too. For the rear, AFAIK, you could pull the ring/pinion from pretty much any 8.8 Ranger.

If you wanted to pull the entire rear axle, if you grabbed one from a 2nd gen X that would work BUT you would be getting disc brakes which means some more mods but you would have rear disc after that which is why some people grab those rear axles even if they don't need the gears.

~Mark

 

[siguaw]

It honestly sounds like he has motor issue more than gears. I have 4.0 with 5 speed and I power great on the stock motor

 

[Maniak]

It honestly sounds like he has motor issue more than gears. I have 4.0 with 5 speed and I power great on the stock motor

And what gears? The 4.0 with either the auto or manual trans is plenty of motor for an X and 33s if you have the right gears. Put in 5.13s and the 4.0 will turn 35s fine too.

~Mark

 

[siguaw]

lol don't laugh. 3.27's with 31's