98 Explorer XLT may go "351w + E4OD"??

[Blue Oval Charlie]

I think most of us agree that the 4.0 SOHC is junk.

I have the know how and ability to do damn near anything I put my mind to. If I'm lacking on certain things I have a family full of mechanics, including myself.
So I don't know if anyone has attempted the swap/mod I am dreaming of.... Yank the 4.0 SOHC, 5R55E, and possibly the rear end, out of my 2nd Gen Explorer. Then Stuff in a 351w EFI and an E4OD! The 96 Broncos had this as an option

It may take some fab and a ton of work, but my Dad, Bro In-law and I will have a lot of beer and fun doing it.

May call her "The Bronxplorer".

Thoughts, comments, suggestions??

 

[Turdle]

Read post 4 , and dig hard for that members work and you'll see he threw in the towel,

Keeping 4wd, cross member and OBD2 will be a challenge, as well as any header to make the sap worth the effort.

351W in 95+

Well, boys and girls, I still havent started my AWD to 4x4 conversion, but I'm already worried that alone wont free enough hp. My 92 5-speed was faster :( So here's the question? Is my 5.0 the H.O./351 firing order?? If it is the only thing I can see stalling a 351W swap would be a lower...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[vroomzoomboom]

also, a explorer has 31 spline axles where the bronco 8.8 has 28

 

[imp]

also, a explorer has 31 spline axles where the bronco 8.8 has 28

What difference does this make?

 

[vroomzoomboom]

What difference does this make?

larger diameter axle, more splines, a lot stronger, and harder to twist, or break

 

[Blown]

Put a stroker in it.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The 351 is a pig. The 5.0 barely fits in there.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, the 351 is enough larger than the 302(9.52" deck height instead of 8.2"), that the oil pan and exhaust manifolds have to be modified or fabricated. So far about three people have worked on parts of those, but as said no one has finished it all.

The E4OD is a monster of a transmission, I doubt it can fit. The E4OD is very strong no doubt, but the 4R70W is strong enough for anything but serious towing.

I'd suggest putting all of your effort into a stroker 302, and the custom exhaust work needed to replace the horrendous factory system. A stroker cost more than it used to, I'd say $5k is a cheaper one, and $6k or so may get you something nearing what people run in 500hp Mustangs.

 

[boominXplorer]

Solid axle swap and go with a 4r70 transmission. Steering rack is the main hurdle along with oil pan, intake manifold that actually flows and getting the power out the exhaust manifolds. You'll also want to source gt40 or aftermarket heads to make it worth doing.

 

[Blue Oval Charlie]

I think most of us agree that the 4.0 SOHC is junk.

I have the know how and ability to do damn near anything I put my mind to. If I'm lacking on certain things I have a family full of mechanics, including myself.
So I don't know if anyone has attempted the swap/mod I am dreaming of.... Yank the 4.0 SOHC, 5R55E, and possibly the rear end, out of my 2nd Gen Explorer. Then Stuff in a 351w EFI and an E4OD! The 96 Broncos had this as an option

It may take some fab and a ton of work, but my Dad, Bro In-law and I will have a lot of beer and fun doing it.

May call her "The Bronxplorer".

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

When I originally posted this I failedlk to bring to light that I've been planning this for a while. Have done a ton of research, part locating and what not. It's going to take years to get it where I want it. "A completely custom, off-road rig."

Thanks for the comments though.

 

[boominXplorer]

Look up the specs, all the trouble is not worth it for the time and money spent. 2000 explorer v8 (215hp/280tq) vs a 1996 ford bronco 351 (205hp/328tq). The 5.0 will be way easier to install and with a simple camshaft upgrade will make more power than the 351. Not to mention the e40d is junk compared to the 4r70 in terms of reliability.

 

[Blue Oval Charlie]

Read post 4 , and dig hard for that members work and you'll see he threw in the towel,

Keeping 4wd, cross member and OBD2 will be a challenge, as well as any header to make the sap worth the effort.

351W in 95+

Well, boys and girls, I still havent started my AWD to 4x4 conversion, but I'm already worried that alone wont free enough hp. My 92 5-speed was faster :( So here's the question? Is my 5.0 the H.O./351 firing order?? If it is the only thing I can see stalling a 351W swap would be a lower...

www.explorerforum.com

I read the entire thread and the guy seems to talk a good game, but was making things way to complicate by trying to make stock Explorer PCM, exhaust ( minus custom headers), modified oil pans and harnesses.
I plan on using the donor vehicles harness and PCM, a complete custom exhaust, custom drive shafts and instead of making Frankenstein oil pan, it'd be easier to cut out and fab cross members where you need them and box the frame while you're at it.
It's a lot easier to modify stuff if you "K.I.S.S.". Keep It Simple Stupid.
Not saying anyone is stupid, that's just what the acronym stands for.

 

[boominXplorer]

Your still way better off using the explorer pcm and the 4r70w transmission. Then you can use the distributorless ignition and don't have to rewire the body to the engine harness.

Unless your doing a solid axle swap I dont know how your going to get the oil pan to clear the steering rack.

Here's my project that's been on the back burner for the past year or so. Lots of good info using the 351w and explorer pcm. 1997 V8 Explorer PCM w/harness and transmission transplant in my 1977 351w F150

 

[CDW6212R]

There will be an oil pan that can fit with cross member mods, given the many pan variations. But still the advantages of the Explorer computer system over the early EFI system, plus wiring, is way better than deciding the oil pan mod is the key issue. The 302/Explorer based engine will be much easier to put in than the 96 351 system.

I've owned a 1985 351 Crown Vic, with another of the early computer controlled systems, the VVC carb thing. It ran relatively great in stock form, but any stock Mustang 302 embarrassed it. I had a friend with a 93 automatic LX convertible, we had fun playing around at times. I had to rebuild my AOD when it broke at 212k, I also did the 351. The built 351 would not work with the OEM VVC carb system, I had to yank it and install a different intake/carb. With a 69 intake and 600cfm Holley, it felt very good, better than stock. But the 302(bone stock and with a shift kit I put in that AOD), still the 351 "bigger" torque was no match at any speed. My car was about 4100lbs, his almost 3500(he was a near 300lbs guy then).

I put in a 1988 HO 302 later on, 88 PCM too, and that was a great comparison. The 302 was just as fast as the 351 I swapped out, and it got better fuel mileage. The 351 had more potential, I'd have built it differently if I knew the aim wasn't the VVC carb(got to stay at the stock compression, and cam).

You can find countless examples of anything you want, but the key is how much trouble it is to swap various parts in. The Explorer 302 PCM system is the best for pushrod Ford V8 swaps right now, all of the wiring tricks and issues have been worked out and documented here. For a 95-01 Explorer, it's easy to put in the 302/4R70W and system, wiring etc.

The Explorer PCM has been fully explored and tuned by experts, it can handle many cams etc, without retuning. If you plan for retuning the PCM, it can handle any compression, and any camshaft or heads. The Bronco computer will have limited tune-ability I think.

We could suggest minor changes to a 302 build, and make more power than that stock 86 351. Retuned PCM of course, but given compression near 10:1 depending on fuel chosen, good heads and intake can make near to 300hp. It varies with exhaust available, besides the heads/intake/cam. I'll be aiming for a 9.7ish:1 306, regular gas, 230cfm heads(GT40 are 190cfm stock), custom cam, and big exhaust(dual not single). I hope for 275rwhp, stock is about 200.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

dont get me wrong, i would love to see this. you have to remember the block its self is bigger then a 302. they are wider at the top and taller. like mentioned, the pan it going to be a issue and trying to make a header or manifold work will be a headache. the stock manifolds will more then likely hit either the steering shaft, or frame and heater box or both. if you have ever seen torque monster headers in one of these trucks its tight, now add a block thats wider by either a inch or inch and a haft, you run out of room and fast.

 

[CDW6212R]

The deck height is 9.52" on a Windsor, the 302 is 8.0", so at a 45* angle, that's around .75" taller and wider to each side, where the heads set, ports too. That can help when fabricating headers, because it locates the ports farther above the UCA mounts, but nobody does that either.

 

[J_C]

Get a 5.0L Explorer, or use the willingness to work on yours to pull the engine and do timing components, or get a Bronco since that seems to be what you really want. I don't see the point of putting in a good condition engine & tranny into a vehicle that's worth no more after the swap, than the engine, tranny, time and labor were worth before they were put in.

The SOHC isn't junk at all, rather it was just being compared to the two other choices without the timing component issues, which you can remedy easier than doing an engine + tranny conversion. If you put it in context, most of them seem to go over 150K mi which is not a short lifespan compared to earlier generations of engine. Sure there are a few that last longer, and there are plenty that ended up in a junkyard from a head problem or xyz instead. All the "SOHC" issue really is, is a known factor with a known solution, that is normally an issue because these vehicles depreciate down to not being worth the money to fix that by the time it happens, but then you want that same low value vehicle as a platform to pour far more money and time into than that, so you are taking the negative aspect of owning the SOHC, and multiplying the burden instead of resolving it.

Maybe I'm thinking in terms of mine, with plenty of undercarriage rust. If yours is rust free, and/or going through a frame-up restoration, I could sooner see that, with an expectation that you'll get another 10+ years out of it... except that the 5.0L Explorer exists, and they aren't expensive like a Bronco, so I don't see why.

 

[Blue Oval Charlie]

Get a 5.0L Explorer, or use the willingness to work on yours to pull the engine and do timing components, or get a Bronco since that seems to be what you really want. I don't see the point of putting in a good condition engine & tranny into a vehicle that's worth no more after the swap, than the engine, tranny, time and labor were worth before they were put in.

The SOHC isn't junk at all, rather it was just being compared to the two other choices without the timing component issues, which you can remedy easier than doing an engine + tranny conversion. If you put it in context, most of them seem to go over 150K mi which is not a short lifespan compared to earlier generations of engine. Sure there are a few that last longer, and there are plenty that ended up in a junkyard from a head problem or xyz instead. All the "SOHC" issue really is, is a known factor with a known solution, that is normally an issue because these vehicles depreciate down to not being worth the money to fix that by the time it happens, but then you want that same low value vehicle as a platform to pour far more money and time into than that, so you are taking the negative aspect of owning the SOHC, and multiplying the burden instead of resolving it.

Maybe I'm thinking in terms of mine, with plenty of undercarriage rust. If yours is rust free, and/or going through a frame-up restoration, I could sooner see that, with an expectation that you'll get another 10+ years out of it... except that the 5.0L Explorer exists, and they aren't expensive like a Bronco, so I don't see why.

Great reply and it's awesome to have others opinions. Though, I still think, most are missing the point of the project.

It will take years, blood, sweat and beers to eventually get it exactly as I want, but the end result will be A Completely Custom and Unique OFF-ROAD RIG. I'm not trying to do all this just to have a daily driver that gobbles down gas.

My family and I take good/decent factory 4x4s (mainly Fords) and create what we think is cool. Sure the issues and obstacles that arise are headaches, but in the end we had fun, spent some time together and built something awesome.

Point of the story.... I like hearing others opinions, but was hoping to get some pointers or suggestions on how to get to where I am planning.

 

[Blown]

Build-it, and show us!

These forums often result in concensus, a general agreement on what can be done over time and experience. That does not mean you cannot do it and "march to your own drum beat", but the forum likely will not be as supportive of ideas "outside the box".

That said, building these X's were all "out of the box" when they first came-out. The biggest issue will be fitting the 351W in and plumbing exhaust. I've been working on my 302 with AWD and am amazed at the Torque Monster headers, what was done to fit them in that tight engine bay. This site can help with everything else.

A few things I can think of:
You will need and likely want to swap-in the F150 transfer case. It will handle the output of the 351 and allow for 4low for wheelin'.
You will need a tuner and tune.
You will need something to wipe that smart grin of accomplishment off your face when you complete it.

Good luck and build-on to your pleasure!