Anyone make header flange blanks for the 4.0l engine for turbo app??

[stackz]

first post so hey everyone.

recently purchased a 91 explorer 4x4 that I'm going to turn into my new mudding machine after my 85 toyota finally rotted away...literally.

I've been looking around the net for someone/company that makes header blanks for the 4.0 v6 from these years explorers and have yet to find anyone that does.

what I mean is these in case you've seen them but aren't in the know:

this one is of course for a toyota 22R engine.

I'm going to build a twin turbo setup for the vehicle based around a pair of log manifolds made from the header blanks and a pair of .42/.48 T3's

And no, I don't expect this engine to last very long. I never expect my first engine on a mudder builder to last long, it's just for setup testing, etc.

oh, and in case anyone was wondering...I only paid $1000 for the entire vehicle and I'm putting freeze plugs in it right now as it is

I fully intend to beat this thing to death as much as I did my past turbo 4x4's

 

[stackz]

wow, such overwhelming responses guys, guess nobody knows of a company that makes them then.

that's cool, I've got a supplier from past projects that can make them for me cheap enough.

 

[dman726749]

no one makes them

 

[stackz]

that's what I figured anyway. like I said it's cool since I'll just get my man to cut some for me after I get an extra set of gaskets for him to use as a template.

 

[james t]

You could also look around for a used set of headers, and chop them off 1-2" coming out of the flange...

 

[stackz]

I haven't seen any headers for the explorers? best place I know to look is on ebay for a set of used bbk headers and I'd rather spend $26 each for a pair of header flanges custom made than $125 on a used set of bbk's only to hack them up and have to fight welding steel that's been chromed.

where there any factory shortie headers made for the 4.0? year? model? trim? I'm heading out to the u-pull it this weekend for some parts for a mustang project and will definitely take a look if they were ever made?

main reason I want to use bare flanges though if possible is for a straight log manifold so I can tuck it in close to the block and back away from any accessories, this isn't the biggest engine bay for a pair of t3's from my measurements and where I want to place them.

 

[XplorerKid]

You planning on another Tranny? is yours 5 spd or Auto? If its auto i suggest trading it for a different, AA makes a kit to mount a 700R4 to the 4.0

If it is an auto, it is the A4LD which cant even handle the power of a stock 4.0 reliably, let alone a Souped up one with two T3 Turbos.....

 

[james t]

No factory tubular manifolds..... as far as i know they were all cast iron. If you can have a set cut that cheap then that is what i would do. Be careful with turbo position..... the only other twin turbo X on earth burned to the ground the first day it ran. You are right, not alot of room under there.

 

[XplorerKid]

No factory tubular manifolds..... as far as i know they were all cast iron. If you can have a set cut that cheap then that is what i would do. Be careful with turbo position..... the only other twin turbo X on earth burned to the ground the first day it ran. You are right, not alot of room under there.

Seriously James? Who was it? a Member of this Forum? I never heard of that.......

 

[james t]

No, they werent a memeber here...... but i remember Doug904 talking about it.



edit- it was tmsoko not doug
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115152&highlight=twin+turbo

 

[stackz]

I've read some about the 700r4 swaps and will probably do that once I get serious with the vehicle. Right now I intend to go at it the way I have in the past.

1. Get everything fabbed up and running with the wastegates open (mainly to check flow, exhaust housing heat, etc, etc)
2. hook up the gates and literally start at 1lb and work my way up until I either reach the limit of the stock fuel system or stock air intake system (I'm sure I'll max out either the injectors or maf first, which one?? probably the maf).
3. then we'll see if I can't blow up the bottom end or the transmission (car had a new rebuilt tranny when I bought it but since I'm in the middle of the freeze plugs right now I'm thinking the engine will let go first). Actually, I'm hoping on it. I'm thinking the crank is forged from what I can tell with my stethoscope (while I've got the engine out doing the freeze plugs, that and I took a tiny chunk off the back to work with me and let the chemists at it and they said it had a high nickel percent~34%).

anyway, I want to see if the rods let go or the crank breaks so I know what to buy for the build-up engine.

Oh, and guys, please don't expect this to be a quick buildup. I take my time with things and I wont start until I get my flanges...they are the building point. The elbows and T's I can get all day long from grainger for $8.00 each.

the only other twin turbo X on earth burned to the ground the first day it ran. You are right, not alot of room under there.

lol, I figured as much. You/he wouldn't have happened to have gotten the fire department report info such as point of combustion would he? I'd like to know what needs insulation ahead of time but I'm pretty sure I know that it was the a/c box that probably melted and started the fire though...either that or that HUGE windshield washer box lol.

 

[stackz]

oh yeah, quick question. It sorta looks like you you can "flip" the manifolds on the 4.0 like you can with the 5.0 engines. can anyone confirm/deny this for me real quick before I bust a few knuckles trying it later on?? I'd give it a whirl now while the engine is out but I'm just ready to get the car running again so I can work out any other unforseen "bought non-running" bugs that might be lurking around....

and after reading a little more it seems as if most people on here have a hard time believing new people especially when it comes to turbo projects on the ex's so I snapped this little pic real quick:

this was going to go my toyota before the bed literally flew off two months ago while mudding haha.

Hell, I may end up using it on the explorer if I can't figure a good position for the passenger side T3 since it's got a dual input side and 4" output.

bad thing is that it would have some hell of some lag on the stock 4.0l if I didn't shoot some nitrous down low until it got spooled up...

edit: if you can't tell from the pic...just take a standard piece of paper and toss it on edge...that's how big the compressor side is on this turbo. It's off a 2003 duramax diesel and in stock trim pushes 25psi (I'd have to either get a boost controller or a smaller wastegate pot for the stock 4.0l obviously haha).

 

[Ronin8002]

You're probably looking at about 12psi max before you start popping head gaskets....talk to a guy called RaceBronco on www.rangerpowersports.com he used a single turbo on his 4.0

The 4.0's rods and crank are actually pretty strong....the crank is a cast nodular iron and the rods are a steel forging....both will handle 12psi fine as long as you keep it out of detonation and don't try to rev it to 6k rpms.

I am not trying to say it wouldn't be awesome to do a twin turbo project but you may find it is more practical for offroading if you get a lightning m112 blower from ebay and fab up a plenum/bracket to mount it to....that will give you plenty of low end torque without lag, plus you won't have to worry about the plumbing associated with turbocharging.

But then again who else has a twin turbo explorer

Btw whatever you end up doing don't expect the A4LD to last long....mine melted itself when I was passing someone on I-95 after I did the engine mods you see in my sig :E