Cat-back exhaust ?'s and air intake and others.

[damon]

Bought this 96 v8 explorer the other day and had some time today to poke around the engine bay.

First, what is everyone doing for an air path to the filter? the air silencer is pointed toward the front of the car where
the radiator, fan and tranny cooler are. Looking around I don't see any natural path
to draw fresh air, perhaps time to fab some
kind of a ram air.

Who sells cat-back kits? check with most my
mustang sources and no one has explorer v8 kits (lots for the 4.0s). Perferably something not too loud. Custom fabbing a true dual doesn't look too hard.

Also the intake path from the airbox to the
intake sucks, (2) 90 degree angles. I'll be
it a 94/95 mustang elbow and airbox/tube assembly would work and straighten it out pretty good.

I would also like a source for headers, it looks like they used stock mustang headers
flipped.

Anyone ever dyno'd a stock 5.0 explorer? I'd be curious as to what it's putting to the wheels.

thanks
damon

 

[EMStaxi]

Damon, You can take the silencer off, "plastic shield fastened to back of headlight" get a 2 inch shop vac hose, 90 degree PVC elbow(plumbing supply...I can't remember but think its either 1 1/2 in. or 2 in.), and a square shop vac nozzle to create your ram air. You can put a K&N filter in the air box ( if you have the round housing - K&N Filter # 996) Connect one end of hose to the object that extends foward from the air box (think you called it silencer) 2 inch hose fits in. Then snake the other end of the hose behind head light underneath truck. I connected the pvc elbow to the other end of the hose and then connected the pvc elbow to the nozzle. You may have to heat the hose a little to get it to fit on the elbow. I also suggest using rubber cement btwn hose + pvc + and nozzle or else something may come off. If I didnt destroy the lower half of my air box I would have ran the hose right into the airbox. Since I have the KKM , I have the hose running right to the filter this way I still get cool air by the filter. Oh yea, route the hose first from the filter to the bumper before you glue the other pieces (just to make sure thats where you want it. I bought a 7 ft hose and cut off about 3 ft after I was sure where the hose was going. Together the hose, nozzle, and elbow cost about 30 bucks +/- a dollar or 2
One thing you might do which I didn't yet is cut a piece of screen (as in screen door screen) to fit over the nozzle and attach with rubber adhesive, silicone etc. It should keep large objects out. I have the nozzle sitting behind the bumper opening just to the right of the license plate. It works fine for me no problems.

As far as exhaust, Borla is the only company right now that I know of that makes a complete cat-back system. I havent gotten one yet but if you are able to find a Ford Motorsports dealer near you, you can get the system for $250(Motorsport part # M-5200-FC) as apposed to 400& up from other companies. I'm still trying to find a company that makes headers for the V8. If you find a company, let me later. tell how things go, if you like this Idea and tried it. Later

------------------
Norman B.
97 Mountaineer 5.0 V8 AWD
KKM Tru-Rev with Homemade Ram Air
BOSCH PLATINUM +4's
Prestige Platinum 750a-APS alarm w/ remote start
Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks
More to Come Before Summer

 

[RVerdejo]

EMStaxi

Your air intake idea sounds intriguing, but I have a coupla questions

1. Has pulling air from completely outside of the engine compartment affected your mileage any due to the lowered IAT readings?

2. Do you think a smooth hose, rather than the ridged Shopvac hose would cause less air turbulence?

I too plan on getting some exhaust work done, but may go the custom fab route...trying to find out cost of the Borla muffler with dual inlets and outlets I saw in a fishing magazine awhile back.

Take Care and don't inhale too many of those refinery fumes in the Oranges (I'm a former NYC resident)

------------------
Don't Worry about things you can control...
Don't Worry about things you cannot control.

96 Eddie Bauer AWD V8
Two other cars that aren't Explorers

 

[damon]

I don't see any part #M-5200-FC in the FRPP
Motorsports catalog. Is that the correct #?
(cat-back)

thanks,
damon