couple questions about a '98 5.0l Expo

[lightdouth]

ok, its been said before, I perused through many, many threads, which almost ALL seem to start with a headers related question, then go severely off topic!, if I am understanding correctly, Torque monster headers are No longer in production, and were also very highly priced... so, IS there another option? the reading I've done is pointing towards a "NO", surely someone has found something by now no??
- I'm engaged in 3 projects, a '66 EB that's getting a '98 Expo mill, which is staying efi and getting a flywheel for a manual trans, and reading on here has me thinking I may need a new Hm balancer? or no if I keep the accessories as is...
- second is a '73 EB also getting an Expo mill, but likely getting carb and all that, so fairly easy
- 3rd is a drag race project, using a '98 Expo, stripped down and re-skinned as a Ranger, and we all know how much the Rangers lack traction, so, keep the expo 4x4 and run it that way!
so about headers? has anyone tried the "P" head specific ones available from BC Bronco's, or Bronco Hut? I bought a set of the Bronco Hut units, look like a very good quality build, ceramic coated, made specifically for the P head 302, and designed to fit into the tight engine bay of an early Bronco, which, upon a visual inspection, look VERY promising to fit the Expo...also looking for quick tips on bolt on mods for this mill, like injectors, mass air, TB etc...does anyone have knowledge on what works well? here in Ontario, there seems to be a void now as these are getting too old to be played with it seems, and all have moved on and upward! I'm guessing/hoping that with a much better exhaust and the induction system upgraded, a program change is in order. looks like I'll be getting the SCT x4 with a tune, to change shifts, delete PATS and anything else stupid, and write a good curve for waking this motor up! kinda wonder how much abuse that trans and Tcase are going to take...anyone have an idea here? lastly, if I was to change cams, who has a known favourite? and did you have to change the V springs and rockers? do the heads need machining to accept new springs for the exhaust valves? thinking about changing to a 1.7 ratio rocker, but reading about clearance issues with the compressed spring...

 

[410Fortune]

TMH headers are still available
Robert is still building and selling them
He had some medical issues earlier this year but he is now back up and running

You contact Robert through his website and order a set of headers.

If you are putting a 98 explorer 5.0 into that 66 bronco and keeping it all Explorer ignition, fuel injection, etc I beleive you would keep the stock 98 Explorer balancer.

How do you re skin a 98 explorer as a ranger? That I wanna see!!

I have never tried the early bronco headers in the explorer/98+ ranger 4x4 chassis but now I will look at them

The explorer 5.0 is a 302, so it responds very well to power mods, a good cam will help the stock Explorer cam is just like a stang ho cam, a little lazy from a performance stand point.
If you change the cam you will need to ditch the stock valve springs.
Plenty of 302 trucks here running power adders including cams, valvetrain, performance heads, nitrous, superchargers, whatever you can dream of it can be done to a SMALL BLOCK FORD!!!

Hope that helps

Torque Monster Headers ARE FOR SALE I have purchased two sets in the last 6 months from Robert......

 

[MrQ]

TMH, OBX, or Ford Motorsport headers are all that will fit on a 5.0 Explorer unless you want to do some MAJOR modifications.

TMH = expensive, high quality, good power
OBX = not as expensive, decent quality, good power
FMH = very expensive (rare), decent quality, decent power

Bolt-ons, apart from the headers (but it's like destroying your soul trying to install them), aren't going to get you much in the way of power gains. A little here or there, but the big power is in the cam. The OEM is basically a F150 truck cam, pretty lazy, has lots of low end grunt (helpful for moving a 4k lb SUV off the line), but you're not gonna pass any 5.0 'stangs with that. I just put in a Compcam with dual springs and if it wasn't for some issues with improperly sized valve seals I'd be running circles around a stocker.

TM headers are very, very nice, but if you don't feel like dropping a grand, OBX makes some knockoffs for almost half the price. Granted the tubes are welded rather than mandrel bent and you won't get the same fit and finish as TMH's, but they'll do the same job and are stainless steel just like TMH's. If you go that route, I highly recommend using Remflex exhaust gaskets. Totally worth the cost. Both OBX and TMH's are notorious for exhaust leaks. (and eating spark plug wires, but that's a different story.)

 

[Hacra]

I wonder if these would fit (turbo headers)

 

[MrQ]

No room to bend to get under the firewall. Might work on the passenger side, but not the driver's.

 

[Hacra]

So, with slight modification that might work. would have to change the angle of the v-band connection a bit?

This type of "block" header isn't too hard to fabricate, flanges and v band clamps are easily and cheaply available from interwebs

 

[MrQ]

Nothing slight about it, plus I don't see any improvement over the standard headers. The TMH/OBX headers are short tube collectors and are designed to add power and torque. Those just dump into a long tube like the oem. (look at the 98-up headers and you will see that I am talking about.

 

[410Fortune]

yes but they might also remove the factory bottleneck that is costing us power right from the go

This is an expensive game to play....buying headers just to see if they can fit.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I highly doubt that style header is viable, or someone would have made them already. There’s a reason the TM headers are so convoluted, and barely able to be wedged in there.

 

[Blk2kXLT]

Do not bother with OBX. They have terrible fit, hit the brake booster, can't put in spark plugs and are low quality.

 

[MrQ]

Do not bother with OBX. They have terrible fit, hit the brake booster, can't put in spark plugs and are low quality.

The spark plugs will still be an issue with the TM's. I have a 1" BL, so I can't speak to the brake booster. Quality is on par with most Chinese made products, there are good batches and bad batches.

 

[Blk2kXLT]

Well I had both. I F'in hate the OBX and cost me so many hours and headache. Wish I had never bought them as I spent 12 hours trying to fix them and ended taking them off and putting on TM. Don't do what I did.

Remflex and locking header bolts are a must.