Do-it-yourself

[Rage1973]

Hello Everyone,

Please excuse me if this is a repeat thread. 1st of all thanks for those that gave me some advice on an exhaust for my Explorer. This is my current situation, I am stationed in Germany, and I am going through " fix up the explorer phase" plus I have the wifes ok to spend some money on it. I have currently have purchased the KKM filter, and that is about it.. I am looking into purchasing some stuff to get me by until April of next year till I get back to the states. If you could please give me some advice on some things that I could purchase to upgrade my vehicle that would be awesome.

I have been running into allot of barriers with parts for my vehicle, I think due to the year and engine.

1998 Explorer
4.0 SOHC
2 Dr
2 WD
Automatic
VIN # E

I am machanically incline, but limited with tools and space to do serious work.

 

[410Fortune]

What gears are in the truck? $ for $ re-gearing is probably the best money spent for all around driving daily, performance off the line, and getting passing power ont he highway, especially with a SOHC 4.0, which loves to rev.

Other then that I suggest a search.
Here are the basics:

when dealing with intake and exhaust you are only as good as your smallest bottleneck. I see people all the time with aftermarket CAI, a big bore mas air sensor, cat back exhaust and sure this will make more power then stock because you removed some restrictions, but without going the extra mile and finishing the job you arent going to make much, you just make it louder. Louder does not = power.
Throttle body, stock intake tube, cold air feed to the filter, and stock exhaust system prior to the cat should also be addressed.

Computer chip will help quite a bit, but I suggest waiting until all other power adder mods are completed....

Electric fan can free up some power as long as you do it right.
Change to all synthetic fluids.
shift kit for the transmission

The rest you can find by searching.

Welcome to the site and let us know what you decide.
If your truck has 3.55 or 3.73 gears I would suggest starting there, 4.10 is a nice nice upgrade for a daily driver with stock size tires

 

[Rage1973]

Ok I will have to see what I have for gearing... once I figure out how too .. But other than that I have put my first mod on (KKM filter) , but now I want to do more.... I can tell that this is going to be a new expensive hobby..

 

[410Fortune]

You can read the axle code on the door sticker, this will tell you the gears, or you can read the axle tag on the rear differential itself, this will also tell you the gears.

Most likely 3.73

 

[spindlecone]

Ok I will have to see what I have for gearing... once I figure out how too .. But other than that I have put my first mod on (KKM filter) , but now I want to do more.... I can tell that this is going to be a new expensive hobby..

Fortune knows what he is taking about, BUT going from 3.73 to 4.10 is not going to make a big diff, you might notice a minor offline diff.
All things being equal the guy with the 3.73s will beat ya top end

 

[briwayjones]

3.73 will also get a little better gas mileage on the highway

 

[410Fortune]

keep telling yourself that guys. The 4.10's you are correct dont make a HUGE difference over 3.73, but they do make enough off the line, they also will only get you worse gas mileage depending on HOW you drive.
How often do you do 85MPH? and for how long?

The 4.10 get you moving faster, keep your 4 or 5 litre drivetrain in a better powerband IMO for driving, meaning you dont have to floor it to get more speed, you can use LESS pedal.
So to say that 3.73 get better mileage then 4.10 is not relevant, it all depends on driver, I need less gas pedal to climb the hill or to get to get going....the 3.73 will get better mileage when you have it wrapped out (75MPH= for long periods of time)

Now once you do all the intake and exhaust mods, guess what you just lost? Low end torque. What does this mean? less power below 3000 RPM, what do gears give you back???



Not sure on this bu t arent 4.33 gears available for the 8.8 diff??

 

[spindlecone]

In My state, 4-5 hrs of 85+ is the norm, I have no use for TQ on the interstates,JMO

 

[410Fortune]

yes yes CA, plus you pay twice as much for ethanol "cough cough" gasoline.
However since you are at sea level you will be fine.

When I was living in CA I could peel out in 1st and squak in 2, that was with 33's and the 4.0L OHV. hehehehe I would love to get the 5.0L down there.

Spindlecone dont most ST's have 4.10's stock?

 

[spindlecone]

yes yes CA, plus you pay twice as much for ethanol "cough cough" gasoline.
However since you are at sea level you will be fine.

When I was living in CA I could peel out in 1st and squak in 2, that was with 33's and the 4.0L OHV. hehehehe I would love to get the 5.0L down there.

Spindlecone dont most ST's have 4.10's stock?

Have never seen ethanol in my local, I pay the toke at 2.60 per gal for real gas Unless a special order 4x2 tracs came with 3.73s 03 and up, they changed the OEM tire size in late 02 from 255s to 235s.
Don't get me wrong, gears are great, but I'm a streeter and a highway traveler, could give a rats ass about MPG but 4.10s will get me nothing in sillycone valley, the days of stoplight challanges in my local are long over.
At any given light, at any time of the day, you will always be 30 cars back with no chance to pull off a dead stopper.
I can break the shoes lose in first and second,(with 265/18s) if your #1 at the light, but than ya only have 200 YDs till the next light

 

[410Fortune]

understood. Sorry its ethenol here in CO I forget what they use in CA, but it isnt all gasoline thats for sure!

I will chcek the gear ratio on my buddies ST, 4wd of course, 2wd in CO = stuck......I beleive they are 4.10.

2.60 a gallon, wowsers......I paid $1.80 the other day for 87 (CO is 85, 87, or 91) but thats because I use the Conoco rewards program......I got .40 off each gallon because I bought alot of junk at Conoco's ove rhte last few weeks....right now 87 is about 2.40.....

 

[Rage1973]

How often do you do 85MPH? and for how long?

Over here in Germany on the Autobahn... at 85MPH you are getting passed by grandma's and grandpa's...

But I just usually cruise about 90-95, but sometimes I wonder if that is going to hurt the vehicle, since it isn't really designed for autobahn driving.

Laterz
Rage

 

[410Fortune]

As long as you have no driveline vibrations at that speed you should be allright.
My BII has seen 90+ for many many years......even lifted with big tires I still avereage 80+ on road trips.


At those speeds what you should be worried about is your tires and their inflation and condition