woodrowskis
New Member
- Joined
- February 8, 2009
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 96 XLT
Time to overhaul/upgrade 96 Explorer/old friend.
I have a 96 Explorer 4 dr 2wd with the 5.0 L that I purchased new. It is not worth much to sale so I have decided to put some money into it and make it worth keeping another dozen years or so. However, I feel where I want to go is a bit unusual.
I am interested in bumping the hp above 300 (maybe the 350 range) but intend to drive it to work a lot. Therefore I do not really want it loud and I want to upgrade the hp in a way that will leave me the most fuel efficient manner as can be for stop and go commuting, 30 miles to work and 30 back every day.
It has 260K miles with no overhauls (or even a timing chain) on engine or transmission. So both need overhauled and therefore can be considered expendable.
The only money I have spent is for a pair of ford motorsport headers to fix that ticking noise (not yet installed) as this is what started this project. And no I do not know if they are sufficent yet. Original plan was to fix the truck period and plan changed to upgrading afer ordering them. I saw that Ford Motorsports catalog.
Engine: Seems the most fuel efficient power would be turbocharged but I am curious how turbocharging or supercharging affects mileage in stop and go traffic. Is one better than the other? Should I stick with this engine or consider a more modern one like the 4.6L if I want efficiency? I do seem to lean towards the nostalgia of keeping the 5.0L. But it seems that a smaller but turbocharged engine might be the better anser for what I want. Is there a hp number I can reach before the efficency really declines? I do want more than what a cold air intake, larger exhaust, and chip are going to give me.
Transmission: Should I start with a completely different model or can it be rebuilt in a better fashion? I have an Expedition that is already better on the Hwy but a good deal worse(and sluggish) in stop and go. It seems I could possibly gear for best fuel economy for 50 and under (which would probably speed up the low end) and dedicate it as the intown vehicle and the expedition as the hwy vehicle. Don't know what data there might be on that.
I do a lot of engineering work with large industrial engines so I understand the theory of turbocharging, economy, sizing exhaust, transmissions, etc. pretty well but my hands on experience is not so good. Never been a racer or had a hot rod. Too busy waterskiing. I figured it was about time to learn. Example, I know turbocharged with exhaust or belt driven supercharger is more fuel efficent at high hp than naturally apsirated but have no idea what happens to the efficiency at low load.
I have a 96 Explorer 4 dr 2wd with the 5.0 L that I purchased new. It is not worth much to sale so I have decided to put some money into it and make it worth keeping another dozen years or so. However, I feel where I want to go is a bit unusual.
I am interested in bumping the hp above 300 (maybe the 350 range) but intend to drive it to work a lot. Therefore I do not really want it loud and I want to upgrade the hp in a way that will leave me the most fuel efficient manner as can be for stop and go commuting, 30 miles to work and 30 back every day.
It has 260K miles with no overhauls (or even a timing chain) on engine or transmission. So both need overhauled and therefore can be considered expendable.
The only money I have spent is for a pair of ford motorsport headers to fix that ticking noise (not yet installed) as this is what started this project. And no I do not know if they are sufficent yet. Original plan was to fix the truck period and plan changed to upgrading afer ordering them. I saw that Ford Motorsports catalog.
Engine: Seems the most fuel efficient power would be turbocharged but I am curious how turbocharging or supercharging affects mileage in stop and go traffic. Is one better than the other? Should I stick with this engine or consider a more modern one like the 4.6L if I want efficiency? I do seem to lean towards the nostalgia of keeping the 5.0L. But it seems that a smaller but turbocharged engine might be the better anser for what I want. Is there a hp number I can reach before the efficency really declines? I do want more than what a cold air intake, larger exhaust, and chip are going to give me.
Transmission: Should I start with a completely different model or can it be rebuilt in a better fashion? I have an Expedition that is already better on the Hwy but a good deal worse(and sluggish) in stop and go. It seems I could possibly gear for best fuel economy for 50 and under (which would probably speed up the low end) and dedicate it as the intown vehicle and the expedition as the hwy vehicle. Don't know what data there might be on that.
I do a lot of engineering work with large industrial engines so I understand the theory of turbocharging, economy, sizing exhaust, transmissions, etc. pretty well but my hands on experience is not so good. Never been a racer or had a hot rod. Too busy waterskiing. I figured it was about time to learn. Example, I know turbocharged with exhaust or belt driven supercharger is more fuel efficent at high hp than naturally apsirated but have no idea what happens to the efficiency at low load.