Headers

[410Fortune]

Robert,

That is good advice! You have had good luck with the Bosch +4's in the 5.0L?

I was never anything but happy witht he +4's in my 4.0L.

Do you really think the MSD DIS 4 is worth it? I have heard the stock Ford DIS ignition is very good and would be one of the last things to consider upgrading on the truck, the stock ignition should be good for even performance built 5.0L's

I am trying really hard not to spend a bunch of $$$ on 5.0L mods, but you got me started with those beautiful ceramic coated pieces peaking through my fenderwells

Jamie

 

[96_5.0]

Thanks for all the help I realy appreciate it , Eric

 

[CDW6212R]

I stand by my suggestion for a non Ford aftermarket head. Too many people think Ford has some magic which makes their parts better.

Make a plan for a final goal. Then choose a single set of parts which will get you there. Not to go into a million different directions, I suggest that you search through the thousands of other threads about modifying the Explorer 302.

Find a few others who have similar Explorers to what you want, and follow their examples. I have learned what parts are most important to need to be the best, need to be not Ford, can be less costly, etc. Ford has always done a very poor job at optimizing heads and cams. That is an accurate statement as long as the heads exhaust flow is so poor, and they make single pattern cams for them. Good luck,

That being said, buy Ford Motorcraft spark plugs.
Don

 

[rcpasq]

Keeping with the Theme of Things...

I stand by my suggestion for a non Ford aftermarket head. Too many people think Ford has some magic which makes their parts better.

Make a plan for a final goal. Then choose a single set of parts which will get you there. Not to go into a million different directions, I suggest that you search through the thousands of other threads about modifying the Explorer 302.

Find a few others who have similar Explorers to what you want, and follow their examples. I have learned what parts are most important to need to be the best, need to be not Ford, can be less costly, etc. Ford has always done a very poor job at optimizing heads and cams. That is an accurate statement as long as the heads exhaust flow is so poor, and they make single pattern cams for them. Good luck,

That being said, buy Ford Motorcraft spark plugs.
Don

Don,

I mentioned, keeping with the theme of things. Explorers/Mountaineers came with GT40 Heads from the factory, meaning if he purchases a set of Headers now (FMS or Torque Monster), he will be able to use them down the road. If he goes with another aftermarket aluminum head with the old standard 302 bolt pattern, he will not have a set of headers to put back into the vehicle. He will then have to get custom headers, simular to the Troll's Explorer at: "http://www.speedfreak.cc/troll/engine/index.html". Looks like $1,200-$2,000 worth of custom headers to me.

Now if I were building a Mustang 5.0 and were using aluminum heads, I may opt for the AFR Twisted Wedge heads. I kinda like them.

With that said, if there is another aftermarket aluminum head manufacturer other than Ford Racing, using the GT40 exhaust port configuration, then that may also be a consideration.

I picked the entry level performer aluminum GT40 head in the Ford Racing catalog. You need to consider streetability and cost for most people. The question a lot of people may ask is, "What can I reuse if I upgrade?". If you upgrade with the aluminum GT40 heads, then you can reuse the Headers and your original intake will bolt up too until you can afford the intake upgrade.

Keeping with the theme of things. Plan Carefully... It has nothing to do with what I like or don't like...

I also agree that Motorcraft spark plugs are very good!

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers

 

[CDW6212R]

Am I missing something about the Explorer GT40 heads? Are they not the same GT40 head that has been on several Cobra Mustangs, and works in place of any normal 302 head?

The GT40P is the oddball, specially made with different plug angles. I could sware that I recall at least one person sying that they had aftermarket Ford heads, not GT40, on their Explorer, with early Explorer FMS headers.

The basic GT40 head is suppossed to take the same headers as normal 302 heads.
Don

 

[rcpasq]

Don,

While I was developing Torque Monster Headers I ran into a problem with flanges. I actually designed our Head flange on GT40 and GT40-P heads to make sure they fit all years of the 5.0 V8 Explorer/Mountaineer.

Then, one day I told someone in Florida that I could sell him a set of Headers for his Explorer with aftermarket aluminum heads. At the time, I thought the GT40 and early Ford flange were the same. However, something told me to check it out before I took his money and shipped the headers.

I bolted the GT40 flange we designed to an older Mustang head and I had a problem. The top of the flange was intruding into the port area and the bottom was too far down. I called the gentleman back in Florida and said that our headers wouldn't fit correctly.

Since then, I've made flanges that are standard Ford and have them in stock for any further requests.

If you look in the Ford Racing Parts Catalog, you will find headers for Mustangs that say, "will fit Production and all GT40 heads". What Ford did was make a big enough port hole in the flange to cover both type heads. A little sloppy if your looking for extra low end torque. All the headers have 1-5/8" tubes because they need to stretch it enough to cover the large port hole in the flange. I have a pair of the flanges that Ford and a lot of Header Builders use in our shop, but we don't use them.

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks for the info. I will compare the 97 GT40 heads that I have to some aftermarket heads before I do buy some.
Don

 

[rcpasq]

Don,

If you decide to go with aluminum aftermarket heads, let me know when you're ready. Send me an imprint of your port configuration with bolt holes and I will ensure the headers you order will fit precisely over the port. We don't build slop headers.

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers

 

[410Fortune]

I can account for that statement!

 

[rcpasq]

I'm anxiously awaiting CARB exemption on them, so I can order up a pair!

Any guesses on the ETA of that?

Cherrybomb,

The day has finally arrived.

Tech Performance & Engineering has received our Official California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order Number "D-589", which permits the advertisement, sales and installation in California of the Torque Monster Headers manufactured by Tech Performance & Engineering for the 1996 to 2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer vehicles, equipped with the 5.0 liter V8 Engine. (Quote from CARB letter.)

See Group Purchases Forum under Official Torque Monster 5.0L Header Group Buy:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118942&page=3

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers

 

[cherrybomb]

Cherrybomb,

The day has finally arrived.

Tech Performance & Engineering has received our Official California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order Number "D-589", which permits the advertisement, sales and installation in California of the Torque Monster Headers manufactured by Tech Performance & Engineering for the 1996 to 2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer vehicles, equipped with the 5.0 liter V8 Engine. (Quote from CARB letter.)

See Group Purchases Forum under Official Torque Monster 5.0L Header Group Buy:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118942&page=3

All the Best,

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers
:thumbdwn:

I've been watching the thread, and noticed that! Gotta break my piggy bank open, and convince the wife, and I'll be ordering a pair ASAP! Thanks.