blackoperative
Member
- Joined
- March 7, 2014
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Valley City, ND
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '93 Explorer Sport
Let me start by saying hello to everyone. I have been coming here often after acquiring my '93 Explorer Sport, and now have some questions to hopefully be answered. I have searched all these things individually, but not finding the answers that pertain to my certain application.
First of all let me explain my reasoning for this build. I got my Explorer for free from my now "ex" girlfriend. She bought a new car and I used the explorer to pull around my 4x8 trailer with a dirtbike on it. One weekend a few buddies wanted to go riding 2 hours away, so we loaded 3 bikes on an aluminum trailer and headed out. Long and frustrating story later, front seal pushed out of the trans half way there. When I got it back I figured out the problem and ordered a rebuild kit. I noticed the trans had been rebuilt once before, and I also found the OD clutches burnt, as well as reverse, which were completely destroyed (this was caused by reversing it off the trailer with low fluid, oops). Now this is the part of the story I dont like... I am a pretty good mechanic, but I was in such a hurry to get it done because it was my only running vehicle at the time, I figured that if the tranny worked before the seal pushed out, there was no need to clean the valve body or pump. Wow, do I regret this now. I reused the old torque converter.... bad idea. Didn't clean the coolers.... another bad idea. I knew this at the time too, but just didnt have the funds available to me, nor the time. Well, at this point it was no good to my ex, so she sold it to me for nothing.
So... fast forward a year later and I am still driving it, but just barely. The trans hasnt gotten any worse, but this is how it is to drive...... First gear slips slightly, and shutters when you give it too much throttle. The shift to second is extremely soft, almost non existent. There is a flare into 3rd. The shift to OD is ok but there is no lockup. Reverse isnt too bad but will slip when there is enough load. Now, If I manually shift the transmission, First doesnt slip, but will still shutter, the shift to second is good, still a flare to 3rd, good shift to OD.
Now for the engine, it never used hardly any oil, less than a quart in 3,000 miles. There is about 170k on the clock, just under. It is now using a quart every fuel fill up, with no leaks and no smoke. I checked the manifold bolts last weekend and there were 4 loose ones. Torqued them, but I suspect the gasket has gone. The only things done to the engine are a custom intake (stock plastic one had a hole in it), and the cats knocked out with a better muffler.
Ultimately, this is my plan so far. I want mileage... thats it. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am not interested in power... or a lift... or big tires.... I just want mileage. Now, I know how to build motors for power, my Mitsubishi makes 500 all wheel horsepower on the stock 2.0L bottom end.... but Im a little lost when it comes to an Auto trans on an in-block cammed engine. I do know that I will be buying brand new 95TM heads to bump the compression to 10:1, porting them slightly, porting the manifolds, installing headers and a 2.5 inch custom exhaust. I will also be running a Megasquirt with a wideband in each bank to lean the mixtures out a bit. For the transmission I will be buying a good rebuild kit, with the carbon fiber bands, upgraded boost valves, o-ringed end plugs, HD 3rd/reverse drum, oversized servos... pretty much anything still available for the A4LD.
Here are my couple questions... should I go with the 410 cam? I can do a search and find power power power, but nothing so far, at least as far as I can find, about mileage. The cam may be beneficial to the higher compression. My other question pertains to the Torque Converter... should I stick with the stock stall speed? 1800RPMs? Not too sure...
Now, being in ND, this was my other idea.... as far as my research leads me to believe, using the later SOHC pistons with the 95TM heads will net a very high CR... like 13:1 or something like that. I could use this setup alongside E85 to get great results. The mileage would be better than pump gas, but my main concerns are these... will it produce too much power for the A4LD? And can the factory fuel system support that much alcohol (Meaning for instance, the pump and fuel lines. Injectors would need to be changed regardless).
Please let me know any other thoughts of suggestions, I am open to any and all comments. Thanks for letting me be a part of this great forum!!
Vehicle is a 1993 Ford Explorer Sport with 4WD
First of all let me explain my reasoning for this build. I got my Explorer for free from my now "ex" girlfriend. She bought a new car and I used the explorer to pull around my 4x8 trailer with a dirtbike on it. One weekend a few buddies wanted to go riding 2 hours away, so we loaded 3 bikes on an aluminum trailer and headed out. Long and frustrating story later, front seal pushed out of the trans half way there. When I got it back I figured out the problem and ordered a rebuild kit. I noticed the trans had been rebuilt once before, and I also found the OD clutches burnt, as well as reverse, which were completely destroyed (this was caused by reversing it off the trailer with low fluid, oops). Now this is the part of the story I dont like... I am a pretty good mechanic, but I was in such a hurry to get it done because it was my only running vehicle at the time, I figured that if the tranny worked before the seal pushed out, there was no need to clean the valve body or pump. Wow, do I regret this now. I reused the old torque converter.... bad idea. Didn't clean the coolers.... another bad idea. I knew this at the time too, but just didnt have the funds available to me, nor the time. Well, at this point it was no good to my ex, so she sold it to me for nothing.
So... fast forward a year later and I am still driving it, but just barely. The trans hasnt gotten any worse, but this is how it is to drive...... First gear slips slightly, and shutters when you give it too much throttle. The shift to second is extremely soft, almost non existent. There is a flare into 3rd. The shift to OD is ok but there is no lockup. Reverse isnt too bad but will slip when there is enough load. Now, If I manually shift the transmission, First doesnt slip, but will still shutter, the shift to second is good, still a flare to 3rd, good shift to OD.
Now for the engine, it never used hardly any oil, less than a quart in 3,000 miles. There is about 170k on the clock, just under. It is now using a quart every fuel fill up, with no leaks and no smoke. I checked the manifold bolts last weekend and there were 4 loose ones. Torqued them, but I suspect the gasket has gone. The only things done to the engine are a custom intake (stock plastic one had a hole in it), and the cats knocked out with a better muffler.
Ultimately, this is my plan so far. I want mileage... thats it. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am not interested in power... or a lift... or big tires.... I just want mileage. Now, I know how to build motors for power, my Mitsubishi makes 500 all wheel horsepower on the stock 2.0L bottom end.... but Im a little lost when it comes to an Auto trans on an in-block cammed engine. I do know that I will be buying brand new 95TM heads to bump the compression to 10:1, porting them slightly, porting the manifolds, installing headers and a 2.5 inch custom exhaust. I will also be running a Megasquirt with a wideband in each bank to lean the mixtures out a bit. For the transmission I will be buying a good rebuild kit, with the carbon fiber bands, upgraded boost valves, o-ringed end plugs, HD 3rd/reverse drum, oversized servos... pretty much anything still available for the A4LD.
Here are my couple questions... should I go with the 410 cam? I can do a search and find power power power, but nothing so far, at least as far as I can find, about mileage. The cam may be beneficial to the higher compression. My other question pertains to the Torque Converter... should I stick with the stock stall speed? 1800RPMs? Not too sure...
Now, being in ND, this was my other idea.... as far as my research leads me to believe, using the later SOHC pistons with the 95TM heads will net a very high CR... like 13:1 or something like that. I could use this setup alongside E85 to get great results. The mileage would be better than pump gas, but my main concerns are these... will it produce too much power for the A4LD? And can the factory fuel system support that much alcohol (Meaning for instance, the pump and fuel lines. Injectors would need to be changed regardless).
Please let me know any other thoughts of suggestions, I am open to any and all comments. Thanks for letting me be a part of this great forum!!
Vehicle is a 1993 Ford Explorer Sport with 4WD