Hopping up a '00 5.0

[Last Ride]

Hey gang--
Well, I have decided to keep my Explorer, so now it's time to play with it. It is a 2000 V8 AWD XLT. I have been wanting to boost the power reliably, as well as make some other mods (x-spec suspension, 17" wheels, etc.) The car is a surveillance vehicle, so it stays 95% on-road. Any suggestions on what I can do to reliably boost power while maintaining drivability?

Here's the situation: The truck currently had just over 200,000 miles on it. I know the motor is in good shape because I have been taking care of it and I was the one who put over 190,000 of those miles on it. In any case, if I decide to go supercharged, I will still need to rebuild the motor. Would I be better served by just punching the motor out to, say, 347 and remaining NA? Also, can anything be done to beef up these transmissions? I am on my second rebuild already with the stock motor. What other tricks can I use to maximize the vehicle's potential? Looking for 350-400 hp with a nice broad torque band. Any suggestions? Thanks a bunch.

 

[CDW6212R]

Hello Bryan, you are going down a path that a lot of others are also wanting to.

It sounds like you have an advantage, knowing how to take care of a vehicle, and understanding maintaining reliability, and driveability.

For on road use, maintain the stock RPM band, and improve it as much as possible.

The exhaust on all of these need a lot of help with the headers. I think that the SVO headers are the most economical. The others are way too much. I wouldn't say that if they had 1.625" primaries.

The factory intake manifold is the best for the Explorers, so keep it. You should consider the cost of a long block 347, with higher compression(10:1).

The factory PCM can handle more than the older Mustangs EECIV systems. The only supercharger(EE), costs over $3500, and only adds about 70 HP. You might be able to get that with a stroker and higher compression. If you can build an engine yourself, or a stroker, you can save some money.

The transmission has plenty of potential, but, has it ever been burned up? How much debris got into the cooling lines? If there could be anything left in the lines, you should consider a different radiator, cooler, even the trans, and install a filter on the input line to the trans.

For a decent increase in power, a couple of upgrades in the transmission would be a good idea. Add a quality shift kit(I prefer TransGo), higher quality frictions and steels, and add the "A" overdrive servo parts. Those "A" OD servo parts are from a Thunderbird Supercoupe, and the three parts should be just over $50. They will go into any AOD or AODE.

If you can be patient about a supercharger, I bet by next year there will be a much better alternative. To use a supercharger, the compression ratio should remain about stock(9:1) or less.

Good luck,
DonW

 

[CDW6212R]

Better aluminum heads would help with power, and to avoid detonation. You might have some issues with headers though. Someone else could probably say whether the normal head port bolt pattern will still work with the GT40P type headers.

When you look for anything for the Explorer 302 transmission, you will be told that it is a 4R70W. I don't know why Ford and everyone else is using the name of the modular V8 transmission as the name for the pushrod V8 transmission.

The trans cases don't interchange. The two transmissions cannot be swapped, though the guts are interchangeable. Note that shift kits are the same for each, they work in both.
Anotherwords, don't go to a parts yard and buy a 4R70W from a Crown Vic, planning to put it in an Explorer. The bolt pattern is different. The AODE from a 94-95 Mustang will bolt on, as will the early 90's AODE F150's with 302's and 351W's. This doesn't mean that the valve body calibrations are the same, just that they will bolt on.

The trans in the Explorer is really an AODE, the 4R70W is a modular engine trans. Every person or book that labels it as a 4R70W is wrong, including Ford. Just play along, like ordering parts from Autozone. You have to tell them what they want to hear. A 4R70W bolts to a 4.6 modular engine, they started in the 91 Crown Vic. The AODE bolts to a 302 smallblock.
Regards,
Don W

 

[tmsoko]

The 4R70W is a newer model of the AODE. The trans in the Explorers is indeed a 4R70W. The major difference between the AODE and the 4R70W is the gear set. The 4R70W has a much wider gear spacing, hence the "W". First in an AODE is ~2.40 whereas it is ~2.85 in the 4R70W. This trans has an improved output shaft, 97+ has the improved position range sensor, and '99+ has improved friction materials. There are two "versions" of the 4R70W. The 5.0L/3.8L bell housing and the 4.6L/5.4L bell housing. The trans that is in the later model mustangs with the 3.8L engine is a 4R70W. The AODE ended production in '95.

Many parts interchange between the 4R70W and the AODE, but the gear set, shaft and friction bands are primary difference, along with valve body tuning changes and some case strengthening.

Check out the article on www.TCCOA.com for a detailed biography on the AOD/AODE/4R70W family, along with details on how to make it handle power. It was written by Jerry Wrubleski, who is renowned for his knowledge of the trans, sorta known as the grand father. It is this article and his knowledge that coined the "Jerry Mod" that you frequently hear in references to changes to the trans for power handling.

 

[Last Ride]

Yeah, I have seen the EE supercharger. For the amount of money I would have to spend doing a stock teardown/rebuild and then adding a supercharger, I think I could build a 347 for less! What brand of heads would you all recommend? Sorry, I am a Corvette guy (until she sells this week ), so I am fairly ignorant of the 5.0 aftermarket. Where can I pick up a set of SVO headers? Could I bump the compression ratio and still be able to run regular gas? If so, how much? I am not looking to win any drag races, but if I could surprise a Mustang or ricer on the street, it might be fun!

 

[tmsoko]

You could add the S/C to your stock engine - better yet, just add heads. You do not need to tear down and re-build. The stock 5.0L shortblock is actually quite stout. The 347 would be less in the long run though.

As for heads, two main choices. Trickflow Twisted wedge and AFR165. If you rebuild the bottom end, go with AFR185. The trick flow will outperform the AFR165 and will work on stock engine. They can also be had in a big range of ported stages, big enough to support a 400+ci stoker or stock for an otherwise stock 5.0L.

SVO headers can be bought from and Ford Racing Performance Parts dealer. Many Ford dealers are sellers, basically all advertisers in the Mustang magazines are dealers, and there are several members of this board who are dealers.

 

[CDW6212R]

Bryan, I do agree with Todd about the heads. The Ford heads aren't quite as good as some of the more common and popular aftermarket aluminum heads.

Put the octane question to one of the two sponsor members we have here who tune the PCM's. They can more accurately suggest a compression ratio limit for regular, or premium. Ages ago some magazine built a 351W with 11:1 compression, and it ran on regular 87, and it made 400HP.

Todd, I know about the various upgrades Ford keeps making to all of the transmissions. My beef with the description 4R70W is that most peolpe think of a transmission as being interchangeable with any other same name transmission. The Explorer is a case where Ford used the same name as a different transmission. I know about the "W" in the name. Ford would have been wiser to name it an AODWE, indicating that it is closer to the AODE, which it is.
Ford should make things easier, not harder.
Regards,
DonW

 

[tmsoko]

The case is "common" with the AODE and 4R70W (5.0L3.8L version), but the internals are all new. A similar change came with the E4OD / 4R100. In both cases, they newer transmission is an improved version of the older transmission. The initial 4R70W came out in the Lincoln Mark VIII back in '93. The internals were added to the 5.0L/3.8L case in '96 and used in mustang and explorer. It made sense to have the two versions of the 4R70W, due to improvements made and would be complexity of keeping the AODE version.

I agree, the two versions are not interchangeable, due to the integral bell housing differences, but inside they are common and both 4R70W transmissions.

I too remember the same article about the 351W on 87 octane. Wish I could find that!

 

[CDW6212R]

That 351W used Dodge connecting rods, just to get a longer rod. They just put the longest rod they could cheaply get to go into it with a short piston. The magic was in the programming of the PCM. I've got that magazine somewhere.

I wonder how much compression the Explorer PCM could control, on a 351W? I have a 72 Ranchero that I'd like to eventually install a 351W into, with the OBDII PCM. I have a built AOD ready for it, if a friend of mine doesn't buy it for his Cobra.
Gotta go, but let me know when you decide about your exhaust, etc.
DonW

 

[tmsoko]

Check my post over at RPS dealing with the 351W and DIS sensor:

http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147447

 

[Billy177]

i would go with the 347, higher compression and a hot cam and i would say that it would be a better combonation then a supercharger

 

[Last Ride]

So how interchangable is the 351W with the 302? I know the 351W block is about 3" wider, but will that make a difference in an Explorer? I guess what I am asking is, will a 351W (even a 392) fit in place of my old 302? If so, would any of the parts be interchangable? Could I still use my intake and accessories, for example? Thanks a bunch for all the advice!

Bryan

 

[tmsoko]

You can fit it, but it is tight. You also need the following: 1) Custom oil pan for larger rear main seal, 2) Custom A/C line to span wider block/heads, 3) Custom damper/DIS trigger/crank pulley assy (unless balance 351W to 50oz), 4) Short valve covers and dimple in driver's side dash panel, 5) custom DIS cam sensor drive, 6) custom headers, 7) new lower manifold.

Those are the primary parts needed to make this work.

 

[CDW6212R]

The frame rails are actually a little too narrow for the 302. The 351W would make the header problem worse.

The 351W has a block deck height of 9.52", while the 302 has an 8.2" deck height. LOL,
Don

 

[Last Ride]

Okay, so a 347 it is! Man, I hope I can get another 50,000 out of this motor before I have to do this....

 

[rcpasq]

Economical 347e Stroker

Gentlemen,

There's a company in Torrance, CA called Coast High Performance that offers a vast array of stroker options. They've been doing this for quite a while and are well known and recommended.

They offer a very economical 347e short block for a very reasonable price. With your original heads (GT40 or GT40-P) you should be able to get around 350 hp and even more with Torque Monster Headers.

347 Stroker:
http://www.coasthigh.com/Assemblies/Ford/ford_347.htm

331 Stroker:
http://www.coasthigh.com/Assemblies/Ford/ford_331.htm

For some reason, the explanation on the 347e Stroker is under the 331 Stroker area, so I included both addresses.

Bob Pasquale
Tech Performance & Engineering
Torque Monster Headers