i need a supercharging plan..

alright guys, here is the deal, my local shop told me that i need a plan of action for my engine build (they are helping me for a grad challenge high school thing)...

soo the plan currently is... (2003 ford ranger 4.0 SOHC manual, with JBA shorty heads, K&N CAI, and straight pipe)

grab an engine stand of craigslist and a heater for the winter

scrap a old motor out of the junkyard, have one in mind.. 2003 4.0 SOHC with 83K miles....600$ good for that? im gonna try to shop around, but i really want to see the engine run before i buy it, i guess thats just me though AND WOULD A 4.0 explorer engine bolt right up??

Looking for the 300rwhp range

im gonna take it all apart, get someone to hone it, port the heads, get some lower compression pistons i think, around 9:1 i think? and throw in a different cam while im in there (NEED ADVICE ON WHICH ONE AND WHATS INVOLVED, i hear you have to modify some stuff if you go with option A, but can just swap option B in without anything)

internal wise, thats about all im gonna do, not sure if there should be more

sooo after that, gonna start putting it back together and snag a supercharger kit from rpcaster i think...and then snag the charger...(unless someone knows how to mount a better charger, i saw someone on RPS with a MP112)

was thinking about water/meth injecting that, but the local shop said that they could probably rig up an after cooler for it, so i was like, what the hell, that would be good!!...and im planning on putting the smaller/smallest pulley on it

i will be replacing the clutch to complement the power, but have seen people with the stock tranny with this kind of power....i have just been told not to drop the clutch and have the wheels lock up.



PLEASE GIVE ALL THE ADVICE POSSIBLE!! will be starting shopping for an engine tommorow hopefully

 

[lifted4.0]

thanks for that help guys

yoo i got a few general questions...

what am i putting into the manifold when i put on w/m? is it a jet that is in contact with the manifold? a hose? i need to know soo that i can put it in when i take the manifold off...

oil pressure gauge...when i buy a 50$ autometer gauge from ebay...am i just going to tap into the line from my stock oil pressure sender?

umm i think those are my big too questions right now, i am planning on sitting the truck up for 2 weeks or soo to get this new engine in!!! im pumped..

thanks

 

[CDW6212R]

An oil pressure gauge can be electrical or mechanical. The mechanical kind will have a hose or tube which is run between the gauge and the oil tap port. The other has to have a sensor(bought separately usually) at the port, and wires lead to the gauge.

 

[lifted4.0]

soo couldnt i tap into the normal oil sender gauge with the electronic one? if i knew what wire sent the signal to the ECU? causee i dont really want oil going all the way to the gauge in the cab...

 

[CDW6212R]

I figured you would say that, running oil in the vehicle isn't ideal. You don't want the OEM sensor signal, it is simply an ON/OFF signal. The dash gauge only registers "some" pressure, any movement is simply a voltage fluctuation. The older vehicles had larger sensors that generate a varying signal, a 96 Explorer would do that.

The aftermarket senders are smaller, so you want those anyway. Get the needed sender for the chosen aftermarket gauge. Autometer is more expensive than some.

 

[lifted4.0]

soo i would have the stock pressure sendor for the ECU in the engine, and then?? i would need to tap another hole for this say...autometer pressure sensor?

and, do you know what hoods would fit my 03 ranger....02? 01? 04? im looking for a hood that i can hack up, i have to make it taller for the lightning intake

 

[CDW6212R]

It's easy to add one sender at the stock location. Buy a very short nipple(2" pipe, male threads), and a "T" with 1/4" pipe threads(NPT) from a hardware store. Install the nipple in the block, then the "T" on that, followed by the two sending units. Arrange them to aim as needed to fit best.

Your hood is a little different than the Explorer hoods, ask on the RPS forum for ideas for a cowl hood. I like this below, but I think it's your hood size. The title lists it as a 98-04 Ranger hood.

 

[Jakee]

That's good Jake, but not the TPS values. That step 4 is aimed at pre-OBDII vehicles. For all OBDII and newer vehicles the TPS voltage is taken from the TPS and set each time as the new idle voltage.

The idle TPS voltage just needs to be close to 1.0 volt, not dead on .990 volts(or .96 to .98 volts etc). If it's off 50%, such as .5 volts or 1.5 volts, then the TPS is bad.

Therefore, for an OBDII vehicle, check the TPS voltage. If it's not far out of range then leave it alone. Otherwise it's bad and must be replaced. Thus the screws never need to be loosened, let alone opened up. That only applies to pre-OBDII vehicles, and I have actually read that it isn't as critical in those as believed.

You learn something new everyday. Good knowledge.

 

[lifted4.0]

i think im going to the junkyard to get a hood and cut it up, i need something that is gonna be LARGE and in charge in the cowl catagory.

 

[CDW6212R]

Couldn't you start by just cutting a hole in the hood to see how big it needs to be? Or buy a rough hood and cut on it first. The hood selections are slim for these small trucks.

 

[lifted4.0]

yaa my plan was to buy the hood...(metal version...) vs the fiberglass that i have right now....and my plan was to cut it until it closed then try to weld and bondo and stuff over that to make it look good...but my friend, which is gonna do most of the work on that part...said that it would be easier just to kinda cut the cowl and basically make the whole cowl hire with strips of sheet metal....i need height not only where a normal hood scoop would go, but alittle off center (cause its the lightning intake...) sooo raising the whole cowl would do that.

im still having trouble finding a indepth step by step on how to make your own water meth...we right now, im more worried about what i put into the manifold so that i can put the manifold back on the truck..... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories does that look like the peice that would go in the manifold? and then? what connects to that if it is?

 

[Jakee]

Lifted - there is a sticky over at the ranger forum you hang out at that has a step by step on DIY kits.

 

[Jakee]

By the way, I'll be using the AEM meth kit.

 

[lifted4.0]

ya i have been trying to study that w/m thread, the one with the guy taht is running the mp112 right? i think ill be able to put the thing together, but i just need to find the peice that actually goes into my manifold right now, soo that i can put it in before i put the suprecharger on...and get it on the engine, cause i cant drill a hole while its on there..

 

[lifted4.0]

heyy all, new problem/question, soo im looking to open up the exhaust from the stock 2inch OD y-pipe.......the y pipe has one cat on each side...then comes together to another cat that is 2 inch OD...then it goes to ANOTHER cat that is 2 OD and then exits 2.5 OD...then i have a 2.25 straight pippe...

im thinking about having true duals...with high flow cats...but someone said that would be a bad idea? i was thinking about 2.5 from each header....but maybe thats to big for true duals? 2.25? 2? i mean, im getting A LOT of air into this motor with the m112...i need to get A LOT more than stock out..right?

 

[Jakee]

2-1/4" primaries on the Y pipe; get rid of the pre-cats and add one 3" main cat. A 3" single exhaust would be the ticket for you. Going true duels won't sound too good but if you’re set consider using an x-pipe to keep the flow balanced. Look at the 4.0 SOHC mustang options and find some sound clips before you do anything. I’m not sure what size tubing the mustang aftermarket is going with (2.25”?) on the true duels but I’m sure they’re using the x-pipe or h-pipe to create the balance and because it’s really not needed.

 

[Jakee]

I forgot - this is not a stock motor.


I would try this - 2-1/4" primaries out of the headers, 2-1/4" x-pipe, duel 2-1/4" high flow cats, 2-1/4" stepping up into a pair of 2-1/2" single borla proXS mufflers, then go out with some tips of your choice. I say bigger at the tail end to try for a "deep" tone and not a ricer sound.

 

[lifted4.0]

yaa, its 4.0 with 9.4-1 compression pistons forged by weisco, pocket ported heads....bigger injectors...bigger fuel pump...and the momma m112 sitting on top..

yaaa, i was thinking, maybe even just 2 inch true duals....keep that pressure...but just adds another tube instead of the stock were they both come into one single 2 inch tube....yaa ill look for some clips

 

[CDW6212R]

Please guys, try to stop thinking in terms of myths. Back pressure is a bad thing, always. Any restriction causes a reduction in potential flow. An engine is an air pump, the less air you can pump through it, the less power you will get.

If you will be doing any tuning, then always go bigger with the exhaust for the given space and money. NA small V8's make good use of a dual 2.5" exhaust, and 3" is needed if the engine makes good power and good rpm's.

Boost adds air flow, 14.7 lbs. of boost doubles the air flow potential. That Ranger should have as much room as the Explorers, it's tight up front if you have 4WD. I plan to get 3" cat pipes in mine. The exhaust cools down from front to back, the pipes can get smaller going back, but don't choke off the front and add big tail pipes.

I'd make at least 2.5" cat pipes, one pair of high flowing cats. Make the bends mandrel bent, or buy mandrel bends and cut/weld them together. Don't crush bend any pipes if possible, the tailpipes are least important. Run two mufflers side by side, your choice for sound quality. Pick the pipes for power, bigger, as big as will fit. Add an "X" pipe in there if you like, it's easy when the pipes run side by side.

The conclusion must be a full tune of the PCM, that will take advantage of all changes, including the better exhaust.

Engines do not need any back pressure ever, anyone who tells you that is an idiot, IMO. Headers are designed to bring the head primary pipes together into a collector, that's where the flow of adjacent pipes create a vacuum(pull) for the other pipes. The collector is very important.

 

[Jakee]

it is possible to over scavenge. The point is proven when you find dyno runs with open pipes vs a good straight thru muffler. THe muffler will win. Also, the bigger the pipe, the slower the flow. There is a happy medium.

There's a well known tuner that wanted to find the restrictions on the 4.0 SOHC. He pulled the exhaust off after the y-pipe and lost a bunch of torque down low. And since the 4.0 SOHC can't rev much past 5200 without floating the valves on a built motor, you're hurting yourself with this open exhaust. This is where a better valve spring needes to be considered but still, too much pipe will hurt you because the flow actually slows down. You want to keep the exhaust HOT because COLD is densor and densor will be harder to push thru the pipes. You have to find the happy medium.

I believe if the engine can't be revved to the moon then the torque you loose down low can really hurt a street truck. I do agree that some make it sound like you'll loose eveything with too big of pipe.

This topic gets really deep. You'll have to do your own research but I'm confident that the exhaust I described above will give you optimal results.

 

[Jakee]

We can agree to disagree....

It's not full of myths. I'm not going to sit here typing a paragraph to prove it. What I can say is that you misunderstood. I DID NOT mention backpressure or anything about a engine needing backpressure.


Another thing to consider is the WEIGHT OF THE PIPE you'll be adding. Didn't think of that, did you? Overkill can be bad.