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

 

[Jakee]

You'll be okay. The problem with changing heads in the vehicle is the timing chains, like the passengers side where the chain is at the rear. There's not much room to do what you need to do so pulling the engine is probably the only way.

 

[lifted4.0]

soo i dropped the block/pistons/rings/wrist pins and old pistons at the shop today, and are having them bore the block to the piston size...and install the rings..and size the rings to the right end gap

and im question is...they are weisco pistons, and they came with a little sheet that said, bore size: 3.9770" and then it said at the other side..

land groove (i think) GRV width something else
top ring
second ring
last ring


that was the table that it looked like....and it was filled in with 9 numbers.....and im wondering if that is the information that the shop needs to set the end gap to....

should the instructions that came with the pistons tell the shop EXACTLY what the gap needs to be?!!?

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes they can use that, and your vehicle application. You need to tell them that the engine is for using with a supercharger. Those things let them figure out what the best rings to use are, and the ring gap.

 

[stsmoker]

quick question...is there a supercharging kit for an 05 explorer?

 

[Jakee]

This is probably tolerance information for those pistons. If you haven't already purchased an engine rebuild book for the engine, do so next.

Here’s a little info that answers the question but again, get a book.

1) Before installing the new pistons rings, the ring end gaps must be checked. It's assumed that the piston ring side clearance has been checked and verified correct.

2) Lay out the piston/connecting rod assemblies and the new ring sets so the ring sets will be matched with the same piston and cylinder during the end gap measurement and engine assembly.

3) Insert the top ring into the first cylinder and square it up with the cylinder walls by pushing it in with the top of the piston. The ring should be near the bottom of the cylinder, at the lower limit of ring travel.

4) To measure the end gap, slip a feeler gauge between the ends of the ring until a gauge equal to the gap width is found. The feeler gauge should slide between the ring ends with a slight amount of drag. Compare the measurement to the tolerance you have for your pistons. IF the gap is larger or smaller than specified, double-check to make sure you have the correct rings before proceeding. If there is any doubt contact the parts store where the rings were purchased. to verify that the correct ring set is being used.

5) Excess end gap isn't critical unless it's greater than the specified limit. Again, double-check to make sure you have the correct rings for your engine.

6) Repeat the procedure for each ring that will be installed in the first cylinder and for each ring in the remaining cylinders. Remember to keep rings, pistons and cylinders matched up.

7) Once the ring end gaps have been checked/corrected, the rings can be installed on the pistons.

8) The oil control ring (lowest one on the piston) is usually installed first. It's composed of three separate components. Slip the spacer/expander into the groove. Next, install the lower side rail. Don't use a piston ring installation tool on the oil ring side rails, as they may be damaged. Instead, place one end of the side rail into the groove between the spacer/expander and the ring land, hold it firmly in place and slide a finger around the piston while pushing the rail into the groove. Next, install the upper side rail in the same manner.

9) After the tree oil ring components have been installed, check to make sure that both the upper and lower side rails can be turned smoothly in the ring groove.

10) The number two (middle) ring is installed next. It's usually stamped with the mark which must face up, toward the top of the piston. Note: always follow the instructions printed on the ring package or box - different manufactures may require different approaches. DO not mix up the top and middle rings, as they have different cross sections.

11) Use a piston ring installation tool and make sure the identification mark is facing the top of the piston, and then slip the ring into the middle groove on the piston. Don't expand the ring anymore than necessary to slide it over the piston.

12) Install the number one (Top) ring in the same manner. Make sure the mark is facing up. Be careful not to confuse the number one and number two rings.

13) Repeat the procedure for the remaining pistons and rings.

 

[lifted4.0]

sooo each ring has a different end gap width? if soo, thats probably what the table was saying......cause that section was listed "RINGS"

 

[Jakee]

Very possible. Just take your time with the rebuild once you get the engine back. Don't be ashamed to spend three days putting the engine together.

When engines don't last after a rebuild, it's more than likely because the guy putting the thing together didn't check things.

 

[lifted4.0]

oo i plan on taking the better part of 3-4 weeks...there is still a lil bit of snow up here and its cold, soo i cant put the engine in the truck or dont want to till it gets alittle warmer..

soo i went to autozone to get some assembly lube, and the guy said to put some on a clean rag and whipe down the cylinder and then put some on the rings of the pistons so they dont seeze, and then put it on every metal to metal part that is moving

 

[r37ribution]

Try to find aftermarket rod bolts. Rod bolts are the weakest link in all Ford engines. Check with ARP, it's worth the insurance.

This is an accurate statement from everyone I've talked to. Even Tom said if you're not going to upgrade anything else in the rebuild go with the ARP rod bolts. Seeing that he was promoting the $160 part vs. his $400 head studs I trusted him but I also bought the head studs. $600 in bolts is pretty expensive but bolts are what keeps the engine together and if they save me from another engine pull and rebuild they will be worth it.

......but my uncle is having me doing it right...build it once...(but sometimes i think that may be void if you are building it for power)

If you end up pulling your motor apart multiple times the head studs are really going to save your block. The protect the threads in the block for the head bolts by putting a stud there so that it is never removed again each time you pull the heads.

How are you planning on installing an m112? You going to make your own brackets? I might be interrested in your m90 kit. What kit do you have?

 

[lifted4.0]

people have told me that stock bolts would be fine with my application, but if i had the money i should go with the ARP...but tom from SSM said that 300whp isnt gonna BLOW the heads right off the block with stock bolts, he said they should hold up and that the ARP would be used just for torquing (he said its easier or soemthing to torque a hex bolt rather than a torx head..i think thats what he said..)

but yaa...im still worried that the shop wont gap the rings right, even though there was that table that came with the pistons....god im like praying right now...

the m112, i am making a custom manifold with my buddy...box shape..and a custom upper intake from the charger that holds the lightning TB, and i had my m90 up for sale right now, but i think i have to wait till i get this m112 running to let it go cause if it doesnt fully work, i dont have a charger

 

[CDW6212R]

Have you discussed the actual assembly process with the machinist? If you don't feel completely comfortable doing it yourself, you might see what they would charge to do it. I couldn't pass up the deal on my shipped engine, partly due to the cost including full assembly. Some places will charge a whole lot, but reputation is very important.

 

[Jakee]

After you get it built, wrap a couple of chains around it very tight with a come-a-long to hold it together.....

Just kidding, don't try this.

 

[stsmoker]

Is there a supercharging kit you can buy for the third gen ex's?

 

[Jakee]

you can try explorerexpress.com or pm RPcaster and see what he has.

 

[lifted4.0]

theres the newest creation...running really rich though, still trying to figure out how to lean it out...

leave me some feeedback!

 

[CDW6212R]

That's great that you got it running, well done. You spent the time to make it work, that's the hardest part.

The inlet plenum looks rough but it's a start. I'd have chosen a Mustang(86-93) TB, as they are readily available in many sizes, as well as the spacer plate. The plenum between the TB and the top section over the SC could be larger(move the TB back away from it).

It looks like you have plenty of hood clearance, but not quite enough to add an intercooler.

Work on the tuning quickly, being rich is safer than being lean, but you still need it to be right. Work with a tuner and the flasher to program the fuel and timing, it will need a lot of changes. with those 42's.

 

[lifted4.0]

right where the intake comes off of the throttle body is where the resistance against the hood is....

im going to try to cut and weld the lightning intake back together to make it shorter..height wise,and then use the lightning TB with a mustang IAC valve

also took out the air conditioner compressor pump or whatever it is...cause i broke a peice of that when installing the headers....soooo we just got a different size belt to take that out of the loop!..

this is completely in the test....the new engine is basically done...and i want to have this thing basically running well before i put it on the other engine...

 

[CDW6212R]

Well I mentioned the Mustang TB because I just got finished with mine. I bought a 75MM TB, for NA use, and the OEM IAC and TPS will bolt to it. I had to modify my OEM TB, but it works. The Mustang spacers are easy to add to them. Can you can turn the TB 90 degrees to get the IAC on another side? The Mustang TB's can be had as large as 110mm I believe, 90mm is common.

I was thinking that you might rebuild the section from the TB spacer, to the top section. Shorten the round tube, and make the section leading from that angle up straight towards the top of the plenum.

 

[lifted4.0]

yaaa i should be able to twist that block with the IAC on it....but that happened to be the way we welded the holes on..soo we just put it on...

if i did the math correctly....the lightning twin blade 65 mm is 6636 mm^3 and the 90mm would be 6300ishmm^3 sooo its slightly more...and i would say it will loook BADDDDDD A$$$!!! ahahah and just because it came with the m112...i dont have to buy another TB...and the intake came with the charger...soo im just trying to use those...

oooo yaaa definatelly...me and friend are going to try to get this thing running right such that we can sell them reliably....and that intake will get a LOT better flow wise with progress.

 

[CDW6212R]

How much belt wrap do you have on the alternator now? You might take another alternator bracket and see if you can weld on another idler pulley mount at the very top of the bracket. The alternator may need a little more belt wrap, keep an eye on that voltage.