It's like having a new truck....

[BigDave]

This weekend I replaced the shocks on my truck with some Monroe Reflex shocks, (Thanks Andre, you're a life saver.) and I cleaned my K&N and put some bigger holes in the airbox. I have never noticed such a great improvement in performance in my truck. The engine pulls harder and is a little quicker. More importantly though was the shock change. The old ones must have been the stock shocks from 94 with how bad they rode. I had to drive 40 miles without the front right shock attached and it drove better than with the old shock installed.

More to the point though... the reflex shocks are wonderful. Much better control, not as much roll in the curves. It's easier to change lanes at speed. I've never had a new Explorer or driven one, but I think that this is how they drive when new. I have new confidence in my truck.

Let me know if you have questions..

Dave

 

[ChewieM16]

holes in airbox?

what exactly did u do to the airbox to give it more power? i was thinking of building a ram air system somehow. which would be better?

 

[yob_yeknom]

Re: holes in airbox?

Originally posted by ChewieM16
what exactly did u do to the airbox to give it more power? i was thinking of building a ram air system somehow. which would be better?

He drilled holes in the bottom half of the airbox to allow it to suck in air more easily. IF you could get a GOOD ram air setup together, it would be better than drilling holes. Not becuase ram air really would work on our Explorers, but because it would allow colder, denser air to enter the engine.

 

[Rhett]

Yeah, John's right...the ram air thing really would not help on our trucks, since they don't go 120 mph (except a few of us...) but _cold air_ would help. Best bet is to insulate the air intake as much as possible (using heat-reflective tape, such as Cool Tape). A cheap mod that is good..

I saw my friend's F350 with a turbo diesel over the weekend, and that thing had 2 air intake tubes for the turbo, and each was wrapped in reflective tape from the factory. You can do the same to your Explorer's intake, air box, and the tube running from the airbox to the TB (if you have a 4.0 OHV engine).

This F350 had 500...yes, 500 foot/lbs of torque...sheesh
What does a stock 4.0 OHV Explorer have? I think it's about 220-250 foot/lbs? And it's a fairly torquey engine...

 

[BigDave]

I am actually trying to figure out how I could make a ram air setup for the Explorer. I was thinking that because the throttle body points forward in about the center of the engine compartment (and consequently the center of the hood) I could move the MAS to sit right in front of the throttle body and put a modified air cleaner in front of that with a hole in the hood. It would look a little like the new 4runner only the scoop would be functional. I'll have to get a junked hood and cut the hole in that before I try this plan of plans though.

Let me know what you think.

Dave

P.S. YOB was right, I did drill out the lower portion of the airbox. I had a few holes in it already, I just put in some more and made them bigger.

 

[Rhett]

BigDave, if you do that, I doubt you'll see any performance change until you start moving really fast...faster than highway speeds. Unless you are going _really_ fast, the velocity of the air will be insufficient to give any boost.

I think someone here tried out ram air a while back.

Also there is a page on the RangerStation web site where a guy ram air'ed a 4.0 Ranger using PVC pipe.

 

[ChewieM16]

well i went out there today and i did 3 things:
1) took off the black plastic piece infront of the tube that goes into the airbox
2) took off the rubber flap in the grill for that side
3) duct taped and tir rapped the K&N to the top half of the air box and remove the bottom half

i drove around like that for a bit, and what a difference. im gettin awsome gas mileage, a kool sound, and a boost in power when i accelerate. its great!!

-mike

 

[Rhett]

Once the weather warms up, though, won't your engine suck in lots of hot underhood air that way?

 

[ChewieM16]

well i planned 3 things right now for that, this setup is temporary while the weather is still a cool.
1) the tube that runs from the front grill to the air box is still inplace, so it is still shooting new air into the area under the filter.
2) cut giant holes in the lower part of the box now that i have it out. im gunna leave the in the side facing the engine to block some of the heat, and leave the corners on for support.
3) change that stock tube from the grill mentioned before to a bigger pipe and run it to give the filter fresher air more effeciently