Looking at My Options

[xjames]

Well, I have been weighing the options ahead of me. I am more than likely looking at a cracked head on my original engine (wich I had plans of rebuilding or replacing this fall). Now, I can either replace the heads now and get a short-block this fall and tear it all apart again or do it now. I think I have secured a new to me ride. It is a 99 Nissan Frontier King cab 2wd. It needs a little TLC to be road worthy and some body work to look nice (who cares about that?). So I am thinking tear it down now (the Ex) and do it all one time (hopefully). I have been looking around at some remans with 3yr/100k warranty for a low low price of $1900 w/$250 core. The delivery is free but the dealer is only about an hour away so I will pick it up to maybe get a little better deal and maybe avoid the core charge. I could probably get my block rebuilt for less locally but with a much shorter warranty. My thoughts are that now may be the time to perform any modifications to help out performance area. Maybe a little porting and polishing on the intake and some exhaust work. I know some of you guys out there have some real mean machines. My question is if you were in my situation what would you do and why? It's a 91 model and I know I have read about a few things that you guys have recommended to others. All I ask is that you shed a little bit of your wisdom, of all things Ex, with me, please.


I am not to concerned about stressing the tranny, as it appears to have been rebuilt recently and is now equipped with 2 inline aux coolers and a temp gauge that never reads higher than 125 deg. unless driving off-road in low range, when it rises to around 135-140. So I believe it should have no problem handling a little more juice.

 

[boggs1227]

http://www.idealcylinderhead.com/ford-cylinder-heads/idl205-ford-cylinder-head.html


give these guys a try , i found them while looking at head prices,looks good .

new castings not rebuilt for cheap with valves and springs installed

 

[xjames]

Nice, but I don't really want to put new heads on a block, that is old and tired. So why not do all the work now?

 

[little x]

How about a stroked 4.3 short block with performance cam? http://www.moranav6racing.com/category.html?CategoryID=32
With heads with bored intake and exhaust valves, bowl work, 3 angle valve job, yada yada http://www.supersixmotorsports.com/pdf/SSM2007catrev3CylinderHeads.pdf
As well as ported and polished upper and lower intakes http://www.supersixmotorsports.com/pdf/SSM2007catrev3IntakeManifolds.pdf
Use a BBK cone filter, vortech maf, and BBK TB with some headers, high flow cat, and exhaust (all can be found at Summit).

You wanted performance? right?

Seriously though, if I did it again (or when I do it again ), I'd get the 4.3 and the bolt on stuff, but skip the heads and intake, unless my pockets were deep and I was going for pure performance. If it's a stretch, get the 4.3 and then add on the bolt-on stuff as you can afford it.

 

[boggs1227]

something you may want to consider is the way gas price's are these days.do you really want to put in a more powerful engine that drinks more fuel compared to stock ???

we got our explorer as a 3rd vehicle ,my 2005 colorado gets almost 25 mpg on the highway so when ever i got to go long distance's i drive that cause at $3.20 for gas here the explorer is not so good in that department.

but..... i'm not saying dont have anything for fun or sport ...i like that but with fuel these days it make one consider !?

 

[xjames]

Well fuel economy is a small consideration, but reliability is the big thing for me. A highly modded motor like the 4.3 is just to enticing. I would end tearing something up quick because I have a really heavy foot. I seriously drive it alot harder than most people would consider safe. I really enjoyed the threads with guys running triple digits with their Ex's, I live off a long curvy highway. I like hearing the tires roar when you take a 45 mph curve at 70-75-80-85 mph. I occasionally bury the needle on straight aways just to pass people so I don't ride their ass through the curves. I don't need the high end performance. I want a low end improvement. More for an off road standpoint. The Ex is a daily driver but it still sees a fair amount of offroad. I use the Bronco for heavy duty offroading but the Ex sees alot more light duty. I live on a 10 acre hill with 2 valleys, one with a small lake, the other with a swampy bog, wich I drive through quite regularly in both trucks (kind of a way to fulfill the need for mud and not burn a half tank of gas to get there). I also use the Ex for all distant hunting and fishing excursions, while using the bronc for all those secret local spots. You know those that require a tall, wide stance for 1.5 mi water crossings and DEEP mudholes that a mid-size would get lost in. So I do not need any stroked, high revvin, power house. I just want more than I started with.

 

[boggs1227]

something a little better than stock would do me fine as well,my colorado has the 2.8 4cyl 5 speed @ 175 or 180 hp....now for a 4cyl i think it witha 5 speed = one little fast pickup ,i drive modestlly all the time but there are plenty of times i'll crank it up to 5500 rpms and leave most people , so when i want to go fast i'll drive it .

but as for your x .... i guess maybe a rebuild would be in order but not a long block that is already put together at some company maybe a used LOW mileage explorer engine ( may save some money in the process) and have it redone by a local shop and from that point you could tell them what you want to do as far as performance goes .may save some money doing it this way because you would not be buying a long block whatever for $$$$$ but yet your still getting a new motor with parts you pick out your self and that way you can control the amount of $ going into this project and get what you want in performance.that make seance ? bet not i hate typeing lol !

 

[xjames]

You know, that makes alot of sense. I have thought about that. Maybe goin' ahead and getting some new heads and just rebuilding the block I have with a slightly more aggressive cam and then do some gasket matching to the intake and heads. Some headers and a throttle body. I am kinda new to fuel injection modification, I usually just leave it alone til it messes up, like now. I did have an old 83 280 zx turbo back in the day that me and a good friend hopped up a bit. Gaggin the turbo and increasing fuel intake. But that is about as far as I got into it. I guess I need to do some searching about cam grinds and pistons and stuff of that nature. Maybe I should have posted this in the modified thread? Thanks Boggs and LittleX, and anyone else who feels the need to chime in, please do, all advice is truly needed and appreciated.

 

[leefhead]

you could always swap in a 5.0 out of a 2nd gen and sell your redone tranny )