Planning a 5.0 Overhaul

[ahodges]

I found out you can do the throttle body mod either way. By either opening p the plate with the set screw or by drilling holes/ increasing the size of the ones in the plate. I didn't drill any holes in my plate and did all the adjustment with the set screw. It idles beautifully..

 

[Turdle]

I found out you can do the throttle body mod either way. By either opening p the plate with the set screw or by drilling holes/ increasing the size of the ones in the plate. I didn't drill any holes in my plate and did all the adjustment with the set screw. It idles beautifully..

That works, but then you have to enlarge the TPS holes to allow movement to get the tps voltage back down. Then it "can" slip and get all whacky

 

[TekMan05]

That works, but then you have to enlarge the TPS holes to allow movement to get the tps voltage back down. Then it "can" slip and get all whacky

Yeah I got a 1/8'' hole drilled and she still seems to want to fight the lopey idle. Even with the voltage set. It's like the IAC or something doesn't want to completely let it lope. May have to play with that throttle plate some more. Maybe drill it out a little bit larger. It will lope here and there and it still likes to bog down sometime when shifting into "D" and "R" especially on inclines. I still think the tune may play a role in the idle though as James has it locked. Ahodges do you know what your idle is set in "P" and "D"? Mine doesn't lope at all in The "D" gear at all. Only somewhat in Park. I'm getting close to 750 miles on the motor now so the break-in is nearing but I want to do more data-logging before opening her up. I am starting to notice a pretty decent mid range pull in her now though. Had a slight set-back. Starter started going kaput on me at work. Luckily I was able to finally get it cranked and back home. Also still tracking down either a lifter tick or exhaust leak from the driver's bank. The joys of aftermarket engine builds.
P.S. I also want to upgrade wire and ignition at some point as well. There still seems to be a slight low end roughness that won't go away completely.

 

[ahodges]

My idle is now set at 900-950 in park (it doesn't lope in park but you can tell it has a decent cam in it.). In drive the idle is set at 750 and I can hear it lope some there. My rpms never dip anymore either though and I never ended up drilling any holes in the throttle plate, just opened it up with the set screw. I found out that a lack of air can cause a dip in rpms when switching from P to D or just free reving it. Hope that helps, feel free to ask me anything else.

 

[TekMan05]

My idle is now set at 900-950 in park (it doesn't lope in park but you can tell it has a decent cam in it.). In drive the idle is set at 750 and I can hear it lope some there. My rpms never dip anymore either though and I never ended up drilling any holes in the throttle plate, just opened it up with the set screw. I found out that a lack of air can cause a dip in rpms when switching from P to D or just free reving it. Hope that helps, feel free to ask me anything else.

Thanks alot that does help quite a bit. I noticed the dips are a little less frequent since I drilled that hole but still happens. I may just have to tinker with that a little more until it completely stops. And hopefully once James finishes with the tuning I can set the idle to lope even more after that. My drive idle right now is as high if not slightly higher than my park idle. So once those selectable features are back I can lower it from there and it may start to lope more then as well. Thanks a lot for the advice! BTW, what kind of ignition setup are you running? I've heard good things about Magnecor wires and MSD coils.

 

[ahodges]

I'm using Aurora wires (out of Canada) which I am happy with. I have the MSD coils but was recently told that they are worse quallity than the stock ones. I was told that by a local dyno shop who sees this stuff all the time so that was very disapointing..

 

[TekMan05]

James sent a tune this morning with the idle set only 15 rpm's lower but took some of the air out on idle and she Lopes now. Also changed the oil again. I'm gonna have to check the drivers side bank of rockers. I have a noticeable lifter tick , I will do that once I get my newer valve covers I planned on getting. Engine overall feels good. Still has probably an exhaust leak somewhere. I just replaced the header gasket though and re tightened and copper sealed the collector flange. Anyone know where I can get a new junction gasket for cylinder 5 primary flange joint? It's the only thing I haven't replaced yet.

 

[TekMan05]

Installed some Taylor 8mm. wires this past weekend(Mon-Tues for me). Seems to run just a smidge smoother. Also tried using a modified GMC Jimmy Exhaust Manifold gasket on the Header joint area. Seemed to quiet at first but now it kinda seems like the leak is starting up again. I have 5 more of those gaskets, my friend suggested the idea because while not completely rounded with a little triming fitted in around the header tubing flange. May have to redo it and put 2 of those gaskets stacked with copper sealant since we didn't use any at the time. I would get the correct gaskets but getting a hold of Bob is anything but easy. Truck still RPM dips even with the modified tune. The lope and idle is intermittent. Usually when it warms up some after a cold start it will then less so after driven a while. It's becoming super frustrating. I've even covered up the drilled holes with electrical tape to experiment with idle characteristics and overall it does the same thing only with it dropping lower more so with the holes more covered. lol I can't win.

 

[JCase]

FTI Street cams are known for NOT being lumpy, just FYI.

Have you scrupulously check for vacuum leaks?

 

[TekMan05]

We've doubled and tripled check as when we replaced the PCV valve we checked then too. Whenever we replace my valve covers I'll probably check again then too. The problem isn't the lack of a ROUGH choppy idle as is it's an inconsistant steady smooth idle. It will here and there then idle slightly higher once driven around. Truck also takes a while for the temp gauge to move as well. Not sure if that's from the clean cooling system, new water pump, and Royal Purple Ice in the system.

 

[ahodges]

We've doubled and tripled check as when we replaced the PCV valve we checked then too. Whenever we replace my valve covers I'll probably check again then too. The problem isn't the lack of a ROUGH choppy idle as is it's an inconsistant steady smooth idle. It will here and there then idle slightly higher once driven around. Truck also takes a while for the temp gauge to move as well. Not sure if that's from the clean cooling system, new water pump, and Royal Purple Ice in the system.

If you still have your exhaust leak that could be causing your idling issues very easily. My best suggestion for that is to get a new set of gaskets from Bob's company (his daughter is running it now as he is out of the country) for those TMH's. After that is dealt with then these things aren't magic; it has to be either a vacuum leak from somewhere you haven't thought of yet or it's in the tuning...

 

[Turdle]

Thomas.
I noticed this also with my Mounty.

Try this. When driving along and approaching a stop-shift to neutral. Watch the tach, see if the idle stays around 1500 RPM's until you come to a complete stop, at which time the idle drops to normal. Keep the trans in neutral as you are stopping.

 

[RTF_EXPLORER]

I'm using Aurora wires (out of Canada) which I am happy with. I have the MSD coils but was recently told that they are worse quallity than the stock ones. I was told that by a local dyno shop who sees this stuff all the time so that was very disapointing..

Really? I just got the MSD's coil packs... Dont tell me that....lol $81 a piece it seems to run a bit smoother but need to get the wires & plugs. I will probably get NGK Iridium's.

 

[RTF_EXPLORER]

Installed some Taylor 8mm. wires this past weekend(Mon-Tues for me). Seems to run just a smidge smoother. Also tried using a modified GMC Jimmy Exhaust Manifold gasket on the Header joint area. Seemed to quiet at first but now it kinda seems like the leak is starting up again. I have 5 more of those gaskets, my friend suggested the idea because while not completely rounded with a little triming fitted in around the header tubing flange. May have to redo it and put 2 of those gaskets stacked with copper sealant since we didn't use any at the time. I would get the correct gaskets but getting a hold of Bob is anything but easy. Truck still RPM dips even with the modified tune. The lope and idle is intermittent. Usually when it warms up some after a cold start it will then less so after driven a while. It's becoming super frustrating. I've even covered up the drilled holes with electrical tape to experiment with idle characteristics and overall it does the same thing only with it dropping lower more so with the holes more covered. lol I can't win.

Very sweet . Where did you pick up the Taylor's at? Those are nice wires. Are they better than the Motorcrafts?

 

[TekMan05]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TAY-72623 right here off summit. It's hard to say if they're better or not. Longevity will probably be what determines if they're better. It did help smooth out the engine pulse a tad. They came with 4 of the wires sock protectors and really make the engine bay pop.
*Jon* I did that test in neutral you were talking about it and it did exactly that. hovered around 1500 rpm's until I came to a dead stopped and went back to its normal idle.
I will say even though I think that leak at the joint has crept back it's still not AS bad as before and the idle actually goes down quicker on start up than before. It will lope a bit just not as hard as the Detroit Rockers on my Mustang. I'll try to make another video to show you guys on Monday-Tuesday If I get time to demonstrate. Maybe that will help out some more.

 

[RTF_EXPLORER]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TAY-72623 right here off summit. It's hard to say if they're better or not. Longevity will probably be what determines if they're better. It did help smooth out the engine pulse a tad. They came with 4 of the wires sock protectors and really make the engine bay pop.
*Jon* I did that test in neutral you were talking about it and it did exactly that. hovered around 1500 rpm's until I came to a dead stopped and went back to its normal idle.
I will say even though I think that leak at the joint has crept back it's still not AS bad as before and the idle actually goes down quicker on start up than before. It will lope a bit just not as hard as the Detroit Rockers on my Mustang. I'll try to make another video to show you guys on Monday-Tuesday If I get time to demonstrate. Maybe that will help out some more.

Thanks I looked them up. Only downside is that I don't see the protective casings like the OEM's for them not to get fried by the exhaust manifolds. Did yours come with them or are they just not pictured?

 

[TekMan05]

Thanks I looked them up. Only downside is that I don't see the protective casings like the OEM's for them not to get fried by the exhaust manifolds. Did yours come with them or are they just not pictured?

No they didn't. What I did though was use some the existing heat socks and wrapped the boots in those. Most auto part stores carry them in the performance sections of the stores. I've put about 100+ miles on these wires and they're still working fine. My idle is starting to rumble a bit more now as well. Still need to replace that joint gasket again though.

 

[TekMan05]

New video. Idle is starting to get better. The RPM drop in Reverse is a tad less occurant. Because of the exhaust you can't hear the leak as well. Still need to get some new gaskets down there then I can data log again.

 

[TekMan05]

Crossing my fingers :notworthy, but I think I may have sealed up that leak on the header joint. And the gasket I used came from an unlikely source. My friend works at O'Reiley's and took my old original gasket to work with him. He noticed that the tube hole and bolt holes match almost perfectly with the MR. Gasket header gaskets made for a 350 chevy. And they do the only thing you have to do to make them work is cut the end flanges off the gasket and line them up. Now there is a SLIGHT gap between the pipe flange and the gasket. Just use plenty of copper sealant to fill in the small gap and put some around the edges of the pipe anyways. The gasket protrudes out a little bit but oh well if it works.

Excuse the mess but I was just worried about gettin it in there best thing about this. Is say even if they fail a year or so down the road I got 3 more back ups ready to go! . My low end torque kicked up a slight bit as well. Now the only thing I really hear is the valve-train(normal from what I been told)

 

[TekMan05]

Can anyone that's had a cammed Explorer tell me if it's normal to experience vibration/slight shaking when in low RPM cruising per say climbing a slight incline with very light throttle? I dunno if that's just a characteristic of having a Cammed Automatic transmission vehicle or not..