bichon
Member
- Joined
- May 2, 2007
- Messages
- 18
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- alberta
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97xl
I have a 97 XL with 4.0 L OHV engine. Only mod is the Brown Wire Mod for the 4 x 4 and I use the truck in 2 wheel drive most of the time. I wanted a bit more power and better gas mileage so I started tinkering with an idea.
The 97 Explorer came with the round air cleaner. I went to an auto wrecker to stimulate my mind and search for ideas. Here is what I did.
I found a 98 Explorer with a rectangular air filter. I bought the air intake rubber hose and the air cleaner box with mounting bracket. I also got the plastic plate behind the headlight that the air cleaner nozzle goes through. I looked around the wrecking yard and found a 95 Lincoln - looked like a 302 Cu In engine. I pulled the Air Flow Metering unit and discovered that it was about the same intake diameter as the hose and Air Cleaner off the 98 Explorer. So I bought the air flow meter from the 95 Lincoln. As a bonus - and this is important - the sensor mounting on the Lincoln was the same as my own 97 Explorer. Then I found an older Ford Aerostar and took off the air intake nozzle from the left front fender and bought that too.
I took all my parts home and went to work. I cut a hole in the end of the 98 air cleaner box with my dremel and I added the Aerostar intake nozzle. I removed the air flow meter sensor from my 97 and bolted it into the 95 Lincoln box so the electrical connection is the same( needed my secure torx for that). Then I pulled out the rest of my old intake parts and replaced them with my "new" setup. Straight in with about 20 minutes time. I had to drill a small hole in the rubber intake for the intake temp sensor(a bit of silicon sealer around the base). Now I had two intake nozzles and a 68 MM air flow box (instead of 60 mm on the stock 97) with a rectangle air filter.
I disconnected my battery terminal for a minute to reset the computer. I fired up the engine and it worked fine. After driving my 97 for the past month here is what I have achieved. I have had no engine codes! I can spin my back wheels on bare pavement, I easily outran a 4.0L OH cam Explorer and my gas mileage has improved by about 12%. Not bad for $30.
The 97 Explorer came with the round air cleaner. I went to an auto wrecker to stimulate my mind and search for ideas. Here is what I did.
I found a 98 Explorer with a rectangular air filter. I bought the air intake rubber hose and the air cleaner box with mounting bracket. I also got the plastic plate behind the headlight that the air cleaner nozzle goes through. I looked around the wrecking yard and found a 95 Lincoln - looked like a 302 Cu In engine. I pulled the Air Flow Metering unit and discovered that it was about the same intake diameter as the hose and Air Cleaner off the 98 Explorer. So I bought the air flow meter from the 95 Lincoln. As a bonus - and this is important - the sensor mounting on the Lincoln was the same as my own 97 Explorer. Then I found an older Ford Aerostar and took off the air intake nozzle from the left front fender and bought that too.
I took all my parts home and went to work. I cut a hole in the end of the 98 air cleaner box with my dremel and I added the Aerostar intake nozzle. I removed the air flow meter sensor from my 97 and bolted it into the 95 Lincoln box so the electrical connection is the same( needed my secure torx for that). Then I pulled out the rest of my old intake parts and replaced them with my "new" setup. Straight in with about 20 minutes time. I had to drill a small hole in the rubber intake for the intake temp sensor(a bit of silicon sealer around the base). Now I had two intake nozzles and a 68 MM air flow box (instead of 60 mm on the stock 97) with a rectangle air filter.
I disconnected my battery terminal for a minute to reset the computer. I fired up the engine and it worked fine. After driving my 97 for the past month here is what I have achieved. I have had no engine codes! I can spin my back wheels on bare pavement, I easily outran a 4.0L OH cam Explorer and my gas mileage has improved by about 12%. Not bad for $30.
