Street/strip/off-road

[Gumper]

Have a 1997 explorer 5.0 AWD. It’s my winter rig for now, but I’d like to make it a somewhat quick DD/drag race vehicle for my daughter when she’s old enough to drive. Have been drag racing for 23 years now, but I’m a mopar guy. Was looking at a Trick Flow top end head and cam kit to use with the factory GT40 intake. Would pair that with a 2800 stall converter. Is there any other modifications I’d need to make this work? I’m not familiar with the EFI on fords, so I didn’t know if it needs special tuning. I would like 400 horsepower.

 

[CDW6212R]

Welcome. The Explorer 302 will take most of the same parts that work on other popular 302's. But the lost horsepower through the automatic, transfer case, and the terrible exhaust, will end up being maybe 70% of the power a manual Mustang would make with the same engine combination. So you have to live with the losses from the trans and TC, but you can do a lot for the exhaust(custom work at higher costs).

 

[Gumper]

Welcome. The Explorer 302 will take most of the same parts that work on other popular 302's. But the lost horsepower through the automatic, transfer case, and the terrible exhaust, will end up being maybe 70% of the power a manual Mustang would make with the same engine combination. So you have to live with the losses from the trans and TC, but you can do a lot for the exhaust(custom work at higher costs).

I can fabricate whatever exhaust work is necessary. The weight we are stuck with, but this is also a daily driver in Montana. A fox body wouldn’t work.

 

[CDW6212R]

The weight is about 4500, I have four of them now, three 302/AWD's. The exhaust is all 2.25" like a Mustang 302 was, but they are single from the one muffler back. The exhaust manifolds are horrendous, and the one aftermarket choice is also too small(1.5" primaries with snaked(equal length attempt) pipes(hell to install) and 2.25" ball collectors). That I would say find someone to build simple 1 5/8" shorty headers for them, simple as needed primaries, into a 2.5" collector. There is space(tight at the front diff/pinion/frame/driveshaft) for 2.5" pipes, but again would have to be made. There is space in the back for a huge single muffler(again, that's a single exhaust system), or two thin mufflers stacked. One added 2.25" left tail pipe would double the airflow back there, but few people attempt it.

There are flat mufflers that are about 4" thick, I have a pair of Vortex mufflers to fit next year.

 

[410Fortune]

The factory exhaust
Manifolds are choking how much
Power you can make now, so all of those mods are useless while they are still in place

Aluminum heads cam and valve train can unleash some good sbf power no tuning will be needed until then

All 5.0 explorers are either rwd or awd there is a t case you can bolt in to get a true 2wd/4hi/4 low truck that really transforms these awd (get some passing power lightens up the front end)

All 5.0 explorer are 3.73 gears if you watch the yards a 4.10 front and rear diff can be had from the v6 trucks and bolt in giving you a little more low end off the line performance