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supercharged 5.0 true fire 98 explorer sport

hi everyone, my name is tim . i live in selkirk, manitoba, canada and as if this date that i am posting this, i am 36 years old.

i bought my sport in jan 05 from a local ford dealer. it had 111,000KM's on it. this is the second sport i have owned. it was sitting on the lot for about 8 months before i came along. i am the third owner (i was able to track down the person that traded it in, and they got it from a friend, who bought it new in 98).

i started to do a few things to it after i first got it, then i found this site, and all hell broke lose! i've never been satisfied with something the everyone else has, so i started to tinker with it even more.

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mods include

interior

installed factory tilt, cruise, overhead console, auto dimming mirror, full length console, with a message center (it didn't have these from factory).

white face with blue flames indigo gauge covers (they light up blue)
blue l.e.d. everything
white l.e.d. interior lights
Kenwood DDX392 Touch Screen Head Unit
alpine 4 channel amp (all four speakers)
boston acoustic front and rear speakers
alpine mono amp (for sub)
2 12 inch jl audio subs
rockford fosgate cap
passenger side one touch window down mod.
custom transfer case shifter
tripple a pillar gauge pod, housing autometer boost, Innovate LC-1 wideband, and oil pressure gauge
12v power inverter with 120v plug in a 2 usb plugs built into the center console

exterior

BMW E46 projectors, mounted into stock housings using clear lens
6000K HID head lights
angel eye "driving" lights, with 8000k h.i.d.'s
clear parking/corner lights
billet grill (powder coated by Turdle)
blacked out ford emblems
custom front steel 95-98 bumper, with 4 inch round tubes welded in for driving lights
shaved radio antenna
shaved roof rack
black euro tall lights
l.e.d. license plate lights
smoked out 3rd break light
lund rear tailgate spoiler/wing (formally from the truck "blackjack" owned by EF member Spas)
hand made roll pan (made from 3 1/2 rear bumpers, with 1/4 inch diamond plate on the top, and it is removable)
aluminum T/A differential griddle/cover (powder coated by Turdle)
Motegi Mr107 20' rims
goodyear wrangler hp p245/50 r20
1 1/4 wheel spacer in the rear, 3/8 in front
and most noticeable, black with blue pearl paint, and blue true fire (ground effects are black with blue pearl as well)

Suspension

2 inch lowering blocks in the rear, reverse TT in the front (2 inch as well)
Explorer Express rear sway bar
4 door leaf springs
rancho rs9000 adjustable rear shocks
03-05 sport trac spindles with drilled and slotted rotors

performance

5L swap
347 stroker
TFS twisted wedge alum heads
comp gold 1.6 rockers
comp cams CCA-35-556-8 nitro cam
heavily modified edelbrock victor jr air gap intake (which serves as a valley pan now)
eaton m122 supercharger (metco 2.70 pulley, and ASP 8 rib 7 1/4 crank pulley) with custom made mount with bell intercooler core
8 rib serpentine belt conversion using pulleys from a 7.3 powerstroke
custom made 3 1/2 inch throttle body elbow
accufab 75mm throttle body
4 inch intake pipe
PMASS MH90 90mm Universal 3000 KG/HR MAF
amsoil cone filter
F.A.S.T. 60lb injectors
edelbrock fuel rails, trick flow specialties fuel pressure regulator with summit racing fuel pressure gauge
walbro 255lph fuel pump
1/2 inch steel braided fuel pressure line from tank to rail using 8AN fittings
torque monster headers
2 1/2 duel pipes with flowpro duel in and out 2 1/2 single muffler
accel extreme 9000 ceramic 45 degree plug wires with boot protectors
4R70W w/2600 stall with J mod
tuff stuff 200a alternator
tuning made possible with sct pro-racer package, and tuned with major help from member [MENTION=102869]Dono[/MENTION] and [MENTION=81804]4pointslow[/MENTION]
flex a lite duel 12 inch electric fans
big 3 upgrade (4 gauge wires)
meziere innercooler water pump
2 froozenboost innercooler rads

Transfer case

4406 manual shift from a 97 F150
modified stock trans cross member to accept 93 mustang 5L polyurethane tans mount
double cardan rear drive shaft

because of all the "fun" i had doing the bodywork, and some other things to my truck, i have nick named it "evil dora" or if you like, just plane "evil"!
and now the thank yous

my buddy gord leiss, who let this thing sit in his garage for 3 months while i did the body work to it. he also gave me a hand with some of the prep work, and painted it for me

kevin willson for doing the true fire http://affordableairbrushing.ca/

Joe Bukoski for letting me do the 5L/4406 swap in his garage

now people from this site, weather they knew it or not, they helped

BIG THANKS to tara a.k.a. explorersport77 for pictures of her truck. wouldn't been able to build the roll pan with out them!

ExplorerSport77's X "Hotness"

jon a.k.a. Turdle for selling me some real swanky rear shackles, as well as powder coating the diff cover and sending them up to canada. as well as much needed info on v8, and 4406 swaps as well as doing the grill and showing me how its done.

don aka dono for the help with the tuning, and wideband, as well as the supercharger

andy aka ahodges for some parts, and any help i needed for all the go faster goodies

5.0 swap - w/ 4406

jad2411 for finding me a link for my hidden antenna

ryan a.k.a. MustangP51 for doing his write up on making l.e.d.'s for interior lights, and how to make projectors

P51's HID Headlight (Projector) and Fog Conversion (PICS)

and N3ELZ cardomain page for L.E.D. switch and cruise pod mods

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-6
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-12
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/2002-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-23

bob a.k.a. rwenzing for showing me speedhut's sit for the gauges

Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod

Buzz4x4 for his write up on blacking out ford emblems

How to Make Your Own Custom Ford Emblems

the late aldive for his write up on one touch down passengers window mod

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141027&highlight=touch+passengers+window+mod

BIG COUNTRY, for his write up on how to install a auto dimming mirror

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84968

BIG COUNTRY, 98formulaLS1, and Ryon40 for there write ups on how to install a message center

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225017&highlight=BIG+COUNTRY
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80670&highlight=message+center
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245085&highlight=Ryon40

MountaineerGreen for his 4406 swap write up and "Custom" Driveshaft for a 4406 and 4" Superlift on the Cheap " (even tho its lowered

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726&highlight=awd+4x4+swap
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

Simon, aka blueka for his "pickle" thread, and help anytime i picked the phone up the phone on the 5L swap

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271813

Jon, aka 4pointslow for any MAJOR technical advice i have needed

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219092

i wish i could find who did the write up on the overhead console install, but here is the link

http://www.explorer4x4.com/overhead.htm

Russ aka NICE59FORDF100 for his help on the wiring, and what to watch out for electronically.

hopefully one day, i will be able to help people on here just as much as the people that i have mentioned above!

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plus you know you have done something right when.....

your truck (as well as corkey) wins truck of the month

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=296023

is the feature truck on the fun hump day radio show (starts roughly around the 30 min mark)

http://explorerforum.podbean.com/2011/03/23/19-vroom-zoomboom/

and you drive 26 hours ONE WAY to the carlisle all ford nationals in june 2010 and 2011, and grab second place in the s.u.v. all category!

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then in 2014 you go back to the same show you have been to 5 years in a row (nothing by most, but its one hell of a long drive) and take first!

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so spring seems like it is coming faster then i thought! was also a busy day today. managed to get a ranger i have sitting here up for sale, also bought another car to flip (this was a odd one, a vw golf that one of my ex's parents have, was going to call them and ask if they wanted to sell it, but her dad knocked on my door this morning asking me if i wanted to buy it. what are the odds lol). even started evil up. the neighbors also noticed. also left my first 2 tire strips of 2021! i knew it was going to be nice out and wanted to get a start on getting things done. i got a late start however. i did managed to get some pulleys swapped over.


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old six rib 7 1/4 to eight rib 7 1/4. the smooth pulley i have for the tensioner is too small. i am trying to figure out if i should leave the 6 rib smooth one on, or search for a larger 8 rib smooth. i am going to use the factory water pump pulley but i am not sure if i am pushing luck with the tensioner or not. also the a/c pulley is a real PITA! trying to get that c clip out with the compressor still on the motor is not fun at all. gave up on it however and will try again tomorrow. i also got to try a new toy today as well.

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ive wanted a under hood light for years but just couldnt bring myself to buying one. well, i sold another truck a couple weeks back and did very well with it, so i splurged and bought one. best money i have spent i tell you. this is in the darkest corner of my yard and it lights it up like daylight. no shadows even when i am under the hood. can also be used inside if i clip it on the doors, or i can also use it under the truck as well. wasnt cheap, but you get what you pay for right?
hopefully i can get the a/c pulley off tomorrow and move on to putting the rear blocks in as well as some slotted and drilled rear rotors that came with dons limited that are BFN.
 



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I'm looking forward to seeing what this summer brings. I'm sure you will get under the 12.5's.
I'm betting the fouling plug issue was fixed once that hole in the snout was plugged.
The 2'nd gear wot logging seemed to work really well.

I'm looking forward to continuing the tuning process with Tim and adding to the zoom, but avoiding the BOOM.
 






I'm looking forward to seeing what this summer brings. I'm sure you will get under the 12.5's.
I'm betting the fouling plug issue was fixed once that hole in the snout was plugged.
The 2'nd gear wot logging seemed to work really well.

I'm looking forward to continuing the tuning process with Tim and adding to the zoom, but avoiding the BOOM.
if this helps, i think its fouling the plugs if it sits and idles for a few mins. i noticed yesterday when i went for the first scream (mind you i am pretty sure the plugs that are in it now need changing) when i nailed it, i could see smoke. meh, will have to wait till its a little warmer out before playing around with the tune.

have all the pulleys on now. trying to get the belt on is not fun getting it between the water pump and crank. i think its about a 1/8th bigger then my old pulley, but they both should be 7 1/4. as well as after fighting with that snap ring on the compressor for what seemed like forever plus a day i ended put pulling the compressor off. green crap everywhere. it to was also not fun getting it out, but after some choice language she came.
 






oh yea, don, i looked at the TOD for the limited last night. forgot to get you to sign it...technically its still yours lol
 






Lol. No problem on the tod.
It's funny that you say your truck starts to choke its self after idling for a long time. Mine used to do that also. It's strange, as the narrow band oxygen sensors are controlling the fuel, and the ie circuit is controlling spark. I don't know what to say, other than maybe it's the cam, and I'm going to have to see if I can figure out how to stop it from happening.
 






8 rib belt, DONE

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getting it between the water pump pulley and crank was not fun. basically jam it in cross ways, then pull with all your might. once it slips on the groves it slides easy at least. ran it for a a few mins at idle to see if anything was smoking or squealing. i did however forget to turn the defrost or ac on but then again, i have to recharge the system. that i can do tomorrow (working afternoon shift really sucks)

i was also a little leary about using the six rib pulley for the water pump and tensioner, but i think i will be ok.....
or at least i have talked myself into that conclusion. thoughts?

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Well done, that looks very good. I too was hoping the WP pulley would work for the 8-ribs. It looks like almost all of the belt rides on it, enough I bet it will be fine.

I would suggest maintaining the pulley bearings well, be sure they are never old, and inject grease when first put on. I saw some how to(you tube maybe) that suggested many off the shelf pulleys have less grease than they should(fast production and low QC). So it may be helpful to add some grease as depicted, with a pin adapter in a grease gun.
 






Looks great! Those extra 2 ribs make a big difference. I bet the tensioner and water pump pulleys will be ok, but it would be nice to have a little more "grace" area on them. Just keep an eye on it and see if you notice any stress on the belt.
 






the wrong way to do lowering blocks.


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the correct way to use lowering blocks........

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and yes, i knew i did that......
 






Is that the same degree angle as the wedges? It looks like more in the pictures.
 






it should be the same. the wedge is 1/2 (4 degrees). when i bought the blocks they already had a 4 degree in them so they only had to cut a inch off.
 






took it for another ride today, this one being more..... aggressive.....
now keep in mind, it is cool here still, 6C (43F). i did a wot in second down the highway up until it went to third and made a point of watching the boost gauge. i swore it hit 13lbs of boost......whoops....
 






13lbs, that's a good number. I'd call boost around 14psi a sweet spot, 20psi would be really serious.
 






Sounding like the pulley swap was a good thing Tim.
With the timing table, I extended the load/timing past what was actually being logged using SWAG (Sophisticated Wild Arsed Guess) so the higher the load (boost) went, the more timing would be removed. Did I pull not enough? Too much? No clue. Hopefully there was no engine rattling going on.

I'll be excited to get back to seeing a log and refreshing my skills after not looking at any tuning all winter. The up side of loosing my turbo explorer is that I get to re-install some stuff on my mustang. Once I can get it out of storage, I'll install the J&S knock sensor/retard unit and see where I'm at for engine knock and tune timing safely. Then I can add my water/meth kit and squeeze a degree or two more timing.....Then smaller supercharger pulley and tweak tune some more. Ah, hobby's :) love em (As long as things are going right, and we don't blow stuff up).
 






The good news is if I send the pistons threw the hood and blow the welds on the intake I know where I can get another stroker 😁
Also that was the only time I saw it go that high. Really don’t want to be at that much when it’s hot out.
 






Watch the IAT's, if those stay reasonable and stable, the engine can take it. The intercooler is the key to the IAT's being moderate and not too high. The tune can handle it if the IAT doesn't spike a lot. That's where the J&S spark detection device can come in handy, but you may not need it. It depends on the tune, keep it conservative and slowly work up to what you like the best.
 












more stuff i am replacing my original bad ideas. wheel eccentric spacers.

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ive seen enough youtube videos of guys punching it, and ripping the rear tires out from under the 1/4 panels.
i didnt want to be that guy.

ill have to set aside a weekend so i can drop the tank and fit in the drive shaft loop.

speaking of wheels, today was a wicked nice day. i made it official and put the 20's on and went for a ride.
when don sold me his truck, it also came with all the parts he had. which included new rear slotted and drilled rear rotors and pads. i put them on and discovered afterwards i believe i have a froze rear caliper. pump once, it stops. pump twice, it really stops so that will be on the list.
another thing on the list, this new found power is a blessing and curse all at once. hit the fun peddle, and she goes.....however not always where you want it to. not sure if i mentioned but in the fall when the new blower went on, i almost nailed the boulevard doing around 70kms (45mph) trying to beat a red light. hit the gas, and it broke the tires around 1/2 or so throttle. thought it was a fluke until today when i went to speed up hitting the throttle again close to the same speed and same throttle when sideways she went.
not really fun if your not expecting it, or have another car beside you.
new tires are on the list of things to get....
 






So I found this today......

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What is this you ask? This is the rear sway bar bushing bracket that goes from the bar to the axle. The one on the right is what it should look like. How one does this, or how long it’s been like that I have no idea......
 



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Think the torque twisting the rear axle did that? Holy ****.
 






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