trying to do performance right w. 5.0 explorer

[expo5.0]

I am trying to get as much bang for my buck etc. by modifying my explorer. it has 155k on the odometer right now.

here is the current plan-

new custom ground cam (got a great local place to do it), springs retainers etc. etc.

the new torque monster headers- or modded stang long tubes (see below)

high volume cloyes oil pump, timing chain, water pump etc. while im in there

255 lph in tank fuel pump, kirban adjustable fpr, stock injectors (the shop can modify them to flow as well as like an aftermarket 26# or so they say)

msd dis4 ignition upgrade, new wires, and new copper plugs

NOS 5115 nitrous kit (100 shot)

bottle warmer, purge (just fo show), nitrous and fuel pressure gauges. later down the road a remote bottle opener

and finally a complete custom burned flip chip done on the dyno at his shop




I still have a couple of completely unresolved issues. i hope many of you can help shed some light on them etc. and as i learn th answers either from here or elsewhere i'll let everyone on here know as well.

1. how far off are mustang long tubes from fitting? these guys are willing to redo parts of them for a very reasonable rate. they feel i'd be much better served with those than with the torque monster headers etc. what do you think about this situation? are the torque monster headers what i want to produce as much power down low as i can?

2. i want to keep this as quiet as possible. it will def. have a high performance type sound more as a byproduct of the parts than as a result of my "race" type exhaust system. I don't want to ruin my stereo or my image by getting it real loud. I currently still have all 4 stock cats (with 155k on em) and a dual in dual out 2.5" magnaflow muffler. the system has no tips on it, just 2.5" pipe dumped behind the axle out of site.

would you remove cats? will i see power gains by removing the cats? will it get louder if i do so? i know that dual 2.5" will be more than enough etc. for pipe sizes, but currently that section of my truck is much smaller than that... should i upgrade that section? i don't need to pass any emissions, but i want it quiet. let me know how you would set that part up on a budget...

3. should i leave my truck awd? i def. will not be using it in the winter in the future etc.. i know the awd system has a lot of weigh to it etc. how much would it cost me to swap to 2wd? should i just leave the front driveshaft disconnected after i go to the dyno, and be 2wd for a while and have the ability to go back? whats your take on this situation? also, how hard is it to disconnect it on my truck?

also, what size pipes will the headers be expecting? stock right? what about most mustang headers?



we are hoping to see a 50-60 hp gain at the wheels without the nitrous from my current essentially stock + e cam set-up. with the nitrous i hope to lay down some real nice power numbers.
too bad i have the heaviest truck of all time with my stereo and it will still be slow as heck.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

Performance Parts

Hello

I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport 4x2.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for any performance upgrades I can do to my Explorer.

I already have Dual Chamber 2 Flowmasters. So exhaust is all done.

Thanks

 

[expo5.0]

everyone please remain calm. its only osama bin laden.

i got hijacked

 

[AnabolicFrolic]

LOL

 

[kfkodiak]

Better call Washington. I'm sure they'll want to know you found him.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If you remove the fornt driveshaft you will need to use the e brake everyitinme you stop. The AWD's park with the front diff. As far as dropping the AWD I wouldn't bother. Like you said the truck is heavy as all get out, and unless you plan on dumping some stereo ballast (I wouldn't bet on that one ) I'd leave it as is. You probably could do the swap for free however. I'm sure someone here would trade you their 2wd parts, for your AWD. I didn't see a rebuild in there, are you having them do the top end? I'd either keep the cats, or drop them for a set of high flows.

 

[expo5.0]

yeah, i'm leaning towards just leaving em. if i lose 4 hp i lose hp by keeping them from polluting. i hate pollution, but i'd hate spending the money for aftermarket high flows even more...

 

[expo5.0]

hey, as for parking brake- i need a line lock...

 

[DCider]

Some things to consider:
1. How much do you want to spend, how much can you spend and what is the high water mark?
2. What would it cost to have a motor built for you with you target HP/torque numbers in mind?
3. Do you want to do a build up on a high milage motor and possibly have to spend that again soon to rebuild it? And more to the point, can you existing motor last for the duration of time that you want after the build up?

It may be cheaper to start with a core and build it up slowly over a few months to a year and get it right the first time. There's lot's of "free" hp if you know where to look for it from the start rather than chase it.

 

[expo5.0]

i think i have looked at those issues well enough.

i can spend 400-600 a month. this will get me to my target for all of this which is around 2k plenty quickly.

if/when i have another motor built i will be going with a 347 that is much more built than this motor will be (450/450). it will cost around 7k by the time its in the truck.

i'm happy with keeping this motor and staying short of my ultimate power goals because i simply can't put that much on credit cards etc. (and i'd rather be half way there this spring power wise, than half way there this spring with a pile of cash in my underwear drawer.

as for the motor being somewhat old, 150k. the consensus is that i have enough left in it to last me probably indefinitely with how much i drive the truck.

so yeah, im wasting my money by not saving for my ultimate goal, but aren't we all? i should sell my explorer now and rollerblade everywhere while i save for a new GT. I guess the trade-offs or risks in throwing 2k at it now to get something good out of the truck now and fairly immediately def. outweigh waiting until the end of summer to do something else. (besides the fact that i'd change my mind by then and spend it 800 other things)

 

[wpurple]

Go with a Supercharger!

 

[expo5.0]

can't i see virtually the same as the sc with just the right cam and tuning...

besides the fact that i'd much rather have it NA its just so much more fun. Just think of the way it will sound vs. the way it would sound with a supercharger.

also, i think doing this will increase the longevity of the motor because i'll be going into it and upgrading replacing things a bit.

i dunno, you tell me why the charger is better... i just told you why i thought this was better.

 

[james t]

You can get 350hp at the crank easy with just cam and heads. Well, i say "just" but im sure you already know that you would need everything to support that (headers, fuel pump, blah blah blah). Its up to you. Charger has the ease of install thing going for it, and since its a really big mod you can do smaller stuff afterwards to get even more power. I personally think it would be cool to have an all motor explorer that made decent power.

 

[expo5.0]

the shop making me the cam (the owner himself) has told me that i should see a 60 hp gain at the wheels in a very useable range with the cam he's building. i will be leaving the stock heads. that is enough gain for me, and i think it will be more fun than having a charger even if i were to see a little larger gain with one. should sound soooo much better this way. plus i'll have the 100 shot in there too and it will all only cost as much as the charger.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Mu exhaust shop (willing to remove cats) said that removing them would make the exhaust smell bad, and when his buddy without cats pulled up (Dodge Ram V10 without cats) it indeed did smell pretty bad. That may be a factor to you.

 

[racebronco2]

the shop making me the cam (the owner himself) has told me that i should see a 60 hp gain at the wheels in a very useable range with the cam he's building

that is like 80 hp at the crank .... i don't know of any cam that gives you that much power in a usable range, without a higher stall tq converter .... i was told that the stock tranny is good for about 350 hp (ee) .... the awd system with a high stall will give you a great 0-60 time, without the awd you will have problems hooking up with the nitrous ..... i would say a 2800-3000 rpm stall would be perfect with nitrous since you're suposed to use it after 3000 rpms .... it would good to about 80mph, where the wind resistance becomes much greater