Tuned the Turbo 5.0 Explorer!!

I finally got the Ex tuned this weekend; James drove out Saturday and we got to it. Turns out I am about to max out my Lightning MAF, so when I retune in the spring for 12psi I will have to move up to a SCT BA3000 meter. The truck ran great, only ran into a few issues- I blew a coupler off about 1/4 mile from the house, and then I blew oil all over the engine bay because of a faulty PCV valve. I stopped by the parts store and got a new PCV valve and a one way check valve and it fixed that problem. We ended up having to drive to I-55 to do the 2nd gear pulls because it turns out my truck will do 80mph in 2nd. We also had some issues with my brand new Xcal 2 datalogging, so James did a warranty claim on it and I upgraded to the Xcal3. It basically does the same thing but has more memory, better menu system, and the analog inputs are wired through a much more common Firewire cable(the Xcal 2 uses a 9pin mini din cable).

I was freaking out Wednesday because I realized I forgot to order my new wastegate spring. So I decided I would try to trim my 12psi spring down a little; but before I did I put it on a pump to see where it opened. It was opening on air alone at about 9 psi(spring was colored wrong), but opened at ~5spi on the truck. Since this spring was a large Tial spring, I was able to add a 4psi spring I had in there with it. This finally got me 9psi measured at the madifold.

Since we street tuned it, I dont have any numbers- I can tell you that it tries to lose traction when boost comes on in 1st gear, and the truck is AWD! My AFR was a perfect 11.5-6 across the board thanks to James. He also made this a safe tune timing wise.

I finished the day by going to the car wash to clean up my oil covered engine bay. I dumped so much oil because I was putting pressure into my PCV valve, I have a vented oil cap, and my turbo oil return happens to be on the oil filler neck. So most of the oil being returned from the turbo was being blown right out of the vented cap.

Here are some pictures, and there is a teaser video at the bottom....

 

[justin146]

about 5.5 sec? are your shifts firmed up (line pressure)mechanically or electronically and are you running any more pressure on the holding bands/clutches? Im guessing you are at about 450hp flywheel? Do you think running 12psi or so would make the strength of the block questionable especially with all the weight of the truck, do you know what your truck weighs about?.. I think I ran out of questions

The transmission is firmed up all around electronically- I'll let James say what he did because honestly I dont know for sure. I know we firmed up the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts and changed the torque converter lockup though. I think the truck weighs about 4600, but that is just a guess. The turbo parts only added maybe 100lbs to the truck, but then you have to factor the 20's with 265/50 tires.

I am planning on trying for more boost in the spring, but I think 12psi is is as high as I would want to go. There are plenty of guys running over 500whp with these engines and spinning them to 6k, so I think I will be safe with my 5300rpm rev limiter and 12psi. Anything over 12psi with this turbo(with this size engine) will be way too far out of the efficiency island and be creating tremendously high IATs.

 

[jah81592]

I raise the shift and line pressures accordingly in the tuning software.-j

 

[Jakee]

I think it's faster than a 5.5 0-60. I'm at work now so I can't watch the video again, but I seem to remember Justin launching from a pretty low RPM. Increase that a little and those times will go down. I would practice with that before trying anyting else for more power.

 

[justin146]

I think it's faster than a 5.5 0-60. I'm at work now so I can't watch the video again, but I seem to remember Justin launching from a pretty low RPM. Increase that a little and those times will go down. I would practice with that before trying anyting else for more power.

I started at about 2300rpm under no boost, if I launched under boost it could be much quicker to 60. I have a fresh tune from James adding a little timing, but I still will be adding my manual boost controller as soon as it is delivered. I will probably put it on the dyno when we tune for 12psi.

 

[Highroller]

If you don't mind me asking, is your bottom end built up any and what are you running heads wise?

 

[justin146]

If you don't mind me asking, is your bottom end built up any and what are you running heads wise?

completely stock engine

 

[FROADER]

about 5.5 sec?

I think it's faster than a 5.5 0-60.

I'm counting almost 7 seconds from that vid.

Sounds bad ass justin!

 

[justin146]

I'm counting almost 7 seconds from that vid.

Really? I count less than 6 seconds no matter how I look at it.

 

[FROADER]

Well just over 6 not almost 7.

The counter on the video time line goes from 16 to 0. From what I see, you start just before it hits 9 sec. and you hit 60 just after it hits 3 sec.

So if my calculations are still ok from what I learned in school, that would be over 6 sec.

 

[reserved50]

I timed it several times, slowest I got was a high 5, you have to count it from when it lurches. Im just going by when I use the G-tech and used a stopwatch (yea I was bored)

 

[FROADER]

you have to count it from when it lurches.

I went from the time I could hear his foot come off the pedal, which I'm guessing is when the vehicle would start moving forward. That was like I said before the time line in the vid hit 9 sec.

I could give two ***** how fast it is as long as he is happy with it, I was just responding to the comments and what I observed from the vid.

 

[86PowerRanger]

question for 5.0 explorer

This might be a dumb question, but if you have a single turbo on a 5.0, do you only run boost thru 4 of the cylinders?

 

[techieman33]

This might be a dumb question, but if you have a single turbo on a 5.0, do you only run boost thru 4 of the cylinders?

No, all 8 cylinders are benefiting from the turbo

 

[scruff]

Justin the truck is looking awesome.
What did you end up doing for a fuel pump ?

 

[justin146]

Justin the truck is looking awesome.
What did you end up doing for a fuel pump ?

I went with a regular return style pump, a Walbro GSS342. The pump that came out looks just like the returnless pumps(almost identical to an SVT Focus pump) but has the all important check valve on the outlet. I actually had my local dealership install the pump for me. I "got the hook up" because they installed the pump and a new fuel filter and it was only like $160.

 

[Undecided X]

hows it holding up

Justin wanted to see if your still running this combo and if you were still running the awd setup? Just thought I might ask how the driveshafts are holding up to that kind of power or did you upgrade them and the u-joints?

 

[justin146]

Justin wanted to see if your still running this combo and if you were still running the awd setup? Just thought I might ask how the driveshafts are holding up to that kind of power or did you upgrade them and the u-joints?

it is running great- no AWD or driveline issues so far.

 

[toypaseo]

Damn, I would love to have a turbo EX sleeper here. I have surprised a couple Rangers and Explorers, but it would be fun X 100 to just blow them away.

 

[slyfoxexplore]

wow

That was awsome man it looks great to. Its guys like you that keep me from selling my explorer and getting a mustang. If you dont mind me asking what you running fuel wise and injector size wise. O boy after watching this i think i found my next project.

 

[justin146]

That was awsome man it looks great to. Its guys like you that keep me from selling my explorer and getting a mustang. If you dont mind me asking what you running fuel wise and injector size wise. O boy after watching this i think i found my next project.

Fuel system is stock except for 39lb injectors and a 255L pump