Turbo 4 Conversion, The Nasty Hoe Gets Blown!

That's right, I couldn't keep it under wraps any longer, and so the first stage of the conversion and re-vamp of the whole truck begins.

In short, which I'll go into detail once I get back to labratory this evening is:

Complete front clip transformataion in sheet metal work, including custom fenders and hood, front bumper w/winch and lights.

Slick roof line.

Complete drivetrain conversion (from engine, tranny to transfer case) and custom wiring harness.

Super soft 6.5" Rock Crawler front spring and hiem joints on the adjustable extended radius arms.

With 5.13's front a rear with already existing Lincoln Locker out back and LSD clutch style modified in the front.

Although there are about 80% of the parts already collected, there are still a few more to obtain and or fabricate up to make this happen, I will go through and document and keep you filled in on ever aspect of this adventure as I plug away at it, this will take some time, and the buget is nill, but when I get back and fill you in on how I got some of the existing stuff, and how I plan on working the rest of it, you'll see than anyone on any buget can do this to.

I hope you all will enjoy this, and although this was way more premature of a posting that I wanted to do, it was like waiting for Santa to show on X-Mas.

If you don't know what's already been done to my truck you can click the link "My Junk" below in my sig, and this will be the next exciting phase in it's evolution.

If you have questions, lemme be the first to say, "PLASE ASK"





Jeff - :navajo:

 

[SVO]

So what's happening in the Lab-0-ratory today?

I'm actually at the office today (work weekends) but Justing is coming up this evening to retrive his Explorer (one less in the driveway), and when I get home he will have brought the engine stand so I can put the 4 pot on it and start disassembly, I'll goto the parts house during lunch and grab some bolts to mount the engine stand head to the engine.

Kris will be coming up on monday to play around and give an old man a hand doing the drivetrain swap from the Navajo to the Demon4x4 Ladies Club Truck, and if time allows will test fit the Turbo 4 pot in the Navajo engine compartment to check for clearance between the hot side of the turbo and the HVAC box, and weaher I'm going to have to massage the HVAC box for clearence and what kind of heat shield I'll have to devise.

And start removing the front clip and replacing some of the sheet metal and taking mesuerments for the intercooler duct work, so Kris can graft it into the Navajo hood, plus bump placement and mounting brackets.

Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I will have it when I come...

Winch Cable, please!







Jeff - :navajo:

 

[410Fortune]

its about time somebody did a 2.3T Exploder...I know of a few rangers and a BII or two, has anyone done the exploder before?

XR4TI's are wicked, ah the electric five oh

 

[Stang Girl]

So what's happening in the Lab-0-ratory today?

After returning from a very impressive car show....a very awesome Boss 429 won, but I digress. The Nasty Hoe is getting prepped for surgery as we speak. She is getting sterilized you might say....or at least getting the dirt and grime washed off of her so she'll be nice and clean when she gets moved into the operating room aka garage. However, I did find a majority of our yard stuck inside the fenders.

 

[SVO]

General 2.3T mod list, presented in an approximate order that most people would generally do them in.

The boost can be turned up at any time, but results will vary based on modification level. Top quality fuel should be used at all times, and detonation religiously monitored for. Taking care not to hurt your motor can be made much easier by the purchase of an air/fuel ratio monitor (about $70). This is highly recommended when you get to the point of changing the cam, or turning up the boost.

Stage 0:
Get the car running right!
Put decent tires on it!
Take it to the strip and get some baselinenumbers for it.

At sea level, an 85.5+ should run a low 15/high 14, and an early model should run a low-mid 15. These times assume decent traction and driving.

Stage 1:
Disconnect the knock sensor FREE
K&N Air filter/no air box $30-$50
Adjustable boost $5-$500

At first glance, this would seem nuts, based on the paragraph above. BUT, the knock sensor is easily fooled by non-detonation noises into pulling out timing when it shouldn't, and it takes out way too much. People generally run faster when they disconnect it...you gotta use your brain to avoid detonation and broken parts.

Turn up boost till the overboost buzzer just comes on, this is about 17.5 psi OR set it wherever you want (see fuel meter again) .

The best number I've heard of so far for an SVO at this stage was an 86 that ran a 13.75 on slicks. This was posted by a list member a while back.

Stage 2:
Big exhaust $200-$1000
Engle cam $150
Tbird Intercooler (optional, save your money for a serious one if you're going to go farther than stage 2) $50
Late model computer and injectors for early model owners $200?
When this becomes a requirement will depend on a lot of things, but generally, if you're running 95mph or more in the quarter mile in a stock weight SVO (~230hp), it's time. For some people this may happen before the cam change. You need to be sure that the computer you buy was from an intercooled car (late SVO, or late Tbird TurboCoupe). The computer mapping was different for inter-cooled versus non-intercooled applications. Late model SVOers may also want to consider going to a higher flow fuel pump at about this point. The early model double-pump system should be OK for most applications. If you're going to use nitrous at some point, go all out on the fuel pump(s).

At this point, you should have gained at least 5 or 6 mph, and half a second off your baseline time. Typical gains would be closer to a full second, if for no other reason than that you should be getting to be a pretty good driver by now .

Stage 3:
Good intercooler $250-$1250
High flow turbo $600-$800
Ported Manifolds FREE-$1000

Stage 4:
All out Ported head/big valves/maybe bigger cam FREE-$2000

Stage 5:
Parts exist to do an all-aluminum 3 liter 8000RPM stroker motor if you want to go nuts. This will require more fuel than the stock 86 system can provide. Currently you're on your own for such things... BIG BUCKS!

Other things like underdrive pulleys ($50) and cam timing pulleys ($50-$100) can be played with as desired. Prices vary depending on the deals you find, and how much of the work you can/will do yourself. There's always nitrous for those who are inclined to deal with it, and to take the necessary precautions.

Results will vary, but 13s in the mid 90s can be run on the 30# injectors, and 12s at a few mph over 100 can be run on the 36s, both without nitrous. With nitrous and some creativity, a lot more is possible.

 

[SVO]

Should I move this thread to "Offroad Explorer - Ranger Projects" ?









Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Stang Girl]

Hmmm, what is different in this pic?

 

[SVO]

Comparisons

Thought I would post a few side by side pics, of the two different power plants so you have an idea, as to size, and configuration:

Just in case you don't know, the 2.3T is on the left, 4.0 is on the right:

This is the difference in the intercoolers, the Turbo Coupe on the left, SVO on the right, note the difference in surface area:

Sorry this is NOT the power plant out of the Navajo, yet!



Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Turdle]

So-is this happening?
where did they go?

 

[SVO]

So-is this happening?
where did they go?

Stang Girl here....posting up pics for SVO. Kris is here and they have started this project after a little delay caused by a Mark VIII.

A little glimpse of what she will look like when she is done. :

 

[Stang Girl]

Here's Kris removing the old starter from the Navajo. Without the weight of the engine, she sits a lot higher...nice for Kris to sit comfortably underneath.

 

[Xan]

That thing looks way cooler with the big hoopy bumper not on wow the navajo looks cooler than the explorer sport though, its kinda smooth and no frills.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

No Frills!? The Navajo was an Upgraded Version of the Sport...

its kinda smooth and no frills.

 

[Turdle]

Hoopy Hoe

lol

 

[SVO]

WOW! can you feel the love?


Mabybe you two sould be banned for a couple of days :


Sorry Xan, that tube bumper with the stinger provides serveral uses for it's strange configuration, and bleive me when it winds up getting hard mounted, the fair lead installed and some stock turn signals modified to fit in there, it'll look a lot better.

Oh and painted black.



And Mr. Smith............ I'll deal with you later



BTW, Kris worked his ass off monday and tuesday, not only did we remove all the drivetrain from the Navajo, but installed it in the Demon4x4 Girls Club truck, convertered it from automatic to 5sdp and 2wd to 4wd, and it left the garage under it's own power, now it's ready for the paint shop and then 5" of lift.

Demon4x4 Club Truck, w/Navajo Drivetrain:

And lets not forget that there was a third one too, that there was a third one too that also got converted to 4wd, that now only needs a front axle, for the final stages for the conversion, but yet left under it's own power too.

The planning for this project definately was not a one way street, we Kris and I have been discussing this for months now, it was getting the right vehicles and parts together to start implimenting the program, and I belive the careful planning is starting to pay off.

Thie big thing now is to clean up the Navajo engine compartment, remove all unnecessary wiring and start intergrating and making the new wiring harness' that will make this thing run again, not to mention we'll have to install and remove the engine several times to check for interference, location of the winch, and wiring before it will be installed and bolted in for the last time, yes time consuming but none the lesss if it's what it take to make a reliable package then so be it.

My hands are poofy and sore, I know that Kris' are too, he just cranked away at it, I think he left here some time after 10pm last night, note his post somewhere after midnight.



Thanx again for all the help Kris!




Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Stang Girl]

More pics...........

 

[Trckmagik]

Very nice sir.

 

[JDraper]

Lookin' good

 

[R.J.]

whoa. i just want to sit back and watch this. awesome

 

[Rusty]

so how many total vehicles are you swapping/tearing apart/here? I have counted like 4 or 5 just checkin?
Also This is awesome and can't wait to see the continued progress!
Keep up the good/hard work!
If i was closer i would love to give you a hand but since i am not ill just watch it all unfold..