Turbo on 2000 Limited 5.0

[CDW6212R]

Fingers crossed, it sounds promising.

 

[Dono]

yup, checked coolant level.....So far, so good.

I'm finding 3 of 4 tires spinning at 50mph is a bit unsettling. I really won't be able to do much tuning and setting boost levels until spring.

I'm going to live with the exhaust leak for a while.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

I'm finding 3 of 4 tires spinning at 50mph is a bit unsettling.

really? AWESOME!

 

[4pointslow]

Exhaust leak

I'm going to live with the exhaust leak for a while.

Fix it. Do not procrastinate.

Some words of encouragement:
Exhaust leak means air is getting sucked in as well as exhaust leaking out.
That air getting sucked in goes past the O2 sensor and it sends lean signal to PCM. PCM adds fuel to a bank of cylinders that do not need it and they run rich.
Rich mixtures in the cylinder can wash the oil off the cylinder walls, and pollute the crankcase with fuel which can thin out the oil over time. Rich mixtures also lead to more unburnt fuel in the exhaust and the catalytic converter will burn the extra fuel which can lead to elevated temperatures in the cats.

In the 80's there were a lot of engines that would end up having blow by and other engine problems at around 60,000-70,000 miles. I am convinced that it was caused from the carburetors of the time that never quite held the correct air to fuel mixtures.
I hold fuel injection accountable for the longer lasting engines that we have today, the PCM's control of the systems usually keep things closer to where they should be even when things go wrong. A correctly running engine will have less wear and tear on the cylinder walls, rings, pistons, and bearing in the lower end.

Edit: forgot to add this
A friend of mine had one loose bolt on his 5.0 mountaineer, it was one that bolted the exhaust pipe to the manifold on one side. Fuel trims were 15% extra fuel being added. I tightened the bolt and it went back to 0 +or- 5% (where they should be).

 

[Dono]

Wow, thats amazing.
I didn't think there would be that much air being sucked in.
****.

This thing is wearing me out. I have an oil leak also. I'm sure its lower intake. The lower intake gasket slid down when torquing the lower intake down. The super tack wasn't tacky (obviously it was too cold for it). I could see where the gasket rolled a but at the china wall. I should have dabbed some more sealant at those corners right away (Hind sight being 20/20). I might try cleaning the corners of the china wall to head/lower intake as best I can and then rub some sealant in the corners with my finger. Worst case, I can do the lower intake when it warms up with the motor in the truck.
Headlight wen't out.....HID. Was a *****. No room, and my hands are all cut up now. Replaced bulb and ballast just to be sure. At least that issue is done.
My overhead console is dead. No lights. Not even sure when that happened. It doesn't appear to be a fuse...<edit> It was that 510 surface mount resistor-Fixed

Anyway, just venting. With any luck none of this will require an engine pull.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

My overhead console is dead. No lights. Not even sure when that happened. It doesn't appear to be a fuse...

this should be it don, pretty easy fix

https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187953

if not, i should have a spare someplace

 

[ahodges]

Tim, you have a spare everything, I swear!

Don, how much boost are you running now? 4point is right about the exhaust leak, at the very least you won't be able to do any more tuning until it is fixed.

 

[Dono]

if not, i should have a spare someplace

Tim, where do you squirrel all this stuff away?

I'll maybe pull it apart tonight and see what I can figure out. Fuse 10 is good, and all accessories on this fuse work. I'm thinking this means a solder joint issue as per the thread posted. At least I wasn't driving a one eye'd monster on the way to work this morning. One step at a time I guess.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Tim, you have a spare everything, I swear!

it almost seems like it, doesnt it lol

Tim, where do you squirrel all this stuff away?

if you see me walking funny, you know i ran out of room in the shed......

 

[Dono]

So, the exhaust shop calls me today. The call wen't like this:

Don, there is no exhaust leak. We even smoke tested the exhaust. The smoke tester is awesome, and finds the smallest of leaks. There is no leak.
...........Dead silence...............
Then the conversation continues. We found an arcing plug wire, and think thats the ticking you are hearing.
...........More silence...............

I have all kinds of thoughts going thru my head. First thought was simply 'WTF'?
Second thought....Great, F'n headers. I guess its time to order a set of high temp wires from the 'ultimate spark plug thread', and make some custom wires.

I finally speak. 'Why is my truck so F'n noisy?' 'There is no way it should be this loud.' 'Thanks for finding the bad wire' 'Something is going on here'.

We talk about the cam, etc. I finally get a reluctant agreement my truck is F'n loud. They think it might be the custom cam. They are grasping here. Keep in mind, I like these guys and they are super honest.

Another call comes about an hour later. Good news and bad news I'm told.
...........silence...........I think I heard a mouse run across their shop floor.

Jamie says there is a big F'n hole in each head that goes to the exhaust in the head. He was able to follow the noise while on the lift. He says the threaded holes are huge, and they are tapped with a thread. He told me he was guessing at the size, as thinks maybe 1/2".
I responded with 'The hole size is 5/8" course thread.'
It was his turn..............Dead silence................ hahaha I was amused.

Tim will know this also as we had to drill out my accessory brackets and use massive bolts to get my front brackets on.

So, It turns out that these are emissions heads and there are factory caps for the 5/8" holes. Now, if it were me, I would have stopped by Home depot and bought some short 5/8" bolts and shortened them even more (as required) to screw in the holes. Nope. They wouldn't do that. They have some factory plugs coming.

So, I still think I am super relieved. I don't have to fight with that header. Happy dance. I'll have my truck back by Friday for sure. I'm a bit concerned about what those 5/8" plugs will cost.

Now, I need to find some plug wires that will work. The 90 degree boots on the accel 9001's are probably not great. 45 degree boots would be the best.

edit: The 45 degree boots are the accel 9002c's. I already have the edis boots. Sigh. I'm not done spending money. $150.00cdn

edit: again: $183.00cdn. really? guess where I am? Yup, on the couch in fetal position.

 

[delexploder]

Lol I remember those holes on the factory heads for the smog tubes, I think I still have a box of brass plugs , I have heard what it sounds like when those holes are open lol

 

[Dono]

Yup, threw the exhaust shop for a bit of a loop. Truck was loud, as you know.
I'm sure I could have bought these heads in non-emissions style had I known.
Whatever, I'm getting there.

On a plus note, I found the accel wires for $150.00cdn shipped.

Funny thing with the offensive (Or is that offending) wire, I know it never touched a header tube. I think it just cooked its self in between the tubes. As crazy as it sounds, I'm happy they found it. Who knows how long it would have taken me to know I had a problem.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

well now that will explain a lot. you thought it was the drives side because you could hear it sitting in it while it was running, and i thought it was the passengers side because i heard it when i stuck my head in the wheel well when it was running. let them deal with it. i can see getting to those holes being a ***** to....but i hope the bill will not reflect that.
did they also figure out why the pipes fit so crappy as well, and fix it?
also did you order the wires already? as i have said in the past i saw the wire wires taylor make for our trucks. very nice. even have the socks on the spark plug end. and if you did buy a set already, are they a custom fit meaning you make your own length wires. if so, let me know. joe has a wire crimper tool thingy and i can ask him if i can borrow it.

 

[Dono]

They will either piece in a but of pipe to make them fit better or just heat a bend up and let it 'wrinkle'. They think the wrinkle route will work the best. Interesting, I had never heard of that.
Then, they will fix the two hangers we cut off to get the exhaust where it sits now.

 

[CDW6212R]

That sounds interesting, those emissions holes I thought were becoming rare in aftermarket heads. I recall in 1996 removing the air pump and pipes from my Mark VII(with a head/intake swap), and using short bolts to plug those holes.

That will make you happy to have it quieter and begin working on the tune.

 

[Dono]

If you did buy a set already, are they a custom fit meaning you make your own length wires. if so, let me know. joe has a wire crimper tool thingy and i can ask him if i can borrow it.

I'd love to borrow the wire crimper. These wires will need to be cut to length and the EDIS ends (that we already have) crimped on.
I think I'm a week from having the wires in my hand.

 

[4pointslow]

smog plugs

Here is what the plugs look like.

 

[Dono]

That makes perfect sense. Had I known that, I would have used 2 in the front also. Then I wouldn't have had to drill out my accessory bracket holes and use larger bolts. Oh well, in the end, success is what maters.

Its all learning, all the time.

 

[ahodges]

Yep, same deal with my heads. I didn't even think to say anything to you. I figured when you realized the front bracket holes were oversized you knew about the holes in the opposite end of the heads too. It is a straight through hole that connects all of the cylinders. I actually had 1 back out on me and I used a 5/8" bolt with lock tite to plug it.

I was told they are for the old style EGR.

 

[4pointslow]

holes

They are actually for the old air pumps (secondary Air system).
Air (oxygen) would be pumped into the exhaust at start up when emissions were the highest (due to a cold engine needing a richer mixture). The secondary air system lowers Hydrocarbons and Carbon Monoxide emissions by allowing the burning (that is still happening in the exhaust) to stretch farther down the exhaust system. It also helped warm up the catalytic converter faster.
The system was only used for the first few minutes at start up, then it would divert the air back to the atmosphere. The air was also diverted on deceleration to prevent back firing.

The first systems were belt driven which robbed a small amount of power and fuel mileage all day, later they switched to electric pumps that just shut off when not needed. I was never impressed with the secondary air system, it is my least favorite emissions device.