"TURDLE" or " How to mess up a perfectly good truck"

Well, it is about time I do this
This is our 1998 Mountaineer.
We acquired it in late 2000, with 29 k on the odometer. Previously it prowled the Oklahoma turnpike as an unmarked police cruiser.

I would say it was about June-2001, when the initial madness set in, and I became obsessed with changing the looks.
I found Explorer Express, Where I scored the x-spec suspension.
After talking with John V., I learned of the Apten group buy here, and the rest is as they say, history.
In June of 2002, I acquired an exhaust leak. Being the expert I thought I was, I bought a header gasket set, went to fix it.
Well, in my thinking I didn't have the front bolt tight enough, I snapped it off into the head---ooops.
After pouting about this for awhile, I decided to really get into this site for answers.
The result--



347 cubic inch, stroked and bored engine


FMS sportsman block-bored .030 over and machined for stroke
Billet crankshaft with chev rod journals
H-beam ultra light rods
Probe PRS forged pistons -9cc dish ( slightly over 10:1 compression)
Melling stock volume oil pump
Edelbrock performer efi heads 2.02 intake, 1.60 ex valve 58cc chambers
Crane's roller lifters--billet aluminum lifter guides
Crane's roller rockers
comp cams pushrods
Cloyes true billet double timing set.
FMS X-303 camshaft, advanced 4 degrees
Professional products Typhoon intake and EGR elbow, with 1" phenolic spacer
FMS 42 lb injectors
Aeromotive fuel rails, boost reference regulator ( currently set to 43 psi.)
Walbro 255LPH fuel pump--return style 3402
Lightning MAF
Torquemonster headers--stock exhaust with rear cats removed--magnaflow dula in single out-Hooker Aerochamber stacked right behind, 3" mandrel bent MAC tailpipe.
Art Carr 3000 RPM flash lockup converter ( 10 " billet housing)
Art Carr built valvebody kit
Amsoil fluids in all otherwise stock components. ( since I change my oil early and often, I use the least expensive synthetic oil. Usually Amsoil, but sometimes I will use Mobil 1)

AWD IS OUT!! 4406 4X4 IS IN!
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185203&highlight=turdle

UPDATE
As of 2-17-08
I mentioned the truck being a poilice cruiser in it's first life-
well, this caused a little "glitch"
While the PCM says it is a NRT1 box code, somewhere along the line a police code was flashed into the PCM.
My original paperwork shows a dealer service call for a PCM reflash right before the title was signed over. I am assuming the police tune was recovered, and a stock tune re loaded.
However,
they didn't mention they loaded it with a MC2O box code.
After 2 trials with the initial run tune, I actually read the box code with the XCAL2 and James deteremined This error.

Once this was figured out-the tuning was ON!!!

Baseline tuning is complete and all is well. I'm waiting on a new Innovate LM-1 wideband for WOT tuning.
Somehow mine took a dump,
I spent a whole day trying to figure it out. If it had been operating though it would have been a breeze.

James ( jah81592) is about the best help a guy could ask for in this area.

www.hensonperformance.com

UPDATE 2
Tuning complete-after a few WOT pulls to 6000 rpm's
James has not only achieved a great tune in my truck, but totally eliminated the surging issues I was experiencing.

UPDATE 3

Truck now lifted for trip to Colorado Gold mine trails--page8

Update 4
colorado trip completed-Imogene pass and Black bear pass have been driven in this truck
woo hoo!!
picture of black bear pass-

update 5
On Sept 19, 2008 Went to KCIR and ran a 14.8 @ 90mph---2.002 60 ft time
I was snoozing and did everything wrong. It has more in it.

Update 6

After drooling over Mountaineergreen's extensive suspension mod list for years-

With a feeling of guilt, for not doing the actual work myself, I have acquired his

4" superlift suspension lift,
410 gears
aussie locker in rear
disconnect front diff--- http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188359
double cardan front drive shaft ---http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185232

285-75-16" cooper discovery sst (33") tires

UPDATE 7

Exhaust Dumps installed 4-15-2009
These allow the exhaust to be opened right after the cats.









new pics as of 3-16 2009

update 8

Added another stock trans cooler beside original, installed hard lines and twin 10" cooling fans

They seemed to work just fine

Update 9

Sliders installed!!!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245321&highlight=sliders

I used Smoked chrome powder coat on front and rear bumpers, sliders, and wheels make for a factory look match
Bumper pictures are before slider install-

Next up--Get rid of torsion bar drop brackets, and, the bars themselves.

I also have some mild white neon tube rock lights, some very bright 55w rock lights, and, 6 rock llight of death tubes ( to be shown later)

stay tuned!!

 

[Xan]

You really need to update your page with new pictures

 

[Spas]

Oooo! I just got all kinds of excited!! That looks awesome, CDW! I may take that route as well, instead of tearing the block down

 

[Turdle]

Added some emblems today.

 

[HUA99XLT]

^^^Looks sweet!

 

[99SportX]

mmmmmmm.....nice

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Ahhh, your just showing off now :

 

[CDW6212R]

I like it, but I also don't want to advertise. I would like to find a 347 plaque for the stock intake, I haven't seen those in years.

 

[Charlie]

Showoff:

Emblem is sweet!

 

[Burns]

Is that a BIG S ???

 

[Turdle]

Is that a BIG S ???

Yes-
It came off the family farm in Nebraska.

Somehow it's going on my garage, right between the second story window and the garage doors. My garage has a second floor up there-

good eye

 

[Xan]

Yes-
It came off the family farm in Nebraska.

Somehow it's going on my garage, right between the second story window and the garage doors. My garage has a second floor up there-

good eye

It almost looked like you had a big S painted truck or maybe a black and white 22. buts its just a reflection :

 

[Burns]

Ok i thought it would be something like that.


Nice emblems too

 

[CDW6212R]

Jon, we spoke about the wide gap between 2nd and 3rd gears of the 4R70W.

The ratio difference between the 4R70W and AOD's(AODE also) is about the same as that of a 3.73 to 4.30 ratios. You can swap to a planetary from an AODE, and change to 4.30 gears, and end up with the same 1st and 2nd gear final ratios. The truck would gain a lot in 3rd gear, being at a 4.30:1 instead of 3.73:1 final drive. The high gear and fuel economy would drop a little, as it should with ring/pinion gear changes.

 

[Turdle]

The sunset last evening was spectacular-
so I grabbed a pic-

 

[Xan]

No moon nights make for awsome sun sets. The new moon comes on the 6th so we get like 4 days of it

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice pic of ur mounty jon

 

[X~FACTOR]

Lookin' sharp, man.

 

[shadowless127]

hey Jon, what kind of pillar gauges do you have (Type and brand)?

The Mounty is looking awesome as usual

 

[Turdle]

hey Jon, what kind of pillar gauges do you have (Type and brand)?

The Mounty is looking awesome as usual

I have Autometer sport comp gauges

in the pillar are volts, boost-vacuum, and Aif fuel ratio ( which is a waste of time)
I have a dash pod with 2 cylinder head temperature gauges.

 

[rocket 5979]

I have Autometer sport comp gauges

in the pillar are volts, boost-vacuum, and Aif fuel ratio ( which is a waste of time)
I have a dash pod with 2 cylinder head temperature gauges.

Hey Jon why do you consider that AFR gauge a waste of time?