V6 OHV and hills...a sucky combination

[Tim K]

On my way home from work every day, I have to drive up a long, very steep hill. According to the sign on the way down the hill, its an 8% grade. I don't know what that translates too, but its pretty steep. All I know is that my 97 V6 OHV 4dr XLT (3.73 w/ LS) really struggles to maintain speed going up this hill. I know its only 160hp but come on...I have to floor it to maintain 50mph!

Ugh, I really need a new Explorer.

 

[Stephen]

Has nothing to do with the age of your Explorer, thats just how that engine is. If you want mountain performance you'll have to look at a V8. 8% is a steep grade BTW, steeper than the legal limit on interstate highways which is 7%.

 

[CHH777]

Re-gear maybe?

 

[FlyAU]

8% grade: For every 100 horizontal feet, the road declines 8 feet vertically. Right?

 

[CougarX]

Thats the only thing I didn't like about my 92 was going up hills. I had 3.27 gears and 31s so mine was probably worse than yours. It had plenty of power around town and on flat ground but going up hills killed it. I don't thinkt the transmission helps either. It seems to suck a lot more power going up hills for some reason. My new V8 is great on hills though. I have yet to find a freeway hill that I have to shift down for. I love torque.

 

[rpenner54]

Kick it into the lowest gear and put the pedal to the metal! Thats what I do anyways. Yes your right the engine blows for going up hills like that but you gotta figure the engine was designed for a Ranger or a Bronco II not an Explorer that weights much much more then one of those. What really helped out mine on those sorts of grades was the KKM and the Flowie cat back exhaust.

 

[srpauliesr]

BUMMED!

MAN! You guys are bummin' me out! I have a 97 OHV and thought it was a decent performer, even scooting around the mountains in NH. Made Mount Washington without breaking a sweat.
Is this what I have to look forward to?

PS.(Don't tell me)

 

[Tim K]

by "a new explorer" I didn't mean I thought the performance sucked b/c of mine's age....I just want a new one with more ooomf....and that new car smell of course.

Since I don't plan on doing any offroading....I have my eye on a 2001 Limited....if only I could afford it right now....damn.

I guess for now I will simply continue to turn the OD off and floor it up "mount sucky's" 8% grade.

 

[Exploder99]

ohh c'mon Tim! its not that bad. just imagine that hill in my car with a loose rear end, scary brakes and electronics with a mind of thier own.

 

[Tim K]

Ha, I can't believe you still have that piece of fruit.

 

[Stephen]

Problem is he's stuck in between a rock and a hard place. He's leased so he cant just back out, and he prepaid so he cant get his money back. I was in a similar position with a 93 Lincoln Continental. I finally bit the bullet and backed out of the lease in 1995, a year early just to be rid of the POS. I could get nowhere with Ford. Ford as a company is truly awful to deal with.

 

[Silverado4x4]

Simple solution, Bang out you cats, put on a glasspack and take out your air filter. Makes it a lot more peppy. worked for me