Well, I got the '03 Mountaineer...

[dexplore]

It is very nice. I'm driving it old-lady style until approx. 1,000 miles when I can see what this 4.6 can really do. The engine nonetheless feels very strong, and acts as if it wants to just take off. It's a far cry from my V6, with its 80 horsepower deficit.

The truck is also surprisingly tight. It handles quite well for its size.

Some things of note: the dealer told me oil changes come in 5,000 mile intervals. I'm not sure if that's often enough. I live in L.A. where most traffic is rush-hour traffic. I was thinking more like 2,500-mile intervals were good for oil changes.

Secondly, gasoline. He told me 89 octane (or regular unleaded) was good enough for this engine. I'm not schooled up yet on the compression ratio or other internal workings of the engine, but I feel 89 octane fuel is too low for the 4.6. I had always put 91 (the highest available in SoCal) in my old XLT, and feel the same should go into the Mountaineer's V8.

Can some advice me on these two issues? I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Robb]

1) I would stick with your normal oil changes if you are comfortable with them. You can't change it too much.

2) If the engine was designed for 89oc, I would use 89oc and nothing more.

Robb

 

[Alec]

I'd say go with 3000 miles for oil changes. And the dealer is right, use 87 or 89 octane.

 

[SaleenEXP]

the 4.6 will run perfect and better on 87 octane, it's not tuned to run on anything higher in stock form.

Believe me, wait until your engine is broken in and you'll see how powerful it is. My neighbor has an 02' Explorer 4.6 all stock for now, he ran a 15.7 at 88mph.

Looks like I'll end up with an 03' Mounty with the 4.6 and luxury package in Silver Frost, b/c we and our dealer haven't found any Mounty's with the same options in Mineral Grey scince May and thats what I really wanted. My mom and I went to the dealer the other day, they wanted to show us an 03' Mounty with the same options I wanted except for it was a V6, and once I saw that Silver Frost color I fell in love

 

[dexplore]

Saleen EXP

How about mods? Do you have any in mind for your '03?

 

[kkreit01]

I agree on the oil changes. Even on my '00 4.0 OHV, they only recommend every 5K mi. Use your best judgement. Change every 3K if you run regular oil. I do run 5K on synthetic. For gas, I'd use what's recommended in the owner's manual. I'm pretty sure the 4.6 can run on regualer 87, can't it?? I know the Aviator wants premium, but that's a higher tech motor...

BTW. Congrats on your purchase. I envy you greatly!!! I wasn't fond of the new Ex/Mountys when they first came out. That was until I drove a 4.6 EB!

 

[woodychitwn]

Why would you change your oil every 3000 miles with regular oil? Every manual I've ever seen says between 5000 and 7500 for standard oil. I would think that on a modern engine, synthetic should do twice that. But I guess it's like people who allow their cars more than 30 seconds to warm up. I'm sure it made sense back in the 50's, but cars have come a long way since then.

That's just my personal opinion though. If you want to change your oil twice as often, just make sure you recycle it.

 

[Robert]

My '97 Owner's guide specifies oil changes every 3000 miles under severe duty and every 6000 miles under normal service. The conditions they describe under severe duty probably fit the profile of about 90% of the vehicle in a big city.

 

[dexplore]

Octane and oil

Because the 4.6, to my knowledge, is an offshoot of the Mustang engine, I automatically assumed it would require a general maintenance of higher octane gasoline and more frequent oil changing.

What I'm getting at, really, are the similarities between the two engines. Other than size and configuration, are there other similarities? Compression ratio, cam lift and duration, etc?

Since I've based the 4.6 in both as being nearly the same engine is the reason I thought 91 octane fuel and 3,000 mile oil changes - exceeding the manufacturer's requirements - was needed - particularly in city driving.

 

[Xplodor]

When I buy a new vehicle I change the oil after 500 miles, then at 3000k miles and every 3K after that. After 24K I switch to synthetic and change oil about 4-5K, sometimes even 6K. Just keep an eye on it. Wear the engine in at all levels from driving slow to 70-75 mph on the freeway.

What I do can be totally argueable, but hey, everyone has their own way of doing things. I found out the above is what works best for me.

 

[SaleenEXP]

Re: Saleen EXP

Originally posted by dexplore
Because the 4.6, to my knowledge, is an offshoot of the Mustang engine, I automatically assumed it would require a general maintenance of higher octane gasoline and more frequent oil changing.

What I'm getting at, really, are the similarities between the two engines. Other than size and configuration, are there other similarities? Compression ratio, cam lift and duration, etc?

Since I've based the 4.6 in both as being nearly the same engine is the reason I thought 91 octane fuel and 3,000 mile oil changes - exceeding the manufacturer's requirements - was needed - particularly in city driving.

only Cobra's run on higher octane, a stock Mustang GT 4.6 is tuned for regular like 87 octane. MM&ff did a test between fuels and using high octane reduced power, this has been tested in other mags like Trucking also where they lost hp and tq on the dyno running higher octane on an engine tuned for regular.

Originally posted by dexplore
How about mods? Do you have any in mind for your '03?

Plenty Do a search for Troll/Bill or blk mk8, their shop is about a half hour away from where I live and I've spoken to them online here.

Once I get it I'm bringing it down to them to check it out.
I'm definitley doing a true dual catback using Magnaflow mufflers and 3" piping. Intake, JBA headers unless theres someway I could get headers for a Mustang to work like the long-tubes , new cams, and a KenneBell Twin-Screw supercharger....whatever else I decide on.

I want it to be like the "Silver Streak" 02' Mountaineer by KenneBell and Performance West that is featured in the October issue of Truckin's Suv, except different rims and no Katzkin leather b/c it already comes with a very nice two-tone leather setup.

For rims, I'm looking at KMC Clockers, Weld (awsome forged rims), and this one rim from Centerline called the "Lazar". I'll probably end up with Weld Rims as their extremely light and strong as hell.

 

[dexplore]

Saleen: headers?

Explorer Express recommends not using headers with superchargers; sez they rob the engine of torque, et al.

High octane "robs" horsepower. Okay. I'm definitely a newbie to this new engine stuff.

 

[expo5.0]

greater octane means that it takes more compression or heat to ignite the fuel. if your truck is programmed to expect one octane level and you run a different one it won't be able to burn the fuel as efficiently because it will be expecting the fuel to have combusted while the higher octane has instead prevented combustion of part of the fuel (it won't prevent all the fuel from combusting if the octane is just a little higher) and that extra fuel represents inefficiency.

 

[Xplodor]

What are the 2nd gen 4.0 SOHC's made to run with? What octane I mean.

 

[liquidx9]

regular.. unless you have sticker or something saying you need to run premium, just assume regular

 

[SaleenEXP]

Re: Saleen: headers?

Originally posted by dexplore
Explorer Express recommends not using headers with superchargers; sez they rob the engine of torque, et al.

not true, they are the only place that says that. People think that headers/exhaust whatever rob torque, it' doesn't, unless you go with like 5" piping for your exhaust or something like that. I have two friends who one has an 01' Cobra the other has an 03' Cobra, both made a lot more hp and tq on the low-end then when it was stock with the 03' gaining around 18rwhp and 23lb-ft of torque with more power down low using long-tube headers. My friends Tahoe with a whipple charger and some other stuff dynoed with more low-end torque after his headers were on, he has Edelbrock headers, he gained somewhere around 8rwhp and 15lb-ft torque with most of it from the low rpm range. .

Maybe right off idle you might lose some, but if any, it's not noticeable at all.

 

[rgiles]

Originally posted by Xplodor
What are the 2nd gen 4.0 SOHC's made to run with? What octane I mean.

My '02 X owners manual says to run 87 octane. The higher octane formulations can harm the engine and have no benefit according to the manual.

 

[SaleenEXP]

expo5.0 nailed it, you only need to use higher octane when using a chip, supercharger, nos, ect ect. Other than that, your losing power and clogging up the engine b/c it won't burn the fuel efficiently and wasting money. Although that would really matter where I live scince regular is over 1.60 anyway

 

[dexplore]

Higher octane in a 4.0

Originally posted by rgiles
My '02 X owners manual says to run 87 octane. The higher octane formulations can harm the engine and have no benefit according to the manual.

I never recalled reading this in my '94 XLT's manual - if it was there, I must have missed it - big time...

...because ever since I owned the truck all the way to last Sunday, I've put premium unleaded in it. Alright, I'm eating crow right now, and am currently in a semi-state of remorse about the money wasted on higher-priced fuel.

But I can say that I never had a problem - not one - with the engine. The 4.0 was a wonder in light of the hard driving and rush-hour traffic I subjected it to. Easily it got past the 85 mph max on the speedo whenever I demanded that speed (and higher) from it. It also had tons of torque.

The power of the 4.0 probably isn't news to the guys on the board who have them in their Explorers. And judging from what everyone has said about the required octane, all I've managed to do is waste a hell of a lot of bucks on 92 and 91 octane. Nevertheless, it never "felt" like I harmed the engine with that level of fuel. The engine just pulled and pulled, then pulled more.