What should I add next?

[benj1213]

Im a 17 year old student, i work a couple days a week so i make about $400 a month. My parents bought me a white '98 explorer sport for my birthday. Since them I have spent everything I have made on my car. My biggest and most popular purchase is my custom tires and wheels. I have OZ "Navajo" wheels wrapped in 265/70R16 112H 320AA Yokohama tires. That purchase alone cost me over $3500. I have also put on a brush guard and tail light covers, a rear air deflector, limo tint, borla exhaust, k&n air filter, 2 12" JL subs with a 650 watt kenwood amp, alpine CD player with cerwin vega highs and lows. I just added a Viper alarm system. I am very happy with the wheels, european is definitally the way to go. My question is what can I do to improve to performance of my car, what else can I do to increase horsepower? If anyone has any comments about my car or any suggestions please write back.

 

[flyguy]

Whats with all these guys starting the thread "Im a 1x student..." hehe... just waiting to be lectured if you ask me. But thats besides the point. Read around the board if you want lots of neat info... but off the top of my head.... if you have another $3500 to throw around, the money would best be spent of a supercharger. As far as dollars to horsepower... thats whats going to do it. The pretty new BBK Instacharger is probably the way to go. On the cheaper but much less effective end... I would say a new Throttle Body... and if you havent gotten slightly larger exhaust pipes and a high flow cat... do that. You should have 2 Cats on there now, and most shops will probably sell and install you a single high flow. Those are probably in the list for the most bang for the buck. Headers are not bad but cost way too much for the HP produced... and a new "chip" is pretty cheap and easy but has questionable performance gains. ok.. later.

nick

 

[JoshC]

What is that BBk Instacharger and where could i find some info about it, just sounds cool!!

Happy trailes!!

 

[Robert]

Ask Alec, he has one on his '96 OHV which is fortunate for you since you have an OHV. Unfortunately BBK hasn't released one for my SOHC

 

[mikeresin]

also on the cheaper side is spray. (NOS)

 

[Michigander]

Hey benj1213-

Can we get some pics? Your ride sounds nice.

 

[benj1213]

hey michigander-

I just took some pics of my truck, where should i send them?! Do you think they could be posted on this site somewhere? thanks

 

[TDG]

Supercharging

Has anyone tried the vortech kit at Dead Link Removed or heard anything good/bad or otherwise about it? It's a little more expensive than the BBK kit but some of the hi-po junkies seem to like it more than the BBK kit.

 

[flyguy]

Ah, Im sure some will disagree with me.. but I have heard some negative feedback on the vortech for the Explorers. The BBK seems to be a better choice for power along the rpm range.. less problems with it too I hear. I belive Alec got very good results with the BBK.. more than I expected.

nick

 

[TDG]

I know a guy with a ranger who has the vortech kit and has manged to blow the oil seals on it. I think the vortech would be easier to intercool than the BBK, but I'm not sure if heating the intake charge is a big issue with the BBK. I know the kenne bell supercharger for the 5.0 which I think is the same type as the BBK instacharger has been called a superheater by some. I see superman 5787 claiming 190Hp/285Tq naturally aspirated I think and alec running at 200hp/250tq so the supercharging jury is still out for me. On the other hand if money were put into the engine and into a supercharger I think some bigger numbers could be made, but a 302 swap would probably be cheaper.

Flyguy: I havent emailed you in a while but do you know of any shops in OC that do head work? I work in anahiem and I think I've heard of a shop in fullerton that does decent work. I'm thinking about going to bigger valves in the late model heads.

 

[flyguy]

No I dont... but if you find out the name of the shop.. please tell. Im new in this area... and the only place I have tried to take my x in for anything was Ford of Orange. Man they suck. I got a reccomendation from here too... half the stuff I asked them to do they didnt... and then I got it back in worse condition than I put it in. I had them put in a new alternator (my parents doubted me for some reason) anyways... they charged me way too much for the part... turns out the part is not even new.... and it came back misfiring and idleing Waaaaay bad. Sigh. Oh yeah... well.. just let me know if you find out what that shop is. I want to get my heads worked on too.

Anyways... 200hp is pretty good. I am about 140hp with what Ive got. I thought Alec got over 200 after tuning? I dont remember... anyways... I do find it hard to believe supermans numbers are correct. 190hp seems waaay high. But on his defense... Ive never seen numbers with a cam before and he says he has a cam in. I guess Ill have to get a cam, a supercharger, and get my heads worked on to get the first 300hp OHV?

nick

 

[TDG]

I hate ford dealers, I've never taken my ex to them but they have managed to screw up my ole mans car to the point of having to write a letter to deerborn. I copied those numbers right out of the posts and I think alec got like 197.something. I would love to see the AOD setup on supermans rig cause my neighbors just replaced the AOD in their supercharged mustang with a tremec 5 speed and they are almost giving the AOD away. I dont have a problem with building the adaptors for the AOD to 4.0 but I have no clue as to where to mount the starter but thats another project for another day.

There are a lot of little rat hole shops around the anahiem fullerton area that will do work but for some reason I dont really trust a non-english speaking alien to do complicated engine work for me. If I find a good one I'll let you know.

300hp from an OHV? I admire your dedication to the 4.0 OHV. I would think that for the price of the engine work and supercharger you could have a 302/347 and we all know what kind of power they can make. So far I havent found anything in the california laws really says you cant do the swap, just a lot of BS to discourage one from trying it. There guys running small block chevy V8s in S10 pickups and blazers legally so I dont see the big deal about us doing it.

 

[flyguy]

Hehe... I dont know... here is my mind set... If I wanted a bigger engine...I would buy a mustang or a newer explorer... I guess Im not really trying to have the fastest ride possible... im trying to get the most out of what I got. Its just fun playing with stuff. Im the same way with my computer. I will spend a ton of cash on cooling equipment or minor upgrades... just to say Ive got the fastest (insert newest toy here) on the block. I used to have a PII 450 that I got clocked up to 650ish. The parts to do that far outwieghed an actuall 650.

buy anyways... I think im going to go for the real upgrades now. I could have had a supercharger already if it was the first thing I bought. Money flow is slowly improving, and as soon as I pay off my laptop... im gettin me a supercharger!

Also, have you gotten any prices and/or time tables on getting your heads worked on? I cant have it in the shop too long. Is it cheaper to just hand them the heads? Or will they take it out. what I was thinking about doing is getting my older heads ported and polished instead of my 99TM ones. Im thinking a supercharger with the added compression of the newer heads might not mix well... what do you think?

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by TDG
Ibut for some reason I dont really trust a non-english speaking alien to do complicated engine work for me. If

Its fortunate that the engineers for Ferrari, Porscha, BMW et al. don't share you opinion of non=English speaking ability.

 

[superman5787]

Hi again

Hey ya'll. I just wanted to throw in that mine has a custom ground cam, and reshaped heads, as well as larger ported valves. MAJOR engine work. I'm still tryin' to find a way to post my slips. I've got the proof. I'm still having a problem with hooking up with mine. My tires just spin. It was cool, but now it sucks. I hate that I can't "jump" into traffic without burning some tread off quick.

Oh yeah, I found my valve sizes 1.80in, 1.40ex. Big valves. BIG valves for a 6. I love mine though. What are the stock size? I'm curious now.

 

[flyguy]

See...i need the cam....

 

[mikeresin]

ill be happy with the v8 swap im planning

 

[supermanswife]

I Think....

I think you need to post me a message, bb!
(Oh, or you can call me!)
Love you !