97 explorer November 18, 2009, 08:38:39 PM OK, project black opp is under way, I've found a 97 exploder as a donor for the engine... my question is, i want to run the newer setup with the coil packs, and a manual transmission. i know the 4r70w or what ever awd tranny is computer controlled and will not be in the car, will this cause a problem? my plan is to hopefully get it this weekend and get it running outside the truck, then remove bits i don't need for the tbird. also, I'll be parting it out in the for sale section later on if you need stuff... main question tho, newer motor and ecu with the t56 i got... any foreseeable problems? Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #1 – November 18, 2009, 09:13:37 PM I can't answer any questions, but was wondering if the rear end is disc, and available? Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #2 – November 18, 2009, 09:42:21 PM Seeing as I have a 97 Explorer, I'm definitely interested in seeing what you part out of it.Good luck with your project. It's a shame that you won't be using the tranny, though. I really love the 5-speed auto. Having that extra gear makes it a lot more driveable. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #3 – November 18, 2009, 09:46:18 PM Quote from: Quietleaf;299343Seeing as I have a 97 Explorer, I'm definitely interested in seeing what you part out of it.Good luck with your project. It's a shame that you won't be using the tranny, though. I really love the 5-speed auto. Having that extra gear makes it a lot more driveable.4R70W is a 4 speed. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #4 – November 18, 2009, 10:38:44 PM Quote from: tirefryr;2993454R70W is a 4 speed.he must have the 4.0L V6 which had the 5R55 tranny. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #5 – November 18, 2009, 10:46:22 PM I thought about that, but he was disappointed the OP wasn't using the 4R70W, so I assumed he had the P engine/tranny combo as well. I do like the 5R55 though. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #6 – November 18, 2009, 11:48:31 PM Yup, sorry for my mistake. I have the V6. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #7 – November 19, 2009, 02:07:31 AM you will eventually want to change cams. its a truck engine and the cam has all low end power. other then that i've heard the valvesprings float really bad in higher rpm so you'd want to change those. utilizing the coil packs (someone correct me if im wrong) might cause complications in upgrading the ECU later on. the coil packs i believe use eec-5 not eec-4 (4 was more versitile/less complicated thus more popular) theres a lot of info on the explorer engine on corral.net has some really good threads as well as the other mustang forums im sure. sorry i dunno if linking is allowed here pm me if you want me to give you a really good explorer engine thread. also know that the gt-40p heads on that engine will need a lot of attentions as far as getting the headers to fit properly around the new sparkplug angle. just a few things to think about but to answer your question i dont think computer-transmission communication is required to function at least but im going on a limb by saying that (someone please verify) Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #8 – November 19, 2009, 11:09:37 AM hmm thanks, yeah i know the cams lol, but before i put the motor in it's getting torn down and rebuilt. i got a guy thats shaving the heads and doing some porting and new springs, guides, ect... motor will probably be a 306 when its done too with a aftermarket cam. ill keep you all updated, i havent seen it done before, possibly cause it looks like its gonna be a pain in the ass lol... Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #9 – November 20, 2009, 09:22:38 AM The Sploder EEC will be looking for the shift solenoids in the original auto tranny and will set a code(probably several)... Still based on I ran a automatic EEC from a 4cyl Stang in a 5speed without difficulty I don't think it would be a problem... I got around the codes by connecting a #194 bulb from a power source to the shift solenoid output of the EEC... Stupid computer didn't know the difference, and no longer set a code... The bulb would light up whenever the EEC thought it should be applying O/D...I see no reason you couldn't do the same, but will likely need 4-5 bulbs... Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #10 – November 20, 2009, 01:49:48 PM I just used an A9P and the distributor from my stock 5.0. It was much easier;)I used the FMS GT40P headers with my heads. They, uh, *fit* around the stock motor mounts ok but I had to do some grinding on the driver's side mount. They make spark plug changes soooo easy though. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #11 – November 20, 2009, 04:28:23 PM Quote from: thunderjet302;299520I just used an A9P and the distributor from my stock 5.0. It was much easier;)Me too. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #12 – November 20, 2009, 05:22:49 PM The explorer cam is not at all a bad cam. They're peak power is rated at 4200rpm with P heads and 4700rpm with the standard GT40's. Stock HO's peak out around 4000-4200rpm. The common misconception is that since it's an SUV is that it has a "truck cam"...the old "truck cams" were Standard Output 5.0 cams...the Explorer/Mountaineer cam is a far cry from the SO cam.I believe the P headed engine is around 217ish HP...with a stupid restrictive set of exhaust manifolds, some guys are claiming gains of 30+ hp from just headers/exhaust. The cam is NOT the big restriction on that engine.Nate, good luck to you buddy!-Don Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #13 – November 21, 2009, 02:03:22 AM I was under the ASSumption that the truck cams placed in between our SO cams, and the HO version...?My 2 wheel drive '92 F-150 will flat pull away from any standard output 5.0 Tbird....stock, that is.Then again...that ain't sayin' a whole helluva lot, lolAnywho, I may be wrong with that notion, but it seems like I read that somewhere once...many moons ago..FWIW, '92 5.0 (truck) was rated at 185hp, 270 lb.ft....We all know what an '88 Tbird/Cougar (Sport-XR7) is-was rated at,as well as the Mustang..The trucks have/had 19# injectors, and E7 heads, so it would seem logical that the cams for trucks would place somewhere between the HO, and the SO versions...of course, they're ground for more torque, obviously...but...just for a comparison's sake. Quote Selected
97 explorer Reply #14 – November 21, 2009, 10:39:09 PM I believe that up to '93(maybe even all the way up to '95) all 5.0 trucks used the same grind as the HO...what gives it a bit more power is the heads and freer flowing intake. Also, the pick-ups will have much better than 2.73 gears(in most cases). The later truck/Explorer cam is a real hot rod cam compared to the SO unit.I'm not saying to go out and buy up all the Explorer/Mountaineer cams you can, but if you're building a mild little daily driver or even a low-budget weekend tire fryer...it's a decent cam and it's really not necessary to swap it out......but I know Nate...he's trying to build something a little bit more serious than that...lol.Good luck Nate!-Don Quote Selected
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