Inexpensive build with details

Discussion of all other Fords, Mustangs, F150s etc.

Moderator: MalcolmV8

Post Reply
User avatar
Dave
Supporting Member
Posts: 1524
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:36 pm
SM: No
Location: Central Wisconsin

Inexpensive build with details

Post by Dave »

This is from a guy I've met down in Northern Ill. Think he did good and really likes the ride. Basiclly all JY parts, never had the valve covers off, still the Explorer exhaust manifolds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P75DET9 ... dded#at=12


Truck ran a 15.5 in May of 2010,

Changed the CPS sensor and re-aligned the spindle, raised my 3-4th shift point 1000RPM's *4500 upshift still...*

Managed a 14.848 at 90 flat hitting fuel cut across the line (4.10's and a 26 inch tire) back in November 2010.

I'm getting my tune adjusted to remove the top speed limiter, getting a pair of 28 inch street radials, and more importantly I'm picking up a fellow members Explorer Express X-Charger. Gonna have some fun in Spring

Additional items I had to purchase as I threw them out, or were damaged otherwise, Powersteering hose for 98+ 2wd V8 Explorers ($25) Radiator hoses for 2wd V-8 explorer (98+ this is important) ($30)

Due to the space, I opted for an Electric fan, and found that the best CFM for the buck was the fan out of a 3.8 92-95 Taurus. $22 and a junkyard trip later, I was in business. The shroud trimmed slightly covers the majority of the radiator, and I ran the fan off a switch on the 'low' side all summer and never had any heat issues despite only running a single fan. I will be getting a beefy relay so I can run on the high-side this season.

The wiring was a bit of a project, but in the end, the harnesses I had from the 96, and the harnesses I got with the 98 engine were enough to get everything working correctly.

For the ECU, The truck was able to run off the 96 ECU, but it ran pig rich, and got maybe 8mpg, Return style ECU, but returnless fuel system ($60 for injectors and rails off a 99+ Explorer). I quickly picked up an ECU off of a 2001 5.0 ($40 from my local yard), and a buddy sold me his Sniper Tuner (Delta Force tuning company I think its called now) for just $100. With the tuner, I disabled the PATS out of the 2001 ECU, changed to the 'canned premium fuel' setting, I raised the 3-4 shift point by 1000RPM (Which bumped it from 3500-4500 as the shift governor is in the ECU, not mechanical), and I raised the shift firmness to the middle 'setting' in the tuner *Firm*. This tuner could have also changed the fuel system settings from Return style to returnless as well, so I could have run the 96 ECU had I known this and saved myself the $40

At this point I needed to switch to the correct CPS Sensor and Spindle as they changed in 1999+ ($37 from Rock Auto), and I adjusted the wiring accordingly in the engine harness. With everything above, Last november the truck cut a 14.848 with a 2.08 60 foot on a pair of mustang cobra wheels (03-04's with some crappy 275 width Kuhmo's on them)


Current build totals:
Profit-
$250 for old engine and transmission
Costs-
$800 For the truck (98 Stepside/Std cab ranger with 2.5 4cyl/auto)
$450 for 'low mileage' 1998 5.0 and 2wd 4R70W from wrecked explorer (Jyard)
$50 + 3.73 rear end for Ranger 4.10/8.8/31 spline trak-loc rear end (Member of local webforum)
$100 Engine Mount Brackets (Local Machine Shop)
$80 Engine Mounts (Ford Parts Dealer)
$60 Water Pump (Autozone)
$30 Taurus Efan and switch/wiring to make it work (Jyard)
$40 2001 explorer 5.0 ECU to switch to the returnless fuel system. (Jyard)
$60 Fuel rails and injectors to switch to the returnless fuel system. (Explorer Forum)
$100 Sniper/DeltaForce Tuner (member of Local webform)
$40 2001 cam Syncro and CPS sensor.
$30 radiator Hoses
$40 Brand new Trans cooler (I could have re-used what I already had, but oh well)
$20 Clamps/heat shrink/solder/etc
$200 Brand new rear leaf springs (Because one of mine had cracked
$25 Power Steering hose
--------------------------
$1325 Total cost minus the truck
$2125 Cost of Truck and Swap
Made about $600 back from parting out the explorer, and the old engine and trans out of the ranger
$1525 Total Investment.
Realistically, there are lots of other nick-nacks I'm sure I bought, but there are lots of things other people may not need (Power steering hose if I had kept the old one, Re-used the trans cooler, leaf springs since mine were broken, etc, etc) So minus the profit from the old engine, and the explorer I parted out, Its still only about a $2000 project including the price of the platform.


Other Modifications:
$450 DJM 2/3 Drop kit
$45 K+N Panel filter
$30 Explorer Sport Gauge cluster (White faced with Tach)
$280 Custom exhaust from the headers back, 2.5 off the collectors, Merge to 3inch into Flowmaster 40, 2, 2.5inch out on the muffler out the side. (Local Exhaust shop, bent normally, and regular mild steel tubing)

$1000 - Modifications (I'll round up, because I'm sure again I have other nick-nacks)
'66'Ranchero 302/5 speed
2015 Stage 3 Roush - rated at 670 hp
2000 Ext Cab/4 door swap project
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Summer beater
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Winter beater
1969 Fairlane Cobra in Barn, just waiting
User avatar
MalcolmV8
Supporting Member
Posts: 2597
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:50 pm
SM: Yes
Location: Kansas City, MO

Re: Inexpensive build with details

Post by MalcolmV8 »

Is it just me or does that drag strip seem like it's going down hill? that does seem fair to compare those numbers to other tracks that run perfectly flat.
92 302 Ranger - sold
94 302 Ranger AWD - sold
07 BMW 335xi - tuned, boost turned up, E85 - sold
04 911 TT - to many mods to list. Over 600 All Wheel HP on pump gas - sold
2015 Coyote - daily driver
03 Cobra - 2.3 TVS on a built 12:1 CR motor with ported heads, cams, long tubes etc.
MD Racing Lean Protection Module
E85

Tuned by MD Racing

https://www.youtube.com/c/MalcolmV8
User avatar
Dave
Supporting Member
Posts: 1524
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:36 pm
SM: No
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Inexpensive build with details

Post by Dave »

I had to go back and look myself. It's a legal NHRA track and has been before the late 60's. The camera operator makes it look like one of them "optical conclusions". It is flat past the finish line and then goes up that hill. Use to go down there a lot in the late 60's and seen cars have brakes go out or chutes not deploy and were glad the hill was there. Track used to be a four lane but the cars got too fast so they just used the four lanes for the cars slower than 15 sec's for timing.
I'll have to dig up some of them old pictures, lots of the old roadsters and altered running then.
Dave
'66'Ranchero 302/5 speed
2015 Stage 3 Roush - rated at 670 hp
2000 Ext Cab/4 door swap project
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Summer beater
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Winter beater
1969 Fairlane Cobra in Barn, just waiting
User avatar
MalcolmV8
Supporting Member
Posts: 2597
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:50 pm
SM: Yes
Location: Kansas City, MO

Re: Inexpensive build with details

Post by MalcolmV8 »

Ah excellent optical illusion there. The uphill is really nice and should almost be a requirement. I was personally racing a guy a few years ago who's brakes failed and he couldn't stop. Even though there's a long run out at 120+ mph you eat that up quick and he jumped the ditch/river at the end and went flying into some heavily treed/brush area. Was pitch dark and you couldn't see a thing but fire trucks and ambulances etc. all came in to help.

About a year later we actually met the guy by complete chance when his car was up for sale. 65 Mustang with a twin turbo'd 302... and apparently bad brakes. He was alright then but got banged up pretty bad in the wreck. Car got pretty beat up too.

It was fun racing that night though, we did several back to back races and the crowd was enjoying it, supercharged mustang vs turbo'd mustang. His brakes weren't up to the task though and after 3 back to back runs they let out.
92 302 Ranger - sold
94 302 Ranger AWD - sold
07 BMW 335xi - tuned, boost turned up, E85 - sold
04 911 TT - to many mods to list. Over 600 All Wheel HP on pump gas - sold
2015 Coyote - daily driver
03 Cobra - 2.3 TVS on a built 12:1 CR motor with ported heads, cams, long tubes etc.
MD Racing Lean Protection Module
E85

Tuned by MD Racing

https://www.youtube.com/c/MalcolmV8
User avatar
Dave
Supporting Member
Posts: 1524
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:36 pm
SM: No
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Inexpensive build with details

Post by Dave »

There is at least a couple places out in the Rockys where they have a sign along the road saying "Only place that water runs uphill". Driving up a slight up-slope with large hills in the background makes you think you are running down hill and the stream along side the road looks to be running up hill. Maybe a better shot looking down the strip.
Dave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIqJBKC5 ... re=related
'66'Ranchero 302/5 speed
2015 Stage 3 Roush - rated at 670 hp
2000 Ext Cab/4 door swap project
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Summer beater
2000 Ext Cab/4 door, Winter beater
1969 Fairlane Cobra in Barn, just waiting
Post Reply