97 Explorer V8 block has an Oil Filter/Cooler Elbow

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:30 pm

I pick up the engine tomorrow, however I went by to look at it today. They had it pulled and waiting for me. I wanted to find out what all I'll need to have ready to strap it down and what I'll need to get it out of the bed of my truck once I get it home.

While looking at it, I noticed that the oil filter is on an aluminum elbow instead of screwing directly into the block. The elbow sticks off the side of the engine a few inches, then turns forward and locates the filter downward and right in front of the engine. It appears to double as an oil cooler also because the lower radiator hose connects to it, then another hose connects to it and runs to the block. It appears to be held on by 2 bolts.

Every Ranger V8 swap I've ever heard of requires a special oil filter relocator with the in and out nipples coming off the adapter 90° to the block to make room for the steering sector.

Now the big question, has this oil filter/cooler elbow done some work for me thus the relocator is now a part I won't need to get? It looks awfully bulky to be used in a tight location. I couldn't see enough of the adapter to determine if once removed, it was really hiding a standard filter connection. Does anybody have any experience with what I'm talking about and what my options are?

I just hope this doesn't mean I can't use this block. After hearing from the other thread that I'll be better off finding a Mustang Computer and Harness, I'm starting to feel like my buying this engine wasn't the best move.

Can someone give me some good news? PLEASE?

Chris

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:55 pm

its just bolted on.easy to remove.refresh my info on your swap by setting up a sig.since its non pats it should be an easy matter of getting the helms book,for your truck ,i have the helms for the 97 explorer with the obdII plug and the 97 firewall to engine connector and the fuse box with the double rectifer and the trans/hego harness it should wire in with about 20-25 splices.you can do temporary scotch locks to get ir running or just weatherproof heatshrink/solder them right off

MalcolmV8 · Post by **MalcolmV8** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:14 pm

That adapter won't help you any. As you already noticed it's big and bulky. Here's two pics I have to try and give you and idea.

Stranger, cgrey8 has an 89 Ranger as I recall. What are you thoughts as to difficulty in wiring in the 97 Explorer harnes? I know you've done a 98+ swap.

Thanks
Malcolm

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:41 am

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Stranger's post. I think part of his response was meant for a different thread. With the exception of the 1st sentence or two, it didn't appear to deal with the oil filter/cooler issue. But yes, it's an 89 Ranger 2wd 5-speed, currently with a 2.9L. If you were responding to my OBD-II connection issue, I looked at the Explorer yesterday as well and I think I can clip the connector back long enough and just re-splice it together and let it hang under the hood. I won't wory about relocating it inside the cab where most OBD-II connectors are. However in light of this issue, I'm beginning to wonder if it's a moot point.

Malcolm, your pictures show that you are right...that factory adapter isn't going to work at all. It would intersect the sector pretty bad.

So does anybody know whether this is a modified block casting made specifically for the Explorer/Mountainer to use this adapter? Or is this simply a factory adapter that's hiding a normal Oil Filter connection under it thus I'll be able to use an adapter similar to the one displayed in Malcolm's pictures above? Being that it has bolts instead of a center-bolt (where the filter would normally thread), I have a bad feeling I have no chance of using anything standard off-the-shelf.

If that's true, I'm considering if I should strip the motor of it's front accessories & brackets, then sell the motor complete with harness and computer to get my money back out of it and continue a search for an 89-93 Mustang engine with computer to simplify things.

If this is what it comes to, any thoughts as to whether I'd recoup more of my costs through a complete engine sell or by selling it in parts?

Recommendations?

Chris

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:42 am

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Stranger's post. I think part of his response was meant for a different thread. With the exception of the 1st sentence or two, it didn't appear to deal with the oil filter/cooler issue. But yes, it's an 89 Ranger 2wd 5-speed, currently with a 2.9L. If you were responding to my OBD-II connection issue, I looked at the Explorer yesterday as well and I think I can clip the connector back long enough and just re-splice it together and let it hang under the hood. I won't wory about relocating it inside the cab where most OBD-II connectors are. However in light of this issue, I'm beginning to wonder if it's a moot point.

Malcolm, your pictures show that you are right...that factory adapter isn't going to work at all. It would intersect the sector pretty bad.

So does anybody know whether this is a modified block casting made specifically for the Explorer/Mountainer to use this adapter? Or is this simply a factory adapter that's hiding a normal Oil Filter connection under it thus I'll be able to use an adapter similar to the one displayed in Malcolm's pictures above? Being that it has bolts instead of a center-bolt (where the filter would normally thread), I have a bad feeling I have no chance of using anything standard off-the-shelf.

If that's true, I'm considering if I should strip the motor of it's front accessories & brackets, then sell the motor complete with harness and computer to get my money back out of it and continue a search for an 89-93 Mustang engine with computer to simplify things.

If this is what it comes to, any thoughts as to whether I'd recoup more of my costs through a complete engine sell or by selling it in parts?

Recommendations?

Chris

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:07 am

the block is the same just remove oil adapter.

the wiring in of the explorer ecc is possible.some herdels to over come are.mounting the ecc in engine bay,getting a vss signal.that would be with any ecc.otherwise.the # of splices would be the same,give or take 4-5.the ecciv will match up easier but will require dash/ecc harness extraction as most ecc v splices will be in engine compartment.

if you want to use what you brought,get the helms for your truck and i can help.if not then go the stang route.

the choice is yours.either way you will need acess to 2 helms evtm's i have the 97 ex and can share

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:18 pm

That's a relief...

As for "making it work" I never shy away from a challenge however some challenges are just not worth the returns. As long as I can use this block, I'll look around for a Mustang puter and harness if trying to make the Explorer computer work is going to be that big of a hassle. I can probably buy a harness easier than trying to get it out of an existing vehicle since the EEC-IV's did go into the vehicle. Do junkyards generally stock ECMs only? I guess it's possible I'll find a wreck that's totalled with engine damage OR a burned up engine.

Since the serious part of the swap won't happen until the summer, I got some time. In the meantime, I'm beefing up my shop for major engine work. Kennesaw (a suburb of Atlanta) has a Harbor Freight and NH Northern store that I can get tools at for much cheaper than Sears, Summit, or other tool retailers. A lot of their stuff is kinda cheap, but some things are pretty good and worth the rough edges for the lower prices.

As for the Helms diagrams, I'm not familiar with them. I've never used them. I think Malcolm posted a link to where I can order them, but there were a number of things available from Service Manuals to Owners Manuals, and of varying prices. He mentioned getting the wiring and vacuum manuals. I wasn't clear as to which ones are the most useful for electrical wiring when it comes to the computer.

Listed for the 89 Ranger, the site has:

1989 Aero/Rang/Broncoii Shop Manual($92)
1989 Complete Truck Shop Manual($75)

And:
1989 Ranger/Bronco II Electrical & Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual($23)
1989 Ranger/Bronco II Wiring Diagrams ($12)

The names are not intuitive as to which one is what. Do I go based on price and just assume the more expensive is what I want?

Thanks for the feedback so far. For now, I'm off to go pick up the motor and bring it home. Tonight, I need to tape up all the orafices and bag it up so it doesn't rust up before this summer.

Chris

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:43 pm

1989 Ranger/Bronco II Electrical & Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual($23)
This is the manual you are going to need. Well worth it. Check your e-mail, sent you a short version of it Caution about using a 10 year old wiring harness and computer from a yard, heat and the normal wear and tear and the pulling of it can cause hard to find breaks in it.
Dave[/img]

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:35 pm

I got the engine home and it's sitting on a tire in the barn.

After seeing it lifted off it's crate, I can see now it is the same block. All my worrying about it not working were for nothing. It's official, I'm an idiot. The 2 bolts I saw were near the elbow adapter but have nothing to do with it. It DOES have a center-bolt holding it on where an oil filter would norally thread.

During the lift into the truck, the yardie accidentally broke the Dipstick handle. In pulling the motor, they cracked the EGR line from the exhaust manifold to the EGR Valve. I can't remember who it was that said the Explorer tube style exhaust manifolds are junk, but they weren't kidding. The joints where the tubes meet are pinched and welded together creating a huge constriction because they are pinched so tightly. I can't imagine how they call that a manifold. I'd be the engine would get another 20 horses or more just by replacing those crappy things. Once I get a digital camera, I'll take pics and have Malcolm post to the site.

Being that I'm planning on replacing those factory bent-up piecer pipes with L&L shorty headers, how can a pipe be modified to get back up to the EGR? That EGR line has an orifice in it with pickup tubes before and after that go to a Differential Pressure(DP) sensor. The computer uses this DP reading to determine the EGR position. I would like to preserve the EGR functionality if at all possible. Does L&L or some other header manuf have models that have taps for EGR lines?

Chris

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:43 pm

Chris,
It was me that warned you about the tube headers. They really are junk. Ford did switch to a cast iron version later. Pictures have been posted at http://www.mercuranger.com. About your going to L&L headers, again, be careful about which heads you are going to end up using. The GT-40P heads that come on the Explorer will not except all the after market headers. It's the angle of the dangle of the spark plugs that makes all the difference. Central Coast Mustangs has headers that might be what you need if you are staying with the Explorer heads.
Dave

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:56 pm

Thanks for that heads-up. I didn't even think about that, but you are absolutely right. Different heads have different plug placements/angles. Where do I get info on what headers are compatible with what heads?

For instance, L&L headers worked very well with the Edelbrock aluminum heads Malcolm used. However if I go with a different head than what's on there, it'll most likely be the Trick Flow heads. If the Edelbrock heads have a different angle than the factory heads, what's to say the Trick Flow heads won't create the same problem as the factory with L&L headers or is there something oddball about the GT-40 heads that makes them different than every other head for SBF?

Chris

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:16 pm

Malcolm, another tidbit about the engine, it has that same bump on the driver's side that you had to notch your motor mount for. However my block has an Alan Screw in it. I wonder if it's a water passage of some sort.

Anybody know what this bump is and why older blocks don't have this?

Chris

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:16 pm

check the front of your heads 3 bars or 4.if p's 4 bar.some regular headers fit others interrfear with spark plug boot.if 3 bar gt40.any ford header will clear plug wires.
e mail l&l and ask.i believe i heard they clear the p's with boot protectors.

cjcnomor4 · Post by **cjcnomor4** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:03 pm

the heads you have are really good, I got mine ported and had the area behind the valves smoothed out. The valves are bigger than a stock mustang gt head. the plugs are angled down more than a mustang hence the gt-40 "P" designation. it was for a cleaner burn in the combustion chamber for lower emmisions. You can run a mustang style egr set up if you get an intake manifold that has egr provisions. My 98 motor had the same egr set up as yours but nowhere for exhaust to flow through the intake, thats why the tube on the rh exhaust manifold. My Trick Flow intake has egr ports and there is a port in the center of either head that is blocked by the factory intake. I also found these last night, check this site: www.TorqueMonsterHeaders.com. They are for a v8 explorer and will work with our cylinder heads, have an egr tube fitting made on them. But I'm not sure they will fit a ranger and I dont feel like spending $800 to find out.