My explorer motor/gt40p buildup and drop into 86gt Vert PICS!!!

[v8only]

figure I'd post this here too, why the hell not.

btw, for those unaware, the explorer motors have the gt40p heads (97-01) and the intake flows nearly as well as a gt40 intake. (budget cobra motor!!!)

Here's what I've been doing with my free time. Pulled the old tired engine out of my vert, and picked up an explorer motor with only 60k miles on it from a 4x4 wrecking yard for $650. I then proceeded to do the following:

-Yank pan and install mustang pan
-new oil pump, and mustang pickup tube
-1986 mustang HO roller cam (I regret now not going with a tfs stage 1 cam)
-TFS valve springs/seals
-1.7 roller rockers
-mustang timing chain
-Romac harmonica balancer
-Energy suspension polyeurothane motor mounts, trans mount, and steering rack bushings
-new steering rack/tie rod ends
-Solid steering shaft
-FResh rebuild on the t5
-93 cobra NOS take off clutch/flywheel/pressure plate
-aftermarket valve covers, polished, clear coated
-upper intake in process of being polished and powdercoated clear
-Ceramic frpp shorty headers.

ALL of this is stuff I went out and did just for this conversion. My low budget buildup is nearing a guessed three grand. I'm sure I left some stuff out of that list. I'm going to have complete writeup on this in a month or two with dyno results, and track results.

The rest of the mods are already the common stuff, shifter, alum driveshaft, 3.73 turbocoupe rear, airbag in spring, pro3i lower control arms, frpp uppers, etc.

I'm excited, as this is my first real buildup.

As soon as my intake comes back from the polisher place, I can install it and finish hooking up the accessories, vaccum lines, etc.

I put this in the tech section because I'd like to show others how to do this swap, and the real cost involved, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of conversion questions. THis has been a blast, but I never thought I would spend so much money on what was a $650 engine..

and, finally, as she sits now, waiting for the fresh polished upper

 

[HISSIN50]

Jeremy, I think the new update since I last saw it are the valve covers -

Lookin good brah.

 

[tmoss]

Lookin good - think about what you would have spent had you bought a $2,000 short block!

 

[v8only]

Lookin good - think about what you would have spent had you bought a $2,000 short block!

Thanks!! I can't wait till I get the upper back in polished form. Although, I wish it was a real gt40 upper, they look so much better.

No doubt, I'm with you. Had I bought a "real" long block, I would have broken the bank. it's easy to be clouded from an inexperienced point of view and thing going faster is as easy as dropping in a $650 explorer engine and going. However, the reality is so far from that, it's not funny. the truth is, it's a complete package, and I'm not going anywhere without all of this stuff. AND, i'm not even at the next round of mods, once I start tuning it, (mass air meter, 6al, chip, etc)

Hope this reaches a lot of the younger guys who don't realize the reality of the situation. Projects like this are why so many cars are abandoned, then junked. I'm only lucky i'm 31, and have a job barely good enough for this, which is truly a low budget build up (about 3 grand for where i'm at now for everything done, not including prior mods) All this for what will be a mid 13 second car at best n/a.

My brother has realized the exact same thing, he was JUST discussing this yesterday. Not only is he too building an explorer motor for his 86 ttops, he's all ready invested in a tremec 3550, to boot with everything I've done. On top of that, he's doing a 5 lug conversion, and was just complaining, to do this 5 lug conversion properly, it's costing him nearly $1500. $500 for used bullits, and about a grand in brake stuff ($400 for new 13 inch cobra stuff up front, $250 for a v6 rear end with all the brake hardware, + all the other smaller stuff, spindles, new a arms, etc) then, on top of that, if you want nice tires to go with those used bullits, or whatever wheels you're looking at minimum another $500.

All of this for cars we paid about a grand for.

 

[webshot]

btw, for those unaware, the explorer motors have the gt40p heads (97-01) and the intake flows nearly as well as a gt40 intake. (budget cobra motor!!!)

Dont tell me that, My friend who owns a salvage yard just insuranced out a 97 explorer and he asked if I wanted anything from it (but I had already sold my explorer). I was not even thinking from a Stang point of view. Would those heads and intake have fit on a 302 out of another 88? Or would I have had to use the full engine? Could you speak on the benefit of doing a conversion like this? A mid 13s car doesnt seem to be much worth the trouble. But that could be my inexperience.

PS...not only yougsters will benefit from this discussion.

 

[93GTosu]

looks awesome!! good job!

 

[tmoss]

Could you speak on the benefit of doing a conversion like this?

My results are in my signature...........

 

[v8only]

Dont tell me that, My friend who owns a salvage yard just insuranced out a 97 explorer and he asked if I wanted anything from it (but I had already sold my explorer). I was not even thinking from a Stang point of view. Would those heads and intake have fit on a 302 out of another 88? Or would I have had to use the full engine? Could you speak on the benefit of doing a conversion like this? A mid 13s car doesnt seem to be much worth the trouble. But that could be my inexperience.

PS...not only yougsters will benefit from this discussion.

man, you are NUTS for not getting that engine. it would have slid right onto your 84. yes, those heads will bolt right onto any 5.0, as well as the intake. Look at it any way you like, however, with a cam swap and roller rockers, that explorer engine becomes literally identical to a 93-95 cobra engine. It's a great engine that will put out 50-75 more horse easy than a stock mustang 5.0 engine that most wind up paying the same amount for. its a real sweet cheap upgrade. 13's are conservative based on the rest of your combo

 

[webshot]

I am trying to call him now to see if he still has it on his yard. Being inexperienced sucks.

 

[v8only]

My results are in my signature...........

wholy christ, that's some good power. Looks like the heads have been worked over quite a bit then eh? I'm guessing you have done the "tmoss" porting on your intake too? that's especially good with a stock cam.

did you run it with the stock gt40p heads? if so, what power did you put out before you had all that work done?

 

[v8only]

I am trying to call him now to see if he still has it on his yard. Being inexperienced sucks.

that's ok, this is how we learn

these engines are gold (well almost) but with these explorers finally aging, they're gonna start showing up in stangs more and more often now. they go quick, don't be surprised if its gone all ready.

let us know if he still has it.

 

[webshot]

crap he still has it, but someone already expressed interest. But he said if they dont show up, I can have it for 150 bucks.

 

[v8only]

wholy fricking **** man. Are you sure it's a v8 explorer and not a v6?

That's cheap as hell. the heads alone usually sell for $300, the intake usually fetches $150-$200

if it's your buddy, call him up and beg/plead. Offer him $200, i'm sure he can figure something out. Damn that's cheap. mine was a decent deal at $650.


so, will this be an efi conversion engine for your 84 ttop? What a sweet project that would be.

 

[webshot]

Yea I am sure it is a v8, every so often he hooks me up with parts and he knew I had a explorer that had been stolen so.....But I never would have thought of that engine in my stang.... Offering more wont help, he is a stand up guy and it is like first come first serve. But if they are not there by 5pm, I'll ****** it up....lol...why is s.n.a.t.c.h. censored.

Yea this is for the 84, spin off of the question I asked on 4eyed. But that would leave me with this other 5.0 motor in my garage. My wife is going to give me hell for turning the garage into a junk yard.,

 

[v8only]

Yea I am sure it is a v8, every so often he hooks me up with parts and he knew I had a explorer that had been stolen so.....But I never would have thought of that engine in my stang.... Offering more wont help, he is a stand up guy and it is like first come first serve. But if they are not there by 5pm, I'll ****** it up....lol...why is s.n.a.t.c.h. censored.

Yea this is for the 84, spin off of the question I asked on 4eyed. But that would leave me with this other 5.0 motor in my garage. My wife is going to give me hell for turning the garage into a junk yard.,

well, you'll be in the same club as me, the my wife hates my car parts club. I tell my wife my garage is mine, period, you'll never get it, you'll never park in it, the most you get is the washer and dryer in the garage, AND, at that I may relocate the washer and dryer into the front bedroom.

you shouldn't have any problems unloading/selling a HO 5.0 roller engine. I'd just sell it, as you're gonna need the money for the necessary conversions on that explorer engine. (at the minimum upgraded valve springs and a cam, or stock ho cam, + all the other conversion stuff)

also, a tip, I don't have ANY problems selling off all the obd 2 stuff from the explorer engine. Package ALL the accessory brackets, and accessories, wires, distributorless ignition, etc into a giant walmart tub. I got like $150 + ship for that stuff. Seems to be a lot of smallblock ford truck guys that want that stuff.

 

[mrswivlepants]

That's cheap as hell. the heads alone usually sell for $300, the intake usually fetches $150-$200

I got the heads off a mountaineer for 50 beans. Not all junkmen are created equal apparently. Perhaps I just him with my superior bargaining ability, or maybe he was a complete caveman.

 

[Thenemesis]

wow this is exactly what i may be doing with a GT40 engine out of one.. E cam and 1.6 rr's until i can get enough cash for my 306 assembly.. then i will be in bussiness lol

 

[tmoss]

wholy christ, that's some good power. Looks like the heads have been worked over quite a bit then eh? I'm guessing you have done the "tmoss" porting on your intake too? that's especially good with a stock cam.

did you run it with the stock gt40p heads? if so, what power did you put out before you had all that work done?

When I got the car I put Flowmasters on it, removed the air silencer, did a tune up, ported the lower intake and dyno tested 219RWHP/290RWTQ.

F/S does not allow porting, so the heads have Manley undercut stem race 1.85/1.55" valves, good valve work, Comp Springs (~130# on the seat), ARP 9/16" studs and Isky guide plates. I got the heads, MAC P headers also prepped for F/S (welds moved to outside and inside welds ground off), and Scorpion 1.6 rockers for $1,000 with less than 1 season on them. I put all this stuff on and pulled 257RWHP/310RWTQ untuned and the final numbers in my sig were after tuning (fuel and spark). The stock cam I have is an early SD cam and is a very good grind for a stocker.

 

[v8only]

When I got the car I put Flowmasters on it, removed the air silencer, did a tune up, ported the lower intake and dyno tested 219RWHP/290RWTQ.

F/S does not allow porting, so the heads have Manley undercut stem race 1.85/1.55" valves, good valve work, Comp Springs (~130# on the seat), ARP 9/16" studs and Isky guide plates. I got the heads, MAC P headers also prepped for F/S (welds moved to outside and inside welds ground off), and Scorpion 1.6 rockers for $1,000 with less than 1 season on them. I put all this stuff on and pulled 257RWHP/310RWTQ untuned and the final numbers in my sig were after tuning (fuel and spark). The stock cam I have is an early SD cam and is a very good grind for a stocker.

that's what i've read about the early cams, and why I re used my 86 sd cam

what do you mean f/s ?

Are these heads not usually ported and the such, I've heard some info to that degree, as I've heard, by the way they're designed, they already flow really well, and additional porting may hurt them. After a while, I'll want to pull these and have them fully worked, or get aluminums. Wonder if gt40's are a better head to rework?

 

[ECU5.0]

looks good man, i wish i could have found a motor out of an explorer like 4 months ago when i started building mine. oh well i got a block for free and than spent about 900 on everything else to freshen it up and get the heads done.