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to explore or not to explore?

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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 05:32 PM
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to explore or not to explore?

hey all my ford family got a question and im looking for thoughts facts opinion or whatever. i got a 94 ford f150 flareside mark 3 package with a 302 and e40d automatic tranny. my question is that i can get a 5.0 explorer motor complete or just parts whichever i would like. im looking to get some more powere from from truck. which way would be better for me. swap out the heads from the explorer to mine. swap intakes? swap complete mptors? or would it it all be just a waste of my time? if i was to swap what sort of gain should i expect? also with the swap i plan on putting a rv cam in the truck. also would the explorer 5.0 bolt up to my e4od? and if the explorer is a 2wd would the tranny in it fit in my truck. all ansers would be helpful. thanks
 
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 07:46 PM
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Those are a lot of questions. It would depend on budget, power goals and function and fit.

Explorer motors can be a great foundation for a build. It will make more power than your stock motor, but there are some details that will have to be delt with and thats were your goals will have to be sorted out.

A explorer "long block" I believe is a direct replacement.

Do you want to keep the stock intake manifold? And I'm sure that will start off lively discussion.
 
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 09:28 PM
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You don't need Explorer parts to get more power just change the cam in the truck motor to one that actually opens the valves(Comp 35-512-8), and replace the complete exhaust system with something that includes headers but doesn't include the stock cats.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 04:48 PM
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well im looking for more low and mid range power. i do sometimes tow a boat or other light weght trailor maybe a car or something. my truck lacks the power i need. i have heard alot of good reciews with the ehplorer parts and motors. i wouold also love to be able to beat most od f the other stock trucks off the line when it come to the 1/4 mile as i want it to perform a little better. i would like to have a mean machine that i xan work and play with. money is a strict problem thats why i been junkyard hunting and can across the explorer motor. sorry for all th question its just something that if i do do i plan on doing the swap this week and i will post all the pics and after thoughs about the project. thanks to all
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:11 PM
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depending on what year the motor is. the 95 through early 97 5.0 has the best heads available. they are gt40x heads. the newer 5.0 has the gt40p heads. IMHO i would take the long block and keep your upper intake. probly the cheapest and most functional setup with a no budget like you have.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by playa4eternity69
well im looking for more low and mid range power.
Forget it man the 5.0 makes it's best power at mid to high rpms(2500+) and there's no changing that. A few guys here have done a complete GT40/Explorer top end swap and guess what.. they gained a ton on the top end but actually lost low end power. That's the way this cookie crumbles so just get used to it and make sure your upgrade plans include 4.10 gears to get the motor into the meat quicker.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:17 PM
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i didnt give that any thought. very true though. beef the cam and give it hell...
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by 92nite351
depending on what year the motor is. the 95 through early 97 5.0 has the best heads available. they are gt40x heads. .
Nope.. X heads were never installed on a production motor.


Originally Posted by 92nite351
the newer 5.0 has the gt40p heads. IMHO i would take the long block and keep your upper intake.
The 5.0 truck and Explorer intakes are totally different and the parts won't mix.. you can't put a truck upper on an Explorer lower for example. This Explorer shortblock is identical to the truck shortblock, the only differences are the heads and intake.. and the intake isn't supperior just different. The heads are definitely better than what the truck got so this motor hs more output potential, but again it's all gonna be at mid to high rpms, the motor will never make big TQ at low rpms no matter what combo you put together.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:48 PM
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my brother bought a wrecked 93 mustang gt that was all stock and it had gt40x heads. we talked to the dealer (the guy is a genious with all things ford) he told us that these heads were found on 92-95 mustang gts and the 95-97 explorers... just relaying the information i was told. sorry 4 any confusion.. where were the gt40x heads present? you would have to put them on some production vehical?
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 92nite351
my brother bought a wrecked 93 mustang gt that was all stock and it had gt40x heads. we talked to the dealer (the guy is a genious with all things ford) he told us that these heads were found on 92-95 mustang gts and the 95-97 explorers... just relaying the information i was told. sorry 4 any confusion.. where were the gt40x heads present? you would have to put them on some production vehical?
GT40x heads are aftermarket aluminum version of the ever popular GT40 irons which were on the 93-95 mustang COBRAS and 95-97 exploders. The stang GT had the E7s i believe
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:58 PM
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thanks 4 the clarification...
 
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 06:23 PM
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Of course for a budget build or just looking for a gain in power the GT40 irons flow over 20% better than the E7s... These are what the lightnings had along with GT40 upper and lower intakes. The GT40x heads are the greatest flowing heads of the GT40 line and difinatly the lightest.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 05:10 AM
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Find out what year the motor was made, because the later 97 1/2 to 01 had a different plug/exhaust set up that will need to be addressed.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 09:40 PM
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the explorer is a 96 and my truck is a 94. the explorer has 194k and my truck has 140k. still not completelty sure if to do the whole swap or just swAP PARTS. OF COURSE I WILL REBUILD ANYTHING BEFORE IT IS COMPLETED. ANY MORE THOUGHT OR OPINIONS WOULD BE GREAT
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 09:53 PM
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A '96 Exploder will have regular GT40 heads.. the good ones. Like I said the bottom end is EXACTLY the same as yours so use whatever one you like for a rebuild.
 
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