I'm curious if anybody has swapped a v6 for a v8? I know explorers came with v8's but those were only 5.0's I would like to drop a more powerfull motor into my explorer and I'm wondering how big of a motor I can go with. lol

I'm thinking a 351 or a 390, but I dont know if it'd fit. any ideas?

 

The 5.0 barely fits. Good luck finding anything bigger to fit. Why not build a 347 and drop that in? A explorer sport will scoot with a 347 under the hood.

 

Fit is definately an issue when you get beyond the 5.0's...I've looked at it on mine as a passing whimsical thought. Would be cool, but not in the cards.

 

ok, let me ask you this, in theory, Dont the v8 in the pickups have virtualy the same potential as the motors in a GT mustang, cobra, or saleen? So if a person was willing to put the money and time into a truck v8 he could have a pretty nasty ride right?

 

Different heads, cam(Roller lifters), different intake design. If you can find an 01 Explorer or Mountaineer V8 donor, you can bolt in everything to yours. The engine harness and the pcm plug into yours.

 

Hi Seth,
I noticed that you have an automatic transmission. That is the weak point in it's stock configuration if you have plans to go with a bigger V-8. The fact that you currently have a V-6 may or may not be an additional problem in that your tranny might not bolt up to a V-8. Your Explorer should have a 5R55E tranny. It is really a good transmission but it needs a rebuild with mods to hold up to the torque of a bigger engine. CLICK HERE if you want to know more about your tranny.

Another problem with the bigger and older V-8s is that they are not compatible with you Explorer's control and instrumentation. The 390s were all carbureted engines and there is no way to make the Exlorer's PCM and instrumentation work with it.

Later Man...

 

well I'm not against making everything analog and completely doing away with the computer if needed, but if I can do the mods to a 302 and get similar results, I'm thinking that would be the better way to go. lol

 

That will work if you get a later 302, (5.0L) and a PCM for that motor. To do otherwise you need to completely strip and convert instrumentation and control. here again, it's not likely that the tranny will last long without the rebuild and mods. Doing the crossover conversion is a very complex issue that involves way more than just an engine swap.

There is another issue here. You live in Ohio which is a state that selectively designates counties for emmission testing. It is quite likely, given the present state of affairs regarding the curtailment of green house gasses that your Explorer will be subject to testing in the future. Due to it's year model it will be included if that happens. If you have changed anything, it will show up in the testing and it will not pass. That includes modifications. When they plug into the OBD2 port they expect to see information come up that complies with the specs and ID for that model. If it doesn't you will not get it certified even if it can pass the emmissions test.

Vehicles prior to year 1985 I believe are exempt to the testing procedure, (this year model cut-off may be in error), as are some of the larger and diesel trucks. This is why so-called Pro-Touring vehicles, (older vehicles with later model drive trains), are becomming so popular. By virtue of their designated year model, they are exempt no matter what you do to the drive train. Given the complexity of the mod and the laws regarding this situation, swapping the engine to a V-8 or an older system is not really a practical thing to do.

Later Man...