98 EXPLOYER 302 MOD'S

[gorgo]

WILL A E303 CAM AND 70MM MAF FMS HEADERS BE WORTH THE MONEY FOR THE RESULTS I WOULD GET. I WILL BE USING A A9L COMPUTER WITH THIS. THIS IS GOING IN A 93 RANGER 4X4 WITH A C4 AND STOCK TRANSFER CASE AND A 8.8 OUT OF THE EXPLOYER WITH 3.73'S

[cgrey8]

As per a discussion entry I just added in the Questions about injectors thread, I found that with my all-stock Explorer motor, the 55mm MAF wasn't doing that badly. Upping to a 73mm MAF slightly improve the smoothness/restriction of air through the MAF, but in my case, it didn't make enough improvement to warrant buying one. But since I have it, I might as well run it and I do plan to build the engine later.

If the 70mm MAF you are considering is the old 70mm Cobra MAFs, I wouldn't waste money on it. I think dyno runs have proven they are only marginally better than the 55mm MAF and since they have the SAME curve as the 55mm, you don't gain the ability to measure more air with them. Even if they could physically flow it, the pickup couldn't report it.

Also if you plan to buy a tuner, then buy whatever MAF you want and enter the custom flow curve then tweak it to your application.

If you don't, the get a C&L with the proper sampling tube for your injectors. There are other MAFs out there, but C&L seems to be the most affordable for "stock" applications.

If you are running an Explorer V8 (as the title indicates) with GT40p heads, then the FMS headers are an improvement over the bent-up stock POS tube manifolds that came on the Explorer in the early years (what my engine came with). However, I'd like to hear some real quotes as to how much better the FMS headers are than the cast iron manifolds Ford put on them later on. A much better alternative to FMS headers is the Torque Monster headers. They are a much better upgrade than the FMS headers are. They do require some mods if you aren't running a 95 or newer body style. You can search the forum for "Torque Monster" and see the threads where Cjcnomor4 has posted pics of these headers in his truck along with commentary about the mods required for his to fit. Being your doing a 4x4 installation, I don't know how that would change things. Unless you want to experiment, you may want to stick with a more tried-n-true header. But the Torque Monster headers would certainly be worth toying around with...if you've never seen them, they are just unique looking and definitely an eye-catcher when you open the hood.

If your setup has non-GT40p heads, then there are other headers far better and much cheaper out there that work great in the Ranger swaps. The Tri-Ys are a popular one. Another is the L&L Headers.

As for the E303, it depends on what you are going for with this swap. I could be wrong, but my guess is a 4x4 is going to want something with a little more low-RPM umph than the E303 has. It's a higher RPM cam that doesn't kick in good until 2500RPM. If you want a lower RPM torquer cam, you'll want to look somewhere else.

[gorgo]

i have gt40p heads and the exployer intake(it is 65mm) i forgot to say i have a set of 24lbs injectors. the torgue monstor headers a better but the cost just doesnt work for me.

[Dave]

Chris, don't think you really have a 55mm MAF do you? Isn't it more like 65mm and the throttle body (Mustang) is a 55mm. The stock Explorer MAF is close to 70-73mm with the 65mm TB.
Gorgo, what year truck this going in? Quite a few sensors have to be changed to convert back to the Mustang computer, think Malcolm (or someone made a list of all).
Here is what BLK 94 went thru using a '99' Explorer motor.
http://members.cox.net/ranger5.0/
As far as the cam choice, if you are into rock climbing and true 4-wheeling, I'd stick with the Explore cam. If you want a performance truck that happens to have a transfer case, go for it. Hope this helps.
Dave

[gorgo]

it is going in a 93 ranger longbox. and as my son in laws says my 4x4 is a pavement princess. i use it hunting but im not willing to beat it in the woods. it just would be nice to move alittle faster. it has a 3.o in it now.

[Dave]

I understand that. I would really not like to have to have a 4x4 but here in Wisconsin, I can't get out of the driveway at times. Haven't been ice fishing in a couple of years, Focus wagon was not a good car for deep snow, neither is the Mustang. Need the 4x4 just to get out where I can move, like you, at a little faster pace.
Dave

[cgrey8]

I haven't measured it, but I think it is a 55mm. Look at these pics of the stock Mustang MAF and the C&L 73mm side-by-side. If it was a 65mm, I'd expect it to be only slightly larger. However the factory Mustang MAF is quite a bit smaller:



If you want a significant increase in low RPM performance, Crane Cams says this is a nice cam to have for low RPM performance:
Crane PowerMax 444211

The downside is it's high lift may require a spring change. But this is the cam I'm highly considering including in my 331 stroker project.

If you are only looking for "a little faster", then you'll get that with about any 302 you drop under the hood as compared to the 3.0L. However a new cam will certainly give the Explorer motor a boost. Although the Explorer cam isn't a pokey cam on the bottom-end according to some simulations that Dave ran.

gorgo, if you are using 24lb injectors, you are either going to need to modify your ECM's tune, buy a Cobra X3Z instead of the A9L, or buy a C&L MAF (or similar) with a sampling tube designed to "fool" the A9L into using the 24lb injectors while the ECM still believes it's running 19s. But to be honest, unless you are planning on some decent power mods, the 19s should serve your needs well up to 280-300hp.

[cgrey8]

Here's a picture of the Cobra's 70mm MAF that I was talking about earlier.

Now it does looks "similar" to the 73mm C&L. Like I said, it's not nearly as restrictive, but the sensor range on the sensor itself isn't any better than the smaller sensor so pulling more air though gives the same voltage as the smaller MAF. The only difference is the Cobra MAF puts up less resistance. That's it's only saving grace.

However, I have heard of people drilling out the holes in these larger MAFs to make them compatible with 24lb injectors...basically doing the same thing that C&L sampling tubes do on their MAFs.

[gorgo]

so what im hearing is that i sould leave the exployer motor as is and just put some headers on it and change some sensers and run with it. i have the cruse control cable that i plan to use for the c4 kick down lever it is the right lenght and all i have to do is make a bracket at the trany for it.
all this stuff is sort of new to me im just and old back yark machinic that reads alot to fiqure things out. also i know alittle about computers because of my work. im a surveyor in the wet country. the great northwest.

[cgrey8]

For the most part, that's right. However the Explorer's MAF won't work w/the Mustang computer I don't believe. You'll need to pick up a used junker from a yard or buy some other equivalent like the C&L. And you'll also want to look on eBay for a cold-air kit you can modify to hold whatever Mustang MAF you get.

Once you get the engine in, you can always circle-back to do performance mods later. The hard part is just getting all the pieces together that make this work.

[broncobowsher]

The Explorer MAF can work with the mustang computer, just need a programmer like twEECker to do that.

When I put together my combo the 80mm lightening MAF (prior to the change to 90mm) and 24lb injectors actually started and ran OK without the programmer. It runs better with a tune.

Bolt on parts are usually only going to give you part of there potential unless they are matched. A tuner can make them match.

[cgrey8]

With a TwEECer or similar tuner, you could adapt about any MAF to the setup. I was giving him suggestions that wouldn't require a tuner.

I don't know what that new MAF curves more closely resembles in the pre-96 era of ECMs to know if you could simply put a "correct" size injector on that would closely match the MAF curve. Someone on the Mustang Forums may be able to answer that one.

[87ranger]

this in all honesty is why people still choose the "set it and forget it" nature of carburators

[cgrey8]

It's funny you say that. A guy over at the EECtuning.org forum was asking what would happen if he just didn't use O2 sensors. Those are the main part of why injection is better than carbs. If you loose those, you might as well plop a Holley on the top.

But yes, I've said many times that I see exactly why people more familiar with carbs would choose them over injection. Computer controls are another world with a lot different needs.

[stranger]

just change the maf plug,and use the ex maf to save money.i used a
pro-m 93 maf on my 98 ex pcm for a year.i have both style plugs wired to my harness.use it for now till you change injector sizes or after its running and you have extra cash.