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explorer 5.0

  • Thread starter Thread starter myslo50
  • Start date Start date Mar 16, 2008
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myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#1
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #1
ARE THE EXPLORER 5.0 A ROLLER MOTOR?
 

skunk21

Active Member
May 22, 2007
1,203
3
36
Taxachusetts
Mar 16, 2008
#2
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #2
yes, and all 5.0. truck blocks produced after 1988 are roller blocks even though they might have flat tappet cams and some 1985 and all 1986 and up blocks the same deal . but I think everyone swaps out the cam. they run p heads and I don't think they have the smog set up un the back of the head if that's a concern. some other stuff needs to be change but i can't remeber all of it. there is no iac spot in the intake and I think the dizzy neeeds to swapped over and some other stuff. I'm sure others will chime in.
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#3
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #3
i am curious, my motor blew up and im throwing around options. i can get a 96 explorer motor complete, intake to oil pan for $350. i dont have much money to screw around with. reman engines are expensive and i dont know if i want to buy a junk yard motor and have it be bad when i put it in.
 

skunk21

Active Member
May 22, 2007
1,203
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36
Taxachusetts
Mar 16, 2008
#4
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #4
Thta's a good price. Find out the mileage and if it has a warranty, also search around some other yards. You get the bennies of the gt40 intake and heads throw in a cam, new timing chain, TB, freshen up some of the gaskets and you will have a nice motor and a bump in power.
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#5
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #5
did the original gt-40 have 3 bars on the head, and the 40p's have 4 bars on the head
 

skunk21

Active Member
May 22, 2007
1,203
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Taxachusetts
Mar 16, 2008
#6
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #6
correct gt-40 heads have 3 raised bars cast in the back of the heads and P's have 4. also the P's have a GTP cast in the right outer corner. you can tell also be the spark plug holes and it's best to run p headers for clearance. they flow better than the e7's stock.
 

2000xp8

SN Certified Technician
Aug 8, 2003
8,038
1,625
194
NJ
Mar 16, 2008
#7
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #7
A 96 explorer more than likely has gt40 iron heads, similar to the cobra, not the p's.
Basically you can use the long block with the intake, everything else has to come off your blown engine.
Budget money in for new gaskets, new water pump, and a new timing chain. No sense re-using these things.

$350 is a very good price
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
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ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#8
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #8
i dont want to buy p specific headers, are the spark plug holes on the p heads more straight than the 40's. if i have to settle with a p head motor, what long tube headers will work with the p heads?
 

skunk21

Active Member
May 22, 2007
1,203
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Taxachusetts
Mar 16, 2008
#9
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #9
2000xp8 said:
A 96 explorer more than likely has gt40 iron heads, similar to the cobra, not the p's.
Basically you can use the long block with the intake, everything else has to come off your blown engine.
Budget money in for new gaskets, new water pump, and a new timing chain. No sense re-using these things.

$350 is a very good price
Click to expand...


yeah I wasn't sure what years explorer had the p's or not. I thought they used the heads but swaped out the cam and dizzy. +1 on the new wp, timing chain set, even if I used the heads I would install some new head gaskets as well.
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#10
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #10
i planed on using new gaskets. i just put a timing chain/ water pump on my other motor, so i could transfer them over. what about long tube headers for the p heads, what brands will fit the p's.
 

2000xp8

SN Certified Technician
Aug 8, 2003
8,038
1,625
194
NJ
Mar 16, 2008
#11
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #11
Does it have the P's or just regular gt40's?
I'd suspect the regulars.
Ford motorsport has a set of headers made for the p heads, most of the others i hear still burn spark plug boots and have fittment issues.

I also wouldn't take the heads off, factory 5.0 head gasket jobs are usually pretty good, rarely does a factory engine blow a HG without a supercharger, and if it does, it's usually been overheated.

Oh, and be careful with the waterpump bolts, especially the studded ones, they cost a fortune at ford.
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Mar 16, 2008
#12
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #12
if the engine is a 96 get it, they ARE gt40 heads and will bolt up to everything you already have, p heads you need but dont have to have: p headers, and have them drilled for smog if you live in that kind of area. other than that they are some decent heads with noticeable gains over the pos e7's..
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#13
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #13
-i know they make p specific headers, one of my q's are what brand of long tubes will work with p heads in case i end up getting a p headed motor?
-second,i planed pulling the heads anyways, cause im gonnna put my tfs1 cam in and i want to check piston clearence.
-does anybody know the compression ratio explorer motors have?
-are the explorer motors a 50oz balance?
 

earleys94gt

Active Member
Aug 31, 2003
1,223
16
49
Ashley, Ohio
Mar 16, 2008
#14
  • Mar 16, 2008
  • #14
myslo50 said:
i know they make p specific headers, one of my q's are what brand of long tubes will work with p heads in case i end up getting a p headed motor?
Click to expand...
I know MAC makes "P" specific shorties, maybe they make LT's too.

myslo50 said:
are the explorer motors a 50oz balance?
Click to expand...
Stock 5.0's are 50 oz. balance. The 331 and 347 strokers are 28 oz.
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Mar 17, 2008
#15
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #15
Stock 5.0's are 50 oz. balance. The 331 and 347 strokers are 28 oz.
Click to expand...

yes however you can have a stroker blanced to what ever you want, and yes the 50oz is correct

as far as headers go, if the engine is a 96 it is NOT P headed so you can use whatever headers you want, if it is a 97-01 though it is a p headed engine, so you will have to change to either bbk long tubes, mac longtubes, or p headers, p headers being the best senario, you will also have to change the springs, because even if you use the stock cam, they will almost bottom out with the stock cam (good to .450) so take that into consideration, the gt40 headed enigne, is good to .500..
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Mar 17, 2008
#16
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #16
just make sure what year the engine is first, before you look at ALL the options...

it will make life simpler for ya!!
 

BlownFiveLiter

have car, will race....wait, it doesn't run
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
3,133
18
108
Chicagoland
Mar 17, 2008
#17
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #17
96 will have the regular GT40, not the P. Ford didn't use the GT40P on the Explorer/Mountaineer until 97 1/2. It is a roller block, but the cam's not very performance oriented. If a cam isn't in your budget, put your stocker in it. Some better valvesprings to accept more lift may not be a bad idea if you're planning a different cam, or 1.7 rockers with your stock cam, to limit your risk of coil bind. You can reuse your stock balancer and flywheel, because the Explorer engine is also balanced to 50oz. You'll also need to use the oil pickup tube from your stock engine, as well as your oil pan and front cover. Everything else will bolt directly on.
 
J

Jmood

New Member
Nov 14, 2002
169
0
0
Arkansaw
Mar 17, 2008
#18
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #18
I have BBK long tube headers on my GT40 "P" heads........only the #5 plug is a real issue. I have 90 degree plug wires, and don't have any plugs touching the headers...the only problem is trying to get the #5 plug out, I had to make a socket, I took a 5/8's 1/2 inch drive, cut it off and welded a nut onto it, then drilled out the nut. It works like a champ, and is only about an inch or so in length.
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 17, 2008
#19
  • Mar 17, 2008
  • #19
well i found me a 96 motor complete with a 100k on it. should be here tomorow. i planed on using my existing tfs1 cam but im gonna buy a spring kit for it. im gonna pull the heads off and check clearences. i got to buy some other stuff to make it work, but it should be fun. ill keep u posted
 

myslo50

Member
Jun 12, 2006
247
3
18
ohio
Mar 18, 2008
#20
  • Mar 18, 2008
  • #20
got the motor today, and it has original 40 irons. its a big relief, so i dont have to buy new headers. i have 1 problem, for the oil filter adapter what do i use?
on the explorers there is a extension to mount the filter towards the front of the motor. i took that apart and i wont be able to skrew a oil filter directly to the block.
on my old block, there was a threaded piece that was part of the block, that was not removeable?
 
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