Explorer Engine

fox-gt · Apr 30, 2006

Is an 97/ 98 explorer engine a good replacement engine for my dying 5.0? If so, is there anything that has to be swapped or will not work. Are the motor mounts in the same place? Can I use the same computer? Am I better off looking for a 5.0 out of a mustang?

JBeezy53 · Apr 30, 2006

The long block and intake is an upgrade over your stock stuff but you will have to use the accessories and oil pan you already have. I would change the cam before you drop it in.

795.0pacecar · Apr 30, 2006

You will have to use the distributer from your current engine also because the explorer engine has a DIS ignition.

TC93 · Apr 30, 2006

Just put one in a 90GT for a guy. Pretty much swap balancer, oil pan, pick up tube, timing chain cover, water pump, and add mustang distributor. The explorer cam will work, but should swap out for a better cam. Also depending on which heads you get,(GT-40's or the GT-40P's) different headers might be needed. The intake is basically a cobra intake, and can be used with a little mods. Nothing major, plugging a few holes, swapping the elbow for a mustang throttle body and spacer, and cutting the front vacuum pipe for the charcoal canister.

bubba-dough · Apr 30, 2006

To answer the main question.....yes, it is a good replacement. If you are not wanting a modified motor go with the Explorer and you will get a few more horses over a stock 5.0 out of a Mustang.

Foxfan88 · May 1, 2006

rebuild the shortblock replacing the cam with an aftermarket piece.
get the heads worked and fab the use the intake, just come vac line mods and it will work great. can also fab the explorer 65mm stock TB to work.

TC93 · May 1, 2006

Foxfan88 said:
rebuild the shortblock replacing the cam with an aftermarket piece.
get the heads worked and fab the use the intake, just come vac line mods and it will work great. can also fab the explorer 65mm stock TB to work.

The explorer TB can be made to work. Have to modify where the throttle cable attaches. What I did was take a stock TB shaft and modified it so the 65mm butterfly fit and swapped it place of the explorer shaft.

fox-gt · May 1, 2006

Is this basically what I would need? I would like to do as much to the engine as possible then do a direct swap only replacing the distributor and headers.

98 Explorer 5.0L Engine 75k miles
Used 5.0 mustang oil pan off ebay
New oil pump / oil pan gasket
New balancer
New pickup tube
New throttle body / use my current one
New exhaust gaskets
New water pump / gasket
Used Timing chain cover off ebay.

I thought about replacing the head gaskets also since the engine was out of the car also

millhouse · May 1, 2006

66mustang93 said:
Is this basically what I would need? I would like to do as much to the engine as possible then do a direct swap only replacing the distributor and headers.

98 Explorer 5.0L Engine 75k miles

Used 5.0 mustang oil pan off ebay

New oil pump / oil pan gasket

New balancer

New pickup tube

New throttle body / use my current one

New exhaust gaskets

New water pump / gasket

Used Timing chain cover off ebay.

I thought about replacing the head gaskets also since the engine was out of the car also

The explorer pump is the same as the 5.0 pump. The pickup is the only difference...and they are re-usable. I suppose though it's cheap insurance to just replace it anyways. Same goes with the waterpump.

I'm not sure what reason you would have to replace the oil pan or timing chain cover.

The exporer timing chain is a single roller unit. I assume it's not nearly as strong as the double rollers found on the mustangs. If you swap cam's I'd go ahead and replace it with a better unit. You can pick up a cloyes true roller for a bit over $40 on summit.

If your using a 98, the sparkpugs are goin to be a Bitch! You'll have problems tightening a couple of plugs I believe on the drivers side. A plug socket wont fit with the stock 5.0 headers, so many chop up their plug sockets to fit. Also keep in mind you'll have issues with the stock plug wire boots touching the headers. You can get away temporarily by swapping the 90* boot end which goes to the distributer...but ultimatly they will still end up melting.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck.

fox-gt · May 1, 2006

millhouse said:
The explorer pump is the same as the 5.0 pump. The pickup is the only difference...and they are re-usable. I suppose though it's cheap insurance to just replace it anyways. Same goes with the waterpump.

I'm not sure what reason you would have to replace the oil pan or timing chain cover.

The exporer timing chain is a single roller unit. I assume it's not nearly as strong as the double rollers found on the mustangs. If you swap cam's I'd go ahead and replace it with a better unit. You can pick up a cloyes true roller for a bit over $40 on summit.

If your using a 98, the sparkpugs are goin to be a Bitch! You'll have problems tightening a couple of plugs I believe on the drivers side. A plug socket wont fit with the stock 5.0 headers, so many chop up their plug sockets to fit. Also keep in mind you'll have issues with the stock plug wire boots touching the headers. You can get away temporarily by swapping the 90* boot end which goes to the distributer...but ultimatly they will still end up melting.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck.

I have BBK 1 5/8" unequal headers, they have been a nightmare on my current engine, so it might be worse. I figured I would just replace the oil pump and water pump since they are cheap. Is another year better than the 98?

millhouse · May 1, 2006

Technically speaking...the gt40p's flow marginally better than the gt40's, albeit small. I'm unsure if the bbk's will help with plug clearance or not. You may want to do a search on the topic as a thread seems to pop up atleast once a week on the subject.

If you dont want to mess with the "p" heads, look for mid-late 96 and earlier explorers/mountaineer's. They will have the gt-40 heads with the standard plug angles. Beware though there are some late 96 explorer/mountaineer's which came with gt40p's.

VG30DE · May 3, 2006

The actual production dates are 7/95 to 12/96 on the regular GT40 heads... anything newer is going to be a P motor....

Explorer Engine

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