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Question about my other Ford

Hello everyone. I have a 96 Explorer with 4.0 v6 and auto trans. It is my daily driver so I can pamper my 90 GT. The Explorer was purchased less than a year ago, and while it runs and looks very good, it has a lot of miles (nearing 150,000). I've found a website that sells quite a few performance upgrades for this vehicle, and am considering a few things. What interests me are a larger throttle body, mass air meter, and cat-back exhaust. The cost of these things would be fairly reasonable, but rather than get them for added performance, I would be happy to simply breathe new life into the engine. Would I achieve this? I like the vehicle, and don't want to part with it. It makes an excellent daily commuter. I've attempted posting these questions on the Explorer chat board, but feel this is a better place to address issues of a performance nature. Thanks to anyone who wishes to offer input.

Randy

90 GT (nearing 94,000 miles)

We're living in a world that's been pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth. Where are you, white rabbit?

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Reply to
randy pavatte
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My wife has a 98 EB Explorer. Very sharp truck, but it too rides and handles like crap. It runs pretty good though. Has the SOHC 4.0, 5 speed Auto and

4.10 gears.

My advice would be also not to waste your $$ modding it. Especially with

150k+.

Only thing I'd do, is toss on a Flow and K&N and leave it at that.

ERIC

89 5.0 LX Vert, Cobra long block, 2.5" O/R H-pipe, 2.73s w/Locker 40 Series Deltas and some kinda Wild Assed Cam!

Check out the Ford Engine Heaven!

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Reply to
Katmandu

Oh yea, check out the rec.autos.makers.ford.explorer Newsgroup. It's pretty good too.

ERIC

89 5.0 LX Vert, Cobra long block, 2.5" O/R H-pipe, 2.73s w/Locker 40 Series Deltas and some kinda Wild Assed Cam!

Check out the Ford Engine Heaven!

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Reply to
Katmandu

My beater-mobile just turned over 175,000 miles and runs like brand-new. I see no reason yours can't climb past 300,000 as mine will, with simple maintenance and the liberal use of synthetic lubricants.

Beaters aren't worth modding, IMO. And no, throwing away $500 bucks on a K&N and FlowBastard isn't an intelligent use of money. I'd much rather use it to replace aging suspension/brake/engine components, so that it will provide many more years of Beater Service.

-JD

_________________________________ JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http://207.13.104.8/users/jdadams

Reply to
JD Adams

intelligent use of money.

$500 ???? Wow JD! Where da heck you getting those prices ?

OK.... Screw the K&N and get an El Cheapo off brand Turbo muffler. OEM Mufflers are unbelievably restrictive IMHO.

ERIC

89 5.0 LX Vert, Cobra long block, 2.5" O/R H-pipe, 2.73s w/Locker 40 Series Deltas and some kinda Wild Assed Cam!

Check out the Ford Engine Heaven!

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Reply to
Katmandu

Ooops. Way too high a figure...I was thinking of an entire Flowbastard exhaust system, and a very overpriced K&N. But still...for a beater? I don't even have wheel covers for mine, let alone fancy mufflers and such.

On the GT, the bottleneck was the six cats. Even with the muffler off at the shop, they fired it up before pulling the cats, and the exhaust sound didn't change. For a normally aspirated engine, stock mufflers and high-flow cats are a great way to go; you get much better airflow over stock, a very nice authoritative growl, without the volume normally associated with aftermarket mufflers. I don't know of anyone besides myself who has done this.

But on a beater, well, I'm still tempted to install a shiny Fart Can so that it will blend in better. A bad tint job, complete with bubbling and some big windshield stickers might also be in order.

Oh what the hell: I'll also add a huge, 4-tiered bookshelf rice wing to the back, for better handling and traction during parking lot maneuvers. Hell yeah!!!

-JD

_________________________________ JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http://207.13.104.8/users/jdadams

Reply to
JD Adams

My advice is to leave it alone. If you like the way it runs don't mess with it. I have an Explorer too and a supercharged '89 Mustang. I wouldn't even consider modding it, especially since it's a V-6 model. It's heavy, the brakes suck, handles like $hit and it would need another

100 hp to really make a difference > Hello everyone.
Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

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