my slow build/wheeling/everything thread.

[nevada]

I don't think I posted about it in here yet, but im in the process of swapping a new engine into my truck.

I started working on the replacement engine back in april or may of this year. im using a 98 ford explorer 5.0. it uses a roller cam, and I added roller rockers. so a full roller block.

its got a Scat 331ci stroker kit with forged pistons and AFR 165 Aluminum heads. topped with a mustang intake, and explorer throttle body.

we're guestimating in the 350hp, and 350tq area.. should be a BUNCH more power than what I had before...

the explorer engine is great, because it uses a short snout, reverse rotation water pump, and serpentine belt system. making the engine 3" shorter than the standard 302. this should allow an engine driven fan, thus zero cooling issues.

 

[nevada]

sneak peak. it is currently running, but we're still working on getting it tuned.

 

[Hyde802]

Snow wheelin time of year. Hows this thing running?

 

[nevada]

Snow wheelin time of year. Hows this thing running?

ive taken it out a few times. runs GOOOOD. tons of power. still a few quirks to work out, but it might have to wait until I can afford a good data logger to really get it dialed in.

super happy to have fuel injection now. so nice to just hit the key and walk away. I have quite a few pics, I think photo-bucket works again, I might have to see about uploading some.

 

[nevada]

so i'd been running a 302 in my 85 Toyota for about 17 years. just a stock engine with a 2bbl carb, nothing special. the last 4-5 years its had a slight tap/knock that coincided with a miss in the exhaust. you could hear them match up. it also had a small coolant leak at the rear of the engine.

I didn't think anything of it. it was only on cold starts, after a bit of heat got into the engine it stopped leaking. I knew I would eventually have to deal with it, I believed it was a freeze plug at the back of the block, so the engine, or transmission had to come out to fix it. a lot of work, I will wait until it has to come out...

I had been thinking about a stroker engine for a while. I liked the
idea of the extra bottom end power. spring time of last year I was given a donor engine. to avoid downtime this was ideal. even better, this was a later model ford explorer roller block. a 98 to be exact. its not new by any stretch, but it IS 30 years newer than the motor I was running lol.

this is what I got.

part of the deal with getting this engine was, they wanted to keep the factory gt40p heads. some of the best flowing factory heads out there. no big deal, along with the stroker, I had decided on some aftermarket heads.

after tearing it down.

got it sent off to the machine shop to get the block decked, and bored over to accept the pistons in the stroker kit.

triple x block, it has to be good right?

I think this just means it was built at the plant in mexico. nothing special really.

 

[nevada]

while waiting for the block to get back, I was ordering parts. they slowly started rolling in.


Scat 331ci stroker kit from adperformance. steel crank, and forged pistons. good for up to 600 HP. more than a stock block can support lol.

comp cams 1.5 roller rockers, a double roller timing set, upgraded oil pump drive, and a high pressure oil pump.

and finally, the parts that really make the power. new heads.

I went with AFR 165's, with 58cc chambers. since my goal was low end torque, I didn't want the larger 185's, I would rarely if ever get over 4k rpms where the bigger heads would really shine.

these things are a work of art. fully cnc machine ports. supposedly just bolting on these heads gives an increase of between 75 to 100hp. incredible.

and 2 pieces that don't seem like much, but without them this project would be MUCH more difficult.


a new bolt on serpentine pulley, and the proper 28oz balancer.

small block fords are externally balanced via the harmonic balancer on the front, and the flywheel/flexplate at the back. the crank is ALSO balanced to work with the other pieces for a smooth running engine.
well, ford changed from a 28oz imbalance(on the crank) to a 50oz for the later years, I don't remember exactly when they switched.
the stroker kit is designed around the older 28oz engines. but for my project I needed the serpentine belt pulley, and those are only offered on 50oz engines. doh!

luckily I found a company that builds a bolt on pulley, specifically for this type of project. in fact, this was the ONLY one I found. there may be others, but I didn't see them.


I didn't get any pics, but I also got a new cam. I went with a TSF stage 2. a bit of a lumpy cam meant for low end power.

 

[nevada]

the nice thing about using that pulley set up, it allows me to use the explorer front drive. early mustangs also had a serpentine system, but the explorer stuff makes the engine 3" shorter overall. everything sits up tighter against the block. my goal was to be able to use an engine driven fan and stock clutch.

out of order pic, but it worked!

not a lot of room, but still more than I had before and that was without a fan.


the old engine out.

the new engine in its place.

I ended up having to use the original 68 valve covers. the 98 covers weren't tall enough to clear the roller rockers. even with the old covers, I still had to modify them by removing all the internal baffles. I also had to cut the oil filler tube off the 98 covers and weld it onto the 68. not exciting mods, and I didn't get any pictures. but it was necessary to make this work.

 

[nevada]

not pictured was the new full length headers. I had them ceramic coated for heat removal. I also had the upper intake coated, which you can see here. you can also see the edge of the headers lol.

to help the transmission deal with the added hp/heat I add a finned aluminum pan that allows an additional 2 quarts of fluid.

 

[nevada]

it was a pretty long process, about 6 months from when I yanked the old engine, to when I finally dragged the truck home.


ive had it out a few times. the power is AWESOME! conservatively we guesstimate about 350hp, and about the same torque. but, doing some research on similar builds, it may be closer to 375, or even 400. at the tires.

my old engine was MAYBE putting out 175 by the time I pulled it. she was tired. so double the power? yes please!


so the explorer front drive with engine driven fan and clutch work amazing!

the old motor didn't give me enough room and I had to run a pusher electric fan. this was BARELY adequate at an idle. under a load it would heat up. I was often having to stop to let it cool down.
the new engine has never been over 200°, and that is with a 195° thermostat. just awesome.


its also really rumbly. sounds like a race car. lol. its a bit more cam than we were expecting. but I like it. .

sitting on 42's, with 5.29s and a spool, from a dead stop it will spin the rear tires on dry pavement.

being a full roller engine, this thing is SNAPPY. it revs up QUICK. this is going to force me to put my 1 tons in sooner than id planned. I don't think the Toyota stuff will survive for very long. also, I want to be able to use all this new power. going to have to step it up.

surprisingly, it seems to be more fuel efficient than the old one. even though its making double the power. I think the nearly 11:0 compression ratio has something to do with that, lol.

 

[Hyde802]

Thats wicked! Cant wait for a video to hear it!

 

[nevada]

Thats wicked! Cant wait for a video to hear it!

hopefully i'll get some in a few weeks when I take it up again. but, I think the old engine sounded better. sadly. this ENGINE sounds better for sure, but the exhaust note not quite as good.

its flowing a shitton more air, plus this is the HO/351 firing order. its different from the old 302 order, and thus the exhaust note is different. it still sounds good, don't get me wrong, I just think I liked the old one better. lol.

 

[nevada]

Thats wicked! Cant wait for a video to hear it!

just a quick run down the alley.lets see if this works...edit: ok it didn't work, but here is the direct link.




YouTube

 

[nevada]

found a bit of snow on Saturday...







YouTube

 

[nevada]

nice little pass on the outside. im loving my new engine!!




YouTube

 

[nevada]

well, bad news. the poor old 4runner has finally died. the timing chain broke on the way to the mtns last Thursday. cruising along in 4th about 35mph, and it just died.


pulled the cover, the tensioner is blown apart, and the chain is broken.


I did a leak down test, and somehow, no bent valves. but, it already had a low hole, and leaks/burns a lot of oil. im just going to pull it, and rebuild it.


just over 300k on the rig and about 160k on this engine. it had been replaced with a remanufactured long block just before I got it some 20 odd years ago..

 

[4Reak Show]

Keep it going man!

 

[nevada]

Keep it going man!

I will. it will live again soon.

though, ive been wanting to swap a 3.4 into this thing. I was hoping this old 22re would last until I was able to do that. but right now, that's just not an option. I will just do a basic rebuild, and get it working again. then start collecting my 3.4 swap parts.

after the built v8 in my 85 truck, it will be hard to be "ok with the 120hp out of this 4cyl. haha.

 

[4Reak Show]

Dang man. Yeah you can't think of the 3.4 for power. Its sole purpose is reliability and ease of maintenance. Even with a SC/7th/tuned 3.4 it won't even have that v8 feel. There is no replacement for displacement.

 

[JBurt]

No! I'm glad it'll get the love it deserves. Good luck with the rebuild.

 

[nevada]

Dang man. Yeah you can't think of the 3.4 for power. Its sole purpose is reliability and ease of maintenance. Even with a SC/7th/tuned 3.4 it won't even have that v8 feel. There is no replacement for displacement.

for this rig, I don't necessarily need/want v8 power. though I did briefly consider a 1uz lol.

the 3.4 in stock form will have plenty of power I think. ive been running this thing with the 4cyl for many years, and the last few its been pretty tired. the jump to a properly running 3.4 would be pretty big im guessing.

No! I'm glad it'll get the love it deserves. Good luck with the rebuild.

that's how I felt. though, its my own fault, I have "thought about" the timing chain for a while now. I just didn't want to do it. plus with it being down on compression on one cylinder, fixing the chain didn't seem to be a priority. now I get to fix all the things. lol.
thanks man. financially, im really NOT in a position for doing this, but I need my 4runner back! so I will make it happen.