Best year of 5.0 explorer?

[koda6966]

Gotta get me four doors. Now that I'm getting married the future wifey wants to start making the babies. Since windstars SUCK and escorts have no balls, explorer it is!

What year explorer should I keep an eye out for if I want a 5.0 engine to build on, with 4x4, leather seats, and an auto tranny?

(Specifically, what years can I get that combo with, and then what years have a better interior or trans if applicable?)

I already know that 1997+ explorers should have the GT40 heads. And I know that 2nd gen Explorers came with either the 4R55E or 4R70W but I don't know which ones or what is better.

It would be receiving some minor modifications, nothing for the suspension. I'd aim for around 300HP. Still haven't researched how far out that goal is though. IIRC these motors push around 215HP stock.

 

[shane96ranger]

I personally like the 99-01 Explorer the best. The 99-01 also have the nicer looking fog lights. The 98-01's have the better looking liftgate with the rear plate in the liftgate instead of the rear bumper. Although they all seem to have rear wiper issues.

The 98 and up have GT40P heads, which I feel are better heads than the regular GT40's. As far as I know, they ALL had the 4R70W trans, and they are all AWD. I did find an article on transplanting in a manual T-Case from and F150/Expedition though if you are interested.

Another option for you, and this is actually my preferred option, would be a 98 and up Mountaineer. I think they are a lot classier looking than the Explorer, but that's just an opinion.

 

[bobbywalter]

96

 

[RangerSVT]

Some V8 explorers were 2WD's, but the AWD's are most common..If you do exhaust, intake and a programmer, you should be real close to 275-300....
SVT

 

[adsm08]

4.0 Explorer will have a 4R44/55. It's a glorified A4LD, but they stay together a little better.

5.0 Explorer will have a 4R70W. It's a renamed E4OD, which in turn is an AOD with an extra gear and more electronic controls. Overall a pretty good trans.

 

[shane96ranger]

Some V8 explorers were 2WD's, but the AWD's are most common..If you do exhaust, intake and a programmer, you should be real close to 275-300....
SVT

Thanks for posting this. After I read mine again, it reads like I meant every one of them is AWD. What I was trying to say was 4X4 wasn't an option, just AWD.

 

[koda6966]

I personally like the 99-01 Explorer the best. The 99-01 also have the nicer looking fog lights. The 98-01's have the better looking liftgate with the rear plate in the liftgate instead of the rear bumper. Although they all seem to have rear wiper issues.
The 98 and up have GT40P heads, which I feel are better heads than the regular GT40's. As far as I know, they ALL had the 4R70W trans, and they are all AWD. I did find an article on transplanting in a manual T-Case from and F150/Expedition though if you are interested.
Another option for you, and this is actually my preferred option, would be a 98 and up Mountaineer. I think they are a lot classier looking than the Explorer, but that's just an opinion.

I'm not all too concerend with the GT40 vs GT40P heads, I've heard that it really isn't that much of a difference between the two just some emissions stuff. A lot of mustang people I know actually dislike the GT40P heads because they funk up their situation with the headers. I checked out a Mountaineer, I didn't really like it. The interior was nice and all but the grill killed me. The liftgate though, would be nice. I've always hated how some explorers have the plate bumper. It seems out of place when you look at any other SUV.

Oh, and I've never had a vehicle with a rear wiper.

96

Explain? I know that was the first year of the V8, but what else?

Some V8 explorers were 2WD's, but the AWD's are most common..If you do exhaust, intake and a programmer, you should be real close to 275-300....
SVT

I've seen a 4x4 explorer with the 5.0.

4.0 Explorer will have a 4R44/55. It's a glorified A4LD, but they stay together a little better.
5.0 Explorer will have a 4R70W. It's a renamed E4OD, which in turn is an AOD with an extra gear and more electronic controls. Overall a pretty good trans.

So I wont have to worry about which trans I end up with, since I'll be buying a 5.0 I'll end up with the 4R70W no matter what.

 

[superds]

I have a 99 Explorer V8. It, like all non-2wd V8 Explorers, started life as AWD. I've since converted it to 4x4 by using a manual shift BW4406 transfer case from a 97-03 F150 (mine was actually from an 04 F150 Heritage). I'm still working a couple of the bugs out, it shifts into 4x4 but the shift linkage is a little screwed up and I need to find a new one from the JY. So far it's good but I haven't had much of a chance to fully test it yet.

Mine is an XLT, but is pretty loaded. Leather seats, sunroof, etc. I would stay away from one with a bunch of electonic gadgetry, it's just more to go wrong and have to fix. Even without being the Limited or Eddie Bauer Edition, I've still have plenty of electrical gremlins I've had to fix. Door locks, windows, blinkers, etc. Most of the problems have been traced back to connections in the wiring or faulty switches. Granted, mine does have over 220,000 miles on it.

I bought it because I needed four doors for hunting (but end up using for other purposes as well). Hunters don't like being in the back seat of a Ranger, crammed in there and without doors to get out. And I don't like making hunters angry, they got guns!

 

[superds]

Explain? I know that was the first year of the V8, but what else?


I've seen a 4x4 explorer with the 5.0.

The reason for a 96 could be that in later years they started adding more and more electronic crap. I think they introduced the PATS system in 98 (I could be wrong, I'm not an Explorer historian) and the GEM system might have also been an addition sometime after 96 as well.

I thought once I saw a 5.0 4x4 Explorer but it turned out I was wrong, it was a V6 model. If you saw one it was probably a conversion from AWD like mine is.

 

[Mac]

Besides a good exhaust, you are going to need a good cam to get to 300 hp at the crank. Think that intake is good to around 350 hp and even with a true dyno tune, no really big gains, think I gained 20 hp/torque but way down low where I wanted it. So when is this big event going to happen? I just haven't found one stupid enuf (again) to put up with me!
Dave of the Nord

 

[koda6966]

May 1st if all goes as planned.

 

[bobbywalter]

The reason for a 96 could be that in later years they started adding more and more electronic crap. I think they introduced the PATS system in 98 (I could be wrong, I'm not an Explorer historian) and the GEM system might have also been an addition sometime after 96 as well.

I thought once I saw a 5.0 4x4 Explorer but it turned out I was wrong, it was a V6 model. If you saw one it was probably a conversion from AWD like mine is.

this



also they say no 2 dr explorers were v8, but haliburton had 3 of them in mi that year.. i opened the hoods to verify after i dragged them on location.

 

[koda6966]

This one looks like it has some serious balls.

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/cto/2566809207.html

 

[koda6966]

I suppose I could survive with the AWD. It's going to be my daily driver so it's not like it's going to see trails too often.

 

[bobbywalter]

with that claim i hope it is stroked and tuned already or supercharged....