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Project Duece Wagon - Explorer EFI Install

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
Yep, EFIGuy did that as part of my engine harness. I haven't had a chance to hook anything up to it yet, but I'd like to get one of the Bluetooth devices that'll transmit live engine info to my phone for troubleshooting and such.

Instead of one of the cheap Chinese ones, I have decided to get an OBDLink MX bluetooth.
It can access the Ford MS-CAN network not just the OBD2 to get more info.

http://www.obdlink.com/mxbt/

More expensive but better, faster and more reliable.
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
Very nice...thanks for the link. Its now on my Amazon wish list, maybe Santa will see it in time for Christmas...
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
I've ran across something that I can't find the answer to, so I'm going to post it here first, and add a new topic if no one has an answer for me.

Spark plug wires for the Explorer coil packs - they have a non-standard end on the coil side, and I'm trying to avoid stock Explorer wires due to their ridiculous lengths and added insulators based on the stock Explorer manifolds.

Does anyone have a part # / source for buying aftermarket spark plug wires that will fit the Explorer coil packs?
 

Viperwolf1

Contributor
electron whisperer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
24,316
Get the explorer wires, shorten them at the plug ends and remove the heat shields you don't want. Depending on your heads/exhaust you may want to keep some.
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
I've ran across something that I can't find the answer to, so I'm going to post it here first, and add a new topic if no one has an answer for me.

Spark plug wires for the Explorer coil packs - they have a non-standard end on the coil side, and I'm trying to avoid stock Explorer wires due to their ridiculous lengths and added insulators based on the stock Explorer manifolds.

Does anyone have a part # / source for buying aftermarket spark plug wires that will fit the Explorer coil packs?

Maybe somewhere in these?:

http://www.summitracing.com/search/...4294926159&SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending
 

ZOSO

Full Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2003
Messages
345
Where did you get that PCM box at? I was unable to pull mine from the explorer.
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
It came out of a 2000-something Escape. It was a breeze to remove. Make sure you have an 8mm socket with an extension, pop a few of the plastic rivets at the base of the windshield and you're golden.
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
71BroncoSport - how's the hunt for a donor engine? Did either the 96 or 97 you looked at the other day work out?
 

71BroncoSport

Jr. Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
78
71BroncoSport - how's the hunt for a donor engine? Did either the 96 or 97 you looked at the other day work out?

Thanks for asking!

I bought a 96 Explorer. Craigslist ad, a little over an hour away. Asking $1,000, no pics. Said it was "Rusty"

It had been sitting for 3 years (When a brake line went out), outside I believe. They've owned it since 2004. 160,000 miles. The kid fixed the line recently and was going to make a 4x4 toy out of it. Decided it was too far gone.

It needed a jump, but it started and ran great. Idled smoother than any of my cars. The tires are dry rotted, so it's not road worthy, along with a rotted out exhaust. I put a scan tool on it, and it had a MAF code and an EGR code in the past, but no CEL light shining. He said there was a mouse parked in the air box, so he took the filter out.

I did take it up and down his building parking lot. As soon as I got going the Check Engine light popped. Scan tool said it was the MAF. Probably only got through 2 gears in the limited space.

I'm mating it to my NV-3550 so I don't need the 4R70W tranny, but I would like to tell a buyer that it shifts in all gears...

I'm hoping that all of the wiring is good since it ran good. I am a little worried about the rust on the motor (Brackets, valve covers, etc...) Hopefully they all clean up.

It does have green leather, which I'll try to patch up, paint, and put in the Bronco.

So I got it for $700 which includes him delivering it. Should be here this weekend. Since my 71 runs now, my plan is to pull everything I need out of the Explorer this winter and start to dress up the motor, re-wire the harness and figure out a way to get the PCM reprogrammed. Along with some interior stuff (Carpet, rollbar). If that all happens early enough, I may do the swap before spring. If not, I'll probably enjoy the limited nice Cleveland weather and do it next winter.

I'm excited.
 

71BroncoSport

Jr. Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
78
EBGeek,

Did you use the Explorer oil pan or do we have to swap out a Bronco specific one (Like I had to do on my 69 Mustang)?

Also, Did you have to worry about a Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS)? I'm guessing you didn't because you used the entire drive train...
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
Sweet, sounds like you're on your way. Honestly, I think having the whole donor vehicle is way better than just pulling the engine. And since you have a running rig, you'll be able to take your time getting your Explorer engine ready to go. It sounds like you got a fantastic deal on your donor. I had some parts yards that wanted not much less than that for a stripped Explorer engine.

I used the stock Explorer pan. No clearance issues, just had to work the block-mounted dipstick around my stock exhaust manifold. I had to replace the oil pan gasket when I had to remove my water pump cover. IMO the Explorer aluminum pan / gasket is fantastic. Needs no RTV, no mess to scrape up, and doesn't leak one bit.

I didn't have to contend with the VSS, as I opted to stick with the stock C4 transmission. Its my understanding you only have to worry with that if you're going to run the 4R70W out of the Explorer, so it can tie into the PCM.
 

71BroncoSport

Jr. Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
78
I didn't have to contend with the VSS, as I opted to stick with the stock C4 transmission. Its my understanding you only have to worry with that if you're going to run the 4R70W out of the Explorer, so it can tie into the PCM.

It seems like it's hit or miss on whether you need a VSS or not.

Forum VSS Thread

That's great you didn't need one.
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
I won't bore everyone with the in progress pics, but the final phase of the Deuce Wagon is complete. I picked her up from the body shop today. Now I have to come up with a new name, as the Deuce (#2) Wagon doesn't suit her new paint job.

After lots of back and forth and staring at Google images for hours on end looking at different colors, I ended up going with the Sunburst Orange Metallic (GM). I really like it, but although its quite different than the Hot Ginger it had before, now that its painted it looks like a very similar color. I like that it looks entirely different in the sun than it does in shade.

I ended up going with a black hardtop, it'll be done next week.

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E98LaDu.jpg
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
Wanted to dig up this old thread with a quick update, since it came up in a PM from a member doing a similar EFI swap. I found that with the stock Explorer idle speed, my C4 wanted to pull quite a bit at idle (prompting a move to disc brakes sooner than I had anticipated - good move anyway), and a noticeable clunk when going between forward and reverse. I had Garry bump it down to 600, which seems like the sweet spot for me, but he gave me some sage advice that I wish I'd had earlier...he told me the Explorer torque converter has a higher stall speed than the EB TC, so if you go this route, you might want to get a C4 torque converter with a slightly higher stall speed.

Happy swapping everyone!
 
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maup

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
127
Great stuff! Just starting the swap myself. On post 2 you had a great pic of the engine bay - do you have part numbers or remember what the hose attached to the throttle body MAF housing came off of?

I noticed you removed the 90* off the intake and are using an open filament filter - after scouring the junkyard and contemplating moving the battery to the opposite side so I can use a stock airbox ultimately I think I might go the direction you did, for ease and I like the look.

Any negative side effects of the open filter? I saw someone mention fan wash in another post.

Again - great job and very helpful build thread!
 
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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
Good morning, Maup. Sorry for just responding, my email notifications from CB.com go out on Sunday, so I just saw this.

I'll need a little more info on what you're looking for on the MAF hose. Are you referring to the hose that's sitting on top of the square inlet attached to the black fitting (just to the left of the 5.0 intake badge plate)?

Regarding the air filter setup - yeah, I thought about going with the stock airbox (as I know others have) and ultimately went the way I did for ease of setup and not having to move the battery. I did rotate the throttle body, moving the throttle plate to bottom and removed the 90deg as its entirely unnecessary. I'm not sure about fan wash, but I was told one downside to use the open filament is the fact you're sucking hot air out of the engine bay right into your engine. I've considered trying to adapt a box around it to shield it from the hot air, but I've monitored my intake air temp while driving around town and it doesn't seem to run very high over ambient. So, it'll probably be a project one of these days, but I don't have any significant reasons to modify it at the moment.
 

maup

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
127
I would think the hot air would be more of a factor if you planned on rock crawling or dealt with a lot of heavy traffic...I hadn't planned on doing a ton of crawling and traffic is not too bad here.

I circled the parts I'm looking for in the pic.
 

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EBGeek

EBGeek

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
408
Ah yes, that's just the center section of the air intake off the Explorer. I took that, the MAF assembly and used this adapter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZL1WOS) to retrofit the air filter to the end of the assembly.

Here is the tube in place in the stock configuration (bear in mind I've removed the 90deg bend and flipped the throttle body):
6b3dbqC.jpg
 
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gambling209

Full Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2010
Messages
198
You mentioned and Explorer torque converter? Are you saying you can run the Explorer torque converter on a C4?
 
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