Contemplating 5.0L rebuild for mild performance boost

[C420sailor]

Gorgeous

You can run a transducer and modify the gauge cluster BUT you won’t have any idea what the needle position correlates to—no numbers. That’s the only downside.

 

[Mesozoic]

Gorgeous

You can run a transducer and modify the gauge cluster BUT you won’t have any idea what the needle position correlates to—no numbers. That’s the only downside.

I just went ahead and transferred the stock oil pressure switch onto the new engine. Not interested in messing around with the gauge cluster. I thought I read something about how a Sport Trac cluster (white-faced) could be swapped into a 2nd Gen, but am curious if there is a readout on those now...

 

[Mesozoic]

467 day lead time on the Torque Monster headers, but I did just get a tracking number!

 

[donalds]

hang In there it's worth it

 

[410Fortune]

Sport trac cluster 01-04 is similar to gen ii cluster and they can be swapped out back and forth

When swapping instrument clusters from year to year there is usually some simple wiring to do, indicator lights move around year to year but it’s nothing that moving some wires won’t fix. The oil “pressure” gauge is pretty universal 96-04 meaning all 3 engines usually send a similar signal and there is nothing really needed to do to make the oil pressure read on the cluster. The sport tracs and rangers have silver and white faced gauges and the clusters can be mixed and matched as long as you know what you are doing.

Many of my customers do not like the white face gauges, the older dudes find them harder to read. So I often swap them out back to the old black and white clusters

 

[97Sandbox]

467 day lead time on the Torque Monster headers, but I did just get a tracking number!

Glad you finally have a light at the end of the tunnel! With the money and labor I have into my attempts to avoid buying new from TMH, a 467 day leadtime doesn't sound so bad.

Many of my customers do not like the white face gauges, the older dudes find them harder to read. So I often swap them out back to the old black and white clusters

Maybe I'm turning into an "older dude" because I've always thought the silver/white face gages were hard to read an look out of place. I'm not a fan of the silver bezels and consoles either, especially with tan interiors. Makes me think of the old saying "black goes with everything."

 

[410Fortune]

I agree
Our 03 trac has the white faces
I don’t like them

I wired a 2004 ranger backwards to a 99 instrument cluster and put leds in it, the black w orange needles and bright green light looks sooo nice

 

[Josh P]

I agree
Our 03 trac has the white faces
I don’t like them

I wired a 2004 ranger backwards to a 99 instrument cluster and put leds in it, the black w orange needles and bright green light looks sooo nice

Reminds me of the classic Fords with the green color dash lights

 

[Mesozoic]

So what's the order of operations here to ease the pain of installation? I have the engine sitting in the bay right now. The headers arrive tomorrow. The transmission returns next week. Does the transmission need to go in before I put the exhaust together or does it matter at all? I've still got the lift plate on the engine and have avoided plumbing it in top-side just in case there's a need to extract or lift it for some reason.

 

[97Sandbox]

Left side goes in fine from the top if the P/S accessory bracket is unbolted (just let it hang forward). Obviously have to disconnect the steering shaft and some vacuum lines.

Right side I also recommend going from the top with the heater box, cruise control, and coolant/washer tanks out. You may need to unbolt the alternator bracket just like the P/S side, then again you might not depending on how the header clears the motor mount bolts and shock tower

 

[Mesozoic]

Ok thanks, it looks like the transmission is slated to be installed after the exhaust headers have been installed, according to the service manual, so that works for me.

 

[97Sandbox]

Yeah, I didn't want to speak to that because I haven't come around to pulling my 4R70 out yet. It shouldn't have anything to do with the headers though. I think you may even be able to get the trans in with the downpipes in place, although it would be more difficult than with the exhaust removed.

 

[Mesozoic]

I'm focused mainly on getting the engine setup correctly as many things have changed, from the headers to the induction. Plumbing for vacuum had to looked at carefully with the new Edelbrock Performer RPM II intake manifold to make sure it supports all the functions the Explorer intake had. Of course, the headers have the highest likelihood of interfering with transmission installation, so I've not done anything on the engine yet, but it looks like transmission installation shouldn't be a problem as long as the downpipes are loose.

 

[410Fortune]

I’ve covered this many times in my build threads
Assemble your engine 5.0 longblock with headers

The trans, trans cooler lines, dipstick and Downpipes are in place, just like normal when we replace just the engine

Leave the engine mounting plates off the engine
Put a jack or ratchet strap under the front of the transmission
Make sure the trans dipstick is loose and out of the way

Lower the engine in on the hoist and use the hoist to get the engine and trans lined up. Lots of light here. With the engine hanging and the jack under the trans you can get the perfect angle and get the trans stabbed. Bolt up the bellhousing and torque converter
Now you can raise up the engine quite a bit and install your engine side
Plates, drop it down on the mounts and bolt the engine down.
Now with headers it makes it a little more difficult to actually access the
Hold down nuts. The trick here is to start the rearmost nut on the pass side and do the front and back nuts together… turning a little at a time as you lower the engine in the hoist. Open end wrench is about all you can get in there with the tmh or obx

Once you can the trans bolted up and converter nuts done, engine on the mounts with all 4 nuts it is time to remove the hoist

Now it’s time for trans dipstick
Engine and trans wiring harness
Starter
Converter access panel
Then Downpipes, you are all done under the truck

After that it’s all the normal engine bay stuff and bolt up the exhaust

The absolute key to a quick engine to trans stab is to leave the engine hanging on the hoist without its side plates, this allows you the freedom to get the engine stabbed to the trans (as opposed to stabbing the trans to the engine)

 

[Mesozoic]

Thanks - the only issue with that process is that the truck is on the lift in my case. So with the vehicle that high up in the air, I don't have a way to manipulate the engine much aside from rotating it by hand from beneath.

 

[410Fortune]

I do these on the lift also

Stabbing the engine to the trans can be done with the engine on its mounts but it is about 50 times more difficult.

There are devices you can use to hang the engine even with the truck up on the lift. Load handlers designed for just this.

If you must keep the truck on the lift and you must drop the engine onto its mounts first before you stab the trans then I suggest you support the trans and t case with a jack and remove the trans crossmember, this way the trans and t case can be pulled backwards giving you the ability to line up the trans to engine and stab it

I have done these every which way possible
Putting the truck on the lift is great for doing transmissions
Not so great for doing the engine side of things, stabbing engine to trans is more difficult. The trick I found over the years that makes this wast easier is keep the side plates off until they are mated

 

[Mesozoic]

I hear ya. I guess that removing the side plates would definitely makes things easier for alignment, but I don't see how I'll be able to do that in my home shop. On the plus side, I do have a telescoping transmission jack with an adjustable tilt, so perhaps it won't be so bad. I'll get some help with installing it, for sure.

 

[410Fortune]

I have a similar setup 2 post 10K lift
I simply stab the engine to the trans with the truck on the ground, engine on picker and me on a creeper
after that i put the truck back on the 2 post lift and have at it with the wiring, starter, dipstick etc

Otherwise you will have to manage the trans and t case together without the crossmember, this can get interesting over your head

 

[Mesozoic]

Yes, this is true. I figured since that's how the trans came out, perhaps that's how it would go back together as well. I will figure it out... one way or another, but I appreciate the guidance there. I do not like hanging out on my back anymore, these days!

The headers arrived. They look good! In my case, the Felpro 1487 gasket is necessary to match the exhaust ports in the heads.

 

[410Fortune]

Have you considered the remflex? I have excellent luck sealing headers w the remflex ever since @Rick recommended them