lopo conversion questions

[brokebill]

i've looked at the threads and posts on the conversions, but was hoping for a quick educational summary of the conversion.

so to change Ruby, i would basically need the heads, intake, and cam from an explorer and a computer from a mark 7 ?

what models explorer are best?

how much gain over stock will be produced?


thank, Bill

[Tiggie]

You got the hardware part down mostly. Don't forget about 19lb injectors. If you use an Explorer Intake, I think you need the early one (1996) due to EGR differences. You could just use your current lower intake with an HO upper to get it to HO specs (lower intakes were the same). Don't forget about some headers to complete the package.

1996 Explorer's had GT-40 heads (some say to early 1997). 1997-2001 used GT-40P. Not much difference between the two on the butt dyno. They were rated at about 200 horsepower if I remember correctly, probably 215 once you get some better exhaust manifolds on there. So you're going from 150 to 215 horses. Figure on 215 at the flywheel, 180 to the rear wheels if you are lucky.

[cld783]

The difference from stock will be alot It still amazes me to this day every time i drive it. It's also nice putting peoples foot in there mouths when they think its an old, unreliable, carb'd up POS..

I did the basic HO conversion (non gt40) with an offroad H pipe dumped.

[brokebill]

so as long a the stock bottom end is solid, the simplest upgrade is the explorer cam,upper intake,heads(preferably 96 for headers sake)
mk7 computer, and the right injectors?

theres so much info on the subject, the main points tend to get muddled.

sounds like using explorer parts require less mods than using mustang parts or am i missing something.


thanks, Bill

[Southern_Pride]

Yes. The parts require the same amount of mods though. The difference between the ho cam and explorer came is one of personal preference though

[brokebill]

explorer cam = better low end torque ?

any other differences in explorer/mustang parts?


thanks, Bill

[Tiggie]

The Explorer cam is said to give more low/mid torque, while sacrificing a little HP on top. I like the Mustang cam because of the sound from the swapped firing order that comes along with it.

[gadget73]

The Explorer cam has the same firing order as a Mustang cam. Its all done with by about 4500 rpm though.

[brokebill]

The Explorer cam has the same firing order as a Mustang cam. Its all done with by about 4500 rpm though.

how about the mustang cam rpms ?




thanks, Bill

[import convert]

well mustangs and mk7's with an AOD redline at 5500 so that should give an idea. only thing though is youd need to swap in a mustang govenor or get an aftermarket one from trans go to get to 5500 rpms or you manually shift the tranny. if youre looking for manifolds i got an aftermarket manifold and a matching egr spacer if youre interested.

[gadget73]

Stock HO cam is done with by 4800 with all stock parts.Probably with an upgraded intake, heads and exhaust you could push that to 5500 or so but thats quite probably about all its gonna do.


The stock shift point with a Mustang governer is 4800, not 5500.

[import convert]

even with the tv pressure set kinda high?

[Tiggie]

The Explorer cam has the same firing order as a Mustang cam. Its all done with by about 4500 rpm though.

You're right, I didn't realize that.

Mustang cam still sounds better in my opinion . But not nessesarily better for heavy/auto trans/highway-geared cars like ours. Does quite well in my Mustang though.

[Tiggie]

even with the tv pressure set kinda high?

TV pressure has no effect on the tranny governer that I know of. Not in my car anyway.

[gadget73]

WOT shift RPM is controlled by the governer, not the TV pressure.