Explorer 302 motor question...
 

Just thought I'd ask a question here. I'm new to the forums so maybe you can help me out with this. If people like to run(GT40 or GT40P?) heads from the explorer AND the upper and lower intake manifolds from the explorer... whats the bad side of just swapping in an entire explorer motor? They have the good intakes and the gt40 heads and everything. Put forged bottom end internals from a different motor or just build new forged bottom end internals and throw a cam in it and spray the hell outta it.

I guess to wrap it up why don't people try to just buy complete explorer v8 motors to swap in there car instead of just the heads and intake?

Also... how good are those heads as a direct bolt-on replacement for the stock 302 mustang heads? Are they good for a chunk of HP direct bolt on? Or have them ported some first?

Thanks!!

They are a good "budget" head...especially if they're found cheap. But some people think they are worth their weight in gold and nothing could be farther from the truth...About $300-$350 is a good price IMO.

Some people DO buy the complete Explorer motors. There's a sensor missing in the lower intake you have to add for a mustang, and the oil-pan, pickup, and front cover are different (Summit or a donor mustang would have the kit). Other than that, it is a good alternative to the standard HO motor. Add a B303 cam and it's off to the races! :nice:

+1

Another reason people buy just the heads or intake is because that is all they need. Why replace a motor fo an 'ok' head swap.

What can you expect to gain by going to explorer heads over the stock GT heads?

Same with the intake.. if you got the explorer upper and lower and a set of GT40 heads what kinda HP can you gain? My motor currently has a .40 over bore with hyper bottom end and a b303 cam and comp cam valves springs on the stock heads. I haven't had a chance to run it in the 1/8th with the new rear end... (fully rebuilt 8.8 fully shimmed with 3.55 gear and x2c upper and lower control arms) and my weld skinnies and slicks but with slicks (Which didn't help in this case at all) with a factory 2.73 gear it ran 9.0 and 78 in the 1/8th. I'm shooting for 8.7's now with the new rear-end setup and a little more weight reduction maybe 8.6's.

I know you can't play the math game im not trying to find up what it'll pickup in the 1/8th with those heads and intake but an esimate in HP.

Also.. are those heads a direct bolt-on and go upgrade or should you invest in having them ported any before bolting them up?

P.S. Thanks for the nice input. Some forums you ask questions and people are straight up assholes. I'm wanting weight and a budget build to get this car into the 8.5's on motor before spray and im startng to push the limits of my wallet. I was shooting for 8.5's on motor for under $3500 including the $2000 i paid for the car :)

Set of Aluminum Heads: $1100
Cobra Intake: $300 (just look around)
-----------------------------
Total: $1400

And WAY better than GT40P and Explorer Intake.

Plus a MAF, TB, and some 24# injectors would be nice if you don't already have them... This stuff will go low-mid 8's with that B-303.

I agree with Matt. Since you already have a decent cam, go ahead and fix the other two major weak points (heads and intake) with something nice. You won't be disapointed with the results.

MAF would be the next thing I would get. Throttle body not so necessary (but helpful) and the injectors wouldn't need to be increased until you put down 275+ rwhp. (However, if you have the money, go ahead and upgrade to 24# at the sdame time you upgrade MAF's -- that way you wouldn't have top get your MAF calibrated again.)

We have two complete explorer motors at work for $500 each if you want to do the explorer heads

One of my combos in the cobra was the OEM GT-40 irons, OEM cobra intake, b cam and 1.7 rockers

I put down somewhere around 253-255 rwhp with that combo. I would guess with the explorer intake it would be somewhere around 245ish. I couldn't tell you what the 1/8 mile times were because I never look at the 1/8 section of a timeslip. I can tell you that on street tires it was good for around 13.40's in the 1/4

rtusnake: Where are you located? You'd want $500 for the entire motor? including upper and lower intake?

As for the other people that responded: I understand completely about aluminum heads and all that but this is a very budget built car. Once I get this car into the 7's in the 1/8th (thats all we have around here) this car is retired. I plan to actually teach the girlfriend to race this car once it hits 7's and spend next year building a 351w motor to put into another car that I want to be in the 7's with on motor.

I think the GT40 heads and upper/lower explorer intake will probably be the route I go with this car. I want to clean this motor up and make it a presentable car thats capable of 7's and still street legal. I guess 7's in the 1/8th on spray put me around high 12's I would think in the 1/4? My buddies built stang runs 6.9's and ran 10.80's in the quarter.

P.S. I know... what am i thinking.. teaching the girlfriend to drive the mustang and race it.. I must want this car wrecked! lol

I still think your money is spent better elsewhere, but if you're gonna spray it, the heads won't matter as much. With the Explorer parts you should expect 8.50's and spray it to 7.70's pretty easlity. That is about 13.50's and 12.0's respectively. Maybe even 11's in the 1/4 on gas.