I haven't had any time to post in the last few days, but finally got a minute.
Power for me is dependent on how much I need to run 12's a slightly modified 2nd Gen Explorer. whats your username on EF? I have been on there since early 2011, so I know the site very well, but I don't remember a thread about that in my searches. I ultimately know I will sacrifice driveability for power, but I don't want to go to crazy, so finding that happy medium will be pretty hard.
I have the same user name. I used to pretty much run the Need for Speed section on EF for a while back in the day. James Henson was the "V6 guy" and I was the "V8 guy". I haven't posted steadily on the forum for about 5 years now. Still, there should be a TON of tech threads on this in there as long as Rick (owner) didn't lose the database over the years.
The cam those came with those are weak as fuck. Like, absurdly so. Bang for buck, valvetrain and an HO cam wake it up pretty well. Header options are limited for the Exploders, but they're out there. Bit pricy though.
Those, along with a free flowing exhaust will get you in the ~270+/- range.
There are a few sources for bolt on roots kits. On one of which, the 4r70 would likely give out long before your stock bottom end with a good tune.
Hope all that helps. I had been digging extensively into this when I was first plotting swapping my Ranger. Have fun man.
I agree that the stock cam was pretty weak, but the off the shelf cam choices are pretty weak too! Most of the Ford letter cams are weak as all hell. I wouldn't even bother with one unless you get one hell of a deal, and do the install yourself.
Please note: the explorer ECU cannot handle an aggressive cam, even E and F code cams give it problems.
Please note: you are looking at a grand to get a baseline tune loaded into that thing, no one does it.
I'm well versed in this. :-(
I put down 250whp/300tq with a 5psi m90 (xcharger), this got me a 13.8 in a ranger.
I upped the boost to 8psi, and got a Comp Cam kit that was recommended for the obd 2 5.0, and could never overcome it shifting into 4th waaaay early with the tuning software I was using. Pulled hard, sounded wicked, but couldn't bring myself to spend half the trucks value into a professional tune for minimal gains.
I ran an E cam in my 2000 5.0 V8 Explorer for about a year before I wrecked it. The EEC-V computer ran it just fine, but the cam really didn't produce a heck of a lot of power. If I did it over again, I would not have bothered with doing a cam in a stock displacement 302. Just FI.
It will not cost him a grand to get a baseline tune loaded into that thing; including the SCT flash tuning device. It may cost upwards of $1000 including the flash tuning device for the final dyno tune, but not for a simple base tune.
This is going to be a boring for anyone who isn't an explorer/ranger person, so here we go:
Problems you will encounter with trying to modify the RBV Chassis:
#1, Tuning Options are extremely limited. You are best off going with a standalone like Megasquirt or something of that type. Looking at a grand easily, or a grand to have a professional actually make a fresh SCT map.
#2, Cam Options, Explorer ECU's cannot deal with more than 116* or 112* of LSA (I'd have to hunt it down to confirm), or they won't hold idle.
#3, There is only a SINGLE option for exhaust headers, they are from Torque Monster and they are $800 and take 2-3 months to have made to order. Nothing else fits, its been tried over and over and over.
#4, The Transmission Tuning, there is some kind of fail-safe in the ECU that knocks you into 4th gear 1000RPM earlier under WOT than you do for 1-2-3 shifts. This even happens WITH a tune loaded.
#5, Only a SINGLE bolt-on FI Option (Xcharger, which is what I had), which is an M90 blower which is obviously extremely limited, and are out of production (read - Rare). When they pop up you can get them for about $2k used. I had an EXTREMELY good experiance with my Xcharger minus the limited tuning options.
If I were to do it all over again, I'd buy the Headers immediatly since they make a sizeble impact, then I'd have someone fab up a STS Turbo kit and get it tuned professionally. Its worth noting that would put you into the 6K+ range easily just to get a correctly running turbo setup on your truck, which is likely worth less than half that (No offense, my ranger was $800), and you won't be able to take past about 450whp without putting a hole through the block.
I had about $3500 into my truck between the blower setup and assorted parts. I used a "Sniper" Tuner (less well-known option), which was crappy, but worked well enough that the truck ran wonderfully minus the WOT throttle issues that were basically going to cost me another grand in a professional tune to deal with (if it could even be dealt with at all).
I disagree with certain parts of your post.
#1. Sure, there aren't many tuners who specialize in the 5.0 Explorers, but that certainly isn't a reason to move to a standalone. There is no need for the average person wanting to make around 400rwhp or so to swap from the EEC-V processor that's in the truck already.
#3. Technically two options, though the other one has went into obscurity and wasn't that great to begin with. Ford Racing used to offer headers for these trucks for a while. However, I agree that the TM headers are the only viable option. They are a nice piece of work, and I liked how they fit when I built a 1998 H/C/I 5.0 Explorer.
#5. There's two bolt on options for the 5.0 Explorers that I am aware of. You already mentioned the Explorer Express X-charger, but there is also the Powerdyne centrifugal BD-11 kits too. Also, in addition to this, you can use a Powerdyne XB-1A gear-driven head unit with the Powerdyne system too if you don't want to deal with rebuilding the belts and bearings in the BD-11 units every 5,000 miles. I installed a Powerdyne XB-1A superchrarger on my 2000 Explorer because I wanted the capability to make more power and didn't feel like rebuilding the BD-11 often.
The reason you had issues with tuning is because you had that sniper-tuning crap on your truck. It is absolute cookie-cutter tuning garbage. I don't intend to give any offense, but that sniper tuning stuff was junk for anything more than basic boltons. Using a proper professional tuning platform like SCT is a different ballgame and will net considerably more tunability.
His exploder would have the r70 and an 8.8, the rear will take anything his stock shortblock can give but the trans absolutely will not. If OPs is AWD, he'd be better off swapping to RWD or a Ranger 2 speed t-case.
Das is correct. As mentioned, the oe manifolds are stupid restrictive. They went tubular in latter years which helped, but was still far from optimal.
I'd stay n/a or go low boost. No spray.
That 4R70W (AOD-E) transmission is actually pretty rock solid at the 400rwhp level. Just do the J-Mod or a shift kit and it will last just fine. The stock rear end is an 8.8", I forget if it is 28 spline or 31 in those. I think it is a 31 spline, but I could be confusing it with the 8.8" rears in the next generation Explorers. Either way, those 8.8's are strong.
They went with tubular manifolds in the later years? I don't recall this, and I had a 2000 Explorer, but it has been so long ago I may not remember it right.
Spray is just fine in these trucks, just as any other power adder is. The key is in how you control it. I have cammed, supercharged, sprayed, did heads, custom intake, and just about everything else for the 5.0 Explorers and as long as I did my part in the configuration and tuning stages then there were little issues as long as I remained aware of the limitations of the stock engine. If you are going to spray it, then control it progressively. If the OP ends up wanting to go with boost then staying around 9 psi will net decent reliability and power. In an Explorer Sport, that will net 12's as long as everything else is up to the task.