Ideas on how to upgrade from Ford 4.0L to 5.0L?

Sam W

New member
CAR: 1997 Ford Explorer (eddie bauer edition), 4.0L SOHC

I have did price searches and research on this vehicle. Now the 5.0L comes with EGR hole and w/o EGR hole. I am not really sure what this matters but would like to try to find more info about this upgrade.

I have found a similar Ford Explorer same year different model w/o the transmission entact, but engine is, no telling if it will run. Now I know that Ford's wonderful design of the 4.0L SOHC engine let them be the only ones that could properly time these things.

Is there a website with details on how to do this and what needs to be converted.

My car right now has an engine but some mechanic before me decided to try and mess with it and never put it back together, been sitting for the past two years, now the sludge that the mechanic has said that he cleaned out wasn't cleaned out. I am not sure of the story with the car, but putting the engine back together with most of the pieces sitting in back would be really time consuming, and probably not worth my time seeing how the engine supposedly jumped timing.
I have really thought about rebuilding, if it werent for the fact that the kit cost more than I am willing to spend, and then the special tool that Ford requires to time the engine, I am not sure that it would really be worth it. I have heard that upgrading to 5.0 is easy, plus if I decide to rebuild this one, I actually have timing marks to make it easier.
What I am looking to do with this car...It is mainly going to be used for long road trips, up and down mountains probably like 3 to 4 times a year. I am also probably buying a pontoon next year so that would start the towing also.
 
It wouldn't be much of an upgrade, more of a lateral move if anything. The SOHC 4.0L has about the same HP as stock 5.0L offered in the Explorer. You'll end up spending alot of money for a bit more torque, a bit less fuel economy and the ability to never pass another emissions test again (may not be an issue, depending on where you live). I think you're better off getting what you have rebuilt. Or just swapping in a remanufactured 4.0L
 
its not much of an up grade but if you just want a 5.0 pull one out of a cougar or thunder bird there is also a six banger with super charger that = out to a 5.0 in some thunders with alumnium block way lighter and there is always the mustangs but there mose likely to be hot roded go granny and build it run full msd and go mild then swich to a possis 4;10 and smoke em
 
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