OK, I've decided to go forward with the Explorer swap... I'm wondering if it is possible to swap in a 331 or 347 shortblock and new heads. Would this work and use the stock intake and the rest of the pieces off the exploder.

Or, should I just buy the 347 crate motor from www.fordracingparts.com.

Thanks!

Dave

289, 302, 306, 327, 331, 347, 349, all the same exterior dimensions just storked out bored/stroked versions of a 289. All parts from each should fit the other. Only thing to worry about are the 302 Boss engines, which parts do not switch with any of these for the most part.

The thing is with the stroker versions the default balance is 28 oz. The Explorer and all 302s have 50 oz balances. Can you run a 50 on a 331 or 347? I honestly don't know.

You would have to get a different balancer and flywheel. Other than that no worries. Not that those parts are worries. Everything else will bolt up.

The question I would have with it is are you going to use the Explorer wiring and computer as well? The reason I would question that is I don't know the first thing about them and how adaptable they are.

Need to be very careful with the balance! The Explorer damper is integral with the crank pulley and DIS crank trigger wheel. You cannot just swap in 28 or 0oz imbalance damper and flex/fly. If you go with other than 50oz, you need to have a custom damper, pulley, DIS trigger fabricated.

A 331 or 347 can be balanced to 50oz, not sure of how much heavy metal it would take.

The Boss 302 as such is different. If you use a Boss 302 block ,everthing will bolt up, except the dipstick is pan mounted and two piece rear main.The Factory Boss 302 has cleveland heads and special intake. Those would need to be windsor based for use with explorer parts.

EEC-V from explorer and the DIS will work fine, just highly recommend a custom tune, whether mail order or dyno based (recommended = dyno).

I would also recommend against the crate engine as it wil not have the correct balance and probalby not the correct front cover / water pump / damper.

If all that stuff is a one piece unit with the crank then you might have a problem. I didn't know that about the Explorer. Not that it isn't possible, I just haven't seen a 50oz stroker motor before.

To get around this possible problem, you could use Mustang wiring. But that would probably negate the majority of the reason for using the Explorer stuff in the first place I would guess. The whold plug and play thing I always hear mentioned.

tmsoko...have any of the Explorer guys pulled this one off yet?

Gonna get more info, but I believe the Balancer from a Mustang 3.8L 00+ engine will bolt right up.

Now the 00+ engines were 0 (Zero) balance and ASP sells these with removeable pullies,, perhaps a pulley is easier to make. and then zero balance the complete assembly?

Just a thought.

Brad M

thanks for all the info guys... I will keep you all up to date with the happenings of my money pit

D

I've never heard of the 00-up 5.0's being zero balanced. Why would Ford do that at the end of production?

Sorry, I was referring to the 3.8L & 4.2L V6 engines were all zero balance after 00'

The 5.0's were still 50oz balance.

I was just thinking that if you use the 3.8/4.2L ASP Pulley then you can use just the balancer and can bolt up any size of lower pulley you need to that.

Unfortunetly us guys that run the 5.0L Explorer setup dont have anyone that makes a underdrive pulley I believe.

ASP machined off the pulley on the 3.8L mustangs and leaves just a balancer that should bolt right to the 5.0L explorer (looks identical ad has the exciter ring) and then you can find a pulley that would match and simply zero balance the complete rotating assembly if stroking the motor.

Just a idea.

Brad M

:E Why would you want underdrive pulleys on something that's got marginal cooling to start with? I for one, damn sure don't need more cooling/charging problems :E

If you go to CoastHigh.com they have IMO the best strokers and they are 50oz. They have everything from mild kits to full blown race crate motors. They even have a Ca. smog legal 347 for mustangs (the only one available so far)