2000 explorer XLT motor swap mystery?!

123 Views 1 Reply 2 Participants Last post by J_C, 7 d ago

Kuriosityck

Discussion Starter · 15 d ago

I have a 2000 explorer XLT 4x4, everything on it is original OEM; except the motor, the motor came out of a 95 explorer.(I helped my grandpa swap the motor about 3yrs ago, he has since past away and I'm just trying to figure this out)
So everything bolted up seemingly correctly, we go for a test drive and it wouldn't accelerate over about 20-25mph, the motor was really shaky( like there was a misfire or something) so started doing a little research. Realized the 95 motor was supposed to have a fuel return line back to the tank; the 2000 dosent have a fuel return from the manifold.
Also the 95 needs about 35 psi of fuel the 2000 needs about 60psi.

(I really wish I had keep a log of everything I've done step by step,)
Anyways I figured out the motor was shaking(misfireing) because vacuum leak and a couple of the vacuum lines on the intake manifold were hooked up incorrectly, I took a return line off of a 94explorer and hooked it up so as to not drownd the older motor, as of now it will start up just fine, idles steady at about 1300-1400rpm for maybe 2mins or so then drops to 950-1000rpm and idles smooth, it just doesn't want to "GO" it occurred to me a week or so ago the last time I took it around the block that it seems to me like it's in a "Limp" mode cause it won't rev over maybe 2k rpms max and tips out just over 20mph, but if floor the accelerator it doesn't bogg down or stumble the way you'd expect a motor to when there is a fuel/air issue(running rich/lean) . I floor the accelerator and it just revs right about 2k rpms and very slowly but steadily speeds up to about 20-25 mph.

Any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated. Feel free to ask questions,
Thankyou

See less See more

Save

1 - 2 of 2 Posts

J_C

· #2 · 7 d ago

First thing I'd do is hook up a scan tool capable of live data and look at the long term fuel trim.

I'm not clear on which parts of the 2000 engine were reused on the '95. Was the 2000 engine an OHV or SOHC ? I assume the 2000 was a 4.0L?

Using the 2000 PCM, you need 60PSI fuel pressure, doesn't matter than the 95 engine at the time used 35PSI. The fuel rail and possibly injectors are different so the 2000's rail and injectors would be swapped onto the '95 engine. However, you should have 60PSI since the pressure regulator is in the tank.

You wrote "I took a return line off of a 94explorer and hooked it up so as to not drownd the older motor". What exactly do you mean, that you used the old '95's fuel rail with its 35PSI (actually I think it's closer to 40PSI spec'd but 35PSI is like a threshold value of acceptability) return and piped the return back to the tank? If so, that you cannot do, it needs 60PSI. If you no longer have the 2000's fuel rail to switch it over, then I'd get one from a junkyard, from a '99 through '01 Explorer 4.0L.

All of the above is only my best guess. I'm not clear on which parts were transferred over to the replacement engine, but I am sure the '00 PCM operates on the assumption there is 60PSI fuel pressure.

See less See more

Save

1 - 2 of 2 Posts

Top Contributors this Month