So, the wife got a Limited Explorer, a 2014 model. While shes super happy with it, she has complained about its laziness numerous times. Her compare is a 2006 Odyssey with a 3.5L (her old car), and I agree with her assessment, this car is lazy in comparison. We have gone through the maintenance items, and added a K&N Drop in filter. That helped, as the old filter was really nasty.
The car is a non-Ecoboost 3.5L, with a touch over 100k on it, and has the Selectable 4WD/AWD system.
So, where is the power restriction coming from? I have read that for BOTH the EB and non-EB, that the air intake isn't a restriction. But, I have looked over the exhaust, and it looks pretty small, even compared to my wife's old Honda van, which had the same displacement. Are there proven, real world gains to be had there? What about an engine tuner? The fuel mileage is already pretty abysmal IMO (17-19), for such a small vehicle, but would a tune maybe help both power and MPG? Anyone have any experience with a tuner on an N/A 3.5L they would like to share?
Finally, is this motor boost-able? I'm not thinking about swapping stock EB parts on it, I'm thinking more about a home brew single turbo with 5-7 PSI, a tuner to help with fuel control, possibly a fuel pump if necessary... or is this version of the 3.5L a hand grenade waiting for boost to pull the pin?
Any experience with making this motor less lazy would be awesome, thanks in advance!
-J0N
Add boost.. What other answer?
I was surprised to hear you call it slow when the 3.5 in my Taurus X feels punchy. But yeah it’s almost a full second to 60 slower. Wow. The Taurus is bigger too. Must be a weight thing.
klb67
Reader
11/19/18 8:46 p.m.
I have a 2015 Explorer Limited approaching 100K that my wife drives daily, and recently I've thought it seemed a little sluggish. I've wondered if maybe the injectors need attention, or something of the like. I'm interested in the other responses.
It's worth noting that we drove an Edge with the same 3.5, a '13 I think, and it was noticeably sharper and had better response. We chose the Explorer based on the 3rd row and center console design. Plus the Sony radio in the Explorer is amazing...
Wonder if i should hit it with some SeaFoam in the tank, and in the vacuum system. Maybe order a set of plugs? Were going on a long drive tomorrow to Va. from Oh., so I'll grab a few cans on my way home.
-J0N
Torkel
New Reader
11/20/18 7:16 a.m.
This is not what you want to hear. But it is my solid advice: Don't mess with it.
- Your wifes daily driver - Don't mess with it.
- Reasonably young car, still has a reasonable resell value. - Don't mess with it.
- Normal family car: the next owner is likely to be some zero-interest-in-cars-family - Don't mess with it.
Have you driven another car to know if yours is slow by comparison?
I would do plugs, clean the MAF, and run a tank or two of Shell V-Power to clean out the fuel injectors and intake valves.
If that doesn't do it you might check for excessive exhaust back pressure (long shot).
Torkel said:
This is not what you want to hear. But it is my solid advice: Don't mess with it.
- Your wifes daily driver - Don't mess with it.
- Reasonably young car, still has a reasonable resell value. - Don't mess with it.
- Normal family car: the next owner is likely to be some zero-interest-in-cars-family - Don't mess with it.
This is the answer. There is nothing that sounds more like a cluster than taking the reliable reasonably new naturally aspirated Explorer with NO AFTERMARKET SUPPORT and cobbling together a twin turbo setup for it. Ford did that engineering for that exact same thing and you'll likely have nothing but issues working on it. Sell it and buy an Ecoboost version if you need.
If you HAVE to mess with it, does somebody make a 4.10 rear you can drop in?
