Howdy friends!
Hoping you all could provide some input from your experience regarding which aftermarket valve covers fit the 96-00 explorer & Mountianeers 5.0 with OEM intake?
The Explorer intake plenum on the drivers side seems to sit too low over the driver side valve cover to run the standard aluminum “ford racing” valve covers that I have on my current motor.
Thanks!!
Yes. You need the other standard aluminum "ford racing" valve covers for a Fox Mustang. (sorry, but IDK what your current motor looks like.)
Keep in mind that valve covers for a 302 have an oil fill hole in each cover, and the hole is on the left side of the cover. So on the driver's side, it is toward the front. On the passenger side, it is toward the rear. One is for fresh air vent, and the other is for PCV.
This is not compatible with the upper plenum on a 5.0. The 5.0 is looking for an oil fill and fresh air vent on the RIGHT side of only one cover. So the passenger cover has the fill/vent on the front, and the driver's side cover is blank. PCV is in in the lifter galley in the rear of the intake. (...right back to where it was in 1962)
The valve covers from an 86-92 Mustang 5.0 are cast aluminum, and will fit. These are a superb quality valve cover that doesn't leak, and generally won't clear adjustable roller rockers. From 93-95, the 5.0 got sheet metal covers, and they often leak. Both sets of Mustang 5.0 covers are about as plain and ugly as you can put on a vehicle. The 96+ Explorer cover is similar, except it is even uglier, with even more crap attached to it.
Ford Racing came out with a set of black crinkle, and polished aluminum ribbed valve covers for the 5.0 that fit under the plenum, and look decent. They are compatible with your Explorer intake. They also don't like adjustable roller rockers, but fit just fine with E7 or GT40 pedestal rockers.
All of the big vendors carry the 86-92 5.0 Mustang valve covers. Nobody carries an 96-02 Explorer 5.0 Valve cover. I still don't understand why.
