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Have an 03 ex engine in my 96. Drilling and tapping the intake is pretty simple if you have the tools, probably be done at a machine shop fairly inexpensively. My two big hurdles were the water pump pipe and the front cover. Ended up bastardizing my 96 and the 03 coolant pipe and welding them together to get the correct location, hope to god it doesnt rust out. Apparently 96 and maybe 97 were a changeover for the front cover. One of the bolt holes by the water pump on the drivers side do not line up, and worse yet the gasket misses the block. Was in a time crunch so finding and pulling an earlier cover was out. My solution was a generous globbing of ultra black rtv and tapping the hole in the front cover for i believe an 1/8" pipe plug.
 
As i remember, it moved the tensioner and the idlers around, as well as couldnt mount the PS pump or something. Until i got to that stage i didnt even realize i had to change covers, then learned later that the 96 wouldnt fit right, was a nightmare at the time.
 
All of that info is here, if you search for it.
To fit that engine, you need a 94-95 front cover to match the engine.
 
As i remember, it moved the tensioner and the idlers around, as well as couldnt mount the PS pump or something. Until i got to that stage i didnt even realize i had to change covers, then learned later that the 96 wouldnt fit right, was a nightmare at the time.
The explorer cover has a few extra idlers on the driver side but the tensioner side is identical, the extra idlers are there for the higher mounted PS pump, but it works fine in that location with a few minor tweaks, just need to remember to ask for an Explorer serpentine belt when you replace it at the parts store
 
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