$200 V8 Project

[RandomNerd2000]

So an update, took the wheels and tires from my 99, bolted them on for now, other than one that's screwed up from the wreck, and the tires off the V8 are as follows. LR was a steel wheel, Michelin from 04, could see the air through the side walls it was so rotten and slick, RR was a slick Goodyear RTS, LF was a Uniroyal from 1995, and the wheel said 95 too (they put those on trucks in 95?) and the RF was a semi decent 2012 tire off a 98 I personally have seen in the JY and was gonna buy last June but the trans and engine were bad. Replaced all the tires but the RF, and the tread is close enough to mine I'm gonna go with it. Also got a photo, the hood isn't shut because the cable broke and opening it isn't great. This is what $200 got me, other than the hatch is blue.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So, another update, since I've been working on this a good bit, and really enjoying it. I gave it the first bath in at least two years, and it's a beautiful truck, got the rear seats put in, originals were just junk, and driven it. It has plenty of power, shifts perfect, but it's really really sloppy in the front end, like it wanders a lot, and acts like it has air in the system at the same time? No idea what that is, pretty sure the transfer case isn't it, I haven't noticed anything to suggest that.

 

[koda2000]

So, another update, since I've been working on this a good bit, and really enjoying it. I gave it the first bath in at least two years, and it's a beautiful truck, got the rear seats put in, originals were just junk, and driven it. It has plenty of power, shifts perfect, but it's really really sloppy in the front end, like it wanders a lot, and acts like it has air in the system at the same time? No idea what that is, pretty sure the transfer case isn't it, I haven't noticed anything to suggest that.

If it's wandering the caster is probably off. I wouldn't bother getting an alignment until you check the ball joints and inner/outer tie rod ends. Jack a front tire about an inch and a half off the ground using the lower control arm hook. Then take a piece of 2x4 and a large pry bar under the tire and push it up. You'll feel and see it if the bj's are bad (which they probably are). These trucks are tough on ball joints, especially the original OE's because the boots rot.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Well I've done that, it needs tie rods, outers at the very least, the lowers have no boots, and the uppers have boots but aren't new by any means. The good is my 99 has a good front end, or at least the ball joints are both Moog and tight, the tie rod ends have been put on my green truck long ago, since it had sloppy steering. Not looking forward to doing the drivers side upper joint by any means, total PITA to do. I'm not putting money in an alignment until the front end is in great shape, that'd be stupid really.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Also, since it's had a bath... (The hood is up BC the cable is broken and I don't close it unless I'm driving it, I have a cable but haven't installed it)

 

[CoalHeat]

Sweet truck!!

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I thought so, I gave $200 for it, it's got 260K miles, was sold as rusted out and needing a fuel pump, but I've been around these enough I knew it was worth three or four times what he wanted, and I jumped right on it, I'd been hunting a V8 Explorer again in a cheaper bracket since last June, and I got right on it.

 

[CoalHeat]

Amazing truck for $200! Wow

 

[CDW6212R]

Amazing truck for $200! Wow

Ditto, and it looks great for any vehicle 18 years old.

I'd replace the control arms if they need BJ's, the bushings are surely worn a bunch too at this age. I just got four new Moog arms, about $330 total, the better uppers and the only lowers they make.

Check your end links of the sway bar too, up north those break.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I did a full inspection, it hasn't had anything touched in years, the front end has play in the ball joints and the tie rods are sloppy, figured as much, end links are decent still, they're Moog end links, or at least they have the blue bushings and I've always associated that with Moog.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So, I have updates on this, since I'm making progress. Discovered the moon roof leaks, cleared the drains out, think that'll solve that. Decided to tackle doors, passenger door works perfectly now, latch is some stiff still but it's coming along, don't think the actuator has been functional in years. Drivers door has been a total PITA to get decent, the door actuator rivet wouldn't punch out with anything, started with a small punch and ended with air hammer, would NOT budge, so I managed to grind the entire rivet off with a air grinder, hole isn't perfect anymore, but a washer will shim it up perfectly. In other news, the ball joints are the worst I've ever seen, the tie rods aren't winning awards either. Passenger side manifold is cracked, haven't decided if the engine is really worth the swearing it would take to replace that, since I might as well get the EGR tube and such too, also looked at the window, turns out, it wasn't off the track, the brackets that are glued to the bottom of it on each side had come loose, the only thing holding it up was age, I glued them back on and they're still curing out before I give it a try. Questions are, the EGR tube and RH exhaust manifold, off a blown up 98 Explorer, it a direct fit? Other question is, how hard is R/R the hatch? I want a one color truck lol

 

[CDW6212R]

The manifolds are a swap, the bolts not breaking in the heads are the big worry. The hatch is very heavy to work with, two people is best. There is very little adjustment for the hinges, be sure to use two that are good(not bent).

 

[koda2000]

Lift-gate:
2 people, ladder, 2x4's. It's a heavy mother and difficult/clumsy to work with. Consider removing the glass first to eliminate some weight. If you manage to break the glass let me know I have a spare piece. I also have misc lift-gate pieces, wiring and a red lift-gate shell.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I have a good glass, the blue hatch that's on there works perfectly, I even put a key cylinder in it, but it's not white and the one at the JY is and works perfectly, and am going to remove the glass, it's easy enough since I had to put the hinges on the glass on the blue one.

 

[Mountinheer]

Just did the rear latch actuator...

I consider many steps in the process to have been done by miracle - as they were physically impossible by man.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So figured I'd update this thread, since a friend asked about it who follows this thread. To start, I haven't sold it, it's becoming my daily when my 01 Eddie B goes under the knife for the V8 swap I'm almost certain I'm gonna do, put the seats in out my 99, so much better than the ripped up seats it had, also put in a radio I got at Walmart with speakers for $40 on clearance, Bluetooth radios certainly are nice, it's a Pioneer, didn't cut the harness either, front end rebuild and hatch are next, then I'm golden to daily it, absolutely love it, reminds me of my 99 a lot and I had no problems liking it as much as I did that truck, even though I still miss that one a lot, also have plans to put 31" MTs on it and maybe put a sub box out a Mach system in there, since I like the sub in my 01 EB a lot.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So the time came to daily this, the light green truck just needs a lot of work and this is cheaper to put on the road, and I want to V8 swap the EB so this has to happen eventually, so I sat down with it, put the seats out my 99 in it, mint condition leather seats, a new Bluetooth Pioneer and four door speakers, and the tires from the 99 with wheels, then it came time to tackle the main issues mechanically, the front end was all FACTORY at 257K, the lower ball joints were worn through, I'm not making that up, new joints and the truck sits a ton better in the front, it's level and I like these trucks level so no TT required, also fixed the wandering, someone set the RF upper control arm all the way frontwards? I just copied the bolt alignment from the 99 and boom, drives great, not sure what the reasoning was behind that. Otherwise, I've made amazing progress and there's very LITTLE rust under there.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I've just got to tackle the DMV and then it's my daily, I've driven it around my dads fields, gas is stale and wipers went to bits, been sitting a LONG time, long before I got it, but it runs good and performs really well, almost the twin to my 99, didn't take long to like it.

 

[CDW6212R]

Put some pure gas in it for a tank or two, and fuel injector cleaner of some kind.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Did just that, run it down to half a tank and topped it off with pure gas, that helped the way it runs a LOT, I drove it around 100 miles for the first journey, had a lot of fun driving it, doesn't wander or anything, drives the best of about any Explorer I've driven, wasn't the greatest running until it got some clean gas put in, and that fired it up, it's a blast to drive, needs some TLC in places interior wise but I'm happier driving this than the EB since the SOHC seemed to like trying for that, now to start saving for the V8 Eddie Bauer swap.