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For Sale 97 XLT AWD V8 with new engine

rizzjc

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Elite Explorer
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Location
NC
City, State
Garner, NC
Year, Model & Trim Level
2019 F150
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N1LVN
Located in Raleigh, NC. I'd like to start at $4000, but it's negotiable.

FI'd love to find someone who will give my Explorer the time it needs. It's a 1997 XLT AWD V8 with about 215k miles on the odometer, but a new engine put in at 180k. It is pretty much stock except for the Torque Monster Headers. Body is in great shape. One spot of rust on one door sill. I bought this truck new, so I know everything there is to know about it.

Good:
  • Had a new crate engine put in in 2011 at about 180k miles. Drove daily for 2 more years until I bought a daily driver. Been used for weekend warrior trips since.
  • Torque Monster Headers added when the new engine was installed.
  • New fuel pump.
  • Rebuilt the 3.73 limited slip rear end 160k miles.
  • Trailer towing package, and brake controller wired up. Towed a small camper with it for a few years. Didn't really need the brakes, but they were nice to have.
  • Replaced passenger window motor.
  • New front driveshaft.
  • Starts and Runs great!

Bad:
  • That crate engine mentioned above? It leaks. Rear main seal leaks. Valve cover gaskets leak. It runs great, but it has some leaks, and I haven't had the time to get to them. We're not talking adding oil all the time leak, just annoying leaks for a $4000 new engine.
  • Odometer reads 215k miles, but it get stuck occasionally, likely due to the gears wearing out in the panel. If I had to guess at the max miles, I'd say no way it's more than 225k. It's only been a weekend driver for the most part since 2013.
  • Transfer case is wearing out. It slips under heavy loads. It's been fine under normal driving for a while, but will need attention eventually. I just replaced the fluid again. It's still chugging along.
  • This is the same truck that's in my profile photo, so yeah, I sank it. But that was 11 years ago, and it was gutted, cleaned, and has had a new engine and transfer case since then. No electrical gremlins here.
  • Need one more O2 sensor replaced. I have it, but need to get the old one out, and it's the hardest of them to get to. Throws a code occasionally.
I've owned this truck for over 20 years. When I had the new engine dropped in I planned to keep it forever. Eventually picked up a daily driver, hoping to have the time to do some of the things I wanted to this (4WD swap mainly), and just don't have the time for it. I'm actually planning to sell 3 cars and get one. Five cars in the driveway has just become too much.


Photos:
https://goo.gl/photos/xmtGzZF9qDUyF81w7

View media item 813
 



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A shot of the engine bay, with the great work on the Turdle on display. Too bad those nice Torque Monster headers are buried.

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I put in a new front driveshaft last weekend. The transfer case definitely needs to be dealt with. I think when I had my rear main seal done on the original engine that they drained the case, and forgot to fill it up again. By the time I realized it, it was apparently running dry for quite some time and started slipping. Still drives,but the fluid in the case is black.
 






$3500. Nobody wants a project that's in great shape?!
 






If I had the cash. Then driving halfway across the country to get it, cause I'm in Oklahoma. I was stationed at Ft Bragg a while back so I know about Raleigh.

Question is would it drive roughly 1500 miles to my home with a goobered up transfer case?
 






Change the AWD fluid again, and see how it is.

Mine was also neglected without being changed for likely 7+ years, and it was black. I changed it in early November when I reinstalled a front drive shaft and different diff, axles and hubs. My TC fluid wasn't low but being black I assumed the worse. So far I've been lucky with no noticeable noises or new issues.

The one front O2 sensor which has the connector way up on top of the trans was a pain, you can barely touch that connector. But I got that swapped, and the cost was around $25 each for the front two.

For the rear seal leaking, have you tried any kind of seal restorer, there are 2-3 choices at parts stores?

GLWTS,
 






Hard to say how far it would drive. It drives fine if you don't drive it like you stole it. Currently only under heavy load does it "slip". I'm going to change the fluid again, but I don't think it'll help. It's black, and the damage is done. I'm about 99% sure that the tranny shop that did the rear main seal on the old engine forgot to put fluid back in the case. I'm thinking about looking for a working case cheap, as I can swap that myself pretty easily.
 






I haven't tried any stop leaks on it.

And I can get to the o2 sensor from up top. About 10 minutes to take the console out, but it's frozen, and needs to get soaked in pb blaster. I changed the others and the code didn't come back .... For a while.
 






I just changed the nasty black fluid in the transfer case. Drove it a little, didn't notice a change. But I did replace the passenger window motor, so that's done.
 






I hear you, I too changed my AWD fluid again, and it was still fairly black. I've got three months on it, and before November the fluid was probably over 8 years old. I'll try to do it again in a few weeks, and hopefully it'll be more clear. If not I'll expect to have to do something with the TC very soon.

BTW, don't use Mercon V in the TC, I read on that quite a bit lately. The Mercon V isn't good for TC's prior to a few years ago. Mercon I is the right fluid, which is still available as Dexron III(labels all still list it as meeting Mercon I standards). You don't have to buy the new special XL-12 I think it's called, that is apparently equivalent to Mercon but they cannot call it Mercon any more.
 






Hmmm. Think I've always used Mercon V.
 






It called for Mercon before the V came out, and of course everyone knows Ford said the V was a perfect replacement for the old I version. Evidently a few years ago they started to see issues with TC's failing, some in big fashion. The clutches they say can be delaminated by the Mercon V. I just learned that, so it's just safer to go with the original fluid. They want $12 a quart for the special replacement stuff. I'll keep using Amsoil.
 






I think I kept Amsoil in mine actually, but the first one died RIGHT after the ford dealer replaced the first rear main seal. Coincidence? They charged me $750 to do the seal, then wanted $2500 for a transfer case. I picked one up used from a dealer on here, $200, and swapped it myself. That's what's in there now. It got more mileage then the original, until someone forgot to put fluid back in it.
 






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