Greg Kosmo's 1997 Explorer EB

Another month, and a more work done.
Here's a list:

• New caliper
• Brakes flushed
• Fixed neutral safety switch issue
• Minor paint touch ups

Yet there's still more work to do...
Here's another list:

• Fix 4wd issue
• Figure out why the damn thing is pulling to the right
• Figure out why my coolant is running out and turning brown...

My neutral safety switch issue ended up not being a neutral safety switch issue after all. After reading a thread on GUESS WHICH FORUM , I tightened the shift linkage bolts under the dash and it lines up correctly, starts in park, and holds position in park too. I replaced the front right caliper after it started pulling to the right all of a sudden, and my right brake being noticeably hotter than the left. Didn't make a whole lot of difference other than the temperature, though. That old caliper's guide pins were nearly seized. While I was at it, I flushed the brakes too.

As for work to do, I'm going to do some testing on the 4wd switch this weekend to see if it's bad. I have a feeling it's one of the hall sensors, though. As I mentioned above, it started pulling to the right a couple weeks ago. Not sure if alignment or wheel bearing or something else, but I haven't had a whole lot of time to look into it. And then the coolant... I've been running out in my reservoir here and there, usually one or two months between shortages. I've been keeping my eye on it ever since, and this week I noticed it turned brown. I automatically assumed head gasket, but I'm not blowing any smoke and there's no pulsing from the radiator with the cap off. Just another thing to try and fix, I guess...

Picture time!





Here's some of that paint work I was talking about


And as a finale, a sweet shot I got of her in the moonlight the other night

 

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Just a small update, I jumped the gun and got a 4wd switch from the salvage yard today instead of waiting until the weekend. Swapped 'er out, and no difference. Good news is it only cost me 10 bucks instead of 40. Oh well, the search continues. Pretty sure it's a hall sensor at this point.

 

If you've ever wanted to find someone who can turn a coolant flush into a 12 hour job... look no further. That's all I have for today

 

Another month, another update. GREAT news - 4wd is fixed! I have interior lights, power windows, and best of all a fully functioning vehicle!

I decided to try the rear hall sensor first since it:
a) Was cheaper than the front hall sensor
b) Was easier to replace than the front hall sensor
c) Seemed to be the sensor that was most commonly being replaced on this forum.

I had to do quite a bit of searching to finally get some part numbers, and since there's no guide to replacing the sensor on here, I might finally contribute and make one. It's so satisfying to have that thing fixed.

Other than that I did some trim touch up and small rust repair, but I'm just glad it's in working condition again.

Here's the location of the rear hall sensor, you have to take off the skid plate to have decent access to it. It's a little greasy so I might have to clean things up and take new pictures if I make a guide.


EDIT: The part number for the rear sensor is SW5645.
Here's a link to it on Rockauto: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=510837&jsn=1

 

Wow, it's really been a year already? Time files when you're having fun I suppose... Figured it was high time for an update on the Eddie and myself, more has changed in my life that its honestly. Since May I've graduated college, visited Europe, started a full-time job, and moved down to Lincoln, NE. It was one of the most hectic and stressful ~2 months of my life but I'm glad it's over and I'm finally getting settled back into a rhythm. Just in time for the student loans to start accruing interest, too .

As for the old girl, not much has changed. I got a CEL for an o2 sensor back in early April that... kinda went away, and I feel like she's been running rich ever since. Nothing major other than that though, she's seen significantly more interstate driving than I ever imagined and has held up surprisingly well. It'll probably be a while before I ever get rid of her (if I ever get rid of her) since having a fully paid off vehicle has been a blessing, both for me and my wallet. My Wrangler RT/Ss have certainly seen better days though, and I'm hoping to have some new meat by the end of next week. Highly considering Hankook Dynapro ATMs, I like the white lettering and tread pattern, plus Graham Tire has a buy 3 get one free deal right now. Not much else to be honest, hopefully now that I have more free time (and money) I'll be a little more involved on the site. I'm toying with the idea of modifications of course but it's going to come down to how long I plan on keeping the thing. Anyay, I'll end with an awesome picture I took back in August.

 

Man it's been a long time since I was in here, since you were on here my 4.0 Eddie Bauer bit the dust and is presently getting ready for a 5.0 swap, I bought a 2000 with the V8 I'm driving, and bought and sold a 2000 4.0, welcome back though. Those Goodyears suck, I have two on my V8 now and I despise them, they are loud and obnoxious and just typical Goodyears, I was looking at a set of Wrangler Radials until I got these and I'm really not too anxious about more Goodyears, I had the 2000 4.0 with the Hankooks on the back, it pulled with one wheel and I went through big mud holes with that truck before I really dedicated it to being fixed and sold. I doubt in all honesty I'll ever sell my 2000 or my 2001, I love them both.

 

Dang man, sorry to hear about your EB but thanks for the welcome back. 5.0 swap will be sick, I'll have to keep tabs on your progress. Why couldn't they have just made them a factory option ? Agreed about the Goodyears, though. Straight junk in my experience.

 

The Eddie Bauer did have a 5.0 option, mine just came out a SOHC, I had to plug one of my RT/S tires earlier, that's the softest tire I've ever worked with, they're flat out atrocious.

 

Yeah I don't know what the hell I was trying to say man. You pulling the 5.0 from something or starting fresh? I just got rid of the RT/Ss today by the way:





Pretty happy with the look of em, we'll see how they last. They're only a little louder than the RT/Ss and the alignment is finally fixed

 

I have a 99 donor with 154K I'm going to use, it was a perfect running and driving truck up until I wrecked it. I like those so far, I sold a dark green 01 recently that had one on the RR wheel, it was a 2WD Open Diff, that truck always made it through the mud, no problems, was very satisfied with it.

 

I am registering to see how things go with your Explorer. I like her Color. I even liked your Temp color you had on her. LOL

 

Sweet, hopefully you get some good life out of the 5.0. I'll have to follow the process on that, I'd probably end up doing the same if/when my 4.0 goes. Good to hear that about the tires too, I need to put them to the test one of these days. Not too much in terms of trails here in NE

 

Awesome, thanks man! Yeah you don't see too many of the desert violets around, I don't think I've ever seen another in person. Really makes me wish the clear coat wasn't in such rough shape on the hood. And I was a big fan of the brown too, that is until I had to remove it haha.

 

Removing that brown is easier when you have wax on there first, and have a pressure washer, I have a 2800 PSI gas one and a wide tip for the body, and a tight one for the undercarriage, it cleans them right up, can't ever tell mud then.

 

Got some big plans for this weekend. Brown wire mod, park brake, and hood/rear glass struts. Stay tuned!

 

Tuned

 

Nothing is quite as nice as being able to open the hood and it hold itself while you disassemble the SOHC, lmao I'm kidding, mostly, can't wait to see the progress. I ended up with a 4.0 SOHC so I'm tossing back and forth the V8 Eddie Bauer, I think I'm going to though, this 4.0 if so will be up for sale, unless I keep it for a third truck.

 

You could probably convince me I'm dyslexic and that it's really the 12th because it feels like just a day ago I got all this done... Anyhow, park brakes and struts are replaced, and the brown wire mod is in. Horray! I'd be lying if I told you it was a seamless process, those brakes are more of a pain replacing then they're worth. You can damn well guarantee I'm going to use them every opportunity I can for all the fuss they put up though. Here's a pic of the new "actual" 2wd switch:



Pretty happy with it all; switch works great, so does the park brake, and my hatch doesn't try to decapitate me when it's windy anymore . Now what could I print off to put on that switch...

 

I have that radio in both of my cars, I did get the Bluetooth one though for my V8 truck, it's a nice unit, I got 2 12" subs in the back and it's clean and clear.

 

Yeah it's not too bad, wish I would've been smart enough to think ahead and get the Bluetooth one too. Mine always makes this weird click like a CD skipping for the first ~30 seconds a phone is plugged into the usb. Gets really annoying. What kind of subs you got?

 

I got 2 Dual 12" subs in a bandpass box I gave $50 for, they're really loud, not the nicest subs in the world but I have them hooked to a 600w Walmart amp and they're loud enough, when I get my Eddie Bauer done I'm gonna do 2 12s in it too but they'll be a lot nicer and the entire system will be nicer, touch screen radio and all going in there.

 

Y'know, my dad always told me as you got older you started to notice leaks and funny sounds you never used to, I just didn't know it was going to happen this soon....

Now, about my Explorer.

Haha in all seriousness an oil leak has manifested over the course of the winter and it was finally nice enough to get a good look at it today. Here's what I'm working with:



Here's a video:


As you can see it appears to originate around the oil filter, then runs down the crankcase and lands on the passenger side cat. The bell housing/transmisson pan and front diff are wet, too. I am a little low on oil; around the lower 3rd of the crosshatch on the dipstick but this has been happening for a couple months so it must be a slow leak. I'll keep you updated on whatever I discover, I'm open to any suggestions at this point.

Other than that for updates, I replaced the battery last weekend and have new fog lights on the way after I lost one on the way back from the parents'. Also just for shits and giggles I had my insurance agent quote me coverage on a new Focus ST since I have a real job now... Needless to say I won't be buying new any time soon, at least voluntarily

 

New fog lights & brackets are in! Got them installed this past weekend, old ones were super rusty:


Here a glamour shot with both installed:


Tore the dash apart yesterday and got the headlight switch fixed too. Damn knob fell off and the screws holding the switch to the dash broke off so I had to operate them with a pair of pliers haha