What did YOU do to your Explorer today?

[joney]

Continuing on my belated winterizing project: Rust repair. Waiting on rocker panels from LMC, got 4 holes repaired, going to do the inner panel patches and lower door panels with rivets and sheet metal with panel cement, Rust Converter, bondo and paint. Hope to get the whole thing Fluid Filmed afterward. Still have to do a coolant flush and oil change. Rust is like an iceberg! Upon removing my lower trim panels I found out the extent. Still, the frame and underneath minimal rust for age and location. When the city gets around to it, that winter brine solution they spray is death on vehicle metals - 5 years of it killed my otherwise trouble-free Taurus early spring. Determined to fight it off this go around! Funny thing, only the back left door sill and the lower doors have rust - front doors are fine. Thanks to this forum, getting much more DIY experience. Although I've been patching car sheet metal since the mid 80s. Fabricated the whole trunk interior for my 82 Crown Vic back then. Fun challenge!

 

[92exp4x4]

My 93 has lost torque converter lockup. I tore into the trans to see if i could find out why. The solenoids test fine, 34 and 31 ohms. I have an adapter plate for air testing the circuits in the trans, but would one expect to be able to find such things when needed? Not for me.. a new one is ordered. In the meantime I have a disabled patient blocking the garage.

For those curious of what the inside of your trans looks like, I've attached some pics.

 

[ChildIdenticant]

a new one is ordered.

May I have purchase source?

 

[92exp4x4]

May I have purchase source?

Found one on eBay. After re-reading my manuals, it might not help test for my issue. But it can be used to activate the other functions of the trans for testing - the bands, servos, etc.

 

[wankel1308]

I just tore apart the whole top end of the motor to replace rocker arms and pushrods. Obviously, did valve cover gaskets and manifold gaskets at the same time, gave the valve covers a fresh coat of agricultural red too. I'll tell you what though, having the rocker shafts off makes changing #6 spark plug waaaay easier!

 

[Abramwithda1991fourdoor]

That one is 08/90 but I have this 4wd 91 with a build date of 04/90 with a very low vin.

View attachment 342565

View attachment 342566

thats a clean interior. I want mine to be like that :[

 

[Jessejp05]

My 93 has lost torque converter lockup. I tore into the trans to see if i could find out why. The solenoids test fine, 34 and 31 ohms. I have an adapter plate for air testing the circuits in the trans, but would one expect to be able to find such things when needed? Not for me.. a new one is ordered. In the meantime I have a disabled patient blocking the garage.

For those curious of what the inside of your trans looks like, I've attached some pics.

Please post your findings after the new one is installed. I had my 93 trans rebuilt and it would lock and up lock on its own. Had that fixed and now I don’t feel or see (on the tach) it locking up. But my rpms are where they “should be” with my gears and tires.

 

[92exp4x4]

Please post your findings after the new one is installed. I had my 93 trans rebuilt and it would lock and up lock on its own. Had that fixed and now I don’t feel or see (on the tach) it locking up. But my rpms are where they “should be” with my gears and tires.

Im waiting on gaskets currently. Ill probably only go as far as the valve for now, since this isn't a primary driver. But whatever I find I will definitely share. I've got a strong feeling that its the convertor.

 

[joney]

Continuing on my belated winterizing project: Rust repair. Waiting on rocker panels from LMC, got 4 holes repaired, going to do the inner panel patches and lower door panels with rivets and sheet metal with panel cement, Rust Converter, bondo and paint. Hope to get the whole thing Fluid Filmed afterward. Still have to do a coolant flush and oil change. Rust is like an iceberg! Upon removing my lower trim panels I found out the extent. Still, the frame and underneath minimal rust for age and location. When the city gets around to it, that winter brine solution they spray is death on vehicle metals - 5 years of it killed my otherwise trouble-free Taurus early spring. Determined to fight it off this go around! Funny thing, only the back left door sill and the lower doors have rust - front doors are fine. Thanks to this forum, getting much more DIY experience. Although I've been patching car sheet metal since the mid 80s. Fabricated the whole trunk interior for my 82 Crown Vic back then. Fun challenge!

Well, very few warm enough days to paint! So rocker panels will have to wait, unless I find a garage to work in. May be enough time to patch lower door skin on one of the back doors. And to top it all off, went tonight to drive, and found the battery down, weird ratcheting noise from the driver door, no start - it appears my brand new door master window switch lasted all of 23 days! Am starting to seriously wonder about haunted electronics as Halloween is coming up!! Acted exactly the same as before I replaced the original master switch! AARGH

 

[92exp4x4]

Well, very few warm enough days to paint! So rocker panels will have to wait, unless I find a garage to work in. May be enough time to patch lower door skin on one of the back doors. And to top it all off, went tonight to drive, and found the battery down, weird ratcheting noise from the driver door, no start - it appears my brand new door master window switch lasted all of 23 days! Am starting to seriously wonder about haunted electronics as Halloween is coming up!! Acted exactly the same as before I replaced the original master switch! AARGH

Its probably the bushings in the window motor. You can replace those. There are three plastic roller bushing things in the gearhead. They deteriorate over time. Do a search on the forum, someone has done a write up on it, im sure.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, they become deformed slightly over time, and resist the movement of the motor gearing, and eventually break and lock up that gear section. It's all plastic, the two main gears and the three pucks. So the motor section rarely fails, you just open it up, clean out the bad parts and grease, and install the new with a little grease(don't pack it full of grease, only about half fill the volume there).

 

[joney]

Its probably the bushings in the window motor. You can replace those. There are three plastic roller bushing things in the gearhead. They deteriorate over time. Do a search on the forum, someone has done a write up on it, im sure.

Can confirm the motor works. But the new master window switch has shorted and run down my battery again - it worked for a total of 23 days. got the rattle sound when turning the key, it seems from the door locks area, with the motor unplugged. AND I have to confess, have been posting to the wrong thread as I have a 2nd gen not a 1st. Never noticed there were separate threads for each gen. This switch although new didn't fit tight to the base, as if it could use some more screws to clamp the middle down to the base. Guess that's why it was rather cheap.

 

[92exp4x4]

Can confirm the motor works. But the new master window switch has shorted and run down my battery again - it worked for a total of 23 days. got the rattle sound when turning the key, it seems from the door locks area, with the motor unplugged. AND I have to confess, have been posting to the wrong thread as I have a 2nd gen not a 1st. Never noticed there were separate threads for each gen. This switch although new didn't fit tight to the base, as if it could use some more screws to clamp the middle down to the base. Guess that's why it was rather cheap.

Yeah, im not as familiar with the second gen switches other than they are a different design. The circuitry is probably the same though. Have you tried to find a good used OEM switch on eBay?

 

[joney]

Yeah, im not as familiar with the second gen switches other than they are a different design. The circuitry is probably the same though. Have you tried to find a good used OEM switch on eBay?

I'm starting to wonder now...what if a funky but rather new battery is ruining things like the new switch? Or is it Gem Module? I guess I have to learn to find out how to diagnose if it is a non-obvious problem. I have gotten this battery run down 3 or 4 times now. Can I test it adequately at home with a multimeter. I have that and a charger here. Or take it to O'REilly's for testing.Which puzzled me previously, it had the 'bad battery' and 'charging' icons lit, last time I used it. Unskilled labor here! Motor and switch are out of the circuit. The Ex has run and driven well after charging each time. Thanks for your help, appreciate it.

 

[92exp4x4]

To properly check a battery, you need a load tester. Typically it will load the battery at half it's amp-hour rating and you observe the voltage while its loaded. It would not be worth you buying one for a one time use such as this. The best thing you have right now to load the battery is the starting system.

Chances are you battery is ok. Does it discharge while not connected to the vehicle? More than likely there is a faulty vehicle system that is dragging it down. You will need to isolate that system. Does your meter have an amps setting?

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm starting to wonder now...what if a funky but rather new battery is ruining things like the new switch? Or is it Gem Module? I guess I have to learn to find out how to diagnose if it is a non-obvious problem. I have gotten this battery run down 3 or 4 times now. Can I test it adequately at home with a multimeter. I have that and a charger here. Or take it to O'REilly's for testing.Which puzzled me previously, it had the 'bad battery' and 'charging' icons lit, last time I used it. Unskilled labor here! Motor and switch are out of the circuit. The Ex has run and driven well after charging each time. Thanks for your help, appreciate it.

These older vehicles have lots of relays and typical current draws, plus electrical components like radio, compass, trip computer, EATC, which have transistors and capacitors that fail at this age. So electrical issues are more and more common with old cars.

Keep an eye on the voltage when running, and what it is before starting, when cold. Watch for odd issues such as the battery running down, the window(s) not working etc. Try to isolate what circuits may be part of the problems, and then possibly it's about pulling a fuse, testing something, etc.

I have one 98 that is very flaky electrically, since I got it two years ago. The wiper washer stopped working last month, it has had brief moments of the engine dying(lack of electricity for a brief moment), and other items. I suspect prior work on the vehicle, it has many signs of body work and parts being changed(body and interior).

Work on the critical items ASAP, watch the rest for signs that lead you to an answer to what the cause may be.

 

[MakinJeepsWeep!]

Getting closer to the gold! Got Trans in truck today, almost have the Tcase back together got manifolds off, can't wait for headers should be the perfect accent to all the other stuff done! more news come monday

 

[MakinJeepsWeep!]

There in there!!! There a heck of battle to get in but once there in there place fit very nice. I will do a write up later because the instructions given does not apply to the 96 X at all aside from a general idea of what to do. Or at least it did not work on this one. Who knows! More to come asap!

 

[92exp4x4]

I put my 93's trans valve back together and installed it. I found the spool sticking for the TC lockup. Upon test drive the TC now positively locks up. You can feel it working now. The only problem is I still have no 3-4 shift. So it's gonna just have to be that way until I can pull the trans and rebuild it next spring.

I put my 94 EB, 5 speed on the ramps tonight. I've noticed some gear noise that I haven't quite been able to pin down the location of. I drained all the fluids. Everything looked great except for the trans fluid. It looks like red metallic paint. I guess this will be trans rebuild #2 for the spring.

 

[MakinJeepsWeep!]

The baauman sonnex kits are great there what I used good instructions and everything you need