Bought a '96 V8 AWD, I have a few questions..

[Robman]

Build Date: 03.05.1996
Vehicle Line: Explorer/Mountaineer
Body Style: 4 Door Wagon
Version: Ford Series
Engine: 5.0L OHV SEFI V8 (NP)
Transmission: 4R70W (AODE) 4-Speed Auto Trans
Drive: LHD 4WD (FTD)
Axle Ratio: 3.73
Emission: Canadian Requirements
Air Conditioning: Manual Air Conditioning
Paint: Deep Jewel Green

Minor Features

• Medium Graphite Interior
• Super Soft
• 112"/2845MM Wheelbase
• XLT
• Louisville Plant Built
• With Electronic Group
• With Privacy Glass
• Standard Ovrhed Console & With Rail
• With Unique Full Floor Console
• Front Floor Carpet Mats
• Rear Floor Carpet Mats
• With Load Area Cover
• With Running Boards
• With Integrated Roof Rack
• With Lower Body Moulding
• With Driver 6 Way Pwr.Seat Adjuster
• With Pass 6 Way Power Seat Adjuster
• With Light Duty Trailer Towing
• 4 Door Wagon
• With Int. Rear Window Wiper/Washer
• With Front Licence Plate Bracket
• 7J x 15 Flush 5 Port Aluminum Wheel
• P235/75R15SL S/BLT OWL A-T
• Immersion Heater Engine
• 3.73
• Rear Axle Limited Slip Differential
• 5.0L OHV SEFI V8 (NP)
• With Speed Control
• With KMH/MPH Speedometer
• Elect Premium AM/FM Stereo/Cass/Clk
• With NAAO Radio Frequency
• With Front Fog Lamps
• Deep Jewel Green
• Ford Series
• 4R70W (AODE) 4-Speed Auto Trans
• Explorer/Mountaineer

============================================

1 owner, has all service records from 2007-2015.

Grey leather interior, no rips.. Interior is actually in very good shape, cartridge for the multidisc cd player in the console is missing, the remote control is still in the truck though. The underside of the truck is a bit rusty but the body is still in quite good shape, no holes..running boards will still hang on for quite awhile it seems

Sway bar links seem ok and looks to have greaseable ball joints. Blower for the heat seems a bit weak and the resister for the modes of heat only works on high, as per usual with these things. The check engine is on, and I didn't get a chance to get the scanner on it yet. The engine doesn't look all dirty and leaky top and bottom. A/C doesn't work. Muffler has a leak as I see it's true duals back to the muffler similar to the SOHC.
270 000km so about 168 750 miles on the odometer. Puddle lights on the inside of the doors work, mirrors don't have them built in. I see the v8 has some sort of traction bars on the rear axle. Fog lights work. Small chip in windshield on the passenger side. Front driveshaft is still in it and I've tested it on some greasy mud, the AWD is working fine it seems. Beefy trailer hitch with the round trailer light plug, w/brake controller under dash. Has the Explorer floor mats and the cargo cover, also a nice form fitted protector thing for the cargo area in the back. Pinion seals on the front/back diffs seem to be not leaking. Rear axle has a leaking seal at the pass/ wheel.

Here's some things I have questions about:

-What kind of oil/maintenance does the AWD transfer case/viscous coupling thing need?(koda?

-3rd brake light doesn't work.. any usual suspects as to why? All of the other 4 Explorers I've owned the 3rd brake light has always worked.

- Slight hiccup with the motor or transmission sometimes when lugging the truck and it seems like it wants to shift but kind of has a hiccup. Shifts fine when using more gas pedal.

- Slight vibration when driving, which..I dunno.. could be any or everything. I have yet to have a real real good inspection of it as I just bought it tonight. He was asking 1500..then 1000, got it down to and paid $600 Canadian.

-ABS is doing that thing where it comes on with light pedal use or close to the end of a stop.

I've only owned the V6 Explorers, does anyone have other thoughts and info about the V8 AWD I could use?
Thanks for reading. I'll post a few pics when it isn't dark and rainy.

edit:

 

[vroomzoomboom]

the 3rd brake light on that year is a kinda like a led light, but it also has a ballast as well. sometimes the ballast on them die.
for the vibration, try rotating the front tires to the rear and vise versa to see if it gets better, worse or stays the same

 

[imp]

@Robman
The only real concern I would have is that of the ABS indicator. Not sure about 2nd. gen., but 3rd. gen they gave the ABS Module the power to shut down the vehicle. Obviously, litigation fears. It happened to me. Today, I bought a 23 year old car to replace the 2004 Ex which has been a most wonderfully-performing vehicle except for the ABS issues. imp

 

[Robman]

@vroomzoomboom you know if the ballast is contained with the light?

@imp - I've had ABS issues with 2nd gens but no shut downs because of them.

So, I've pulled the codes, is says odb2 system readiness check not complete, so I assume it hasn't had time to complete all tests.

The only test that is red is the CAT test and it's got all 4 o2 sensor codes thrown and a cylinder 4 misfire.

Do you think the cats are bad or I need to replace all 4 02 sensors? If there wasn't an issue I don't think it would throw the 02 sensor codes before the readiness test is complete right? Need some advice here.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

the ballast is separate from the light. also i dont think all four o2's could be bad all at the same time, you might have something else going on, but i could be wrong

 

[imp]

@Robman
I'm for once stumped. If I understood better the complaint, I'd be more help, but only maybe. What is meant by "red test"? And, OBDII Not Ready seems imponderable. Could the PCM be at fault?? imp

 

[Robman]

@Robman
I'm for once stumped. If I understood better the complaint, I'd be more help, but only maybe. What is meant by "red test"? And, OBDII Not Ready seems imponderable. Could the PCM be at fault?? imp

The previous owner would disconnect the battery to make the CEL go off. The computer then runs tests to verify everything is working properly divided into specific categories. For instance, the EVAP system becomes ready after to many miles or cycles and on the scanner I use, the systems then turn green if they pass and red if they fail.

Systems like EVAP, CAT, EGR etc..

I sure as heck hope the PCM isn't at fault, I was hoping to turn this into a family vehicle as it's nice enough to fix up.

So anyway, in this case all the systems are ready except the CAT system is the only one showing red, I'm not sure if that means it's not ready yet or it has problems. The scanner states that the ODB2 system hasn't completed all its tests but it already has the #4 misfire code up and all 4 o2 sensors throwing a code.

Atleast the EVAP system turned green, meaning that system works properly. I have another Explorer, my current daily driver that has EVAP problems and that's proven to be a bit of a rabbit hole.

 

[96Green]

The 3rd brake lamp on the pre-facelift 2nd gen Explorers is a neon tube lamp, with a ballast. By this time in the vehicle's life, either the lamp itself or the ballast (or both) has gone off to meet it's maker.

Ford intended it to last "the lifetime of the vehicle", which in the industry really just means the lifetime of the bumper to bumper warranty.

Post-facelift, Ford switched to an LED lamp, apparently learning their lesson with the difficult to replace (several components are riveted in place) neon units.

If you so wanted to, you could swap on a post-facelift hatch, however, you would also need to fit post-facelift taillamps, and there are some incompatibilities with the rear wiper wiring.


EDIT: That's a pretty clean looking Ex you've got. Nice buy.

 

[Robman]

Thanks for the input guys, and yes it is in good shape especially for a 96 that has lived its life in Ontario Canada with its salt riddled winters.

I've sold the truck to my dad to either use as a farm vehicle or I'll end up fixing lots of the things on it and undercoating it if he wants to put it on the road. So, the truck is still around and close to me

It suited him rather than me trying to make it into a family vehicle for my wife to drive my son around in.

The saggy rear end bothered me, I would have had to do all of the brake lines in the nice black plastic coated type to feel safe about the wife driving it around. It needs 02 sensors, quite possibly all of them and a rear axle seal and a muffler followed up by an intensely oily undercoating.

Thanks for reading... you'll probably hear more about its progress in the future.

 

[toypaseo]

I might have an extra CD cartridge that I got from the junkyard, but shipping to Canada might make it not worth your time...

PM me if interested...

 

[Robman]

I appreciate the offer, but if I do go look for one, I'll poke around the scrap yards around here first.

 

[SoNic67]

-What kind of oil/maintenance does the AWD transfer case/viscous coupling thing need?
Drain/refill with Mercon V (see in the manual). Same for front diff.

-3rd brake light doesn't work.. any usual suspects as to why? All of the other 4 Explorers I've owned the 3rd brake light has always worked.
I had an issue with the wiring from body to the tailgate - they where broken/cut inside the rubber grommet. Soldered them back and used heat-shrink tube on top.

- Slight hiccup with the motor or transmission sometimes when lugging the truck and it seems like it wants to shift but kind of has a hiccup.
Darin/refill transmission pan. 5Qt of Castrol Mercon V. Don't use any "synthetic" fluids, they are all LV (except Mobil1). Personally, I have added Lubegard Platinum too...

Don't drive with the front driveshaft disconnected. It will damage the Viscous Coupler inside TC/CentralDiff. I would look at the driveshafts - the CV joint on front needed replacement on mine (Dorman makes a kit) and, once there I did the U-Joints too.

 

[Robman]

Ah thanks for the heads up on the fluid and potential 3rd brake light wiring.

The hiccup I think was/is related to the cylinder 4 misfire, as it happened when lugging the engine and it was very wet when I drove it home. I'll have to check the plug and wire out. Looking at the service records that came with the truck yields a previous issue with the cylinder 4 plug/wire.The tranny fluid looks great, service records appear to show a trans service not long ago but it does appear that they may have used synthetic fluid. Either way I think the transmission is actually in good shape.

As for the 02 sensor codes, it has them but I think the systems tests were ready because I was looking at the "continuous codes" section of the scanner and that came up. For the current codes it was just cyl 4 misfire and all 4 o2 sensors. I've reset the codes recently to get fresh readings on things.

The front drive shaft appears to be ok and the AWD works as I've tested it on wet/greasy grass/mud.