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$200 96 4.0 Project

RandomNerd2000

Explorer Addict
Joined
March 26, 2015
Messages
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City, State
South Carolina
Year, Model & Trim Level
00 5.0, 01 4.0.
So I've done it again, insanity at it's finest. Found a dark green 96, 4.0 2WD base model 4 door, automatic on an auction locally. Went to check it out, runs smooth as can be, not even any power steering whine, been sitting a bit but hey, can't win em all, it runs so it's a solid start. No rust, all the doors open from inside and out, needs minor interior TLC, so I stayed to watch it sell.

That was a mistake, I dropped a $200 bid on it and won it, 1996 4.0 2WD, dark green with medium graphite interior, manual seats, sport console, 4 door 2 wheel drive, with 98K miles. Yup, 98K miles.

It's been sitting since 2014, never had a bolt turned in the front suspension, or really anything turned, OEM spark plugs and all that. Any pointers on such a purchase? Haven't decided what exactly to do with it, it's worth the $200 in pieces though.
 



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Awesome! You have a lot of options... parts, beater, resale, gift, project build, new ride for you. Whatever you decide.

Congrats.
 






Thank you!! I can't believe I actually bought ANOTHER second gen for $200. I was worried some before they jumped it off the motor was toasted since it's a tiny bit low on oil but nope, nice and smooth. Can't beat it for $200, the low mile hull is worth $200.
 






Good decision, especially since you certainly know how to keep these trucks going...

Rust free?
 






Clean as a pin underneath, no rust or leaks I can see, it's as clean as my 01 Eddie Bauer, which is perfect. Tempts me to keep it.
 






@RandomNerd2000

Congratulations on your purchase!

Start out easy - short trips and keep an eye on everything.

Sitting for 5 years means that you need to keep a close eye on all of your driveline and engine seals once you start daily driving it.

Flush the brake fluid (because it's hydroscopic and absorbs moisture) and flush the coolant.

Take some pics for us and report back -
 






That's the plan, I'd bet it was elderly owned, still has the original, never used, Radial ATX spare underneath. One of the original rims is missing, but I have one of those, however it did come with a brand new tire, 2014 date on it though, on a different steel wheel though, so I got the tire. I am going to go through the fluids though, ball joints are likely in short order too, being OEM, as well as the sway bar end links, which are both OEM and trashed. There's zero for receipts inside of it, but I doubt at 96K anything important has needed to be done, or will need to be for a long time yet.

Side note though, it was a definite bargain, already have someone who I turned down with a $1k cash offer, there's about gotta be more life in it than that.
 






Can we see a few pics?

It sounds better all the time.

Congrats again!
 






That's the plan, I'd bet it was elderly owned, still has the original, never used, Radial ATX spare underneath. One of the original rims is missing, but I have one of those, however it did come with a brand new tire, 2014 date on it though, on a different steel wheel though, so I got the tire. I am going to go through the fluids though, ball joints are likely in short order too, being OEM, as well as the sway bar end links, which are both OEM and trashed. There's zero for receipts inside of it, but I doubt at 96K anything important has needed to be done, or will need to be for a long time yet.

Side note though, it was a definite bargain, already have someone who I turned down with a $1k cash offer, there's about gotta be more life in it than that.

Congrats on that good buy, but I would have taken $1k for it, if it is that original. You will spend a bunch of time on basic things, plus some money, so the profit may not be much more, than that first offer is now. Time is precious, and the space to store things is too, weigh those heavily in decisions to keep or sell etc.
 






I probably will regret it later if I'm honest, $1K was a good offer, took me a solid second or two, I plan on driving it for a while though or I'd have took that and not looked back.

I also am weighing that the 2000 has near 300K on the original rear axle and engine and was neglected a right good bit before I owned it, and it's been a tank but 300K does show a lot in several places. Could be a chance to really work that out right. Generally I drive my vehicles until they just drop, or become big risks to my pocket, such as expensive towing bills, stuff like that.

My other plan, likely the go plan, since this is unexpected buying, is to drive this one and sell the Camry I don't need, want, or really have a point in now, finish the Eddie Bauer for a nice vehicle, and either fix the white 2000, or buy a different V8, then sell this one. If I replace the white truck, sell that one too, and be left with the Eddie Bauer, which is my pride and joy of all these I've owned, and a decent daily driver Ex.

I need to thin the stuff down, I know I'm keeping the Eddie Bauer, fact, and the parts Mountaineer at least for a bit longer. I'm going to also have a daily Ex, which at the moment is either the 2000 or the 96. The Camry I've traded for is going, the Mountaineer I'm going to strip and send out, and either the 2000 or 96, depending on how it works out.

I have ZERO buying plans between now and Christmas, only selling, so nice little nest egg should be put up soon, and two vehicles left, that's the plan.
 






So, it's home, took a battery, $10 worth of good gas to get it off empty and away we went. Runs pretty well, idle seems slow but it'll take off and go fine, was a bit erratic the first mile or so with shifting and such but it got better. Now comes the problems, which aren't as bad as I expected for a $200 Explorer. My side comment is this engine is like brand new looking in the oil filler.

The ball joints squeak, which is expected, the back tires are rubber marbles and one didn't look to appreciate the drive home, so set of tires is in order. The AC compressor is a reman, with the clutch disassembled, so that's likely done for, compressor turned fine though so I'm not sure why it's apart??? The drivers seat bracket is broken that holds the back, I found a gin bottle cap jamming that after it fell out. Paint is faded, mostly normal TLC tidbits. Would like a bit of direction on the really low idle, IAC need changing/cleaning??

Now comes the actual problems, the vents are stuck on defrost, but do cycle to heat and back. The speedo worked just long enough to make sure it counts miles (it does, 98,618) then it quit, the head lights don't work, the wipers don't work, the washers don't work, the horn doesn't work, the power windows don't work either, which with no AC in 95 degree weather? Fun times.

So I've opened the fuse box, fuse 25 was the only blown one in there, for the speedo and GEM? There's several pertaining to GEM functions but I changed it, something clicked in the dash, like a relay clicking on, and the fuse went out again. Tried it again, same thing. Bad GEM?

*Edit* Looked underneath it, went under there, man it's so CLEAN under there, it barely even has surface rust on anything, I sure could get used to that.
 
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Change the idler pulley
 






Why exactly? This a year there was an updated pulley for? Looks like they might've been done already, got a near new Gates belt on it, pulleys look really clean too.
 






So next post, still need some advising, but I ran the codes on it to see how many issues it has, and I gotta admit this was probably a STEAL at $200, it has FOUR codes outside of a code for the GEM. Beats the 2000 by 8 codes, it pulls 12 codes, most are GEM related, the Eddie Bauer when parked didn't have ANY, hope to get it that perfect again. I'd almost make the comment this truck is in better shape than my 2000. Codes are as listed

P0133-C Ho2S-11 Circuit Slow Respone
P1507 IAC Valve Duty Cycle Lower Than Expected
P1000
P1701 Reverse Engagement Error (backs up fine, shifter bolts are really lose, not worried ATM)
 












General Electronics Module, or so I'm told that's the name, it's behind the radio on the left in second gens, runs pretty well everything interior related.
 






Generic Electronics Module, but same thing, lots of relays for various things like windshield wipers etc.
 






Why exactly? This a year there was an updated pulley for? Looks like they might've been done already, got a near new Gates belt on it, pulleys look really clean too.
Ok, then you are probably fine. You see I am on the forum a bit.
Many years back it was a common failure. Mine crapped out in the middle of nowhere at 3am once. The bearing separates from the pulley.
 






Considering you aren't in a rust area that truck has many more reliable miles. Maybe drop the pan/flush the trans and install a cooler. 96 V6 are very good trucks. It is the 4spd auto trans which is a bit more reliable than the 97 5 spd.
P0133 is probably time for a new 02 sensor. I changed mine around that mileage. IAC may need replacing or cleaning.
 



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So replaced the IAC with a used one that's good, cleaned and installed. Now it runs great, idles high though (1,500 to 2,000) even when warm, with no CEL codes, the light went out after installing the IAC. Any ideas? Throttle body?

Next came what was a moment of pondering though, reverse was slow, and it was 1.5 quarts low, topped it off and it was still slow to go in, but went forwards butter smooth. After driving it a time or two and checking the fluid until perfectly full, the P1701 did go away, it goes into gear a ton smoother now, so I'm going to say it was a product of sitting up for years. So far so good, pretty nice truck. Scored a set of Nexen Roadian ATs for cheap, 30x9.5x15s, that'll be a decent look. It's got 3:27 gears, my ONLY complaint so far, not what I was looking for exactly but can't pick and choose that.

As for what I'm going to do with it, haven't decided YET, might have found another V8 though so it's subject to get sold.
 






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