Expert advice needed!!!! Truck falling apart!!!!!!! 30 problems to start!!!!!

[PhillyJustice]

Hey Guys, I have a 1998 Ford Explorer 4.0 SOHC 175,000 miles or so.
Ive had the truck since 50000. I am a back yard mech and keep up with the truck.

Truck was working fine, i moved to california for 18 months left it with the wife and now its breaking down in every way.

My friends tell me to take it down to the river and put a match to it. I am attached to my truck, i ask them, would you take your child down to the river and put a match to it, i dont think so. Its my explorer and i will fix this truck or die trying!

All parts have to come from the u pull it i have three kids and diapers are a rip off!

I need all the expertise advice i can get!!!!!!!!!

#1 Trans Fluid in the coolant, making the truck inside about 100 degrees, I did a flush on it about a month ago looks like a milkshake inside the rad.

#2 A/C blows hotter air than hell. Pressure is good, blend door is fine.

#3 Trans all fudged up, after doing a fluid change( by he way trans fluid was almost black) O/D light comes on and off trans runs good for a few miles then the light turns on when ever it feels like it and send the car into crap mode.

#4 Lower control arm bearings are shot and makes a horrible squeaking noise

#5 Front stabilizer links keeps breaking the bushings, shocks are good.

#6 Shifter all banged out, everytime i put it in park it rolls forward or reverse depending on the direction. the shifter is also wobbly.

#7 Driver Seat Recliner snapped off

#8 RPM gauge dont work

#9 CD player display lights go in and out whenever it feel like it

#10 Tie rod, brand new both tie rods pushing into rotor causing it to wear and bust open

#11 Upper and Lower Control ball joints, the boots are all busted out

#12 Driver Side Torsion Bar wrenched in all the way to level the car out barely, its actually bending at this point.

#13 Small Rear Shocks, I have no idea what the small rear shocks are on my truck.

#14 Leaf Springs brand new put on last year are starting to wear out

#15 Emergency brake line broke

#16 cig lighter outlet doesnt work

#17 Oil Burning too quickly needing a change about 2,000 miles

#18 Trans fluid Burning to quickly just did a change already discolored less than 1000 miles.

#19 Many Lights out in the speedometer console

#20 Clicking noise coming from engine constantly

#21 Needs new exhaust " How To Install"

#22 Exhaust support broke its hanging with a close hanger

#23 Back Window Leaks

#24 Brakes lock up when i go over a big bump

#25 brake pad wear is different in the front rear pads. Rear pads are more wore than front.

#26 Speedometer Is off by 5 MPH

#27 Driver side lower control arm bent causing the tire to bend inwards

#28 Steering wheel needs alignment

#29 Button broke off of computer next to cup holders

#30 Containers in engine area are cracked from over heating. Related to the milkshake smoothie in my radiator.

There are many more problems, Lets start off with these hopefully yous guys can help. Pics Will follow soon and updates on problem solving.

 

[waskly]

probably cheaper to pick up a new truck with less problems.

 

[PhillyJustice]

i dont have the money for a new truck or used one at that, everything has to be done in 50 buck increments

 

[firepop5]

Is it April 1st?

 

[waskly]

for 50 bux you can probably fix the cig lighter, a fuse, and a new socket/element.

as for the rest, the trans is over 1k to fix, less you know how to rebuild a trans. with that said for 2500 or so you can pick up a gen 3 explorer with about 22 less problems.

 

[silentchris]

i dont mean to be cruel but sounds like you need to put the old girl out to pasture your burning oil and your trans is shot the suspension sounds ruined and nothing on your truck sounds up to snuff. either someone drove the crap out of it while you were gone or sitting was not good for it poor truck

 

[2000StreetRod]

replace the radiator

If you have ATF in your engine coolant then your radiator internal ATF cooler is leaking. It may also mean that engine coolant is getting drawn into your transmission. ATF in the coolant is not as bad as coolant in the transmission. You need to replace the radiator and flush the engine and the transmission. The transmission may have sustained permanent damage.

With 175,000 miles your camshaft timing chain guide assemblies and primary timing chain tensioner are due to fail at any time.

 

[PhillyJustice]

Thanks guys I don't mean 50 bucks all together but every week. I just went searching for radiators in the local junk yards no dice. Is there any other model that's compatible. No this ain't april 1st this is what happens when you leave your baby with your wife and she don't take care of it.

 

[iwannabamedic]

Good luck with it, its going to take several weeks 30 or more to fix, I would try to find another same year as yours at JY and go to town on it.
good luck

 

[watt9386]

best of luck.... a couple 2nd gens out by me in the JY. not sure of everything they have but it could help.

 

[Rudy602]

So, what would have to be wrong with it before you might say something like, " ya know, maybe I should start looking around for something not quite so beat to hell." There must be a "repair too far", I just wondered where you draw the line because we all draw it somewhere. It sounds to me like you got a lot of miles out of it. Let the misses finish it off, she doesn't care about not having a tach or having choc. pudding in the radiator. There's a beauty down the street here for 2500.00 that looks new, - must be some there, too. Good luck whether you fix it or replace it and hide the keys next time you go away.