Foxracin's 1991 Exploder

Real Name: Trevor
Year : 1991
Model: Explorer
State: North Carolina
City: Mount Holly



Just picked up this Exploder last week. Its not in the best of shape but overall its decent. The motor runs great and the body has very few dents and dings.

When I got it the trans was out like every other a4ld. I am a 5 speed guy myself and was planning to convert to 5 speed anyway.

First thing and did is check the fluid in the trans. Nice and red, full, and doesnt smell burnt. Pulled one of the lines at the radiator and fired it up and no fliud. Nothing at all. Pulled the pressure plug in the side of the trans and fired it up to make sure the lines were not stopped up somewhere and still nothing so I knew something wasnt right with the pump.

Got it home and put it on some jack stands and started tearing out the trans.

Got the trans out and pulled the torque converter out and found some scaring on the snout. Thats not supposed to be like that. lol

Pulled the bellhousing off then the pump from the bellhousing and theres the problem. One of the pump gears cracked and spread the teeth apart and locked up and spun on the torque converter.

Oh well time to throw it in the scrap pile. Dont want to spend the money on it again not even know if the rest of the trans is good and for it to just break again. I figured I could swap in a 5 speed for not much more then fixing the a4ld.

Figured I would mess with the inside a little while I try to find a trans.

Put in a Sony headunit. Ran new speaker wires and used the internal amp after 2 stock amps were not right. Soldered all the connections and ran new speaker wire and its good as new.

Put it in a Midland CB I had laying around.

Overall shot of the interior.

Then I figured I would ride over the the Pull-A-Part to see if I could run across anything. Sure enough ran across a 1992 5 speed Exploder. But somebody already robbed the trans and starter. Figured I would go ahead and get what I could off it. Got the computer, Manual trans wiring harness, pedals, and Master cylinder(when they got the trans they cut the line so it wasnt useable). Still had the flywheel, clutch/pressure plate still on it too but I didnt have the money for it right then.

So I came home and started swapping out some stuff.

Manual trans wiring harness.

Swapped computers and moved it to behind the glove compartment to get it a little higher.

Swapped the pedals. I left the pedal assembly in and just changed out the brake pedal and put the clutch pedal on. It was aggravating but definitely beats pulling the dash out to change the entire assembly.

Went back the next day to Pull-A-Part to get the clutch and flywheel and all that good stuff crawled under it and somebody done took the clutch and pressure plate. So I missed out on that. Went ahead and pulled the flywheel off though. It looked fairly new.

Pile of junk parts I have pulled off so far. lol It keeps getting bigger.

Thats where I am at so far. Need to scrounge up some money to get me a trans and a few other pieces and I should be set.

For now I will probably just do a body lift and coil spacers and shackles for now with some 33's or 34's after I get it on the road.

Then save up for the d44 SAS down the road.

Ill keep this thread updated as I get some more work done.

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

your truck looks good man.
if or when you put on your taller coil seats, be sure to pay attention to your steering links. ya dont want em at a too extreme of an angle.

 

[Foxracin]

What is the matter with your 31's? Are you going to sell them?

There too small now. Already sold them. lol

 

[Foxracin]

your truck looks good man.
if or when you put on your taller coil seats, be sure to pay attention to your steering links. ya dont want em at a too extreme of an angle.

Definitely will. I plan on eventually make my own version of or getting the Stonercrusher steering setup anyway a little down the road.

 

[TarHeel085]

Well we got a problem. I finally saved up the money to buy a new set of bigger tires and NOBODY has or can get the BFG KM2's for like a month. Sucks. When you finally got the money to get something you can never find it but when you dont have the money there everywhere. May have a lead on a used set so if it works out I will still have a set.

i commented on your thread on NC4x4. go with MTR's, thats what i did. pm me if you cant find a set, i have access to some goodyear warehouses.

 

[Foxracin]

i commented on your thread on NC4x4. go with MTR's, thats what i did. pm me if you cant find a set, i have access to some goodyear warehouses.

I am supposed to pick up the used but basically new set off the classifieds on there tomorrow night. If it falls through ill send you a PM.

 

[Foxracin]

35x12.50x15 BFG KM2's.

These tires ride like a Cadillac compared to the Super Swampers and dont make any noise at all. I kind of liked the noised though. Probably going to go next weekend and give it a test run and see how well they look.

 

[Foxracin]

Went and got it aligned today and went to Lowes and got some line to extend all the vent lines. Swung by Walmart to and looked at the clearance section and they had 2 Hella 500 light kit sets on sale so I grabbed them. Got one Hella 500 set and one Hella 500FF set. Both came with relays and wiring and everything. Best part is I got them for $20 a set. Going to get some hid kit and convert these to HID.

They only had the 2 sets. Im going to go sometime and check all the other Walmarts around here and see if they have any in the clearance section.

Planning to go wheelin tomorrow and its raining like crazy out now so it will probably be pretty muddy. Ill post pics tomorrow.

 

[MoreFuel]

I just read all of this thread, nice X man, good work and on the cheap at that, keep it up

 

[Foxracin]

Well good thing I extended the vent lines and moved the computer. Kind of sunk it up pretty good today.

Didnt get any pictures or many videos before it happened but I got one video coming out of the creek. It was wet sand and was pretty slick so it wasnt hooking up too good. lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjM3CZseu3w

Was having to much fun to get more pics and vids then we got it sunk up. Mud hole didnt look bad at all but boy was I wrong. Hit it and the right side sunk deep. Started taking on water so got out and hooked up the winch and it started pulling pulled it about a foot and it died. Great. Wouldnt do anything. Figured the motor got water in it or something so pulled one of the bolts out and water poured out for about 10 seconds or so but still would do anything. Got the come along out and between that and trying to drive out we got it moved about 15 feet to the edge and the motor shut off and wouldnt start back. Then the come along fell apart so finally we found some guy that came down with his tractor and we finally got it out and when we got it out it fired right up and ran fine.

It never sucked any water in the intake. Guess it wouldnt start back up in the water cause the exhaust couldnt breath kind of like sticking something over the exhaust and it will shut off.

The water soaked everything on the inside the box I built was even full of water. Going to tear it all out tomorrow and seal up the box with silicone to keep it from happening again and pull the carpet out for some bedliner.

After we finally got it out.

The little hole. Some guy through logs over it and stuff to keep people from going in it again.

Where the water line was in the hole. 51 inches.

This was about 2 hours after we got it unstuck when we stopped to grab a bite to eat it was leaking water out and ran across the parking lot still. Its going to be leaking water for days.

Got back home and took the winch apart and found one of the little ground wires for the solenoid was broke off. Dont know if that was the cause or if I did that taking it off by accident. Fixed that and cleaned the motor out real good and its working fine now.

Also here are the Hella lights I got from Walmart for $20 a set.

Check engine light came on also so I got to check that out. Doesnt want to idle real good now.

 

[jaschlum]

subscribing. man you took on some serious water there. lucky it iddnt hydrolock. have you thought about doin a snorkle?? also. i love what you have done, it is looking great.

 

[Foxracin]

Got all the interior ripped out today and pulled the carpet out and sprayed it all out. Clean as a whistle now. Just running no carpet right now until I get some roll on bedliner to put down so next time I can just pull the seats out and rinse it out again. Im sure this will not be the last time. lol

Check the codes for the check engine light and got a 41 which is HEGO sensor circuit indicates system lean (right side).

I figured it was the oxygen sensor before I even checked it cause it sat under water and mud for a hour or 2. Going to change it out tomorrow.

 

[Foxracin]

Changed out the o2 sensor today and cleared the check engine light. Changed the fluid in the trans and transfer case cause there was water in both. Also got the lights changed out on the roof rack with the new Hella's I got.

I believe the water in the transfer case came from last time I sank it cause I didnt have the breather hose extended last time and I tihnk the water in the trans is coming through the shifter and the 3 plugs in the back. I have heard the 3 plugs are also act as the vent for the trans.

So what I am going to do is take the rubber plugs out and put in freeze plugs and change the caskets and o-ring things on the shifter and the drill and tap for a fitting in the top and run a vent line with the other ones to extend it so hopefully it will not get anymore water in it.

 

[Foxracin]

Hella's mounted.

No carpet.

 

[jaschlum]

what kind of Hella's are those?


edit: nvm i saw the previous post. disregard my post.. sorry.

 

[Foxracin]

Havent really done a whole lot to it lately. Put a new set of brake shoes on the rear earlier today and back up on a big log just for the hell of it and got a few pics. Still wasnt at full flex yet.

 

[Foxracin]

Well just ordered a snorkel hat/top/ram/whatever you want to call it off ebay. Should be here in a week or 2 so a guess a snorkel is next on the list. Will probably go to Lowes tomorrow and get some pipe and stuff and go ahead and run all the pipe and just put the hat on whenever it gets here. Stay tuned for pics.

 

[03OhioSportTrac]

Just read through this whole thing...Foxracin's done an awesome job!

 

[Foxracin]

Appreciate it.

 

[Foxracin]

Well decided to wait and get the pvc for the snorkel whenever the head gets here so instead I picked up a Herculiner kit and put it down on the floor today.

Put a medium coat all over first then a nice thick coat then another thick coat in the areas where people feet will be. Still have about 1/4 of the gallon left and its coated real thick all over. Should hold up pretty good I think.

Its still drying right now so whenever it sets up enough to put the seats and everything back in I will get some complete pics. These pics were after the first coat.

Prepped and cleaned the best I could get it. Its hard to get it clean with the sound deadner crap down.

 

[jaschlum]

nice job! the hurculiner looks great! how long would you estimate it takes?