BD's 2000 Explorer Limited

2000 Explorer Limited

-Picked her up (10/13/2010)
-140,093 miles when I test drove it
-5.0 V8, AWD
-Pearl White
-Dark grey leather interior

My dream explorer basically, no more old ones, no more sports, I finally have an Explorer that I love everything about!

I absolutely love the limited, its got:
-Seats w/ headrests
-Memory power seats
-Heated/Puddle mirrors
-Better mirror without all the buttons, just the slider
-Painted to match bumpers and grille
-Woodgrain radio bezel
-Digital HVAC controls
-And its got the homelink visor with a nifty little voice recorder that I will probably never use LOL

And alot more, but im just in awe over its nice features compared to my previous rides. They even recently (In the past few months) had a brand new hitch installed and the trailer harness all wired up.

I dont have any set plans for this one yet, I do have hopes and dreams though, and im stoked about the V8 that has so many options.

Dream list:
-Torque Monster headers
-Custom Tune
-LED tails (Something custom maybe, I just need to study up on resistors and whatnot)
-BMW projectors in a blacked out housing

It does have a few problems that id like some help with, (Fixed all, besides this one)
1. The blower only works when its on all the way high, (Same thing in my grandam, but it was the blower motor resistor then everything worked great) is that a common problem on the digital HVACs?


"For sure" plans include:
-New rims, id like to get a nice 5-spoke set of 20's with a beefy tire
-Paint job in the spring, black
-Some interior accents (Id like todo another metallic blue color like I did in my grandam)

He was asking 3400$ in the ad, but I talked him and his wife down to 2900$ because I was pointing all the little problems out that I mentioned above.

I didnt get a chance to really take any pictures, as it was raining, and almost dark by the time I got home.

I was bored on the way home so I took some random "driving" pictures

My friend was driving my Grand Am in front of me, I have a Avic-F700BT in there that will also be going into the Explorer, he was using the GPS to get us back home

I was extremely happy also, I was averaging 16.2 MPG driving with a decently heavy foot getting the feel for the V8 I was controlling

Edit- 1/21/11
New parts!

Hubs
Tie rod ends
Lower ball joints
Upper ball joints (Control arms)
Tires: Firestone Destination A/T's 255/70/R16's
Brake Pads

Soon:
Slotted (And drilled maybe) Rotors
Better pads
New shocks
Leafs
Shackles
Amsoil (In everything!)
Rebuilding tranny (And possibly a valve body kit)

 

[BrianDye]

The 03 glass will work!?

Everytime for the last month ive seen a newer sport, ive wondered about swapping hatches JUST to have the wiper on glass...fill me in man!

I want those XP8 bumpers so bad! They are amazing man! Your mounty is already sick; once you get all that done...DAMN!

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks Brian, and I bought the hatch with the whole hatch harness. I found out later that it's a three wire wiper(95-01 is four wired), and controlled by the GEM module. So it isn't known yet the best way to operate it.

The old 1st gen wipers were three wired, but they had separate modules for it, and a different control/switch. I don't want the old 1st gen control, I want the stock wiper switch to control it. That means doing something special with the control wiring, possibly buying an 03+ GEM and mounting it in back, and more modifications.

Keep going, you are doing great.

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks man

But the glass will just swap over with the wiper in it? I would love that! I would REALLY prefer the stock switch also, but if it requires me adding a rocker switch or something, im up for it.

I bet 1/4 wires in ours are to make it stay up on the window, (When its on), and since the new style is already on the window, it wouldnt need it...

 

[BrianDye]

Wow, these ones dont even have the metal studs...AMAZING!

I just wanted to see them next to each other, everything seems to line up right and curves seem the same. Where do the struts mount? And we'd have to fab up a squirter by the 3rd brake light since ours are built into the wiper, and those ones arent.

I would have killed to have my rear hatch setup on my 95' (I wanted todo the swap so bad) And Ive always preferred wipers with the squirters on the arms instead of the hood, but the rear wiper setup on the 98-01's is just a piss poor setup!

 

[sport97]

You wouldn't have to fab a squinter on. You have to swap the whole hatch, not just the glass. If you just swapped the glass you would still have the wiper arm on the old hatch, or a hole if you removed it so it would require body work to fill.

 

[BrianDye]

I was planning on shaving it if the glass swapped...not many clean 01-03 sports around in the JY's

 

[sport97]

I was planning on shaving it if the glass swapped...not many clean 01-03 sports around in the JY's

Gotcha. That'd look good.

 

[BrianDye]

I could switch hatches I guess, but wouldnt I need the sport taillights? (Those are SO ugly I hate the design!)

 

[CDW6212R]

I also got the little squirter with the hatch and wiring, it'll be no trouble to cut that little hole out.

The glass is the same size, and use the same shocks as far as I can tell. For the XP8 wing the shocks need to be 2" shorter(14.75"), so I'm going to hunt those before too long also.

We have a thread here from many years ago, for filling those wiper holes, without welding. It was done by MONMIX, he has a black 01+ Sport and works in a body shop. He epoxied metal covers in place on the back, and filled the rest. It turned out beautifully, and I like that it didn't take welding, which warps the metal.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I saw this cool setup at lunch today-

Oops sorry- wrong wiper. That was just a non-rusty Limited bumper...

 

[BrianDye]

Don- You might want to get started...wiper motors arent meant to sit for 4-5+ years :

I found the shaving thread, and another for trying to wire the new system.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190475

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173153

 

[CDW6212R]

Don- You might want to get started...wiper motors arent meant to sit for 4-5+ years :

I found the shaving thread, and another for trying to wire the new system.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190475

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173153

Good work finding those. Wow it has been too long.

 

[BrianDye]

Fun finding old posts

Anywho, someone took over my carpet. I was on my way to Hopkins to FINALLY do my taxes (Money for my trans and Dynamat), and it started raining so I texted my mom to bring the carpet in. I come home and find this:

And I used my old emblem wisely

 

[BrianDye]

Fun day today, fried my alt (As you may have seen my 911 thread)

Got a new one, gotta put it in tomorrow morning cus I have to be on the road by 1130

Also got my wire, new terminals, and the ends for the 0 today

I cant believe how thin the alternator wire is!

 

[BrianDye]

Shes pretty

Havent ran my amp wire, or to the fusebox or alt to ground yet, but I got the main's done

Which wire would I run it to? The first one im assuming?

This is idling in the driveway:

This is idling in the driveway with the AC on full blast, and headlights on:

The old alternator sounded like the bearings were about to go in the pulley, it was definitely on its way out. I had them test it at AZ out of curiosity and it failed all 3 tests

I wish it would have just slowly went so I could have ordered a HO alt, but I can always sell this one I guess.

Im gettin good at getting the belt off now, I still hate it though

 

[CDW6212R]

On the Power Distribution Box, one terminal is from the alternator, and the bar in between is a fuse. Make sure that your main wiring includes a protection like that fuse bar or another installed fuse.

You don't need any new ground wire for the alternator, it's grounded through the engine. Add new grounds from the body to the amps, and from the body up front to the battery.

I added some when I added small circuits and potentially a 30 amp compressor. I used 8 gauge wire along the stock alternator wire, and the old battery ground wire was cut so I routed that from the frame near the starter, to the radiator support next to the battery. See that main ground point ahead of the battery?

 

[BrianDye]

Nice...very clean engine bay I must also say

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks, that was before ever driving it.

The whole body was off, and I painted the front clip inside and out, back past the repair(front seat). There was rust in that pocket there from the battery.

 

[BrianDye]

What is a good thickness to get for the Dynamat (Or simaler cheaper stuff)

I see 80mil, 40mil, 50mil, etc. The thinner stuff is ALOT cheaper which kinda scares me.

 

[BradR]

Well common sense says thicker is going to be more sound proofness.

With your L7s I think 50 should be alright. It's not like your running 6 of them either lol.

And why are you even soundproofing no one does that! XD