Why?

[BlueEx00]

Yea I would prefer a 2wd as well

 

[Hamster65]

Why do we like these old explorers so much? My reason is because I find parts for soooo cheap compared to the little Kia Soul I drove before the ex, so far it hasn’t let me down, I can feel the tranny slip alittle but it’s nothing bad I’m even considering saving and just drive it for as long as it lets me. I’ve never had that mentality about anything!

Personally, I hate them. In fact I don't even own one. However, being that 3 of my family members have them (a 1997 and two 2000's) and me being the mechanic in the family, I'm always the one who has to work on them. That is why I joined this forum, to find answers when I'm needing to repair something I'm not familiar with.

 

[koda2000]

Well if I have to repair the trans I might as well change out the timing chains

If you do all the labor (which is a huge job, trust me) you're looking at maybe $3000-$5000 in parts (unless if you buy cheap Chinese parts) not to mention the special tools you'll need to buy (and your mechanical skills better be good). It's a loosing proposition. If you pay someone to do the labor it's at least $5000-$6000 for the engine and trans work. Just not worth it on a 20 year old Explorer that's worth maybe $1200-$2000 in good condition.

I suggest you drive it until it breaks down, junk it and buy a better one if you love old Explorers.

 

[Getperkin2]

I got my 1996 explorer from my dad. It still runs but the body is too rusty to drive so now it serves as parts for my 1998. I wish I had known the difference in v6 engines when I bought the 98 it has the sohc v6 it's been chugging along fine so far, but now that I know about the issues with these engines my next one will have the ohv v6 or a 302 v8. I'm hooked on these old trucks and there seems to be plenty of them still around to buy. I'll keep driving one as long as i can, especially now that I know how to work on them.

 

[Richard Carr]

Cheap to buy, cheap to own if you do your own repairs, V8's (and OHV V6's) are very reliable and can go 300k+, easy to work on, parts are readily available.

My 2003 has 316,000 miles and just keeps chugging along. I just put new tires on it and hope it outlasts them for hauling our small utility trailers and camper.

 

[BlueEx00]

That’s the thing I feel like these are an unsung “Toyota” I can’t put my thumb on it but they are certainly fun to drive and I love all the little clicks of the door handles and shifter knob!

 

[Mr Nelson]

I think these explorers are awesome and I might be in the minority here, But I feel the late 80s/90s ford cars are some of the best! It seems most stuff past the millennium was starting to get too complex/hard to work on. I am also a member of the feoa.net ford escort forum and we have a dedicated loyal following to keeping those cars running. I think what bothers me the most on new cars is the use of plastic on the power-train, plastic thermostat outlets that fail (2.0 Zetec) plastic tumble flaps in the intake that fail and ruin the engine (2.0 Duratec) Plastic intakes that fail and dump coolant (96-01 4.6L) etc, etc. If I look at my explorers 5.0 the engine its is all metal, same with my 1.9 escort.

 

[spt87]

Like the original Taurus, the Gen 1 Expedition, Fox body Mustang and the previous Ranger disco'ed in 2012 - Ford just got it right. Plus the long lifecycle with minimal architectural changes means good parts available and mechanics who know how to work on them.

Specifically - fun to drive (at least my Sport Trac with SOHC V6 and manual tranny is), body on frame construction and durability. Also in the older ones the simplicity without too many electronic gadgets and hard to use/distracting controls (touch screens).

 

[J5hort]

Why do we like these old explorers so much? My reason is because I find parts for soooo cheap compared to the little Kia Soul I drove before the ex, so far it hasn’t let me down, I can feel the tranny slip alittle but it’s nothing bad I’m even considering saving and just drive it for as long as it lets me. I’ve never had that mentality about anything!

I have a Gen 2 and Gen 4. Both bought new and I do all the work/maintenance on them. The reason I keep them may be a mystery to some, for me the 95 was bought new, was the vehicle both my kids (now in college) came home from the hospital in after they were born and the vehicle my son learned to drive a stick on. The 08 helps out with moving stuff back and forth to college. So, sentimental reasons, probably. I take good care of them so reliabilty has been good. I think both are still relavent and I do not feel I am driving something way outdated, even tho they are both over a decade old. The 95 is on 32's and lifted and is great here in New England for the snow. It is loud, rides like a jeep and smells like gas sometimes...and I love it.

So it is hard to answer your question; Why? Hopefully my response provides some clues. If I were to guess it has something to do with the brand having a soul. Many vehicles today have no identity, they are just disposable appliances. That may be an answer to the Why? question. It became very clear to me when watching the announcement of the Mustang Mach E and the video The Making of the Mach E. We are considering this vehicle and as a current Mustang owner, it was confusing why that moniker was to be used for an EV, SUV. There are a handful of truley unique, identifyable and historic vehicles. I believe the Explorer could be one of them.

 

[BKennedy]

View attachment 176166

The Explorers were among the toughest vehicles in their class at the time. Body on frame with a long lasting drivetrain makes for a solid platform to build on.

26 years of this kind of fun and still going strong!

25 years of the same kind of fun for mine

 

[koda2000]

I grew up living in the rust belt of the northeast, where vehicles just rotted away w/in only a few years. I now live in the south and, other than sun damage to the paint and interiors, vehicles last as long as you feel like repairing them. I've had three 5.0L V8 Mountaineers and Explorers and three SOHC 4.0L Explorers. The RWD V8's have been great (we still have two of them, although one has now been semi-retired). The only SOHC I have left is my RWD '01 Sport Trac, which I currently have the engine out of due to timing chains and head gaskets, and I also plan on rebuilding/replacing the transmission before the engine goes back in.

In my experience the 5.0L's easily last 300,000 miles plus with relatively minor repairs. The SOHC's are good for about 200K before they need expensive, labor intensive repairs. I had to think long and hard before deciding to rebuilt my Sport Trac, but the body and interior are still very good, it has zero rust and I've put a lot of work into it already, so I've figure it will be pretty much like new after rebuilding the drive train (rear diff has already been replaced and rebuilt). I've had it for 4-5 years and paid almost nothing for it, so even if I put $5K into it now I feel it's worth it. If it was a Sport or a 4-DR Explorer no way would I spend this kind of money into it.

I do nearly 100% of my own repairs and find the Gen II Explorers very easy to work on. Plus having owned 6 of them over the past 8-9 years I've probably done just about every repair that can be done on them, so I understand these old beasts. I recently bought my daughter a low mileage, cream puff of an '09 V6 Ford Fusion and I'm having to learn all about it. Thank God for YouTube and mechanics like fordtechmakuloco and southmainautorepair.

 

[JonathanZ]

I like my 94 Explorer because it's correctly designed to be exactly what it is -- I light 4WD truck with a short turning radius, a decent carrying capacity, good interior room, and excellent traction. And yes, it is bouncy - leaf spring suspension in the rear and a short wheelbase make sure of that. I've bounced it all over the mountains of New Mexico and Utah in sand and snow and muck and it just keeps going. And we powered through an avalanche in Wyoming. The level of fit and finish on my 94 is much higher than the newer Fords I've owned. No comparison, actually. The old Explorer looks great and the newer Taurus is already peeling off its clear coat.

 

[CreepingNet]

I have my reasons ...though I drive a first gen.....it was, and is, still my first vehicle. Just never saw a reason to replace it....with a lot of good reasons to keep it.

- Reliability - my 93 Sport has pulled horse trailers, run through mud pits almost fit for a mud race, moved seven homes, and three states, two across country, fought snow, Ice storms, dragged a Kiss sized guitar rig to over 300+ rock gigs in almost 14 different bands, offroaded, and been a daily driver the whole time since the day it was bought...survived two collisions for less body work than two pizzas cost....and has only left us stranded twice in 26 years and 305,000 miles. It's beaten the 78 VW Rabbit my mom had when I was a wee one and she thought THAT was reliable.

- Cost of Ownership - Parts are inexpensive for the most part and last an insanely long time. I'm still replacing mostly original parts from 1993. Not terrible on gas either....still getting between 16-23.9 depending on how I drive. No car payments.

- Ease of Repairs - I'm doing almost all of my own work now and things are mostly done in a few hours. There's always that one snaggletooth that gets most people...that's what I use this forum for.

- Sentimentality - 2 owner, one family vehicle. It's turning into a heirloom. Mom bought it new, I bought it in 02', I learned to drive in it, now my wife is learning stick shift in it.

- Aesthetics.....some of my favorite trucks lookswise the 80-91 F series, 80s Ranger/BII, and 93-99 Explorers. I like em' boxy and well.."truck-like".

 

[MrQ]

If you do all the labor (which is a huge job, trust me) you're looking at maybe $3000-$5000 in parts (unless if you buy cheap Chinese parts) not to mention the special tools you'll need to buy (and your mechanical skills better be good). It's a loosing proposition. If you pay someone to do the labor it's at least $5000-$6000 for the engine and trans work. Just not worth it on a 20 year old Explorer that's worth maybe $1200-$2000 in good condition.

I suggest you drive it until it breaks down, junk it and buy a better one if you love old Explorers.

I don't know where you are getting this high numbers from. Replacing timing chain guides are nowhere near that expensive if you do it yourself. I think the best timing kit was maybe $300, the camshaft alignment tool is $200. It's mostly time and effort. About two days worth of work if you pull the engine ($180 engine hoist. $50 engine stand, and a case of beer for your friends ). If you wanted to be adventurous you could do the front and rears with the engine in the truck after you pull the transmission . The transmission will be expensive, but you can get a rebuild or reman ones for about $2000.

Been driving and working on Explorers for almost 12 years.They have their problems, but do the basic maintenance (and run synthetic and a Motorcraft oil filter in your SOHC) they will last a long time. Even when I bent two rods in my V8 the thing still ran (was still running when I tore it down). I think the biggest issues on the 1st and 2nd gens (more 2nd gen) is fuel pumps, lower intake gaskets on the OHV's, and transmisions (Excluding the 4R70W in the V8's, but the A4LD's are just awful in the 1st gens without a Frankentranny rebuild).

 

[Thelastdecentexplorer]

Some people go on vacations, others by real estate. I have an addiction to cars. In the last 25 years I’ve owned 36. I’m not rich or anything, I literally have a problem. This was where all my extra money went. Maybe I didn’t get enough hugs as a kid? Who knows.

With the help of my now wife, and a 2000 explorer Limited, I broke my addiction. I’m good now, I officially am not thinking about the next car I’ll get. (Huge for me.)

Why do I love this truck? It’s worth nothing, slow as hell (speed=not good for me), and won’t die. I have no attachment to it. It’s not my identity, I don’t care if it gets scratched, and when she dies I’ll just hop on Craigslist and get another. I don’t care anymore, and it feels awesome.

I repaired all the usually stuff you should for a 2000 with 160k on it. I bought it for $1750, and put about another $1200 into her. That includes a $350 Alpine touch screen with CarPlay (much harder to do in more modern trucks, but makes a huge difference in driving experience). 3K is a steal for trusty truck.

But the biggest reason I love it is the sense of safety you have while driving. Could I flip it? Yeah, but it’s so slow you don’t drive like jerk. But after my brother got in a nasty accident with a mazda3, I had a big wake up call. As much as we all want to be green, and drive tiny sports cars, it’s your life. After visiting my brother in the hospital, I was like “Yep I need some giant, American, body on frame, truck”.

 

[massacre]

I love my daily driven 1st gen
The size is perfect, big enough to haul stuff. yet small enough to park in the city.
My stuff stays warm and dry and can have passengers if need be.
The OHV 6 is a strange engine, new to me but seems reliable

This is my 4th first gen Explorer.
I only wish my daily was a 5spd like my first one. Miss that combo, 5spd and 4wd

 

[koda2000]

I don't know where you are getting this high numbers from. Replacing timing chain guides are nowhere near that expensive if you do it yourself. I think the best timing kit was maybe $300, the camshaft alignment tool is $200. It's mostly time and effort. About two days worth of work if you pull the engine ($180 engine hoist. $50 engine stand, and a case of beer for your friends ). If you wanted to be adventurous you could do the front and rears with the engine in the truck after you pull the transmission . The transmission will be expensive, but you can get a rebuild or reman ones for about $2000.

Been driving and working on Explorers for almost 12 years.They have their problems, but do the basic maintenance (and run synthetic and a Motorcraft oil filter in your SOHC) they will last a long time. Even when I bent two rods in my V8 the thing still ran (was still running when I tore it down). I think the biggest issues on the 1st and 2nd gens (more 2nd gen) is fuel pumps, lower intake gaskets on the OHV's, and transmisions (Excluding the 4R70W in the V8's, but the A4LD's are just awful in the 1st gens without a Frankentranny rebuild).

Okay - I'm rebuilding my Job 2 4.0 SOHC engine. I made a list of everything I need to buy to do the job usin(g what I consider to be the best available parts. Many of the parts I'm using are Motorcraft. They are expensive. TTY bolts, timing chain kit, new harmonic balancer to name a few. I will also be buying Felpro upper and lower engine gasket kits, which are not cheap. I will need an OTC 6488 cam installation tool (between $200 pre-owned and $260 new. My cylinder heads will need to be machined and tested. I may need to replace the crank/rod bearings. I plan to install a new oil pump. The list goes on and on and it all adds up. This is bearing in mind I already have most of the required tools, multiple floor jacks and jack stands, an engine hoist with an equalizer and an engine stand. For this job I also decided to replace my cheap foot pound 1/2 torque wrench with a quality, more accurate one and to buy a quality inch pound torque wrench instead of using my 3/8 foot pound torque wrench. My estimated total cost of my engine rebuild will be around $2000-$2500. Could I buy a reman engine for about the same money? Yes, but I don't trust anyone else to work on my engine and I want to use what I consider the best parts available. Many engine re-manufactures don't even change TC components if they think they're still okay. You can buy cheap timing chain kits for about $60 on eBay. The last time Iooked the Motorcraft TC kits were around $560. For that difference in cost there has to be a difference in quality, even considering Ford parts tend to be ridiculously expensive and that the real issue is the plastic pieces get brittle and eventually break.

As far as rebuilding my old transmission... This is something I've never done. Maybe I could accomplish it, but after watching several YouTube 5r55e tear-downs IDK that this is something I want to try. A full trans rebuild, or reman, is around $2000-$2500 in my area (and they come with a warranty).

I guess if I wanted to do everything based strictly on lowest cost I could get the cost of an engine and trans rebuild down quite a bit, but I plan to do this job once and to do it right. If I fail I want it to be because I f'd up, not because I bought a cheap part. It's just the way I do things.

Below is a list of everything I could think of I needed to buy to rebuild my engine:

Tools Needed:
Torx e-socket set for exhaust header studs
Metric crows feet set for P/S hoses
27mm wrench for EGR nut on header
Valve spring compressor to remove/install cam followers
OTC 6488 cam service set/timing tool
T55 1/2" drive torx socket to remove/install head bolts
6 point 29mm socket to hold crank shaft (maybe)
New digital ft pound torque wench
New inch pound torque wrench

Parts Needed:
Felpro head bolt sets (2)
Felpro MLS head gaskets
Felpro upper engine gasket/seal set
Felpro lower engine gasket/seal set
Full Motorcraft timing chain set
Front and rear tensioner metal gaskets (maybe)
New TTY harmonic balance bolt
New front and rear TTY cam shaft bolts
New TTY jack shaft bolts
New TTY connecting rod bolts
New oil pump
New Motorcraft fuel injector adapters/seals
New or reconditioned fuel injectors
Rear engine jack shaft seal/plug
New harmonic balancer
STD crank/rod bearing sets (maybe?)
Evaluate and mill heads & grind valves
New Motorcraft oil pressure switch
New P/S high pressure hose
New W/P (?)
New W/P bypass hose
New heater hoses?
Simmions aluminum t-stat housing for ST
Insta-Lube pre-oiler kit

Miscellaneous Needed:
Blue Loctite
Assembly lube
Ultra Black RTV
5 qts 5w30 Mobil-1 full syn engine oil
2 qts Mercon 5 for P/S
Motorcraft FL820S Oil filter
Antifreeze
New group 65 battery

 

[MrQ]

Ok I was assuming just doing a timing guide change not all that. You don't need to to remove or machine the heads to do just the guides. Nice while the engine is out, but necessary, no.

 

[BlueEx00]

I would love to get to the point we’re I can do all of that!

 

[koda2000]

I would love to get to the point we’re I can do all of that!

Easy. Wrench for 60+ years... LOL. Honestly I don't think it will be possible to work on our vehicles in the future they way they're going. Too many computers.