2000 Explorer XLT problem child

[Montana Daze]

Just a heads up

In the search for a used mill I was solicited by e-mail from a company called American Zone Auto, supposedly based out of Sheridan, WY. Their claims were improbable, their price too good to be true, and when I called them I'm pretty sure I was speaking to someone in perhaps Bangalore rather than Sheridan. I was told their offices are in North Carolina, and the payment methods offered made my neck feel a mile long. Awful skeechy to me, perhaps I'm paranoid but it did not add up.

If anyone gets e-mails from this outfit you may want to be careful

Regard,
Mark

 

[EB4X]

It sounds like you made a few inquiries via email to seemingly legit companies and one of them sold off your email to some questionable company. They didn't spend too much time thinking of a front name.... "I got an idea, we'll switch Autozone to Zone Auto and throw American in front of it!"

 

[Montana Daze]

Yeah such thoughts I had as well. Ended up going to a local entity, at least I know they exist and will be available if issues come up. Sure would be an easier and less expensive world without the thieves around every corner, eh?

 

[1998Exp]

It sounds like you made a few inquiries via email to seemingly legit companies and one of them sold off your email to some questionable company. They didn't spend too much time thinking of a front name.... "I got an idea, we'll switch Autozone to Zone Auto and throw American in front of it!"

Similar story here: googled for some parts and soon received a barrage of emails from "American Zone Auto" that landed in my spam folder. Out of curiosity found and checked out their website -- which has the usual telltales of a scam: bad English, promising the moon, and zero substance. The most ridiculous was the photo of a large room with rows and rows of what was supposed to be the customer service crew at their workstations. Oh, and looking at Google maps, the presumed Sherman, WY "headquarters" is a small non-descript building behind a paint store, with no name on it.

 

[C420sailor]

I got my used engine from LKQ. Very happy.

 

[Montana Daze]

Right, so used engine got here last Friday. I'm in the process of pulling the old one (have noticed there are no lifting hooks) and am up to the bell housing bolt removal stage.

Looking at the new to me engine there should be five bolts on the upper half of the bell housing. I can barely see the ones at nine and three o'clock thru the wheel wells but cannot see the upper three from any angle or position let alone get tools on them.

It sure don't appear that these things were designed to be taken apart so the question of the day is what we do now kemosabe? Am I looking at cutting a chunk from the firewall?

Regards,
Mark

 

[donalds]

I can see the bolts by looking up from behind the transmission
A few long extensions reach

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, basically you get those from behind, either from the very back, or through the floor under the console, there's a bolted on cover plate under the rug there. That's the best way to get to the O2 sensors, but some have said they got to the upper trans bolts that way also.

 

[C420sailor]

There is a way to reach from below...but it is a *****. I needed a flex head ratchet and I believe a wobble or two, but it’s been years. It’s not fun, and it takes a long time.

From way back with extensions works too.

Some guys unhook the trans and lower the back end of the trans for more room

 

[Montana Daze]

Thanks for the replies gents

Well I never did see the dammned things from underneath, not for a lack of looking. Ended up pulling the front tires and working thru the wheel wells by feel...not too bad except for one, the highest one on the driver's side which took about 2 hours, blind, with a wrench at a rate of 1/8 of a turn a time. And Ford wonders why people buy Toyotas.

So there it sits all unbolted with a jack under the transmission. Now I gotta find some lifting hooks or try to cobble something up so's I can keep the chain off the cheap ass plastic intake manifold that I'd rather not pull again unless I absolutely have to. I notice that there are three wiring harness plugs that one cannot get to on the rear, gonna have to be careful and hope there's enough slack in them to get the mill away from the firewall far enough to unplug them.

I'll look into the access hole under the console, I may enlarge it or make another to ease little things like torquing the bell housing bolts on the way back together cause that sure as hell ain't gonna happen through the wheel wells.

I must very badly want to do this job and finish it succesfully

Regards,
Mark

 

[CDW6212R]

The wiring shouldn't be too bad to separate if you can get the room for your hands back there.

 

[donalds]

The wiring shouldn't be too bad to separate if you can get the room for your hands back there.

View attachment 340429

View attachment 340430

Can you come over and paint my frame .
It will be easier no rust .
Mostly clay dust lol

 

[CDW6212R]

Can you come over and paint my frame .
It will be easier no rust .
Mostly clay dust lol

I used engine degreaser and brake cleaner, with small wire brushes, and a toothbrush. I won't do that again.

 

[Montana Daze]

So there's the answer, silly me I forgot to remove the body first

 

[C420sailor]

Lol. Yes. You found the ‘*****’ way.

My hands and forearms had that fiberglass insulation embedded in them for days.

 

[Montana Daze]

So the old mill came out, and when I looked in the engine compartment what did I see but two of the torque converter studs laying in the bottom of the bell housing. This thing just keeps on giving. That being said it's entirely possible this is my fault, although such a thing has never happened to me before. The two broken studs almost look like they were tin soldered on; quite weird I thought.

 

[Montana Daze]

A closer look. Probably not soldered but a piss poor welding job

 

[Montana Daze]

After being informed that welding studs on a torque converter is not considered best practice (no ****) I went to the local NAPA website to see about the purchase of a new one. I found there are two choices for spline tooth count and seven choices altogether. All supposedly for the 2000 four speed automatic.

I called NAPA and they couldn't make sense of it either so they gave me an 800 number to call; the place where they get these parts from. The nice lady asked me for the VIN number which I gave and about two minutes later she gave me a part number. I checked Rock Auto, did not have one so I got back with NAPA and had them order one for me. $220, the old one's no good for a core and it's minimun five days to get here.

Guess I'll catch up on my prairie dog hunting

Regards,
Mark

 

[EB4X]

Good times....good times....

 

[Montana Daze]

Yes I have thought of doing just that also. I've now got about two grand tied up in this project which is the only thing that's stopping me