Look what i got

[donalds]

I have been looking for a while now
We got this for a family member.....slimjim
$1600
225000 mi
No rust
Very close to new tires
Just look at this frame
This is a one owner vehicle
Still got the manual and stickers in the glove box

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Nice score! What year? Engine? Does it need any work? The rust status looks good.

Good luck here.

 

[donalds]

its a 04 xlt
V6 sohc .....no timing damage I can tell
Needs a rear pinion seal
Sway bar links
Front wheel bearing
The CEL is on I think its a intake gasket
Valve cover leak I found
a oil change
And a good washing

Other than that I can't find anything else

Ill fix it over 1 weekend

Nice score! What year? Engine? Does it need any work? The rust status looks good.

Good luck here.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Nice find. I am sure you will get it up 100%, and it should serve your family member well.

Keep posting updates.

 

[mountaineer2004]

Congrats! Looks great.

 

[94Eddie]

I'll take a rust free vehicle with mechanical issues any day over the reverse. I grew up in the rust belt and have seen the destruction rust does to a vehicle. Once it takes hold it eventually becomes terminal. If I still lived in that area I would fluid film the hell out of my vehicles every fall. Looks like that one is worth spending a bit to keep it on the road.

 

[donalds]

I would fluid film the hell out of my vehicles every fall.

Funny you say
I fluid film my 99 every year

After living in buffalo for most of my life
I've seen new cars rust away in a few years
After moving here I was blown away at how rust free the cars trucks are
It takes 3 cans to do a 2nd gen lol

 

[CDW6212R]

Congrats on the solid Explorer find. I'd like to see how the Fluid Film goes on, some items like the radiator support and the hatch bottom seam are most susceptible to rusting in any locations.

 

[94Eddie]

Congrats on the solid Explorer find. I'd like to see how the Fluid Film goes on, some items like the radiator support and the hatch bottom seam are most susceptible to rusting in any locations.

There are a lot of YouTube videos showing how it is applied. It is sprayed on and there are different nozzles used for different locations. For example, interior places like body panels, frame rails etc. use a 360 degree nozzle. Places that see a lot of impacts from road debris or water like front facing sides of differentials, axles etc. need coated more often. More protected places need fewer applications. It can get messy and is much easier and faster to do with the vehicle on a lift. If I lived in the rust belt I would probably pay a shop to apply it if the entire vehicle is being done. There are quite a few places that apply it in these areas. Especially in the northeast section of the country.

 

[CDW6212R]

It does sound like rust proofing, which I did at new car dealers for a short time, yes very messy. We did under coating and the rust proofing, but as expected, it was a fast not fully covering everything job for an employee. Cars have tons of places that are not accessible. The only good way to coat a vehicle is before or during assembly, the manufacturer should do that. I had my 99 fully apart, so when the body was done and still off the chassis. I used 3M undercoat, three cans did all of it except the wheel wells, I ran out then.

 

[donalds]

Here is what I bought
I also use a electric little power washer to clean under the truck
A air gun to remove any excess water then dry and apply

 

[CDW6212R]

I have seen that posted before, I was wondering what the consistency is like. Is it thick like RTV, or pudding, or thinner than that? That is made to not harden right, to stay somewhat soft, so it absorbs impacts yes?

 

[donalds]

I have seen that posted before, I was wondering what the consistency is like. Is it thick like RTV, or pudding, or thinner than that? That is made to not harden right, to stay somewhat soft, so it absorbs impacts yes?

Thinner than rtv thicker than gear oil
it cured into a type of soft wax type deal

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks, that is what I was imagining it would be. That would be great as a top coat over a well treated under carriage. The OEM body has very thin paint on it, plus the body seams all have seam sealer, which gets hard, brittle, and cracks with age. That's where the body needs major care, all seams should be covered with something like Ultra Black RTV, which remains flexible at any age. The seam sealer cracks, and then moisture gets in, and that becomes rust, impossible to reach and treat rust.

I would aim that Fluid Film at every possible body seam, coat them fully, and then at the places that get hit by debris, which knocks everything off.

 

[donalds]

Thanks, that is what I was imagining it would be. That would be great as a top coat over a well treated under carriage. The OEM body has very thin paint on it, plus the body seams all have seam sealer, which gets hard, brittle, and cracks with age. That's where the body needs major care, all seams should be covered with something like Ultra Black RTV, which remains flexible at any age. The seam sealer cracks, and then moisture gets in, and that becomes rust, impossible to reach and treat rust.

I would aim that Fluid Film at every possible body seam, coat them fully, and then at the places that get hit by debris, which knocks everything off.

I pulled every rubber plug on the under body like the rockers..... for the first treatment
Stick the tube in there and in the frame cavities
You won't be disappointed

 

[BKennedy]

I would daily drive that, if I was still driving daily. That would make a excellent around town parts car as is. Good find.

 

[CDW6212R]

The rockers are early victims of rust, it usually starts at the body seams. Here is my left rear seam at the bottom of the rocker where the LR quarter panel overlaps the rocker. That seam you can see in all Explorer in the rear door jambs, it runs down from where you see it there, down below and to the rocker, and the bottom, vertical pinched panel/seam. Mine was a 93 body with a 94 quarter panel on it from 2000, and here it's being repaired again in 2006. The install of the quarter panel didn't properly fill and seal that seam area. The rust got into it, and I spent 20 minutes digging up into it with a long screw driver and spraying Rust Dissolver in the seam/hole. I don't know if I got it all, no doubt some was up inside the rocker and it's permanent. But sealing the outer seam surface is really important. So go at those seams hard, treat them and coat them with things other than seam sealer. Ultra Black will stop most debris from breaking through into the seams. My truck had running boards that cover that area, so I didn't seal that up like it would be fully exposed without running boards there.

 

[donalds]

I would daily drive that, if I was still driving daily. That would make a excellent around town parts car as is. Good find.

I'm gonna make it mint only way slimjim is driving it

My son is still saving for his car I'm not paying for all of it
My daughter will have a nice truck ... It won't cost her much hehe

 

[donalds]

The rockers are early victims of rust, it usually starts at the body seams. Here is my left rear seam at the bottom of the rocker where the LR quarter panel overlaps the rocker. That seam you can see in all Explorer in the rear door jambs, it runs down from where you see it there, down below and to the rocker, and the bottom, vertical pinched panel/seam. Mine was a 93 body with a 94 quarter panel on it from 2000, and here it's being repaired again in 2006. The install of the quarter panel didn't properly fill and seal that seam area. The rust got into it, and I spent 20 minutes digging up into it with a long screw driver and spraying Rust Dissolver in the seam/hole. I don't know if I got it all, no doubt some was up inside the rocker and it's permanent. But sealing the outer seam surface is really important. So go at those seams hard, treat them and coat them with things other than seam sealer. Ultra Black will stop most debris from breaking through into the seams. My truck had running boards that cover that area, so I didn't seal that up like it would be fully exposed without running boards there.

View attachment 340627

My99 had a bunch of road grime and dust in that spot rite in the trim
My first thought was omg rust but nothing
Mint inside the doors to
I cleaned it all out fast then vacuumed it out
Lucky me
I try to pay attention to detail like that/ this well everything really

 

[Gary Crist]

1 owner, $1600, good frame but, how much to feed that helper?
I need a few of those.... OHHH you meant the car!!!
Sorry.... hehe he