DaaQ
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- August 9, 2015
- Messages
- 201
- Reaction score
- 25
- City, State
- South KY
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003 Explorer XLT 4x4
Hi all, been lurking awhile and while this is my 2nd post, I have some maybe many questions on how to advance with my truck. I really hate to part with it since it is paid in full and I drove it off the lot. Plus it's the only one I ever seen with front tow hooks factory installed.
To try and make a long story short, I will try to condense as much as possible.
Soon as I paid it off in 06, after dropping the kids off at school, timing chains/guides/tensioners whatever went. I'll never forget that sound. I managed to get it across the road from a 4 way light into a parking lot. It ruined one bank of valves of course. FF a little bit and a local shop found an engine with around 30-40k miles on it, mine had 80k+. So swapped motors and thats when I noticed the trans acted a little funny. Almost like they didn't top off the fluid, due to whatever came out of the torque converter (this is my assumption). Of course its the sealed trans and no way to check fluid level easily, nor to full it without a pump.
OK background out of the way, I have replaced one of the front hub assemblies, had a few deer incidents, brakes rotors and such. One point on brakes, the rear parking brake "drums" pretty much disintegrated when I pulled them off. So with no means to run and buy new parts for that, I just removed all the parking brake gear and reassembled the rear brakes. (bad I know but I was in a pinch) this was around 06ish as well. it's been fine since really as long as I didn't need to actually use the parking brake. This was all in Michigan I may as well add.
FF to 07 we moved to Kentucky. which ironically is where the 2 deer incidents took place, #3 with wife's 95 Cougar, 4th with a Chevy work van. 36 years in MI not one deer impact, 1st 3-4 months in KY 4
OK FF some more, I fixed the deer damage, got it back on the road, since I mainly used a work vehicle I let my kids drive it to and from school when they were of age. No problems there until the mess inside accumulated up to my boiling point.
It's always had a slight knock in it, IMO, until I got the phone call at 11pm-12am one night from the boys. Dad the truck doesn't sound right, sounds real bad.... So I immediately think back to the timing chain/guides/tensioner issue.
I tell them do not try starting it again I'll be there. Once there I had them crank it once and quickly cut it off. Wasn't the same sound as valves hitting pistons that's for sure.
So I had brought a trailer and a friend and towed it home. That was the end of their "Explorations" with my truck. thank god they graduated.
FF some more, I let it sit for about a good 10 months, my job didn't really give me any free time to do anything other than rest up from the previous week, and one day to spend with my wife.
Well now, I do have the time to make this thing right. 1st I used an OBDII scanner and didn't get any fault codes. Battery did die during this time as well so that most likely erased any that were there.
It would start and would idle, sounded like
My friend that owned the OBD2 was the one to notice ZERO oil pressure!!. Shut it down immediately. His suggestion was you're gonna have to change the oil pump.
My response to this was well, oils cheaper, I will try adding oil in to see if it picks up and gets pressure. I was promptly told if that happens to play the lottery. (I didn't)
So apparently my kids let it run the oil down so low that it could no longer reach the oil pump pickup. I put 3 quarts in, started it up and had pressure.
So no this leads to my main problems, there is a humming/buzzing noise from the rear passenger side wheel that drives me nuts. Friends said sounded like wheel bearing. I also leak diff oil as well. its not severe but it leaks.
I would like to do a small lift, was looking into the BTF kits. I am almost positive I'm going with that. what about shock assemblies? what would some of you recommend? Monroe used to make good stuff but its been many years since I bought any parts like this.
Any extra info would be appreciated. I'd like to get my truck back to riding nice and being quiet doing it. Sorry for the wall of text.
Thanks Jim.
Edit: Anyone have any input on if these wheels would fit an '03 with BTF leveler and UCA
Main reason I want to switch to 16" is last time I bought tires, had alot of trouble finding something close to what I wanted in 17" BFGoodrich flavor.
According to discountwheelwarehouse.com 2003 Ford Explorer 5 lug 4.5 inch or 114.3mm High Positive Offset is the stock offering.
Is the high positive offset mean the wheel will set closer into the rotor for example and negative would widen the stance?
To try and make a long story short, I will try to condense as much as possible.
Soon as I paid it off in 06, after dropping the kids off at school, timing chains/guides/tensioners whatever went. I'll never forget that sound. I managed to get it across the road from a 4 way light into a parking lot. It ruined one bank of valves of course. FF a little bit and a local shop found an engine with around 30-40k miles on it, mine had 80k+. So swapped motors and thats when I noticed the trans acted a little funny. Almost like they didn't top off the fluid, due to whatever came out of the torque converter (this is my assumption). Of course its the sealed trans and no way to check fluid level easily, nor to full it without a pump.
OK background out of the way, I have replaced one of the front hub assemblies, had a few deer incidents, brakes rotors and such. One point on brakes, the rear parking brake "drums" pretty much disintegrated when I pulled them off. So with no means to run and buy new parts for that, I just removed all the parking brake gear and reassembled the rear brakes. (bad I know but I was in a pinch) this was around 06ish as well. it's been fine since really as long as I didn't need to actually use the parking brake. This was all in Michigan I may as well add.
FF to 07 we moved to Kentucky. which ironically is where the 2 deer incidents took place, #3 with wife's 95 Cougar, 4th with a Chevy work van. 36 years in MI not one deer impact, 1st 3-4 months in KY 4
OK FF some more, I fixed the deer damage, got it back on the road, since I mainly used a work vehicle I let my kids drive it to and from school when they were of age. No problems there until the mess inside accumulated up to my boiling point.
It's always had a slight knock in it, IMO, until I got the phone call at 11pm-12am one night from the boys. Dad the truck doesn't sound right, sounds real bad.... So I immediately think back to the timing chain/guides/tensioner issue.
I tell them do not try starting it again I'll be there. Once there I had them crank it once and quickly cut it off. Wasn't the same sound as valves hitting pistons that's for sure.
So I had brought a trailer and a friend and towed it home. That was the end of their "Explorations" with my truck. thank god they graduated.
FF some more, I let it sit for about a good 10 months, my job didn't really give me any free time to do anything other than rest up from the previous week, and one day to spend with my wife.
Well now, I do have the time to make this thing right. 1st I used an OBDII scanner and didn't get any fault codes. Battery did die during this time as well so that most likely erased any that were there.
It would start and would idle, sounded like
My friend that owned the OBD2 was the one to notice ZERO oil pressure!!. Shut it down immediately. His suggestion was you're gonna have to change the oil pump.
My response to this was well, oils cheaper, I will try adding oil in to see if it picks up and gets pressure. I was promptly told if that happens to play the lottery. (I didn't) So apparently my kids let it run the oil down so low that it could no longer reach the oil pump pickup. I put 3 quarts in, started it up and had pressure.
So no this leads to my main problems, there is a humming/buzzing noise from the rear passenger side wheel that drives me nuts. Friends said sounded like wheel bearing. I also leak diff oil as well. its not severe but it leaks.
I would like to do a small lift, was looking into the BTF kits. I am almost positive I'm going with that. what about shock assemblies? what would some of you recommend? Monroe used to make good stuff but its been many years since I bought any parts like this.
Any extra info would be appreciated. I'd like to get my truck back to riding nice and being quiet doing it. Sorry for the wall of text.
Thanks Jim.
Edit: Anyone have any input on if these wheels would fit an '03 with BTF leveler and UCA
Main reason I want to switch to 16" is last time I bought tires, had alot of trouble finding something close to what I wanted in 17" BFGoodrich flavor.
According to discountwheelwarehouse.com 2003 Ford Explorer 5 lug 4.5 inch or 114.3mm High Positive Offset is the stock offering.
Is the high positive offset mean the wheel will set closer into the rotor for example and negative would widen the stance?
