$200 96 4.0 Project

[RandomNerd2000]

So I went to see white Eddie, and lemme tell ya, I'm in LOVE with it. It's a project though, it's a beautiful white Eddie B, with 321K miles on the ORIGINAL drivetrain, and the trans fluid is BLACK. I'm probably offering $250, it needs tires, it needs cleaning, and it needs most of a drivetrain, and someone stole the converters off it. Nice Eddie B by all means, but in real need of TLC. I also believe the trans is fried, the fluid is BLACK.

With that said, I was disappointed yet still interested. I have a 124K mile, full V8 AWD drivetrain ready to go in. That doesn't do me much good, except I'm probably fixing my 2000 XLT, and driving that some more. No luck on a trans for this yet, if anybodys interested in a project 96 lemme know, I'm willing to sell it.

*Edit* White Eddie I believe to be a 2001, I didn't check, it's one of the two because matched steering wheel. It's got gold V8 emblems, and Eddie Bauer in the pinstripe underneath the rear quarter windows. It's got rear park aid, heated seats. I'd probably rob the rear park aid stuff for mine if I'm honest.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I found a winner transmission I *think*. It's in a 1995, identical twin to mine but black, turned over in 2011. Found it in my buddy's junkyard grown in the trees. The good is, I looked, and the fluid isn't brand new, but is really nice fluid and has that off smell Mercon V fluid has to me. Bunch of ford dealer receipts on the passenger seat, motor is good too. Miles are 182K on it. Bit higher than I was hoping but for a 95-96? I'm sold. The truck is too far stripped to test to see if it'll run, but this is the one trans I'm willing to stab in on faith, and the ONLY trans I've found I'm willing to stab in period. I believe I could see an extra sticker on the side of it earlier, maybe a reman? That would be perfect, it's exceptionally CLEAN too for a 182K mile truck.

 

[410Fortune]

Nice!
My questions is how do you know the transmission is not the reason the truck found that junkyard in the trees?

 

[RandomNerd2000]

It's airbags deployed, bent frame and roof is caved in, looks like it took a road ditch and hit a road tile. The hood was a b to open. The condition of the body itself is reason to believe that damage is why it's in the bushes. I'm good friends with the guy who's selling it to me so the warranty on it stands, we always do favors back and forth anyhow so I might get it for doing something for him.

 

[410Fortune]

there ya go!! I bet that trans is good!
Always a crapshoot installing a used trans you could not drive before hand BUT if the vehicle is wrecked and bag deployed chances are good it will at least move forward under its own power!!

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Well I'm about to find out what kind of idiot I am. I saw the guy today, told him the truck, he said he thinks it ran and drove when put there but wrecked obviously. $200 trans, and if it's no good I get a refund or another one. I agreed on the spot. Here we go again.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good luck, and with it out, do what you can for it now. Change all the solenoids, and accumulators etc, plus a VB kit, and new plate if needed. Find the 5R55E threads where others mentioned what they used, and how it helped. It will cost close to that $200, but it can solve most issues of any used trans, plus make it shift better and last longer. The parts are all usable again if the trans has to be rebuilt later.

 

[410Fortune]

truck $200 new trans $200 new trans parts $200 Im starting to see a trend!

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah I'm a sucker for $200 stuff apparently, but even for $600 investment, this truck if I sell it when done I figure will bring me a solid $1300 here, people still love 2nd gen Explorers.

 

[410Fortune]

YES! I love them
I am not afraid to save clean Gen II's I try to get 2500-4500 for the clean low mile ones
At $600 you are doing great!!!
Plus money is not everything

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I'm still interested very much so in building another V8 Eddie Bauer, that $500 2000 that has the 321K is kinda tempting, no rust, just could use a good refresh. I have the 125K mile drivetrain I'd slap in it.

 

[410Fortune]

DO IT

 

[RandomNerd2000]

That's the kind of insanity I'm looking for, what's another V8, I actually have come to just enjoy V8 Explorers, they're something I learned through and through for my special Eddie B and I'm not ready to stop building em yet.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, get it. I need another one as a spare also. Drop one up here for a couple of weeks, I'll torture test it for you.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

There's a beautiful dark green 01 XLT up here, got the body molding and all that on it, truck is as clean as my Eddie Bauer, people want $2500. I got tempted but could build that Eddie Bauer for out the door about $1300. The converters being gone doesn't worry me too much, apparently there's kits on RA for that, bit expensive but an option.