92 Explorer acting up

[willtotheumm]

Hey guys. About 4 months ago I had to put a new battery in my Explorer. The old battery was toast. Nice new Wal Mart battery and it starts like a dream and I can actually have the accessories on and not have to worry about my battery dying.

Well yesterday my gf took it to work and she called me saying it was acting weird. She said that the engine was revving and all the gauges were bouncing while sitting at stop lights and the Explorer itself was lunging and she really had to hold the brake tight to keep it stopped, which it never does.

What could be causing the Explorer to act this way? Is the alternator dying now? I'm at a total loss...

 

[doonze]

That happened in my Sable when the tranny was getting ready to go, 3 days later the tranny was toast. It was "lunging" and I had to keep my foot on the peddle pretty hard, did fine when moving.

 

[Jason1976]

could be many things. if it was idling high it could be a sensor. could even be a computer problem if all the gages were jumping all over. could be something to do with the mass air flow sensor also. what you could do is if you have a friend with an explorer you could barrow the one from their explorer to see if yours acts ok with it. if it goes then go to a local salvage yard and buy one. I beleave there is also an idle control sensor. maybe the spring is bad that is to pull the gas petal back. also check the cable for the gas petal.

 

[willtotheumm]

Thanks for the quick replies guy.

Yeah when it's driving it's fine. Just when slowing down and stopped.

Luckily my friend has a 92 2wd that has a bad trans. I'll get ahold of him and see if I can borrow the MAF sensor.

 

[shaggymane]

Hey guys. About 4 months ago I had to put a new battery in my Explorer. The old battery was toast. Nice new Wal Mart battery and it starts like a dream and I can actually have the accessories on and not have to worry about my battery dying.

Is the alternator dying now?

Don't know about anybody else but I think the ALT should have carried the accs load you put on it. So what's your DVolt meter say it's putting out?

Once mine started acting really wierd at idle would barely run - dirty connects.

What codes have you pulled using the key method?


Does the car lope and lunge in reverse too? When in park?

YOu could test the MAF. Back probe wires A & B, says right on the top which ones they are. Should be at least 10.5volts.

 

[boggs1227]

hmmm if it were a 94 then i say check the egr systm but seeing you gota 92 they don't have it

 

[willtotheumm]

Alright well I finally got a few minutes to check it out. Found out a few good (but not-so-good) things.

First off. I started it and since this started, when I start it it'll run rough then shut off. Check Engine light will come on as well as the battery. Start it back up and it'll keep running. No CEL or batt light.

Can hear a loud vacuum leak on the driver's side of the engine (4.0 Pushrod). Hosed down the engine (muddy from it's expeditions lol) and let it dry. Checked around and pulled off the vacuum filter on the hose going from the intake to the cruise control. Filter breathes good.

Started it. While running squeezed that hose between the intake and small filter. When I squeeze it, I can hear the vacuum leak quiet down.

I get inside and pump the brake and it stalls out. Voltmeter is maxed out until it's about to normal and it stalls. Again, battery light is on. Battery also makes a few ticking sounds when it stalls out.

Start it once again... pull off the hose as mentioned before and cover the inlet on the manifold. Runs still... but still hear the noise. Hose looks in good shape too. No cracks, splits, anything out of the ordinary.

While running reached my hand around the suspected area. Didn't feel anything unusual. When I rev the engine, Battery light comes on and goes off.

I'm thinking either intake manifold gasket, brake booster, or... not even sure. I don't know why the battery light would come on when revving it gently. I know the belts speed up which is why I thought about the alternator first (if it was going and putting out too much juice... then revving it making it make even more power... poor battery.) but I know the alternator wouldn't make this loud sucking noise. The noise is what makes me suspect the intake manifold gasket...

Any help guys? Sadly it's not something I will get done tonight. However I do need to replace my driver's side valve cover gasket as it's starting to leak so if I have to pull the intake manifold, I might as well knock two birds out with one stone.

 

[willtotheumm]

What codes have you pulled using the key method?

Does the car lope and lunge in reverse too? When in park?

YOu could test the MAF. Back probe wires A & B, says right on the top which ones they are. Should be at least 10.5volts.

I'll look up the key method. I'm assuming it's the on-off-on-off so many times (probably around 5) in a few seconds?

Car doesn't lunge in park or reverse. Then again I had the e-brake on as I didn't want to be in front of it and have it lunge at me. That would not be favorable haha

I'll pull out my Snap On multimeter tomorrow and test those MAF sensors.

Again, thank you guys so much for the help. I'll admit... I hated Ford for many years. But this Explorer has definately changed my views towards them. Unfortunately i'm much better with Toyotas and other imports (even Chevy's) more than Fords. haha

 

[willtotheumm]

Oh I forgot too. When it's running, if I have the door open, the door chime will chime as usual but it'll end off weird.

"Din-kussh Din-kussh"

Thats the best way I can describe it lol. its definately not the normal chime.

 

[jd4242]

i would say bad battery cables ex had problems with the cables dissolving internally

 

[willtotheumm]

Well... got a problem solved only to find one more. Sorta.

Turns out a vacuum port on the intake needed to be capped. Guess the old one cracked and fell off. Got new cap. Runs excellent again.

Battery gauge still reads maxxed out and when I rev it the battery light comes on. Yikes. Maybe the alt's resistors are bad and it's putting out as much power as it wants to?

Also, maybe it was because it was cold... or something. But the exhaust was smoking some and really smelled like, well, exhaust. I'm hoping it's because it has been sitting for a week.

So do you guys think the alt might be the next culprit?

The battery cables look fine. I'll check the connections on the alt to make sure they're tight.

 

[shaggymane]

Well... got a problem solved only to find one more. Sorta.

Turns out a vacuum port on the intake needed to be capped. Guess the old one cracked and fell off. Got new cap. Runs excellent again.

Battery gauge still reads maxxed out and when I rev it the battery light comes on. Yikes. Maybe the alt's resistors are bad and it's putting out as much power as it wants to?

Also, maybe it was because it was cold... or something. But the exhaust was smoking some and really smelled like, well, exhaust. I'm hoping it's because it has been sitting for a week.

So do you guys think the alt might be the next culprit?

The battery cables look fine. I'll check the connections on the alt to make sure they're tight.

Hey there slowdownwill,
Get that, *coughs*, SNAP ON multimeter back out and use it across the terminals of the battery w/motor running. How many volts? The regulator is on the back side of the Alt, and can be bought independent of the ALT. Pull the ALT apart, check the brushes. should be nice and long, right? If you take the brushes out, You'll need two paper clips to reassemble. You'll see the holes.
Before you go running of to get $100+ items, got a spare around? salvage yard close? .....mix and match good Reg and good brushes =useable Alt.

Key on key off 3 times, a paper clip in the test connector and the link to fordfuelinjection.com how to pull codes.
http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=13




Bad exhaust smell, like rotten eggs? That's something to do with the Cat. either is going bad or it's being overloaded. Don't know for sure.

on Gen 1 expy's the cables rot inside the sheathing where you can't see the damage. Looks fine but aren't. Causes all manner of weirdness. Believe that's what JD4242 was refering to.

 

[willtotheumm]

The battery read 14.89v while running. I removed the alternator and took off the back of it. How do I test the resistor? It has the letters A S and I on it. I did a search and nothing came up. I would look in my manual but I can't find it as we're still unpacking from moving.

Brushes looked alright. One sticks out more than the other but I think that's how it's supposed to be.

I'm going to go look for the manual right now...

 

[willtotheumm]

Well the Chilton's is completely pointless. Should have seen that coming. All it shows is how to remove and install the brushes and regulator. Not test it.

So I took my DVM and tested the ohms on the regulator. Are these okay?

A - 199.3
S - 79.8
I - 80.4

Seems like A is way up there. Or S and I are bad and reading low?

Tested leads together

A -> I 116.4
A -> S 115.9
S -> I 2.486

Again... S and I are way off. Definately making me think that the regulator is bad.

I'm going to a local junkyard tomorrow to see about getting another one. Going to replace the brushes at the same time. One is at the 1/4" minimum and the other is about 3/8".

 

[shaggymane]

Well the Chilton's is completely pointless. Should have seen that coming.
.

Priceless. Sorry Will, LMAO
Chiltons has got to be the most worhtless waste of paper. I get PO'd every time i open that stinking book.
Last week I wanted the ohms for plug wires. nada.
This week wiring diagham for stereo. Nada.
Don't know why I keep it. Just bought a haynes today


14.89 is kinda high. usually mines running high to mid 13's.

Yeah, you're on the right track. I called every yard within 40 mins drive till i found one for 25$ no core charge. Used the *new* reg in the old Alt since it had the longer brushes.

 

[willtotheumm]

Yeah I don't know why I keep it either lol.

I found a regulator at a local junkyard but I didn't have the right size torx and it got all but 2 off. And they closed. Sucks. Going back in the morning to get it. Hopefully it'll work because I need my Explorer running by tomorrow night at the latest haha.

I'm getting really good at working on this Explorer. It's pretty easy on the 4.0L.

 

[Jason1976]

got to love junk yards. we have a u pull it about an hour or so away. every so often they have sale so much to get in and every part you get is 1 dollar. last time i went with that sale i got a motor out of a rolled car that had 8k miles and I checked the barrings in the bottom end and then sold the motor for a lot of money. I will have to check their web page again. www.wegotused.com

 

[willtotheumm]

My local junkyard is free to get in. Parts can be really costly though. I love the idea of that 1 dollar item deal. There is a ton I would love to get haha.

Well, put a new vacuum cap on the leak. FIXED. WHOO!

Put a new, used regulator on the alt and put everything back together. Started up. Needle is a bit high, about 3/4 of the way whereas before it was pretty much over the red.

Disconnected the battery while running to make sure the Alt was putting out enough power to keep it going. And it did! Sweet! Turned on the stereo too and nothing happened.

Love it.

It may not last forever (obviously not lol), but it will last long enough that I can replace the alt as a whole or... something.

All the brushes I found in the junkyard were waaaay out of spec too. Makes mine look brand new lol.

 

[doonze]

Glad you got if fixed....Hmmm... Maybe I should have looked for vacuum leaks on my Sable...? JK, that tranny was TOAST. Funny that both your problems happened at once. My volts run around the M/A in normal all the time, where is yours running?

I love my local u-pull-it.... except it's not u-pull-it for everyone it seems, just a few people they seem to know won't kill themselves...So, it's an I-pull-it? LOL In fact I've never seen anyone else out there pulling parts...Hmmmm.... just realized that...

Course I've bought many, many, many parts for my 82 Trans Am from them, and now am starting to do the same for the Explorer... but they are kinda low on em for some reason. And now with this Cash for Clunkers I'm not sure what I'm going to do if they don't get some more, not just 1st gens, but they don't have hardly any Explorers at all...

I've never messed with an alternator before, always just replaced em if they went out. How much of a pain was it?