94 Explorer issues.

[DME]

Hi all, new to the site, but have been lurking for a week now trying to find out my problems. I'm long winded so please bare with me

Was pretty much given a 94 Explorer XLT, Automatic with some issues. I do have a Ford OBD I code reader, but some issues being obvious I haven't used it on the Explorer yet - I will be later today after checking the shift linkage. There is no owners manual in the truck. All the sites that others have pointed to to download a manual do not have any older than a 96 available.

Following the threads through-out the site here, I've put in a new Transfer case motor - other fellow had removed the old one and lost the cap screws and butchered the insides. Replacing this with used one from the wreckers, the 4x4 light comes on on the dash now and the 4H light is on beside the push button. Pushing one or the other button does nothing.

Tested the shift module, and it appears to be dead; the test light does not blink at all. I did check every fuse I could find under the dash and under the hood before hand.

The brake pedal switch appears to be working OK. Brake lights come on at least, hazards and signals all work. But, if the truck is off and I just touch the switch (even just a very lite touch), I can hear the 'click' in the back as if I had pressed the pedal down. So maybe this switch is bad?

One big question I have that I can't seem to find an answer for is: Do any of these problems prevent the truck from shifting into any gear so it can be drivable? I can move the shifter all I want through any gear, but it does not engage - the truck does idle a little high when it's just sitting in park, but the idle does change slightly when I am attempting to change gears, like from nuetral to OD, Drive, 2 or 1, or back to Park. I am going to check the shift cable and linkage this morning to see if maybe that is broken, as per one of the other threads.

Another oddity is there seems to be an excessive amount of tranny fluid. Checking the dipstick while it's running, it is probably 2 to 3 inches above the fill line. But since it is idling higher right now, I left it alone for now. Unless there is a sensor that will not let you drive with to much fluid? My old Ford '72 Half-tonne does not raise the fluid level anywhere near like that when shifting through gears, but with the newer technologies, I don't know.

Also, the fellow said someone told him he needed a new ignition switch. The truck will start well enough, but I can pull the key from it when its running.

I just find it odd that if some module or other is blown, besides the main computer possibly, that it would not shift into at least 2WD so you could get your vehicle home if something went wrong.

Thanks for any help with this.

 

[Maniak]

The trans will still shift from/between Park, Reverse, Neutral, 1st, 2nd and 3rd with all the issues you reported. The only time the computer can do anything is for 4th gear (OD) and lockup the converter. All the other shifts are not computer controlled.

I've been lucky and haven't had to deal too much with the 4x4 computer But, I know you can take off the shift motor and shift it manually by putting in a manual shift type thing or using a pair of pliers. When you do that the 4x4 shift computer isn't even seeing the motor and the ECM for the engine/truck doesn't care. The Engine/Trans will run like normal...

The ignition switch tumbler is what you need. Not the ignition switch with is electric and on top of the steering column. Our X has had worn ignition switch tumber for years (> 10). Its to the point now that if I have a bunch of keys on it, go wheeling and get tipped to the right that the keys will actually fall out..

Other than that annoying thing, and the fact that it might be possible for someone to force the truck to start easily without the key it hasn't cause us any issues.

~Mark

 

[Roadrunner777]

I have looked at the procedure for the lock cylinder, and I just want to interject something... It's not all that terrible to replace the cylinder if you can turn the key in it (which you can now, I understand).

If, for some reason, this suddenly turns into a case where you cannot turn the key, it gets a LOT harder to replace. You end up drilling things out here and there, it's not pretty.

I'm not saying your cylinder is going to fail any minute, not at all, it may last many years. But if it ever starts to feel like it is having problems, don't wait until it fails.

 

[DME]

Thanks for the info. If I get it running properly I will replace the tumbler and keys for the whole thing with new ones. The key probably would fall out of the column if I turned a corner, it's that loose.
Does anyone know if the 94's have remote locks? The guy said he never got one when he bought the truck originally. Is there a pickup located somewhere that would tell me there should be a remote?

All the shift linkages are fine right down to the tranny; everything moves and turns as it should.

I tried to get the codes out of it and got the following results:
KOEO
O,C 122 Throttle Position Sensor below Min voltage

KOER
998 Fail! Computer in failure mode. When it detects a signal from a sensor that indicates the sensor has failed and is completely out of specifications.
122

Started to do the wiggle test, but don't know where all the sensors are located on this yet, so will try that later.

It didn't give any codes after the first 2 on the KOER tests, although I could tell it was doing the cylinder test. I let it sit for about 5 mins to complete the test and nothing else ever showed on the display.

Over all, I don't think these codes would stop it from going, at least, into drive.

Going to read up on the comb thing that I quickly scanned over in one of the posts. I may drop the pan anyway to drain all that tranny fluid out.

 

[DME]

I just don't know folks.

Is there a way to tell if the tranny is blown? Or is it a good bet that it is, based on the above info.
With my older fords, there is always some action from the trans if they go, maybe 1st gear will still work or it will move a bit in other gears. Just don't know enough about these new fancy electronic ones

 

[Roadrunner777]

There's only 2 circuits that touch the trans... overdrive and converter clutch. Neither of them matter in the current state of things.

You could take the transfer shift motor off and turn the control shaft to the various settings and see if you get any different behavior. Best place for it right now is set to 2H.

I think you need to get trans fluid correct before you do much more. I'd get a little drill powered transfer pump, run the intake down the dipstick and see if you can get the level to normal. 3-4" too much fluid will probably cause issues for the trans. I can almost guess that the trans started acting up and somebody decided that adding a LOT of fluid would make it a LOT better.

 

[johnb66]

Hi I am new to this forum but I have a problem with my 94 explorer so I decide this is a good place to post. Before all this we had a water leak that was temp fixed with a block sealer but then we finally had to replace both cracked heads. While all this was going on we had had an intermediate temperature staring problem as in Hot start OK cold start OK but if you started the car let it run for 1 minute turned it off, you could not re start.
so now after we had reassembled the top of Explorer engine we get no start At all, a couple of kicks but then nothing. first we suspected the fuel pressure so we held the shrader valve open while cranking and got lots of fuel squirting out. Ok so we experimented and found that if we held throttlle down max for a few seconds then gradually released it the engine tried to start-as in gave a few kicks. we did the paper clip code test and got a 12 and a 21, obviously these were codes without the engine running, Any Ideas?? Oh It is a 4.0 v6 pushrod engine

 

[Roadrunner777]

Codes should be 3 digits...

So, lets say your 12 is really 112. That's a very common code that the engine is not warm enough to test. If the engine is definitely warm, then it can indicate a failed intake manifold temperature sensor.

Likewise, your 21 is really a 121, if so, it's a problem with the throttle position sensor.