Another day In Paridise

[joker1457]

Hi im from Colorado have a 98 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4.0 Sohc. This car is my baby other than my little girl of course. My explorer is having some issues lately and there seems to be a lot of topics on here that can help me out. Problem is I dont know how to navigate the site or just chat with other members to get Ideas.

Heres the senario my poor explorer had the infamous tentioners on the timing go out a couple of weeks ago. I took her a mechanic and he replaced the top camshaft tensioner, the balance shaft tensioner and the jackshaft tensioner. That all being said it starts fine idles fine and isnt making that horrile noise. The down side is I have a horrible vibration that can be felt throughout the vehicle between 2000-4000 rpms it doesnt matter if the vehicle is in park or in drive. I also am having more fuel consumption and a power loss, we all know these engines have some nuts mine has lost atleast one.

My thoughts are
Spark plugs but i replaced them two months ago but a possibilty or its completly out of time

Ideas and or solutions would be very helpfull

Thanks

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome joker

 

[fixxxer]

Hi and welcome to the forum joker1457
What part of Aurora? I'm over by Buckley AFB.

 

[joker1457]

Im at Tower and Hampden right by the gas station

 

[fixxxer]

Pretty much right down the street from me. I'm real close to the 7-11 at the intersection of alameda/mississippi/tower

 

[joker1457]

98 eddie Bauer 4.0 sohc 31 10.50 R15 lifted 4" Tinted K&N many many mods to come after the engine issue thanks for the intro.

 

[joker1457]

So whats the story man I see you have a older model explorer you have it lifted or anything

 

[fixxxer]

I think we can eliminate drivetrain issues if you have the vibration while in Park or Drive. What about neutral, same as in Park? Could be flywheel warped or loose, harmonic balancer issue, torque converter or clutch slippage. Did your EB have this problem before your mechanic replaced the top camshaft tensioner, the balance shaft tensioner and the jackshaft tensioner?

 

[fixxxer]

Nope, mine is pretty much stock with the exception of a sound system, after-market driving lights and upgraded front brakes. I've pretty much rebuilt the entire front end/suspension over the past year or so with new and upgraded parts. New shocks and bushings throughout, including RA bushings, new u-joints, wheel bearings and have completely gone over the engine electrical and fuel system.
I've thought about a lift kit but my wife has a hard enough time getting in and out with the stock ride height due to a bad knee and I have a bad back so anything other than keeping her road-worthy would be too much for me to do on my own. She works great as-is though. I haven't done much wheeling around here but I grew up on Western Slope and have logged plenty of miles wheeling around 4-mile, Independance pass and the Flat Tops and never had any trouble with the capabilities of this truck in stock condition.

 

[joker1457]

No dude thats what sucks this all started with the timing issue. It happens in neutral and in drive and Im stumped. I thought maybe out of time but top end it has the same power acceleration sucks thats mainly where I feel the vibration and if I rev the engine to about 2500 rpm and hold it there. If Im rolling in neutral at sixty there no vibration so it has do with the engine.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum!

 

[fixxxer]

I know there are many here so much more knowledgable than I but again, I'm coming back to; flywheel warped or loose/missing bolts, harmonic balancer, torque converter or clutch slippage

 

[joker1457]

Torque Converter huh, Thats connected to the transmission right? not the engine but I can see where you going. I looked at the harmonic balancer last night and it seemed to be turning perfectly. No wobble or anything is that something you can see with the naked eye? The idler pully seems to be a little wobbely but I thought that what they always did......am I wrong. What the chances of a missfire on one of the plugs.

 

[joker1457]

So its fixed mechanic left a couple of bolts loose on the jackshaft and harmonic balancer.

 

[fixxxer]

Thanks for the update joker, very glad you found the problem and got it fixed.