Blizzard my 94 Explorer Build

[Redneckfordf250]

We installed a front license plate on her to get rid of the bland look. My dad had one that said "I am spending my kids inheritance" LOL that we put on.
I cleaned up the interior some trying to get rid of parts that I don't need in their but kept some spares.

Well this morning my dad went out to the truck to drive it (ya I still haven't driven it mainly because my dad has fallen in love with it) and she decided she wouldn't start or crank.

So I go outside and we check all the cables turns out the negative cable was loose so I tightened it up and she started right up.

Pulled the codes to see if we are getting anything and so far so good getting nothing.

Couple of things I need to address soon:
power steering pump is leaking. Need to find the exact spot where it is leaking and fix it.
somewhere I am leaking coolant. It appears to be around the lower rad hose so I am guessing probably the lower rad hose is bad. I am hoping it is that because I can't afford a radiator.
The truck throws dirt up like crazy and the truck got extremely dirty within a day so I am hopefully going to get better wheels and tires on ASAP and hopefully that fixes it. If not I am going to have to figure something out to keep the dust down.


I have a bug deflector that won't fit the 96 ranger off the 92 ranger parts truck so I am thinking about adding that on to match my F150. It isn't one that wraps around but it isn't a really cheap looking one either.

I have been once in a while working on modifying and straightening the chrome fender trim so I can install it.

I finally found the wiring diagram for the 2nd gen overhead console so when I get the chance will get that done. I have to have my dad help with it because I am not good at wiring things.

The overhead visors my dad says he can modify to fit and be better which I am hoping as the ranger ones are a bit taller and longer which is nicer.

Got some windshield washer fluid topped off in both the front and rear but haven't tested to see if the washer fluid motors work.

I am very surprised at the power this little 4.0L has maybe it is the better torque convertor I am not sure. I have driven a 2000 ranger 4.0L 2wd and a 99 explorer 2wd 4.0L and they were gutless as heck which is what scared me about getting into a ranger or explorer (and now I got both go figure).
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well later last night we found the source of the rad leak. Turned out one of the lines to it were not tightened so we took it off wrapped it in Teflon tape and put it back on and no more leaks. Blizzard runs cooler now too.

Now just to source the stupid power steering leak. This is my second ford with that type powersteering unit that has leaked. My last one I replaced the power steering pump and it kept leaking but never lost fluid??????
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well yesterday we took the wheels and tires off the 84 Bronco 2 and put them on Blizzard and vise a versa.
Both trucks look much better with them swapped.
Waiting to take it for a drive but I know these tires throw up a lot less dirt.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Here you guys go a pic with the wheels now on it. They don't rub a bit and I probably could fit 32s with no problem.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well went to install the bug deflector and it didn't look good so I decided to put it on the Bronco 2 instead. I am going to look for one that is a wrap around style like on my F150.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well my dad used the truck recently and unfortunately the tires still throw dirt up like crazy.
I think the truck may need an alignment as it shudders a bit with these tires. Either that or the tires need re balanced which is fully possible as I only drove them on dirt roads.
Trav

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Well my dad used the truck recently and unfortunately the tires still throw dirt up like crazy.
I think the truck may need an alignment as it shudders a bit with these tires. Either that or the tires need re balanced which is fully possible as I only drove them on dirt roads.
Trav

I find that the composition of the rocks in our area tends to chunk my tires quite a bit, requiring me to get them re-balanced often if I go offroading a lot.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well I have never had these tires balanced since I got the Bronco 2 3 years ago and I offroad more then I drive on the road with that truck.
I really don't have problems of the rocks and such tearing chunks out of my tires unless I am running car tires which I am not. I am running 235 75 R15 Load range C 6 or 8ply el cheapo wal mart tires. It was on the bronco 2 when I got it and they were brand new. I now have 50-70%.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well here are some pics of the Explorer during the day time with the good wheels and tires on them. Also the pulling to the left issue stopped. Also speedometer is dead on accurate now with the old tires the speedometer was 5-10MPH slower I still don't get that one. Still shutters but I am betting it is just the tires need balancing as there is no weights on the wheels at all. LOL
Also in the pics are one of me with Blizzard (probably not the best I suck at taking pics of me besides I am not the best looking.) LOL and a few of me playing with my camera with sunset of White mountains Arizona. They are decent pics but not the best because they were in my front yard so the propane tank and chain link fence is in the pic too. The mountain in my picture's background is Mesa redonda their is only one way up it and that isn't to bad I can get up it in 2wd with a full size crew cab long bed but the spots you can't get up is a 90* incline of pure loose rock that you can't even climb up by walking.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well my first time driving her turned out to really suck.
Today I got to drive the truck I had my small motorcycle trailer and my dad's 800 lb Harley in the trailer drove it 5 miles she did great minus when you put her in park she would stall out. So I start heading home (with the bike off the trailer but I still had the trailer attached) I get 2 miles and she has a huge loss of power and starts sputtering I know once in a while the gas gauge is off so I figured I ran out of gas. I was 3 miles from home my damn POS cell phone wouldn't work at all so I locked the truck up and started walking home. I get about 2 miles then my neighbor meets me up because my dad called him saying something must have gone wrong as I always call him once I get home.
So the neighbor drives me back to the explorer I put a gallon of gas in the truck and get it home no problems at all she has tons of power and everything. I go to pick up my dad again drove 5 miles and no problems at all again (right after then I put $20 worth of gas in it from gas cans I had at home). So my dad wants to drive again and I was getting a bit tired so I let him and he started it up drove it home about 3 miles again and same spot it starts having a huge loss of power and just sputters. It really pissed me off because I had to get home and do leave again to do a job and she acts up. I had no choice but to drive her home like that floored going 5-10MPH up and down hills. What is weird is right when we drove it up there you put it in park and it stalls after the truck acted like it was running out of gas it wouldn't do it again.
All the gauges are fine, fluids are fine.
I am thinking it is the fuel filter. I have a brand new one (as I didn't replace the old one) and I am going to probably install it and see if it runs better. I know for sure it is gas related as it will do it in park and everything.

Also I did pull it out of overdrive to pull I wasn't sure if I needed to or not but I didn't want to kill the trans.



Other then that the truck drove great and I love the power it has. I do not personally care for the arm rest on the middle console as it is like putting your arm on solid metal.
I really am liking the explorer so I am going to try and fix it right away but my mom's 97 Expedition 4x4 4.6L is acting up also today plus my bike trailer fell apart almost their. I did complete the job no problems except when we were to the end the bearing on the axles blew up. Not the best day for me.

Also my dad finally gave me a key to the truck. Funny thing is he gave me the original Ford key and he took the replica one. LOL
Trav

 

[FR-425]

Fuel pumps like to die slowly too.

Kinda spudder and kick before

 

[Redneckfordf250]

I am hoping it isn't that. The tank wasn't the easiest to drop and if I drop it again I am going to need to jack it up since this truck sits so low. I really think it is the filter. I haven't had time today to check it out but I am going to put my reader on it and see what it says too as I was getting a CEL on and off when my dad was driving and it was acting up but not when I was.


Forgot to say my bike trailer weighs about 600-800lbs loaded with my ridding gear and some 8x8x16 blocks. Then it is another 800 for my dad's Harley and another 600-700 for my bike. I have another trailer I am building that is only 300-400lbs but when I build it I will have to put all the gear in the explorer. I am building this one because of the fact my current trailer will only hold one bike because both my bike and my dads are bagger sized.

Just for the heck of it pics of my bike. First two are in my bike trailer. My bike is a Late 1973 Harley Davidson XLCH 1000 kick and electric start, stock pipes with baffles removed, springer front end, custom front brake, custom turn rear lights (front lights still need mounted), bobtail rear fender, bagger tank, custom saddle bags, dyna rear pegs, headlight browl, black EVO fat bob mirrors, custom paint job, 84 electra glide dash and cluster, EVO heritage bars, custom grips, engine bored to 1200 with racing cam, rebuilt trans, 2inch rear lowering kit to make it sit level as the springer is lower the stock but has the same as stock turning radius), 05+ sporty seat, Keihin butterfly carb with dual throttle cable, braided steel brake line, 21" front wheel and 16" rear, and probably more I am forgetting:

with my 02 F250 and 88 F150:

And dad's bike 07 Harley Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic stock was a 96CI. Has a Screamin' Eagle Stage II 103 bore kit, Screamin' Eagle race tuner, Vance and Hines true duals with no baffles and 02 sensor delete (custom delete), headlight and passing light browls, rebuilt trans, Piaa headlight and passing light bulbs, and engine gaurds with custom highway pegs.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well today finally got the chance to replace the fuel filter. Started her up and she is running better then ever. Going to take her for a test drive today hopefully and hopefully she will run great and not give me any troubles.
She had 243500 miles on the original fuel filter. Close to half an inch of dirt in it. I am hopefully going to seafoam her I had the same amount of dirt in my dad's 89 F250 4x4 351 and I seafomed her she ran even better. That sea foam does amazing!
Trav

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Glad to hear it is running better. After I can get a transmission, we should go wheeling some time.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Well she is down again. Talk about the weirdest thing. You let her cool down and she will run and drive until she gets warmed up then she starts acting up. Always the same amount of miles. I am guessing it is fuel pump or Fuel pressure regulator. I am going to try and pull the codes when I get the chance if I can't get any now that it has cooled down again I am going to drive it until it acts up again and pull the codes.

I hope to get it fixed soon but a lot to do lately.
Any ideas?
It still is sputtering but it only does it once it is warmed up. I would think it is a fuel problem but these RBV's have always been weird that is probably why I have never trusted one.
Trav

 

[natenkiki2004]

Might be ECT or IAT sensor screwing with your fuel trim when warm? Get the multimeter out and probe those sensors, quick & easy. Cheap to replace too.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

ok you are going to have to say those ones out and where they are at because I know little about these explorers.

I did find a 02 sensor not completely plugged in and the capacitor for the ignition coil not plugged in so maybe that was the problem I am not sure.
Trav

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Ok so pulled the codes today and here is what I got:
KOEO: 111 system pass Continues memory 217 coil #3 (don't understand that)

KOER: 116 coolant temp to low or high and 536 something about brake switch??

When I pulled the codes truck was running like a top.
Anybody know if anything could cause my explorer to do that?
Trav

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Part of the KOER test involves pushing the brake pedal at a specific time. Code 536 means you didn't do that.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

oh ok then sorry about that I had my brother in the truck and he didn't know that. To tell you the truth I didn't as my code reader book didn't say to do that.
Trav