couple different questions:

[dorytheexplorer]

First question:
I bought my 2000 Eddie Bauer Explorer V8 about a year ago, and aside from front rotor issues, she's been nothing but a dream for me... until about two months ago, when it started making rumbling noises whenever I pressed down on the accelerator. A friend told me it was a bad exhaust manifold leak. Now, bear in mind, I'm no mechanic, so for all I know, it could be wrong. If it is the manifold, what am I looking at in terms of costs for repairing it?

Second question:
I spoke to the previous owner, and he told me that as far as he knew, aside from the oil, there's been absolutely no fluid flushes/changes done on the truck in all her almost 15 years. Should I be worrying about doing them? If so, what fluids should I flush and in what general order? There's roughly 180 thou kliks on the truck right now, for reference.

Third question (likely the easiest):
The spring clamps on the transmission line are gone. Whereabouts would I go to get new ones and how hard is it to replace them myself?

 

[crunchie_frog]

my 2 cents...

My manifold leak made a ticking noise, manifold replacement about $500 if you take it to a shop, but not sure your rumbling is manifold leak. Folks here can probably help with the noise if you give more details/descriptions.

For fluids, in order... but I would do them all, soon as you can.

1. complete brake fluid flush and proper bleed.
2. radiator flush and proper bleed
3. transfer case drain and refill (if you have one)
4. transmission fluid drain and refill (12-13 qts, Mercon V))
4. power steering flush and proper bleed
5. rear differential and front differential (if you have one).

 

[dorytheexplorer]

Re: the rumbling noise...
I don't really know how to explain it. It starts as soon as the truck does. It's incredibly loud, but softens after about 10 minutes of steady driving. Gets louder the harder I press on the gas pedal, but will die off if I take my foot off (this is after the 10 minute warm up, obviously. Otherwise, it just dies down, but doesn't go away completely). It's accompanied by a whining (sort of like the sound a belt would make?) as the truck slows down when I take my foot off the gas pedal. Any ideas?

 

[koda2000]

take it to Midas and have them check it out. shouldn't cost anything. impossible to say what it will cost if you don't know whats wrong.