Explorer Newbie

[Bambi41]

Hello everyone


I am as of today the proud owner of a 1999 Explorer North Face.

She has covered 38K has a full history and drives very well.

I thought that I would stop by and say hello. I am working my way through the forum threads to get a feel for my new car. Hopefully I will not have any problems, but I think fore warned is fore armed, especially when sourcing service bits. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanking you all in advance for any and all replies


Dave

 

[Howard]

Welcome Dave.

You should find all you need here. Probably the most common problem is timing chain rattle. The kit for OOM12 sorted mine out. As you may know the UK dealers have all but washed their hands of the x and know very little about them and even less about any service advise notes. Most parts are available via good automotive suppliers or specialist US car spares importers. The Northface model is unique to the UK but mechanically identical to the US models. DIY is the way to go for service and repairs. If you don't have a code reader then it may be a good idea to add either a reader or scanner to your toolbox. The self levelling rear suspension seems to be a Europe only feature but many members here have first hand experience at fixing it. Post some pics because we all like to see them.

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Howard

Thanks for yor reply, I think the timing chain on mine rattles a little but only intermitantly ( The kit you mentioned is it expensive and how difficult is it to fit?

I am looking for the magazine which fits into the Ford 6 disk changer in the boot because it is missing..(

Apart from that all seems to be well )

I hope to pick your brains in the future if problems arise (


Kind Regards


Dave

 

[Howard]

I think the kit is about £60-70 but here are the install instructions. If you have all the right tools then it is not too bad a job, just fiddly.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=487634&postcount=33

Hope that helps.

The cd magazine should be the same as the mondeo one with the rds7000 radio and changer.

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Howard

Thanks for the info, I have managed to order a magazine from www.fordpartsuk.com for a little over £30 including P+P which I don't think is too bad.

I must say the more I drive my Ex (is that the correct term?) the more I adore it! I mean it has everything and I only paid £4500 for it! What a bargain!

Well I must go but thatnks again for your advice


Dave W

 

[kands]

Hi Bambi
I drove my first Ex for 125K miles in 3 years and I absolutely loved every mile I did, and I mean every mile. What a fantastic car and I got 22 MPG overall, which I thought was just brilliant. Now we run our own business and I can choose whatever we need we have a 98 Ex on the drive again and a 98 Chrysler Grand Voyager. The Chrysler was cheaper and more comfortable than a Transit lol, and is just great for carrying equipment and tools around in but the Ex still brings a big smile to my face.
Enjoy

Keith

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Kands

I was thinking about an LPG conversion?

It will cost me about £2300 but i will get that back in 2 years and of course it is kinder to the environment

I wondered what you thought, you too Howard?


Thanking you all in advance for your input


Dave

 

[Howard]

I must be honest and say that I am not keen on conversions. Some on here have done it and are very pleased, some have had issues. If you go for it you loose the spare wheel bay and you must have a multi point system fitted because of the plastic inlet manifold. I have not and would not do it on mine. For the following reasons.
1. The engine was designed to run on petrol.
2. I don't want to loose the spare wheel bay (one of the reasons that I got the x was no spare hanging on the back door)
3. No filling station near me has LPG.
4. I do quite a lot of short journeys for which LPG would not work too well.
5. I only do about 10k a year so it would take forever to recoup the cost.

 

[kands]

Agree with Howard

You will never recover the cost in my opinion and the impact to the enviroment will be about the same as a fly after a curry......

Keith

 

[svt2000]

service parts

Hello everyone


I am as of today the proud owner of a 1999 Explorer North Face.

She has covered 38K has a full history and drives very well.

I thought that I would stop by and say hello. I am working my way through the forum threads to get a feel for my new car. Hopefully I will not have any problems, but I think fore warned is fore armed, especially when sourcing service bits. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanking you all in advance for any and all replies


Dave

Hi Dave
I can supply genuine ford parts for your Xplorer no problem. I keep service parts in stock. I import Genuine American Ford Parts as the Xplorer is built in states everything is available. I have at least one shipment in a week.I have access to Ford technical data.

Let me know if you need anything
email svpo@btinternet.com

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Steven

Thanks for your post, I do not need anything at the moment but when I do I will certainly give you a shout

Dave

 

[Bambi41]

Federal Couragia SU 255/70/R16

Hi Howard


These are the tyres which were fitted to my Ex when I bought it. They are brand new having only covered 300 miles The trouble is I cannot get an informed answer about tyre pressures. One website quotes 32 front, 36 rear and Kwik Fit tell me 30 all round and Dave P tells me 31 all round, so as you can guess I am a little confused!

I have tried the manufacturers website but as it's Australian I cannot make head nor tail, and I certainly cannot find any tyre pressures

So if you could point me in the right direction I would be obliged.

Thanking you in advance for your reply
PS Just thought these might be of interest to Explorer drivers Ebay number 8050883644 Alloys and tyres £200

Bambi41

 

[Howard]

Well I've never heard of those tyres but my Goodyear's 255*70*16 have a rated pressure of 31psi all round. I think if yours are the same size then that would do nicely. I've covered 50k so far on these and they still have about 3mm of tread left. The wear has also been very even.

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Howard


Thanks for your imput I will get my trust digital pressure guage out and lower them to 31psi

Dave

 

[Bambi41]

Hi Howard

I have taken the plunge and booked my explorer in for an autogas conversion. I haggled a lot and got quotes from all over the country and finally got the price down to £1800.00 which will take me 15 months to recoup allowing for the milage I do.

The system is a multi-pont sequential system from Prins.

Its booked for 13 April and will be with them for about a week, I will report back when installed and give an update.

Cheers


Dave

 

[Howard]

Good luck. Hope all goes well. I would get withdrawal symptoms if I had to go a week without the x.

 

[Bambi41]

LPG Conversion

Hi Howard thank you for your good luck message.

I have now got my ex back and I did get withdrawl sysmptoms too!!

It starts on petrol when cold in the morning and after only a couple of mins changes over automatically to gas.

I can tell no difference running on gas as opposed to petrol with the exception of a slightly lumpy tickover, which my installer says he will rectify at the free 1000 mile tuneup. He says that this is probably just a slight adjustment to the setup.

So although it is early days I am delighted!!!

40p a litre and 35MPG in real terms!!

If anyone is interested my installer is:


Autogas Yorkshire
Entick House
Ings Lane
Dunswell
Hull
HU6 OAL
01482 807506 (ASk for Jim)

All in all the service has been good and for the PRINS ASI sequential Multipoint system which after some hard negotiation came to me at £1800.00 fitted with a 2 year warranty.


With Petrol going up again this week 96.9p/litre where I am, I will get my money back within the year!


Hope this post helps anyone thinking about LPG



Dave

 

[DaveU]

Hi Dave - for those of us who can't be bothered to do the maths how many miles will you need to do to recoup that cost within the year then?

Dave (another one )

 

[Bambi41]

Hi


I have just re-filled the LPG tank for the second time and the equivalent MPG has risen. (Apparently this is normal as the LPG filters bed in.

So I estimate that I am getting 15.7MPG of LPG which is 2.4 times cheaper than Petrol so the math is: 15.7x2.4= 37.68 MPG

The conversion cost me £1800 so the mileage to recoup this will be: 14,000 and I did 15,500 last year

So I should see a true equivalent (After all conversion costs) 37MPG after 11 months!!

Personally I look on the conversion in 2 lights: 1) That as result of converting I am being kinder to the environment, and 2) I have paid a proportion of the next 14k of fuel in advance.

Either way I am very pleased that I have done it


Regards



Bambi41

 

[km449]

Hi, newbie here as about to get my first Ex later this month. Just to say that I was quoted 1250 for an lpg conversion last week. Keith