FORD!!! (venting) lots of work today, more problems

[smtcapecod]

lots of work today, more problems

argh.
1994 Explorer Sport. 69K miles.

Today (this morning, actually) in random order:

New air filter, fuel filter, cleaned MAS, Fuel Pressure Regulator, sea foam treatment, Idle Air Control Valve, **Flowmaster Force II exhaust**...

.25 miles of test driving
Net result....

Spontaneous power steering line failure..

:roll::roll::

 

[Jason94sport]

A reality check, it is 13-14 years old you know. Main reason it's not my primary car.

 

[smtcapecod]

did the math

yes, clearly a bad place to complain about he marque. Or however its spelled. I have had quite a few older cars that haven't had these issues with parts that ought to be (in my opinion) fairly bullet proof, or have better resistance to corrosion. Could be that mine had a tough life though.

Oh, I forget to mention the gnarly chorus of noises coming from the hubs while the power steering fluid bled out. Something else to get after..

Any tips on how to figure out what trim level mine might be absent owners manual and build sheet? Thnx

 

[Fordmandan87]

all I can say is if it was beat to $h!t then it may not be the reliable ol girl i know all of mine to be as far as the hubs are concerned swap to manual hubs do plugs and wires check for vacuum leaks and check fuel pressure and check compression and hell get a haynes manual or equivilant.

 

[Jason94sport]

You have a sport, that's the trim level.

 

[bluesman2333]

Welcome to my world, with my '93 sport. All in all a good ride, I just am dealing with tons of deferred maintenance. Once I get everything right, it will be a good truck. I look at it from the point of view that it's a clean truck that can't be duplicated for what I'm spending on it. A new(er) one would be $350-500 in a monthly payment. I can buy a LOT of parts for that. Plus, I'll have fun doing the repairs.

 

[smtcapecod]

My rationale too. It hasn't been beat, just not run alot and not ideally maintained, hence the low odometer.

More work today...plugs (love that A/C bulge in the firewall, FOrd...same on mustangs..)

Bit more seafoam. Cranked down on intake bolts. Installed Aurora plug wires.

Finally have a decent idle and smooth running engine. And power steering. Now I have to figure out why the steering is sloppy and the front wheels are bow-legged. The bushings on the arms look fairly new. I'm hoping wheel bearings...(as opposed to ball joints).

 

[Flandry]

Welcome! If it helps, you got off better than I did. I recently pulled the 93 Sport I have out of mothballs. Just 57K miles on it and I put in a brand new transmission. Everything else seems to be holding up so far and the vehicle's in terrific shape. I spent 3 weeks just getting 10 years of grunge off the body and giving it a good wax job. I'm just getting into my engine work, but I've already managed to hit 20 mpg with it.

 

[smtcapecod]

two steps forward, one back.

Installed four new Tokico/HItachi Trekmaster shocks today. Ride improved greatly, there was no dampening at all from what was on there. 'Course everything was pretty-well fused together....two new front lower shock mounts, of course!

Following test drive found split trans fluid line...down again.

 

[smtcapecod]

Long life bulbs at plate, Vision plus at headlights.

New temp sending unit (guage), temp sensor (fuel injection), intake temp sensor.
Results: Finally has decent cold start and warm up cycle.

Pending: Hd Radio install. A/T 30s.

Findings: RABs due. Da**it.

 

[PTBishop]

Here's a kicker for you guys...I am selling my X because I am joining the Air Force...I don't trust it to drive to any base I'll be stationed at, anyways, I got a call, this girl came and looked at it with her boyfriend, they loved it, said it would be perfect and they will call me as soon as their Jetta sells and they can get me the money...as I am driving home...The windshield wipers stop working...well they only work on High...It knows it's leaving me and wanted me not to be sad when I saw it leave, haha.

 

[smtcapecod]

General Grabber AT2s on....but advised that upper ball joints are shot.
Looks like lot of time in the snow in my future..,.

 

[fordnut71]

buy a poly bushing kit for it
i changed my 94 sports leaf spring an strut rod bushings an its such a better ride

 

[smtcapecod]

Any squeaks yet? Did you need a press for the leaf spring bushings, or just a vice?

 

[DeRocha]

Any squeaks yet? Did you need a press for the leaf spring bushings, or just a vice?

You need a press, a vice won't cut it.. on the up side you can use the ball-joint press ("C" clamp style) free rental at most autoparts stores..

 

[smtcapecod]

Today- heater valve (and hoses), heater core, thermostat & seal, serpentine belt.

 

[fordnut71]

for the poly bushings u dont need or well i didnt need to press them in. the kits comes with the grease to install them. i just took a propane torch an burned them out.i had the springs out to do them , the only bushing that gave me problems was the in frame bushing an i used the c press to get them out as you need the outter shell.
when i did my strut rod bushings i just used wheel bearing grease. so far i havent has 1 sqeak.
if you dont feel up to installing them youself check with local spring shops as they will probly do them. i use to work in 1 an we probably did 1 to 2 cars a week. but my truck is my 1st that i ever got to drive with them, i just wish i had bought the compleat kit for the 91-94 explorer cause now i want to do my sway bars.

 

[leefhead]

could you post a kit that contains all the bushings so i know what im looking for? my explorer has a ruff ride right now. my shocks can use a changing, but i figure while im changing my shocks, ill throw in a f150 spacer, change my rear leafs to f150 leafs, and change all the bushings. just not sure wha ti should be looking for.

 

[fordnut71]

look at the engery suspenson web page they have the number listed there for a compleat kit for the 90-94 explorer

 

[damnford]

one of the nice things about my explorer was the first owner rebuilt the entire front end with poly bushings it is nice and qiuet and rides smooth until it broke down( the rest was deferred maintenance).