JB3s 99' Explorer Sport new lease on life

[JB3]

New member, like the idea of this registry forum, so heres my project for the next decade or so. Great way to keep track of the steady improvements or changes to get things going.

Quick history-
Wife needed a new vehicle, we use our vehicles a lot and keep them a long time, but her 30 year old 330k station wagon was getting a bit crusty even for me. We wanted something 4x4 and higher so she could see and so we could go out on the beaches so I can surf cast.

We found this truck through a friend of mine I know from college. Property of the friends father who died about 3 years ago. The friend had actually used this truck in college, so I rode in it 10 plus years ago ironically to go do silly college type stuff that seemed cool at the time, like driving 100 miles to look at some trashed bicycle.

Flash forward a decade, was really surprised she still had it since she DDs a newer mariner. For the last 2.5 years, this explorer has been moldering behind a building owned by her boss, trapped in paperwork as part of her fathers estate.
We spent a couple weeks figuring out what the state would accept to register, and bought it off her.

Specs are 80k, one owner truck (her parents bought new). Loaded with features the wife was pleased with. Lots of problems consistent with something that was jump started once a year and never moved.

Plans- Keep it stock and running and slowly fix all the broken stuff. Modification changes as required by the wife, but mostly this will be a daily driver.

Truck as it sits now-



First things I had to do to get it drivable were the usual basics-

-Battery was junk, and negative cable was corroded out and damaged from jump starts. removed negative end and replaced with marine battery post connector, plus new battery got it starting reliably. Voltage output by the alternator was still good. Some pitting on the pulleys from sitting idle for so long, but so far so good.

-Brakes were really bad, rotors badly pitted and rusted solid. Managed to save the 4 calipers and rear pads. To get the truck to even move required 4 rotors, 2 caliper slide pins on the front, cleanup and regreasing of everything, and it was stopping pretty decent. Rear calipers I think Ill only get a year or so out of before they rust solid again, but will cross that bridge later.



Tires were awful, since this was a low budget affair, at least initially, I grabbed 4 used tires from a local place for 150 bucks. about 25-30% life left, but good for a season or so. New snow tires planned in november.



little bit more grippy in the rear-



Unknown when, but the really rusty spare was rammed on the RR at some point when the truck was parked behind the building. In the process a couple lug bolts were broken off, and most damaged from either overtorque or rust, so replaced all 5 in the right rear, plus 4 lug nuts. The spare rim is unfortunately junk, the holes are rusty. Will try and replace with a good rim.



Pending rust issues-

Passenger rocker-



Running board/tube things are getting pretty crispy, the wife is petite and needs them to get in even at stock height, so I may remove and refinish them soon



I also have body damage to work out-
Passenger front fender-



front bumper is pretty scuffed up-



engine I need to clean up, fluids changed, but need to complete a tune up. Was planning to drive it a few hundred miles, then finish everything up as issues present themselves

 

[JB3]

a couple more items I forgot.

Within a few minutes of actually starting the truck for the first time, the driver door lock stopped working to unlock.

Research on this forum showed it was a super common problem, so ended up getting a new latch assembly for inside the door, and following the procedures listed in this thread-

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170619


Second pending issue is once the truck was drivable, I set the trip meter to zero, and put about 25 miles on it before it threw a check engine light. Decided to work the engine a little and get some miles on it, I drove about 75 miles total on the highway at reasonable speeds. sucked down more than a 3rd of a tank of fuel doing this, and the lights turn out to be PO174 and PO171.

Checked for a vacuum leaks and did not find any, but think im going to change intake gaskets since i can find no record of this ever being done in my records book.

This check engine light stands between me getting an inspection sticker or not. Time limit for that after registration locally is only 5 days. No way I can follow diagnosis with work schedule in that time. The short term plan is to disconnect the battery, reconnect immediately before driving half a mile down to the station, and see if it passes. If I get a sticker great, If I fail, I have I think 20 days to figure it out

 

[JB3]

update- things that had to be done to pass inspection.

Intake manifold gaskets
fuel pump, plus line above the tank, which was cracked and leaking fuel.

This brought the truck better starts, and went from 8mpg to 20mpg, so that was a nice benefit. There was no evidence of a fuel leak, but I guess it was spraying out over the chassis.


next issue is stubborn vibration, shuddering over bumps, and a creaking noise from front right.

the vibration and shudder seem related, like a continuation of the same issue. The truck now has new shocks, but it feels like it has zero shocks. Working towards nailing this down, as it makes for a nerve wracking drive.

Put about 350 miles on the truck so far, If I can get the vibration under control, it will give us good long term service I feel