Just about to put the X on Craigslist... Until...

[moogvo]

So I got my Explorer... or as I like to call it, the "Exploder" (since that is about all it has done since the third day I owned it).

Short synopsis: Bought it, 3 days later, misfire code turned into blown head gasket (or cracked head, block or some other issue to lose compression).

Long story short... Dealer put an '07 Mustang 4.0 in it. Got it back running great... except...

the engine with the blown head gasket was getting about 17 MPG in the few days I drove it. After getting it back with the 'stanger in it, that dropped to 14.5 MPG. I was pissed to say the very least. I could have had a full size 3/4 ton crew cab that got 14 MPG!

I got very excited the day the title came in the mail so I could slap it up on Craigslist. Backing out of my parking space after it sat overnight, I heard and felt what seemed like the parking brake was engaged. Since I live in an area that is geographically flat, I had never used the parking brake, so I didn't give it a lot of thought other than that something sounded like it was holding or binding... Only for a second, and then it didn't come back... until the next morning.

So I pumped the parking brake pedal while holding the release lever, letting my foot slide off and the pedal to slap back into position. I did this several times. After that, I looked at the mileage being reported from the ECM to my scan tool. It had been showing an average of 12 to 17mpg, depending on the conditions at the moment, with an average of 14.5. Driving down the road, I instantly saw the realtime display showing from 19 to 28 MPG and the average slowly started to climb as well. I drove it for about 20 miles and topped the fuel off. The mileage/gallons driven showed at that time 19.2 MPG. (I had driven about 6 gallons out of the tank by then... half before messing with the brake and half after)

At the time of refueling, the average on the display was 19.5. I reset it before driving on. The average now displays 25.4 MPG. My driving is mixed between city/hwy. i would say that on this tank, it is about 50/50.

It is odd. I never smelled any burning, I never felt any lack of power over the engine with the blown head gasket, which struck me as odd because you would think that an engine with no compression on 2 cylinders would result in SOME power loss and loss of economy.

After messing with the brake, the Exploder seemed to gain some giddy-up and the mileage has skyrocketed! I think I will be keeping it now.

 

[colintrax]

Good! I love my explorer, just as an fyi you should still use the parking brake. It helps limit damage on the park thingy in the trans, and also keeps the brake line from getting frozen. Not to mention you never know what'll happen when you aren't around, I'd rather someone hit my x when the parking brake is on.

 

[moogvo]

Good! I love my explorer, just as an fyi you should still use the parking brake. It helps limit damage on the park thingy in the trans, and also keeps the brake line from getting frozen. Not to mention you never know what'll happen when you aren't around, I'd rather someone hit my x when the parking brake is on.

Yeah. I know. I am just lazy. I am religious about it on a manual transmission vehicle.

Besides... Nothing like having your wife tell you that your car has no power and a burning plastic smell after returning from having her nails done 20 miles away.

 

[koda2000]

doesn't the "BRAKE" light on the dash come on if your parking brake is applied? or are you saying the parking brake pedal was in the RELEASED position but the brakes were still on? i assume you have rear disks with the little parking brake shoes in the rotor hat.

if the light wasn't on, there's a little switch attached to the pedal mechanisum. mine wasn't working, but some WD40 brought it back to life. the switch is very senative, if the pedal is even moved down slightly the BRAKE light comes on. i don't use my parking brake very often, but my wife always does. without the light woking i'd often drive off with the brake on.

 

[moogvo]

doesn't the "BRAKE" light on the dash come on if your parking brake is applied? or are you saying the parking brake pedal was in the RELEASED position but the brakes were still on? i assume you have rear disks with the little parking brake shoes in the rotor hat.

Yes, the light comes on when the pedal is pressed down. Asking my wife to see it and respond to it is a totally different matter.

Brake pedal was released, but the parking brake in the top hat was dragging.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

My 5.0 ALWAYS gets 14.5 MPG.... AWD 4 Door though. :\

 

[koda2000]

sounds like it might be worth the trouble to clean/lube up the parking brake parts. mine had a broken left cable when i got it (a real pita to replace by the way) and my parking brake parts were pretty crudy from not being used in probably years. i cleaned them up, lubed the arms, adjusted the shoes and now they work like new. easy job.

 

[windsors03cobra]

I live in the rust belt there is no pumping and letting a parking brake slap back after it hasnt been used for awhile and who in the hell uses a parking bake on an automatic transmission with a Park gear ? Not a damn one that I know of.

My big snow and mud tires were interfering with the parking brake cable so at 180k and parking brake cable completely frozen I cut them off with a zip wheel and in a minute they were all gone.
Next deal was a brake job and those little mickey mouse parking brakes were just rusted out and dicked, so they were gutted out, gonedy, trashed.

Thanks goodness for Wisconsin with its lax inspection requirements and cheap registrations. Use the parking brake on my standard transmission 03 Cobra every time I drive it.

Glad you got your problems sorted out and running good now.

 

[yavapaires]

Have you ever parked on a hill without using the parking brake and found it very hard to get out of park? I have had the occasion to have to use a winch to move a van and get it out of park,even with the brakes set, when I used to haul cars. The PARKING PAWL is NOT intended to be the only means of keeping a vehicle from moving when parked,they have been known to break. Of course, even parking brakes have been known to release on their own. Now, let's see how many arguements we get.

 

[snoranger]

The dealer prob used the brake (for the first time in years) when they were replacing the motor. You should fix the parking brake and use it all the time. (I should talk, I never use mine.) When you live in an area that the E-brake system can rust up, you also live in an area where the brake lines can rust!! When a rusted brake line blows, you'll wish you listened to me.

 

[kdspapa]

Tire store mechanic told me my brakes were good but I've driven off with my parking brake on a few times. Shouldn't it be adjusted so you can't do that? I don't have an adjustment on the cables (99 Mounty AWD 5.0) but I understand there is an adjustment screw thing in the braking assembly. I guess it can only be adjusted so far. Can the emergency brake be adjusted from the outside of the assembly just like a drum brake? I believe I have disc brakes on the rear of my new-to-me vehicle.

 

[drdoom]

Yep, just like a drum.

 

[kdspapa]

Wow! Thanks for that fast answer! I'm going to try to adjust them tomorrow.

 

[shadowless127]

My 5.0 ALWAYS gets 14.5 MPG.... AWD 4 Door though. :\

I'd kill for 14.5mpg average. I get like 13.8... Friggin city driving

and who in the hell uses a parking bake on an automatic transmission with a Park gear ? Not a damn one that I know of. \

You've obviously never launched a boat, or lived in a very hilly area.