My First Explorer, 2000 EB

As per the instructions above here's the info:
2000 Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition 5.0
I'm from Parsons KS and you can contact me easily through a PM here.

Well, they aren't good pics. They were provided by the seller using a cell phone. But this is my 2000 Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition. I am going to "visit" it today at the sellers house and pull the radiator. My next day off I get to install a new one (would do them both today, but had to order the radiator). Jon (Turdle) has already provided me with the link to the radiator replacement thread. (Thanks again Jon)

Mods will be slow due to funding and the need to finish putting an engine in my other vehicle (seen below). Probably just go with exhaust and slightly more aggresive tires when funds allow. Any suggestions for basic upgrades? LOL I'm a seasoned Veteran with Thunderbirds, but a newbie with Explorers.

My other vehicle can be seen here:

 

[NHarris]

Both of those Fords are very nice looking! I think the EB Explorer needs a bath though

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I see you found us I wouldn't know how

 

[Joe Dirt]

Nice! I wouldn't go nuts with it, if you wanted to do a TT/Shackles when you do tires, that would just cost you the amount of the rear shackles. Besides that, paint the pillars black again, paint he roof rack, rear wiper, front wiper cowl and wipers to re-black everything nicely, and drive 'er. Those Spruce Green/Tan EB's are a really nice looking rig as they sit. I'd spend your money on your 'bird...

 

[traveler]

Well the radiator is out. thank you very much for the write up... would have taken much longer without it!

It had really nasty stuff in it, almost made me fearful of a head gasket or cracked block. The oil is clean. The previous owner said she had just had the oil changed when she parked it. So what would cause black nasty coolant on a vehicle that had been parked almost a year ago with a coolant leak? the owner was told it had a hole in the radiator. Is it possible the radiator and transmission could be swapping fluid? Didn't order a new radiator. We have a pretty good radiator shop in town so I figured in the time it'd take a new one to arrive he could inspect the original and repair it or declare it a total loss for about what a new one costs.. or less. I'm sure the mud dauber nests it had between the condensor and the radiator would have affected the cooling..LOL

The truck definitely needs a bath! And already have plans to re-black everything. The interior is good, except for the usual wear on the leather and a cracked center console cover. (anyone know where I can get a good tan one?) Also could use a couple good Hankook Dynapro AS to go with the good ones it has on front. The rear Michelens are worn.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice rides u got there

 

[Joe Dirt]

If there is a leak in a cooling system and things can get out- things can get in. IF it hadn't been run in that long, I would flush it for sure, and probably plan on replacing a heater core shortly after.

The plastic tanks on Explorer rads are notorious for not being able to be fixed- just letting you know now- much easier due to the labor involved- to just put a new one in.

If you check out "RIPT" below for your new lid...

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282739

 

[Turdle]

Try black on the armrest. It adds just enough to make the console look "right"

JMO ours looks good.

If I can find a good 31" goodyear AT ( 31-1050-15) Silent armour, I will have whole set of those hankooks for you. They are at least 75% now.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Try black on the armrest. It adds just enough to make the console look "right"

JMO ours looks good.

If I can find a good 31" goodyear AT ( 31-1050-15) Silent armour, I will have whole set of those hankooks for you. They are at least 75% now.

But the wheels on Travlers Ex are 16" wheels

I take it your Hankook's are 235/75/15? I just might be interested in them.

 

[shadowless127]

Nice explorer. Same exact setup as mine except a year older.

 

[traveler]

Well, an update. The Explorer is running fine, other than an exhaust leak (after doing some research on here I find that is NOT an uncommon problem). It drives nice, other than the drivers front tire rubbing the front bumper when backing and turning the wheel to the right. (Bumper has been pushed back just a wee bit, body shop said 2 hours and 80 buck and he'd have that fixed). All in all very pleased with the purchase.

Finally had a chance to take it "off road" (Well, kinda lol) I was driving home from Joplin and passed over a bridge that had a lovely little creek running under it and beside the creek was a large gravel bar. Having seen a Ramcharger down there on a previous trip I knew it was accessible, and also figured it'd be a great place to let my Labrador run "off leash" for a while. Found a gravel road that got narrow and turned into a mud path which opened up onto the gravel bar. I could have explored further than the pics show but as I was alone and didn't know the limitations of the AWD and the tires I just let the dog run, shot some pics, walked up and down the creek a bit and headed home. Plan on goin back better prepared next time. anyway here's the pics and the place.

 

[Turdle]

I have a feeling we have another off roading fan here---

 

[traveler]

Well I've got this cousin, and we've always had a lot of fun together, and her family's latest toy is...

LOL and yea, they even have a Yellow Labrador Retreiver....

 

[Joe Dirt]

That works- it'll be easy to pull that Jeep out.

 

[traveler]

But the wheels on Travelers Ex are 16" wheels ...

LOL Funny... Had a girlfriend get mad at me years ago (bout the time I bought the GTBird). She was mad because she rear ended a SNOW PLOW on the way back from Tulsa where we had picked up the GTBird, making the accident My Fault of course. (women's logic??) what has this to do with the quoted post you ask?

She was driving an Explorer when she hit the snow plow... and she posted on TCCoA as.... yep... "TravelersEx"

 

[traveler]

Well, I finally got those Mustang GT wheels from a friend. I priced a few 17" tires for the Explorer and came to the conclusion that I just can't afford it now. However I did do a quick check to see what they'd look like. I think they'd look great. Opinions?

I'll probably just sell em. Got a friend offered to sell me the Tbird wheels that I sold him a few years ago. LOL

 

[traveler]

Well I've got this cousin, and we've always had a lot of fun together, and her family's latest toy is...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/traveler62/wrangler.jpg

LOL and yea, they even have a Yellow Labrador Retreiver....

Although I am a Ford man through and through, the Jeep has impressed me. Love the way he can disable his sway bars with a switch from inside the vehicle!

 

[Turdle]

Although I am a Ford man through and through, the Jeep has impressed me. Love the way he can disable his sway bars with a switch from inside the vehicle!

Yeah, I like that too. The 40k price tag doesn't have a flip switch does it?

 

[traveler]

LOL No, don't think the price has a switch. But I'm sure an enterprising person with the right shop could fabricate something to duplicate the feature and install it on your favorite Ford product.

 

[Turdle]

I've been thinking about your header bolts. Maybe with warm weather coming they could be attacked again in the driveway where there is more room.

It would be best to make it a 3 plan thing I think

plan 1

get the bolts out of the heads--if it works we replace the manifold and get drunk

plan 2
replace the head. For this we would use a head off the engine in my garage. If the head comes off your engine ok this will work out. It will cost some $$ in gaskets, and bolts though. Then we get drunk

plan 3
Another engine is around here too, and has not been cracked open, so bolting an upper intake on is all that is needed. The exhaust is tight. MY friend will sell it and the transmission, transfer case for 300 bux.

but this would leave no drunk time.

I haven't forgot about this.


Anyone want to come down to lend a hand on this one?