My "New" (to me) 1994 Ford Explorer Sport

[Common Cents]

Actually, I picked this vehicle up at an auction over the summer. It's a 1994 Ford Explorer Sport, 4WD, 2 door model.

It spent the summer and autumn parked at my home in Hernando County, Florida. Although I mainly purchased it for local transportation when I'm traveling in North Georgia. Up there, I deal with hilly back roads and long, poorly maintained dirt and gravel driveways.

Here's what I know about the vehicle so far.

• I bought it because it as cheap. I paid less than $700 for the thing including fees at the auction house. I am expecting a project vehicle here.
• On the trailer on the way back from the auction house, I noticed that the thing was "waving at me" the whole way home. The front shocks were completely shot. I actually replaced those last weekend, and I'll be posting some questions about other issues I found there.
• The thing has excessive positive camber (bottoms of the wheels tilted in) if you pull straight into a parking space. It has excessive (highly excessive) negative camber (tops of the wheels tilted way in) if you back into a parking space. I think this is most likely a ball joint issue. I have two new upper balljoints and two new lower balljoints to install this weekend.
• The thing wanders all over the place. Steering is very vague. Braking causes it to dart to one side or the other. Which side is fairly random. I'm hoping the new ball joints resolve this issue and tighten things up.
• The rear brakes do not function at all. Also, the brake system is losing fluid. I'm guessing I have a leaking wheel cylinder on one of the back brakes. I'll be checking that today in addition to the front ball joint job.
• The thing has some extra (not stock) brackets on the bumpers that raise the bumpers. It also has some spacers (they look almost the size of beer cans, but strong steel) between the body mount brackets on the frame and the body mount tabs on the body. Is this some kind of cosmetic "body lift kit"?
• When I was changing the front shocks, I saw some indications that the front springs might be longer than stock. How can I determine if the suspension has also been lifted?
• I'm not 100% sure about the automatic transmission in this thing. It's very vague, and it might even be slipping some. Or it could be I'm used to the last automatic transmission I drove, which was a Mercedes Benz. The Explorer seems to have a very high stall speed torque converter with a lockup, and it seems to be set to shift very gently and smoothly (unless it really is slipping). This is the polar opposite ot the Benz, which had a very low stall speed (around 1600 to 1800 RPM's if I remember right), shifted very positively (almost rough), and never freewheeled, so when you lift your foot on the throttle at any speed, you get a lot of engine braking. The Explorer seems to freewheel when coasting, and seems to have a very high stall speed on the torque converter. It's so smooth that I don't even notice any shifting at all. Taking off from a stop, engine RPM's depend only on throttle position as it builds speed. The harder you push, the higher the RPM's, and the quicker it accellerates (a relative term, the thing has not demonstrated any genuine "quick acceleration" yet). 2000 RPMs for gentle, slow acceleration, 2500 RPMs for moderate, 3000 RPM's for quicker takeoffs. I honestly haven't pushed a full throttle takeoff yet, so I don't know about that situation.
• I have been unable to shift into 4WD. This is most likely an IO error (Ignorant Operator). It has two buttons on the dash, with lights next to them. The top button says "4 x 4" and the bottom button says "Low Range." Pushing the "4 x 4" button doesn't do anything. But I don't know if I'm supposed to be stopped or rolling when I press the button, and whether I should be in gear, or in neutral. It's possible I don't have things in the right condition when I'm pushing the button. It's also possible that the thing doesn't work.
• It has some minor front end damage. The front bumper is bent. I looks like the transmission cooler has been pushed back and has bent the AC condenser coils. I'm not sure how much other damage there is. The hood would not open at all during "inspection time" before the action. I have gotten it to open now, though.
• Someone installed a K&N filter in the thing. The air cleaner box is cracked and broken (top and bottom). Right now, I have the pieces duct taped together to prevent unfiltered air leaking in. I need to pick up an air cleaner box at the pull a part yard on my next trip.

I am using this vehicle in areas where a little additional clearance would be a good thing. But it seems to sit a little higher than I want right now. I was parked between a newer Ford Ranger and a newer Ford Expedition the other day, and this thing is as skinny as the Ranger, but it was as tall as the Expedition, and much taller than the Ranger. I'd like to be more in the middle of that lineup. Higher than stock, (especially in the suspension, where I might get some more ground clearance), but not as high as it is now.

I also bought it for the 4WD features. I'm hoping to figure that out, or to get it fixed if it is not currently functional.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Sounds like you've got a handle on most of the issues with this rig.

For shifting into 4wd, you should be able to go into 4H on the fly (well less than 60mph) so read up here; http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542

To get into 4L, you need to be stopped and in neutral with foot on the brake.

It also sound like there is both a suspension lift and a body lift on it. If there is a suspension lift and they didn't install camber bushing adjusters, it will be way off.

Don't forget the tie rod ends.

Good luck.