my new (to me) 96 xlt

[takeaction]

In December I bought a 96 xlt explorer 4X4 with the 4.0. It looked to be in great condition, and it is, except that 2 weeks after I got it, the transmission blew up. I just got it back today, and it's back to great condition (I hope). It's a beautiful truck as I'm hoping the pictures show (if I get the posting right LOL).

My wife and I are disabled, and we wanted something that can carry us and anything we need around, while keeping everything dry, so there won't be any off-road mods done to it.

I want to replace bushings and gaskets here and there, and put in all synthetics to keep the engine going as well as it can for as long as it can.

The only "mods?" we want right now are a hitch and a carrier for our scooter. So far I haven't found a single thing on the explorer that doesn't work, except the cruise control (can do without for now). All controls, all lights, 4wd, everything works.

And as promised, the pics?

The only things I've done so far is of course the transmission being replaced, and I put on new tires.

Edit: I can't see any pics, so if they're not showing up, please let me know.

 

[lounge lizard]

welcome to the site.
pictures must be hosted on a different site such as photobucket or something like that.

then just post the photo url.

 

[takeaction]

I have them hosted on my personal website (smithfarming.com), on gallery2, but for some reason, they aren't showing up. There must be a setting in gallery2 that I'm missing that isn't allowing the connection to the gallery pictures?

 

[takeaction]

ok how about I try this? Direct links?

http://www.smithfarming.com/gallery2/v/SUV/DSCF1093.JPG.html
http://www.smithfarming.com/gallery2/v/SUV/DSCF1098.JPG.html
http://www.smithfarming.com/gallery2/v/SUV/DSCF1088.JPG.html

 

[lounge lizard]

yea!
it doesn't seem like it wants to post the pic. just the link.


clean looking ex!
one easy mod that will help the back carpet is to get a office chair plastic matt that they roll on when the office has carpet.

cut the piece so it lips under the wheel well covers and trim it long enough to reach the rear gate molding.

this way when you put stuff in the back that is wet or might spill it doesn't soak into the carpet.
gives you a chance to clean it up

 

[larivera1989]

welcome to the site & nice lookin x u got there

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice x u got

 

[takeaction]

Thank you. We really love it.

 

[takeaction]

was driving it around yesterday and the "check engine" light came on... I thought to myself, I just got the transmission rebuilt! What's now?!... I drove it down to the transmission place to see what was going on, because I figured it might be something that came loose... well... in a way, it was...

He hooked the computer up to it, and it said something, not really sure what... He chuckled and said, tighten your gas cap... I did so, and voila... Now here's my question... what the (insert random bad word here)! How could that have set off the check engine light?

I am not a mechanic, but that just sounds goofy to me... LOL

 

[4rd4life]

was driving it around yesterday and the "check engine" light came on... I thought to myself, I just got the transmission rebuilt! What's now?!... I drove it down to the transmission place to see what was going on, because I figured it might be something that came loose... well... in a way, it was...

He hooked the computer up to it, and it said something, not really sure what... He chuckled and said, tighten your gas cap... I did so, and voila... Now here's my question... what the (insert random bad word here)! How could that have set off the check engine light?

I am not a mechanic, but that just sounds goofy to me... LOL

evap codes commonly get set if the cap is off or not tight enough and causes a leak in the evap system

 

[takeaction]

mpg

learned something interesting about the explorer today. I'm keeping a spreadsheet that I made on the MPG the x is getting. Got some interesting readings...

The first tank I kept track of was 2 tanks ago. I filled up with plus gas. town and country driving only, no freeway, and average speed of 50 on the country roads and 25-30 in our tiny town, with several red lights. I got 345 miles on that tank of 18.097 gallons used. That's 19.06 mpg

Here's the interesting one... This last fill up was with REGULAR gas (to save money I thought)... We made the trip to Columbia, and I recorded it. Average speed 65 highway driving. 228 miles on 13.205 gallons... That's only 17.27 mpg...

Either my x likes town and country better than highway OR it HATES regular gas...

For anyone that thinks I can't fill up to the same spot every time, actually I can... I fill it until it won't take any more gas. not even one tiny click more... LOL

NOTE: I haven't made any mods to the x, except the K&N air filter that I put in the same day I bought the x... both tanks were with the same loads (none except me and my wife), and same equipment at all times...

 

[takeaction]

more stuff

My health has been bad lately, so I haven't been on much. Today, I installed new spark plugs (NGK iridiums), new plug wires (autolite professionals), and I changed the oil with castrol syntec 5W30.

The oil and the plugs were all nasty! The oil was thick black oil, and that means that the used car dealership lied about changing the oil. I really should have checked that myself instead of believing them. That's my bad...

The plugs were bad, but not horrible like I've seen in other vehicles.

So, so far, I've done...

New transmission
New air filter (K&N)
New plugs (NGK Iridium)
New plug wires
Castrol Syntec oil change
Synthetic power steering fluid

Barring some failure in the system that I have to dish out money for, the next thing I want to do is replace the exhaust system, and try to get better mpg from that...

Right now I'm ranging from 17mpg pulling a HEAVY load in a trailer to 21.18mpg on straight highway trips... This is before the oil and plug change, so I have no clue what I'm getting now. I'll try to keep this thread updated when I can (when health allows).