Need Advice

[peterbrown77]

So here's the dilemma:

I have two Explorers and only need one. The first is a 2001 EB, which I've had for 8 years. The second is a 2000 XLT which I was just gifted.

Use: It's not my daily driver, uses too much gas for that. I use my EB to run errands (in the winter) and plow my driveway (1,000 ft and difficult) with a SnowBear "personal" plow. In the summer, i put it in storage (too many cars in my driveway).

2001 Eddie Bauer
The Good - It's loaded, has a 4.0 SOHC V6, tow package, D2 axles (4.11), every possible option from heated leather to a subwoofer.

The Bad - RUST. Not apparent in the photos, but it's cropping up everywhere. Under the fender extensions, rocker panels, inside the liftgage. It has an exhaust leak at the right manifold (again, and the threads are stripped in the head). The exhaust is rotting. The front suspension makes strange noises and bangs when in 4WD. It has 165,000 miles. The stereo display on the Mach stereo is out. 165,000 miles. Eats gas.

2000 XLT
The Good - Low miles (90,0000). Leather. It was Ziebarted, the body's in awesome shape. New tires. New brakes. 5.0 L V8. Tow package (3.73).

The Bad - 5.0l V8 haha. Really plain jane, no trip computer. It's AWD. The ABS seems really aggressive, it's coming on in even gentle stops on wet pavement. It seems the AWD is kicking in like that too unless I'm feeling the steering rack when I turn (it was lightly snowing as I drove the thing for the first time this morning). Exhaust manifold leak, I hear it tapping.

So which one do I keep? I was really planning on selling the EB and hanging the plow mount on the XLT but I"m spooked. Where's the Auto/4WD Hi/Lo selector knob? Is the AWD different? Is it going to work when I plow? Why couldn't the dealer fix the rear wiper (I need to see behind me when I'm plowing and backing up).

TIA

 

[1998Exp]

Keeping the 5.0L XLT looks like a no-brainer to me. This engine/transmission combination is vastly superior to the trouble-ridden 4.0 SOHC.
AWD is what it says -- all wheel drive. You have no control over it, and it distributes the power between the front and the rear according to road conditions. Most agree that there's nothing wrong with that unless you are doing some serious off-roading.
The rear wiper is a bit of a challenge, but after replacing the defective motor I've had mine working perfectly for a long time now -- and it's on an older vehicle than yours. Search the postings on this site for tips.

So here's the dilemma:

I have two Explorers and only need one. The first is a 2001 EB, which I've had for 8 years. The second is a 2000 XLT which I was just gifted.

Use: It's not my daily driver, uses too much gas for that. I use my EB to run errands (in the winter) and plow my driveway (1,000 ft and difficult) with a SnowBear "personal" plow. In the summer, i put it in storage (too many cars in my driveway).

2001 Eddie Bauer
The Good - It's loaded, has a 4.0 SOHC V6, tow package, D2 axles (4.11), every possible option from heated leather to a subwoofer.

The Bad - RUST. Not apparent in the photos, but it's cropping up everywhere. Under the fender extensions, rocker panels, inside the liftgage. It has an exhaust leak at the right manifold (again, and the threads are stripped in the head). The exhaust is rotting. The front suspension makes strange noises and bangs when in 4WD. It has 165,000 miles. The stereo display on the Mach stereo is out. 165,000 miles. Eats gas.

2000 XLT
The Good - Low miles (90,0000). Leather. It was Ziebarted, the body's in awesome shape. New tires. New brakes. 5.0 L V8. Tow package (3.73).

The Bad - 5.0l V8 haha. Really plain jane, no trip computer. It's AWD. The ABS seems really aggressive, it's coming on in even gentle stops on wet pavement. It seems the AWD is kicking in like that too unless I'm feeling the steering rack when I turn (it was lightly snowing as I drove the thing for the first time this morning). Exhaust manifold leak, I hear it tapping.

So which one do I keep? I was really planning on selling the EB and hanging the plow mount on the XLT but I"m spooked. Where's the Auto/4WD Hi/Lo selector knob? Is the AWD different? Is it going to work when I plow? Why couldn't the dealer fix the rear wiper (I need to see behind me when I'm plowing and backing up).

TIA

 

[pbnj22]

keep the awd with out a question. only 90 thousand miles??? that engine and tranny combo is good for 300k with simple maintenance..

buy a 60 dollar ultra gauge

http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/

plugs in to your obd2 port hide the wire behind fuse panel and mount to the lower left of your windshield.. it is like a 4 by 4 inch screen and can display any parameter and sensor your car has.. it can do your trip commuter, miles per gallon average and instantaneous.. engine temp intake air temp etc...

also the AWD shoudl be fine for plowing.. you shall get PLENTY of traction if you got good tires..

 

[peterbrown77]

Thanks to all, I guess I'm holding the XLT.

I drove it around a little bit yesterday - my main issue is the ABS. It's SUPER aggressive. On just wet pavement it's engaging when I am almost a stop - this can't be right. As I roll up to stop sign and am probably at 10mph or less, the pedal starts to pulse and sink. Do the wheel speed sensors cause this?

Regards

 

[koda2000]

why not just pull the abs fuse and live w/out its interference?

 

[deadernie]

I know you said new tires by what kind are they? Had some all season Goodyear tires one time that were total crap in the rain.

 

[peterbrown77]

Goodyear Wranglers - how come my Dropbox photos don't display?

 

[1992fordgreen]

Ditch the rust bucket sell it for 1k or something. Keep the XLT.

 

[R1dd1cK]

Well I would keep the v8 but I would probably do the 4406 swap. As for the abs problem I would check and make sure all 4 tires are the same size.

 

[Paraphoe]

I hate to tell you to get rid of the truck you've had for 8 years (I'm sentimental and loyal to a fault) but it sounds like the XLT is the no-brainer.

why not just pull the abs fuse and live w/out its interference?

I know there's a lot of debate about this with ABS, but can't say I'd recommend someone to disable safety equipment.

Get it looked at and see what the cause could be. I don't know enough about what could be causing it to kick in that aggressively, but it's definitely being too active. I've NEVER had my ABS kick in on wet pavement before. Only ice and snow.

 

[koda2000]

I hate to tell you to get rid of the truck you've had for 8 years (I'm sentimental and loyal to a fault) but it sounds like the XLT is the no-brainer.



I know there's a lot of debate about this with ABS, but can't say I'd recommend someone to disable safety equipment.

Get it looked at and see what the cause could be. I don't know enough about what could be causing it to kick in that aggressively, but it's definitely being too active. I've NEVER had my ABS kick in on wet pavement before. Only ice and snow.

safety equipment? maybe i'm just old fashioned. maybe it's because i learned to drive on ice and snow well before anybody ever thought of ABS, but if you think you can't drive safely w/out ABS i have to differ. if it were me, i'd pull the fuse in a heartbeat. jmho.

 

[peterbrown77]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ixkspod05fh71eh/IMG_20131214_134719-001.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8q2yc1z81isftdk/IMG_20131214_134731-001.jpg

I'd pull the ABS fuse in a hearbeat - but I wonder if the AWD system is tied into it? A lot of AWD systems rely on the wheel speed sensors to determine slip, and therefore when to engage AWD.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

safety equipment? maybe i'm just old fashioned. maybe it's because i learned to drive on ice and snow well before anybody ever thought of ABS, but if you think you can't drive safely w/out ABS i have to differ. if it were me, i'd pull the fuse in a heartbeat. jmho.

I'm with you, although I don't know how that might affect AWD sensors. The ABS on both my '89 Bronco II and '94 Explorer rarely worked and almost every time it did work, it was on patchy ice and braked on the ice and released on the dry pavement - exactly opposite of when and how I would/could have braked on my own. Once it did that as I was pulling up to the front of a convenience store and I thought I was going to jump the curb and hit the store. I could have stopped it on my own without slamming into the curb. I don't like giving up control of my vehicle to a system that can't see what I can and that I can't override.

 

[bill06447]

Don't use lack of knowledge as an excuse to disable a feature which, when operating correctly, is definitely more than just a convenience item. Test equipment is expensive, that is why professionals charge what they do, but what price throwing unneeded parts at a problem you don't understand? Spend the C-note and have a dealer diagnose the issue then decide what you want to do with the ABS system...

Bill