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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
I've a '98 Explorer XLT with the 5.0 engine, and it stopped running some time ago. I'm a Vet and have to make doctor's appointments 67 miles away, so I need Amy (that's "her" name) running. I have no idea what's wrong with her, so need an OBD-II. Living on SS so I can't afford a lot. Any suggestions.
From the middle of the Mojave Desert, I am Christopher Steele
i use the obdlink mx+, but there are surely less expensive options, and auto zone has free code pulling afaik... is there one near you? i know hteres nto too much in mojave think theres one in tehachapi, but thats not overly close... soemthing tells me theres a napa there though... but i dont think they have a loaner program...
hear you cant get the extended license anymore though for now so for now, i guess the price is free... unless c420sailor youre referring to the obd adapter, in that casethe price isright on those as well!
I love being able to use my phone, since I'd already have it with me, and keep a BAFX dongle in the glovebox.
Best value IMO is a BAFX adapter on amazon, the bluetooth version if you only plan to use it with an android phone, or wifi version for an apple phone/other-device, or if you'd prefer to use a windows laptop and it doesn't have bluetooth, or it will also work on an android phone. I only use mine with my phone, but have a bluetooth dongle for a laptop so can still do that.
The free demo version of Forscan for Android/Apple will often do "enough" to fix problems, but it can't reset trouble codes. You can use Torque Lite, free app to reset the regular OBD2 codes, or the paid version of Forscan is only $6 or so, IIRC. Paid version can also read multiple PIDs (data sources) simultaneously, but more often than not, you don't need that to find faults.
Looks like the bluetooth version of the BAFX is on sale right now at $21: Amazon product ASIN B005NLQAHS
Wifi version: Amazon product ASIN B078K54MT5
However, it might not be so straightforward to figure out why it's not running. I'd start with the basics, you need fuel, air, spark, compression, and the right timings. You need a charged battery to make that happen.
Where does it stop in the operational process? Does it crank good? Does it try to start, can hear some cylinders firing? Will it start with starting fluid? Does it have now rotten gas in the tank? Heh, too many unknowns at this point.
Edit: I now see you had a topic about overheating in 2020, has it ran since then? If not, at this point, I'd be doing a leak down or at least cylinder compression test. OBD2 codes won't point to something like that. I'd also check for coolant in the oil and not try to run it if it looks like that happened.
3 days ago: My 1998 Explorer XLT (5L engine), Amy, was overheating so I took a look under the hood. The heater control valve (passenger side/top of the firewall) was broken so I replaced it. Question: I notice that the valve has an arrow on it. Should that arrow be pointing toward the radiator...
think theres one in tehachapi, but thats not overly close... soemthing tells me theres a napa there though... but i dont think they have a loaner program...
