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Need HELP with DIY EXPLORER!!!

YellowExplorer

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Joined
February 8, 2011
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City, State
Chicago IL
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 Ford Explorer
Hello Everyone!

My name is AJ and I recently purchased a 1999 Ford Explorer 4x4 (V6, not SOHC)with 133,000 miles. I intended to pay $2500 for it (if it was in great condition, as advertised by seller) but it had a variety of issues and I took a gamble and bought it for $1800 with a 7 day no questions asked return policy (seller was absolutely nice about everything). I am about to take it to the mechanic tomorrow to get a thorough inspection, but for now I have noticed several things that need to be fixed. Here are the complaints:

1. Check engine light on - engine makes ticking noise when running (regardless of temperature) and the ticking increases with RPM.

2. Right front wheel bearing is mostly likely shot. At speeds between 30 and 50 miles an hour a deep and loud vibration can be heard and felt coming from the front right corner.

3. Driver side door lock does not lock, neither with key nor with the lock button inside (lock does not work at all, only unlock button works on the driver side. Passenger side door lock buttons properly control the rest of the doors.

4. Heater (or fan rather) only works when on MAX. I am guessing this is the resistor pack that needs to be replaced.

5. Finally, and maybe this is just me, I feel like the exhaust fumes on this car smell rather oily and thick, although I have not been able to tell by the fumes because the temperature is in the single digits here in Chicago and it seems like any fumes are visible, even from new cars.

My question is this... considering these problems (who knows what else the mechanic will find), do you think I will be able to fix the car for less then $1000? I can do some work (wheel bearing replacement, heater resistor pack, door locks... the easy stuff) but the check engine light and the knock will have to be fixed by my mechanic.

The car drives nice, and its a step up from my 1990 Volvo 760 with 240,000 miles on it, but I have the opportunity to return it. The engine does not have that many miles on it and I keep hearing of people with 200,000 + miles. I would like to drive this car for two years.

What do you guys think these issues might be? Can I fix it myself? For how much?

Thank you for your input.
AJ
 



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Wait to here back from the mech about the ticking. If that is to much to fix for you, theres no need to go further. But the rest of the things seem like thing this board could help you fix. Like for #4 search "blend door" Many others have had this issue.
 






Depending on the tick, it may just be a cracked manifold, exhaust leak, or bad plug wire arcing...

I don't think anything in there sounds that bad...
 






Like they say get the tick figured out. I had a tick before and it turned out to be a little cut in the belt and everyone said it was valves. It sounded just like ticking.

The other problems are easy. The resistor pack harness needs to be filed down, it has a contact problem, the resistors are actually fine. The door handles can be rebuilt in an hour. Wheel bearing is about a 1.5hr job the first time and $100 for a mid grade bearing.
 






I had a 91 ex with a 4.0 and drove it for 6 years, and sold it, he drove it for all most 2 and fly wheel wore out. I changed the oil every 3k miles. just dont hot rod it.
 






Wheel bearing is about a 1.5hr job the first time and $100 for a mid grade bearing.

...or $110 for a top-line Timken at RockAuto.com :)
 






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