New Explorer owner... with lots of questions...

[^Ob-Shaky]

Just bought 2 days ago a 98' white Explorer and really this is my first SUV. I don’t have much experience in this type of vehicle since nearly all of my friends have sport and hatch back cars tricked-out. So after taking some flaming about “ That’s a mom car†I decided to buy the SUV… knowing very little about it… All I know about my Explorer: It’s white; it has 4 doors, its V6 4.0 Liter SOHC engine…

So these are my questions:

1) What’s the difference between XL, XLT, Limited, Eddie Bauer editions? Mine just says Explorer… no extra letters:-/ so I dunno the exact model…
2) What is SOHC and what exactly it does? Sounds like V-Tec… hmmm…
3) Are they supposed to feel all jumpy? I mean, like you take a hole in the road and it gets all jumpy for a while until it stabilizes again. My dads 2001 Malibu is very quiet in comparison when you take a hole.
4) What’s that thing in the middle console with green text that has the XLT models?
5) Where is the best place to start Explorer mods? Engine or body?
6) What mods you can do to the engine? At least the most common of them…
7) Websites that offer body parts modded and OEM with good prices… Money here is being eaten by college
8) Parts problem: The lid of my middle console is broken but I cant find that part anywhere. The thing is sold locally but like the whole thing… I just need the bottom part. Also the thing to the privacy of the store area is nowhere to be found.
9) What is the most common problems with Explorers mechanical and non-mechanical?
10) Suggested rims. Up to what size?


Yes I know, n00b questions to its highest expression but I remind that no one is born knowing all things.

Thanks all

 

[Blee1099]

Just bought 2 days ago a 98' white Explorer and really this is my first SUV. I don’t have much experience in this type of vehicle since nearly all of my friends have sport and hatch back cars tricked-out. So after taking some flaming about “ That’s a mom car†I decided to buy the SUV… knowing very little about it… All I know about my Explorer: It’s white; it has 4 doors, its V6 4.0 Liter SOHC engine…

So these are my questions:

1) What’s the difference between XL, XLT, Limited, Eddie Bauer editions? Mine just says Explorer… no extra letters:-/ so I dunno the exact model…
2) What is SOHC and what exactly it does? Sounds like V-Tec… hmmm…
3) Are they supposed to feel all jumpy? I mean, like you take a hole in the road and it gets all jumpy for a while until it stabilizes again. My dads 2001 Malibu is very quiet in comparison when you take a hole.
4) What’s that thing in the middle console with green text that has the XLT models?
5) Where is the best place to start Explorer mods? Engine or body?
6) What mods you can do to the engine? At least the most common of them…
7) Websites that offer body parts modded and OEM with good prices… Money here is being eaten by college
8) Parts problem: The lid of my middle console is broken but I cant find that part anywhere. The thing is sold locally but like the whole thing… I just need the bottom part. Also the thing to the privacy of the store area is nowhere to be found.
9) What is the most common problems with Explorers mechanical and non-mechanical?
10) Suggested rims. Up to what size?


Yes I know, n00b questions to its highest expression but I remind that no one is born knowing all things.

Thanks all

Welcome to the site..
1.. XL was the base model, followed by the XLT, Eddie Bauer, and then limited.. If you have power windows & door locks then you have an XLT atleast.. If you have tan fender flares, then its a Eddie Bauer. If it has matched color bumpers, then its a Limited.

2. SOHC is a Single Overhead Cam Motor..

3. Your in a truck not a sedan.. It's gonna handle like a truck unless you put better than stock suspension components.

4. Green thing in the middle console.. Your probably reffering to the message center.

5. You can start with a KKM or K&N intake.. Or do a Shackle/Torsion Bar twist if you wanna get a few inches of lift out of it.. Do a search to find out more info about Torsion bar twist..

6. Theres a limited amount of engine modifications you can do.. You can get headers, larger intake, etc..

7. You can go to http://www.explorerexpress.com for stuff

8. Go to a junk yard for one.. Or try http://www.car-part.com and do a search for available parts near you..

9. Each year had their common problems.. The SOHC have a problem with Cam Tensioners, the trannys aren't the greatest..

10. What kind of tires & rim package are you looking for? Street or Offroad?

 

[AspenX]

Welcome Shaky Good job Blee. First do you want street or offroad performance, and do you have a 4x4 switch on your center console?

 

[^Ob-Shaky]

Thx for the welcome and your answers!

Well mine isnt 4x4 :s. Im planning to add something street. Rims, tinted windows, maybe a music upgrade like couple of 12's on the back... There are couple of nice modded Explorers here but theyare like too modded for me (not to mention the $$$ I would spend on mods :roll: )

Another Q I forgot to mention, premium or regular gas for the truck? I mostly travel alone but on weekend the car is full... Here gas is @ 0.47 premium and $20 lasts like 5 days.

Well thats it for now. Check.

 

[bates]

I'd stay with regular if I were you, you don't really need the higher octane level with ur stock motor.

 

[^Ob-Shaky]

I'd stay with regular if I were you, you don't really need the higher octane level with ur stock motor.

GOOD to know that! Ppl was like: "If you want the truck to last, you bettah give it premium gas or the *insert part* will begin to fail"

 

[unclemeat]

If you put premium gas in a stock explorer you are wasting money. A stock explorer has a 9:1 engine compression ratio. There no benefit in using a higher octane rating gasoline.

 

[bhults]

Where in Puerto Rico do you live? I think you'll be happier with the Explorer than you would be with a sports car. My Aunt just had her Explorer shipped there from the states and it does a lot better in the hilly terrain.

 

[^Ob-Shaky]

Where in Puerto Rico do you live? I think you'll be happier with the Explorer than you would be with a sports car. My Aunt just had her Explorer shipped there from the states and it does a lot better in the hilly terrain.

I live in San Juan. Its mostly city but I like to go to El Yunque (a rain forest here) and the better part of the place its very high in the mountain so going there in a car could be a problem if you have camping equipment, fat friends ect... Not to mention some of the streets here that cargo truck pass overloaded and bust the streets...

thats it

 

[Carl D.]

Welcome to the site, and I agree with the everything they've said above. Congrats on the new X.

 

[bhults]

I live in San Juan. Its mostly city but I like to go to El Yunque (a rain forest here) and the better part of the place its very high in the mountain so going there in a car could be a problem if you have camping equipment, fat friends ect... Not to mention some of the streets here that cargo truck pass overloaded and bust the streets...

thats it

Ahhh, the other side. My parents have a home in Rincon (actually, our town is Encenada, right in Rincon), and I vacation there a few times a year. I've been to El Yunque---beautiful. I'll have to look you up the next time I'm down!

 

[^Ob-Shaky]

Ahhh, the other side. My parents have a home in Rincon (actually, our town is Encenada, right in Rincon), and I vacation there a few times a year. I've been to El Yunque---beautiful. I'll have to look you up the next time I'm down!

Rincon is great! Encenada is in Guanica. Very beautiful too.
---
another question:

How many miles per gallon Im supposed to get with a full tank? In like 6 days the whole tank went out ... and here gas isnt cheap. Even the regular its like 43 cents +/-.... :roll:

 

[bhults]

I generally get anywhere between 285-350 miles to a tank of gas. It really depends on my driving conditions. If I've been doing a lot of highway mileage, I get closer to the 350 mark. The lower end is obviously a lot of city driving.

 

[DeRocha]

In the U.S the statement below is true, but in Puerto Rico I don't know. What is the difference between regular and premium in PR? If it is just the octane then get reg.

If you put premium gas in a stock explorer you are wasting money. A stock explorer has a 9:1 engine compression ratio. There no benefit in using a higher octane rating gasoline.

 

[^Ob-Shaky]

In the U.S the statement below is true, but in Puerto Rico I don't know. What is the difference between regular and premium in PR? If it is just the octane then get reg.

reg here its like 87... maybe 88. Premium its 93 or 94 depends on the gas station because some claim they have "special additives" that are good to the car. I think it takes like $26+/- to get a full tank but again i dunno because when its reaching a 1/4 I fill it up again.

Whats the price of gas on your area ppl? Here in PR news says that due to the war the price on gas is high; normally its 36-37 reg but now its 41-42 If I get a better price in the states I'll move there!

------

Oh, and I almost forgot. The x I bought have the lid of the middle console busted. So when I ask for the lid of the console in a Ford Autopart store they say I have to buy the WHOLE thing! And that thing isnt cheap... $285-$300 was the place I seen it cheaper... So I tried looking for it in other places and no luck... I just have seen the part on Ebay but in other color (I need tan) and its like $70-$80. Then I saw in the Explorer mod site that they have another middle console that would fit and is shorter and look better than stock but its just avaiable in gray... So is there a way I could repair the lid? is busted all around the fold of the plastic near the bracket. Or that 3rd party part in avaibale somewhere on tan? Any help in the subject is welcome... It just pisses me off that when I take a turn the lid falls or roll to my seat or the passenger seat...


Thats it for today, take care!

 

[DeRocha]

This is the part you want: Tan Bracket This bracket has a steel insert which the original factory ones didn't have. I bought a gray bracket from this Ebay seller. The seller and part are first rate.

Gas up here (Massachusetts) is $1.70 per gallon.

 

[The_Renegade]

Welcome to the site..
1.. XL was the base model, followed by the XLT, Eddie Bauer, and then limited.. If you have power windows & door locks then you have an XLT atleast.. If you have tan fender flares, then its a Eddie Bauer. If it has matched color bumpers, then its a Limited.

How come my '91 XL has pwr windows and pwr locks? Shouldn't it be an XLT? I think my ex is having an identity crisis...