New to me '97 Mountaineer

[Duotwk]

Been looking for an Explorer for a few months in my price range that didn't look like ass and ended up finding a Mountaineer.

When you buy cheap it's gonna have problems and man does it seem like its something new everyday, I'm used to wrenching on my motorcycle but not so much cars at all.

It has a loud low noise in the front, gets louder the faster I go and seems to be more on the right than the left. At a steady speed like 60mph the noise seems to change pitch up and down a little. Previous owner claimed it was just the tires and that the noise was there ever since she bought it I was like whatever it feels smooth so I'll buy it and have an adventure figuring it out.

Bought it, drove it to Dad's house and the brake line blew in the back, rust :thumbdwn:. Replaced it, started to bleed the brakes and blew the left front one too. Replaced that, started to bleed the brakes AGAIN and oh no bleeder valve is stuck in the right rear. Liquid wrench it, beat it heat it nothing. Took it to a buddy who owns a mechanic shop, couldn't get it out.

Tomorrow I'm replacing the caliper and bleeding the brakes HOPEFULLY that will be that because I'm tired of brake fluid and I want to get to figuring out what this front end noise is.

 

[curt1007]

Probably a bad hub, there are posts here on replacing them, not too hard. Get a good one, not the cheap ones. That way you only need to replace it once .
Good luck

 

[brezzy]

Could be a wheel bearing

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

If you can find a socket set called griptight,its meant for rounded nuts and bolts,it;ll get that bleeder loose. Its the only way i;ve been able to loosen a ford bleed screw, they are available here in Canada at canadian tire but not sure where they are available in the US.

 

[lobo411]

Its the only way i;ve been able to loosen a ford bleed screw

Mine loosen with any old box wrench. California FTW!

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

Mine loosen with any old box wrench. California FTW!

Must be nice,things rust pretty good up here!

 

[lobo411]

Must be nice,things rust pretty good up here!

Ya, some of the photos I've seen from snow country are just shocking!

 

[FPGT24]

Either your wheel bearing is shot or your transfer case is about to blow. Most likely wheel since you described it gets louder at higher speeds.

 

[Duotwk]

Yeah I've pretty much narrowed it down to the right wheel whatever, assuming hub/bearings since if I make a turn that takes the weight off it stops making the noise.

Was going to replace it tonight, but it took hours to bleed the brakes after replacing the caliper and there's still air somewhere, but it's good enough I'm tired of messing with brakes.

Gonna try some of this Muffler Weld stuff from autozone to fix some exhaust leaks tomorrow.

 

[Duotwk]

Ugh drove it for awhile to get all the codes since the battery connection was loose and it reset everything a little while back.

B1317
P0442
P0141
P0153
P0401
P0156

All exhaust crap except the first one :\

 

[FPGT24]

Ugh drove it for awhile to get all the codes since the battery connection was loose and it reset everything a little while back.

B1317
P0442
P0141
P0153
P0401
P0156

All exhaust crap except the first one :\

First one is battery voltage too high