New Toy

[koda2000]

Update 3:30:
So today I removed the fuel line connection at the LH fuel rail and sure enough, the O-ring was broken. I was glad that it wasn't the line that had cracked. I figured, no problem, I'd just call the Ford dealer and get a new O-ring. Not so easy, the parts guy looked for 10 mins and informed me that the O-rings were not available separately for the fuel line (which costs $120). WTF, it's just a damn O-ring and Ford doesn't sell it separately? Next I called Tasca Ford and was told the same thing, though their price was $25 less.

I thought I'd take a chance that the fuel rail O-rings were the same size as the injector O-rings, and it turns out they're very close and may have worked. They were $4 for 4 of them so I bought a set. On the way home I stopped at my buddy's shop to see if he had any ideas. He told me that the green O-rings are hard to find, but he had an old fuel injector he'd taken out of something that had a green O-ring that was mighty close to the size I needed (near as I could tell from the remains my broken O-ring).

I brought it home, pushed it on the fitting and tried it for size in the fuel rail. It looked about right, so I lubed it with some Vaseline and pushed it in, tapping it home with a drift and hammer. It seemed like it fit perfectly. I reinstalled the retaining bolts and started the engine... no leaks, so I let it idle for 15 mins and still had no leaks. I took the truck around the block (as I had yesterday) and it was still dry as a bone. Phew!

Let this be a lesson to you, never install O-rings dry. I know better, but I'd forgotten to lube it. I'll guess I'll return the O-rings I'd gotten at the parts store and get my $4 back, then I can go to Wendy's for lunch and order off their 4-for-$4 menu... LOL

 

[skpyle]

Good save!

Seth K. Pyle

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

Update 3:30:
I'll guess I'll return the O-rings I'd gotten at the parts store and get my $4 back, then I can go to Wendy's for lunch and order off their 4-for-$4 menu... LOL

I like the way you think!

 

[koda2000]

Last Update:
I transferred the insurance and plate from my XLT to the ST today, so the ST is now legal. It was pretty cold this morning (for GA in Nov) and it started easily an relatively quietly. Much more quietly than it had been doing before the 00M12 kit and switching to the 0W30 oil. I'd still like to add a pre-oiler setup, but at least for now I don't feel like I'm doing it any harm when I start it. I put in a bottle of Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner today and the ST will be my daily driver for now until I recover the drivers seat bottom and figure out what to do with it.
Total money spent on it (including purchase price) is currently about $2650 with another $200 to be spent on the seat, so that's not to bad. I certainly wont loose any money on it if I sell it.

There may be more repairs to report on, but they'll get posted to the "What Did You Do This Weekend?" thread. It's been a fun and rewarding project.

 

[swshawaii]

Great job Koda! Good feeling huh? Now we have to come up with a vanity plate. How about "NEW TOY"?

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you kota for the post!

 

[Valas1969]

Update:
Bought the used '01 Explorer rear (4:10) for $300. A nice clean southern truck, so no rusty parts. Got 2 Qts Valvoline 75W140 Synthetic gear oil (on sale at AZ) for $18. Got the rear home, stripped it down, cleaned it out, all the gears look great, even the oil look like it had been changed recently, removed the disc brakes, swapped over my drum brake parts and reinstalled it under the truck.

Tomorrow I'll install the new axle seals, get the axels back in it, put the new brake shoes on the driver's side, clean up the drums and reinstall them, fill-er-up with oil and finish putting everything else back on. I should be ready for a test drive by late afternoon. I sure hope this rear end is nice and quite. I believe it will be.

Once this is done I can get back to my list of other things needing attention.

why didn't you just keep the disc brakes on the rear? Easier to do maintenance on that way.

 

[Valas1969]

RE vanity plates; IDK, maybe 7 characters. Thing is, in GA you have to pay for vanity plates every year, not just once. Back in the 70's in CT I had a vanity plate on my '71 Road Runner that read BDWZR. Can you figure that one out?

Budweiser

 

[koda2000]

why didn't you just keep the disc brakes on the rear? Easier to do maintenance on that way.

I've replaced rear drums with disc's on a few classic cars. It's always required changing the master cylinder and proportioning valve. I assume that wouldn't be any different with an ST. RockAuto shows different master cylinder part numbers for the Explorer and ST. Disc brake calipers require a lot of fluid be moved to work compared to drum wheel cylinders. You might even have to switch the ABS pump (not sure). I didn't want to mess with doing a disc conversion and it was easier to just keep the drums. The drums are more than adequate for my purposes. Plus I'm sure the new rear shoes will last longer than the rest of the truck, so future maintenance isn't an issue.

Have you ever replaced the parking brake shoes on and Explorer w/rear discs? "Easier maintenance" are not the words that come to mind.

 

[Valas1969]

From what I have read on here and on the other ST forum you don't have to charge the master cylinder or proportioning valve. Yes I have replaced the parking brake shoes on my 99 Explorer and I rather do that then replace drum brakes any day. Lol. Also did you decide wether or not if you're keeping your Trac?

 

[koda2000]

From what I have read on here and on the other ST forum you don't have to charge the master cylinder or proportioning valve. Yes I have replaced the parking brake shoes on my 99 Explorer and I rather do that then replace drum brakes any day. Lol. Also did you decide wether or not if you're keeping your Trac?

If the master cylinder doesn't need to be changed why are there different master cylinder part numers listed? Just because some my have installed discs on the rear w/out changing the master doesn't mean it's working properly. I don't screw around with safety related parts like brakes unless I do it correctly.

As far as replacing brake shoes rather than brake pads, yes shoes are more time consuming to change, but I've been changing brake shoes for more than 50 years and I don't find them difficult to do. Besides, like I said, I'll never have to do it again on this vehicle. The only reason I changed them was because they were soaked with gear oil.

I think I'll be getting rid of the ST soon rather than keeping it. I currently have 3 Explorer's that I can drive and I find that's at least one too many. I also have a trailer for hauling stuff. If the ST was a 5.0L I'd keep it and get rid of one my 4 door V8 Ex's. I've thought about converting the ST to a V8, but at my age I think that's just too big of a project.

 

[koda2000]

From what I have read on here and on the other ST forum you don't have to charge the master cylinder or proportioning valve. Yes I have replaced the parking brake shoes on my 99 Explorer and I rather do that then replace drum brakes any day. Lol. Also did you decide wether or not if you're keeping your Trac?

If the master cylinder doesn't need to be changed why are there different master cylinder part numbers listed? Just because some my have installed discs on the rear w/out changing the master doesn't mean it's working properly. I don't screw around with safety related parts like brakes unless I do it correctly.

As far as replacing brake shoes rather than brake pads, yes shoes are more time consuming to change, but I've been changing brake shoes for more than 50 years and I don't find them difficult to do. Besides, like I said, I'll never have to do it again on this vehicle. The only reason I changed them was because they were soaked with gear oil.

I think I'll be getting rid of the ST soon rather than keeping it. I currently have 3 Explorer's that I can drive and I find that's at least one too many. I also have a trailer for hauling stuff. If the ST was a 5.0L I'd keep it and get rid of one my 4 door V8 Ex's. I've thought about converting the ST to a V8, but at my age I think that's just too big of a project.

 

[koda2000]

Link to the sequel to this story (SOHC Engine Removal) below:

(retitled) SOHC Engine Removal