New user.... and soon to be explorer owner :)

[bertbuckie]

Hi all,

I'm sure you get this a million times a day however just thought I'd say hi and ask a few ( answered a million times but all differently ) questions.

I just put a deposit down on a 1999 ford explorer ( I'm in the UK )
Its a 4.0 V6 auto in black
It's only done 126k miles as well and I have swapped it with a dealer for this....
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-...y-car-swap-px-need-something-bigger/111568760
She was my pride and joy so hopefully the explorer will also be good

I plan a few mods to the explorer as I have been looking on here at others for ideas.
Window tinting
team heko wind deflectors
black grill
HID's
31" tyres when the ones on it run out.
I would go higher but my wife is 4' 8" lol..... she'd need a step ladder!

I also have a K&N 57i lying around but I am unsure if I can make it fit ( or even if its big enough )

My main concern is if its been looked after prior to me receiving it - IE oils etc.
I have seen most people seem to use 5w30 fully synthetic for the engine which is 4.7 litres?
The other thing is what oil do I use for the gearbox and diffs?
I looked up mobil 1 ATF but there are many variants of it.
I will also clean the throttle body and check the cable isn't stretched, and do a intake / exhaust cleanout along with an engine clean.
Are there any other things I should consider checking or cleaning out?

Thanks in advance and sorry if you get fedup of these questions.... its just hard to locate answers when there is so much information available.

Bert

 

[Rick]

Bert, I'm moving your post to our UK Explorer forum.

 

[bertbuckie]

Sorry Rick, thanks

 

[Ilikemice]

Welcome!

 

[bertbuckie]

hey fellow UK'er ilikemice
Have you found many UK places to buy modified parts? most I see are usa and postage is a killer in Scotland

 

[Howard]

Welcome,

For the auto box use mercon V spec only.

I've not found any site in the UK for modification parts, just getting standard parts is hard enough. Good luck though.

 

[bertbuckie]

Sounds a bit like the cars themselves Howard.... I'm having to do a 450 mile round trip just to get one! Mind you the joys of living in the North East.... but then, I am only 100 yards from the north sea
I guess I'll just have to make all my own mods as best as I can then

Heres a pic of my other project..... yes yes its a landrover lol and yes, it needs a new chassis / bulkhead along with most other bits but its fun
The Jimny has now gone.

 

[bertbuckie]

Heres also a link to the one I bought.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-FORD...mobiles_UK&hash=item3ccb087ccf#ht_1405wt_1397

Probably paid over the odds but well well..... bloke did a 360 walk around and told me every stone chip, scratch, dent ( all 1 ) and the interior is all in VGC with no rips etc
He also gives a 6 month nationwide warranty and when he took the deposit he said if its not as described he will refund my fuel costs to get there and back, and my deposit.
Fingers crossed --- don't spose anyone knows this one ?

 

[Howard]

Looks very smart. Just be sure to check for timing chain rattle, they all seem to suffer it eventually.

 

[bertbuckie]

I had a look into that and came across this Howard....
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=8632FB3C87E3FA87&id=8632FB3C87E3FA87!266
That looks like a mission and a half!
How do I know which engine I will have though? there appears to be OHC and SOHC ?

 

[janolsson]

High bert and welcome

As howard says the tranny takes mercon V only. Comma do a multi vehicle ATF that is mercon V in 5 ltrs that is reasonably priced.
The front diff takes one of the standard gear oil grades 75/90 or something like that but the rear diff take 75w140 and requires friction modifier (available from Fraud stealership) unless you use a fully synthetic 75w/140 for limited slip diffs. Opie oils website will show you a range in their race fluids that would work. I am planning on using the Millers crx NT for mine.
I believe the transfer case takes standard mercon ATF as does the power steering.

As for mods sbukexplorer is the one to talk to but i believe all his stuff came from the states. Tune, manifolds, ht leads.

One of the best mods you could do is fit LPG as these are thirsty beasts.

Do a search on here for oom12 kit to check whether you have the updated front oil tensioner (helps prevent the onset of chain rattle on start up)

If you want a little lift KevP on here makes longer rear shackles and adjuster bracket for the rear load sensor. You can raise the front to match by turning the torsion bar bolts. This will give you a couple of inches and allow more room for bigger tyres.

If you do get engine rattle and want to tackle the job yourself there is plenty of resources on this site(particlarily the US part) on how to do it. You will need the timing tools and selection of torx bits but aside from that, once you get your head around how the engine times up then it isn't too bad a job for the home mechanic. Just engine out if you need to do the rear cam chain.

I avoid fram filters, use decent oil (again i use millers), ngk platinum spark plugs (tho will prob go back to copper if i fit my lpg kit) and original T stat (i find aftermarket ones don't fit properly or last as long).

Oh and finally you will have the SOHC engine as that was all that was offered in the UK right hand drive.

enjoy
Jan

 

[janolsson]

HA HA i just had a look at the link you put about you engine reseach and it was a link to the pdf of the engine build up i used and put on my skydrive in case any one needed it.
Bert, once you have the engine there in front of you on a stand it is quite straight forward. Plus to do the chains the heads and cams etc are already on so you are half way there. With the engine on a stand you are looking at a couple of hours work IF you have the timing tools.
But i wouldn't worry about that unless you get the rattle. Then you will have plenty of time to research and aquire everything you need as they can rattle for quite some time before something lets go (if you are lucky)

 

[janolsson]

Also cycle the 4x4 to make sure that works as it should. You can switch to 4 hi on the fly but to change to 4 lo you need to be in neutral and have the foot on the brake.

 

[bertbuckie]

Thanks Jan
Very helpful
I'm like a kid at xmas lol - I did wonder about LPG also however she will only go to nursary ( less than a mile round trip ) and tesco - ( 3 mile round trip ) other than that only dundee and berwick once a year so I'm not sure the mileage warrants the £1700ish it would cost. I hope with good oils, regular services and basically just making sure everything is as it should be to get 20-25mpg - My wife will do most of the driving as I have a works van and she only has size 3 feet! cant be too heavy I'm sure

 

[bertbuckie]

HA HA i just had a look at the link you put about you engine reseach and it was a link to the pdf of the engine build up i used and put on my skydrive in case any one needed it.

Lol so it is thanks

EDIT: - also some other handy things there Jan

 

[chrystal]

Is it fully or part synth for the engine?

 

[janolsson]

Is it fully or part synth for the engine?

The ford spec is semi but there is no harm in using fully synth if you find a deal.
As said above it takes 4.7 ish litres so the deals on castrol are no good as they come in 4ltrs

 

[udnyexplorer]

another Scottish player

Another happy guy up here in North Scotland
Based near Pitmedden, and have two Explorers now to my name , great cars, though can get expensive for parts if you dont think ahead a we bit

good luck with car

 

[bertbuckie]

Another happy guy up here in North Scotland
Based near Pitmedden, and have two Explorers now to my name , great cars, though can get expensive for parts if you dont think ahead a we bit

good luck with car

Cool I used to work near there for Schlumberger.
I live in Sunny Buckie
Got some pics ? ( the cars not you )

 

[bertbuckie]

uurrgghhhhhhh

Well on Friday I formatted the wrong hard drive on my pc..... twice pmsl!
Then went to the outlaws house for supper.... great. My vauxhall signum ( the one I'm trading for an explorer ) developed a problem.... battery light came on, soon followed by airbag lights, front lights dying, no stereo, no power steering / abs / traction control etc lmfao.

Soooooo, no tools and at her mums house I just bought a new battery £50!
nope, still not working - dodgy alternator....damn!
Found one on fleabay for £20 delivered tho so cant complain.... looks a pig of a job tho and I am meant to drive a 400+ mile round trip Thursday to get my explorer hope I manage! I cant wait till I get her