newbie here, just a few questions...

[blwn5spd]

hello, i just picked up my 2003 explorer nbx v8 and although i must not lie its really my wifes truck (shhh).
anyhow after owning bunch of explorers 2 doors and 4 doors 5.0 and 6's i must say this truck with the 4.6 and the optional tow package with higher gears is very fun to drive. i am very impressed with the new tranny keeping the motor in the powerband as it shifts from gear to gear. now the questions...
i have done extensive searching and cannot get a straight answer, what kind of 4wd or awd do i have?
i have 3 buttons on the dash 4wheel auto,high and low.i had a 5.0 eddie bower that was always in 4wd then i had a 2 door sport that had 2wd as an option? this truck seems to be always in (4wd) but it doesnt feel the same as the old truck?
next question is i am experiencing what i like to call wind buffering, when driving along with the rear windows down or even one of the rear windows down and both front windows up the wind coming in creates a buffering that feels like someone is taking there hand and cupping your ears its really really bad. it even overpowers the radio sound. any ideas.
im sure i will have more questions to come love the site thanks for the replys.

www.blwn5spd.com

 

[dogfriend]

Question 1: You have Control Trac, which is also called A4wd (auto 4wd) as opposed to the full time 4wd that you had in the 5.0 Explorer. Control Trac uses a computer controlled clutch in the transfer case to vary the amount of torque sent to the front axle. If you search on "Control Trac" you will find loads of info, including a mod to disable it to get 2wd if you want.

Brown wire mod

Question 2: My GF's Toyota Avalon also does this if the rear windows are left partially down while driving. It sets up some kind of resonance which was really weird because it interfered with the sound system. It went away after I rolled the windows up.

 

[2001ExpSport]

What happens when you do that is the rear area of the car/truck acts like a cup trapping the air and since it has now where to escape it gets pushed forward against the windshield inturn bouncing back against it'self causing the buffeting.

Get a coffee cup or a class and put it a few inches away from your face and blow into it, you'll see what I mean.